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believers who have wronged each other (Matthew 5:23‐24). If sins are handled in private, and
attention is kept on correct relationships between God and men, there will be no need for public
prayer and anointing with oil.

But if there is no forgiveness between believers, there will be no healing. An operative prayer is
one that has no unforgiveness between men and God. It is prayed in faith, trusting the promises
of God and made in the name of Jesus. James has given us the steps for an operative prayer in
the verses dealing with sickness in the congregation.

C. The Power of Godly Prayer

Jas 5:17 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.

This verse stresses the human side of Elijah for the encouragement of his congregation. Since the
congregation’s faith was weak in many points and the elders had strong faith, it might appear
that God was a respecter of persons for answered prayer. James is quick to note the human side
of a hero they almost deified. This man was taken up in a chariot and will later come back to the
earth for three and one half years as a herald of the second advent of Jesus. Yet he also had long
days of depression and mood changes. He was subject to great defeats after great victories. By
James pointing this out, his congregation could find themselves in Elijah. This man of great
mistakes and defeats also had a great prayer answered that struck at the heart of the nation of
Israel in its apostasy. Elijah becomes our example of a man who had an operative and fervent
prayer.

Elijah is also James’s fourth and last Old Testament character used for illustration. James uses so
many Old Testament heroes because of the number of Jews in his congregation.

Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Although in the account of 1 Kings 18:41‐45 there is no mention of Elijah praying, he must have
by his posture in verse 42. James confirms that he did pray and God answered his prayer by
sending rain. The answer came by persistence and patience, and the servant of Elijah finally saw
a small cloud on the horizon that brought an abundance of rain.

3. Results of Turning a Believer Back to the Lord (19‐20)

James ends the chapter exhorting his congregation to be sensitive to those who have strayed
from God and to look for opportunities to baring them back to the Lord.

Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him (epistrepse: turn him around);