Written by Claudia Perez, volunteer for Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Alabama
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (Jas 5:13-18 NIV)
There are times when our lives are filled with grief. There are situations in our lives in which our spirit is filled with bitterness. Have you ever felt this way? Who have you turned to in those moments? It is sad to realize how many times we try everything but prayer.
As I studied this topic, the fervent prayer of a righteous woman, I was reminded of a godly woman who prayed fervently, and God heard her—Hannah— a righteous woman who, having an affliction and bitterness in her soul, prayed to Jehovah.
She, with bitterness of soul, prayed to Jehovah and wept abundantly. And she made a vow, saying, "Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head” (1Sa 1:11).
How many times have we prayed to the Lord for what afflicts us? How many times have we made vows or promises to the Lord? How many times have we kept those promises? It is necessary to remember that the prayer of a righteous woman is what the Lord hears. Returning to Hannah's example, the Word tells us that she prayed long before Jehovah and spoke in her heart. "Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk" (1Sa 1:13).
How important it is to pray fervently to the Lord! Prayer entails living a life that is godly, holy, and obedient to God. God looks at our hearts. God sees the fervor in us. Let us remember Elijah. The passage says, "Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years" (Jas 5:17).
Another example is Moses, who had intimate fellowship with God. Let's look at the passage where God speaks to Aaron and Miriam after they have murmured against Moses: "He said, ‘Listen to my words: When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house’" (Nu 12:6-7).
In every example, we have seen fervor and service to God: faithfulness, obedience, and trust in God. Sister, today I invite you to strive together to be righteous women who cry out to God fervently, who accept God's promises, who are dedicated to the service of the Lord, who obey His Word, and who always trust in Him.
After having studied this topic:
- Write on a sheet of paper: What place does prayer have in your personal life, home, or local congregation? How can you make prayer grow or flourish in your life?
- Describe and identify what situations in your life are taking you away from your prayer time that you want to eliminate with the help of God and your sisters.
- Join a sister or prayer group that will help you be a righteous woman who prays to God.
