SATURDAY, JUNE 14
Scripture: James 5:16-18

Verses 16-18 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 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. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” The very first thing that God requires if we go into this realm is transparency. That is why He says to confess our transgressions, one to another. Then He goes on to say the fervent prayer of a righteous man is-koo-o. Is-koo-o is where suddenly God comes to empower us to overcome a very persistent enemy. For those who have been in long, continuous battles, is-koo-o is the power to overcome the enemy, to look on him and to put him under our feet. We are given an example and the example is Elijah. The example is what he did to Israel. It is obvious that what is in view here is the issue of financial hoarding, because of the example God gives. The example is the economy of Israel being completely shut down for 3 ½ years. The prophets of Baal were mammonites to the core. Some might even say demonic. When Elijah prayed, he shut off their financial stream. Every single dollar that was poured into the prophets of Baal dried up. Suddenly, they had no financial stream at all. That was God, working with one man. And when Elijah prayed again, Heaven opened up, the rain came and the earth produced its fruit. If we look at that economically, it is inevitable to see the financial repercussions of closing Israel’s economy. Israel’s economy was 100% dependent on agriculture and rain. No rain meant no food, money or prosperity. One man’s prayers shut down the whole economy of a nation, in order to kill the prophets of Baal. Just think what one man’s prayers could do with habitually rebellious and defiant political leaders and political parties. One man, one prayer, Israel’s financial stream was cut off. I think it is time today’s church learned how to walk in this realm.