The Powerful Prayers of Sinners Saved by Grace

Aim: To pray earnestly and fervently—as the Church of Christ.

Doctrine: Church saints move God to action through fervently sincere prayers. The pray-ers need not be sinless (in themselves), but they must be serious (in their desires).

Exegesis: What is required for sinners' prayers to be answered: the fallen pray-er must be justified through faith in Christ (v. 16b), must ascend above himself—all the way to God (v. 17), and must have the Lord's gracious goals in mind (v. 18).

Further application: Why our prayers do not always seem to be answered: because we do not desire the object of our petitions wholeheartedly enough; or, our requests do not match what is good for us, and glorifying to God.

Key verse: v. 17 ''Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.''