JAMES 5:17,18 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Someone said, “Yes, but that was Elijah praying. He was a prophet. He was a great man of God. Certainly, he was righteous.” But James said he was a man, “subject to like passions” just like we are. James didn’t say, “Elijah was a prophet who prayed.” He said, “Elijah was a man who prayed.” God won’t hear a prophet pray any more quickly than He will hear any other believer pray. It’s not the one praying who gets the job done anyway. The Bible says, “. . . The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). The Amplified Bible says, “. . . The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available — dynamic in its working” (James 5:16). The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is what gets the job done. Someone said, “Well, if I was righteous I could pray that way and get results.” But if you are saved, you are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). God made you righteous. You can’t make yourself righteous. That was one of the most difficult aspects of the Bible for me to understand in studying the subjects of faith and healing. I pastored nearly twelve years. During those twelve years, I saw people in my congregation who didn’t live nearly as consecrated as others did, and yet, they could do twice as much praying and get twice as many answers as the others did. They would get the job done, so to speak. But they weren’t the ones who were getting the job done. It was the Lord who was getting the job done in response to their prayers and their faith. Some of these people could pray the prayer of faith for themselves and for their families more quickly than those who seemingly lived more holy lives. “Lord, why is that?” I would ask. Of course, the Lord finally showed me through His Word that you do not get your prayers answered on the basis of how good you have been. You get answers to prayer based on faith in God’s Word and on who you are in Christ. You are made righteous in Christ Jesus. Righteousness for the Christian is a present-tense reality today. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. One definition of “righteousness” is rightstanding with God. You see, Jesus became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus is our righteousness. We have the same righteousness, or rightstanding with God, that Jesus has. And every single one of us who is born again has this rightstanding with God. We are invited to come boldly to the throne of grace by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 4:16). So in James chapter 5 it says, “Elijah was a man.” Although Elijah operated in the ministry of a prophet, he was just a human being like you and me. It says, “Elias [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions AS WE ARE . . .” (James 5:17). In other words, Elijah was subject to the same faults, the same shortcomings, the same mistakes, and the same failures as every other human being is subject to. Yet his prayer worked; and so will yours. - 📕Bible Prayer Study Course - Kenneth E Hagin - JESUS SAVES TV