The Prayers of the Righteous Availeth Much

                                                        James 5:16

By Synthia Esther

July 7, 2009

There was a missionary in India who told how he was kneeling at his bed praying one night when a giant python had uncoiled itself from the roof rafters and wrapped itself around his body.*  In the book, "The World of the Snake," J.B. Lippincott Company, author Hal H. Harrison writes that the world's largest snake was a 37 foot anaconda from northern South America.  And although rare, that stories are told of giant snakes in Asia and Africa that consumed people.   Giant smakes like the anaconda and the pythons have also been known to eat prodigious meals.  James A. Oliver reports that the swallowing of a 130-pound impala by a 16-foot african python is the heaviest meal of which he knows, based on accurate weight.  Harrison says (pg. 79), "A reticualted python 24 foot long consumed a 125-pound pig.  There are records of Indian pythons swallowing buck deer with 12-inch horns.  An Indian python that swallowed a porcupine died when the quills perforated the skin between the snake's ribs." 

The missionary stated he recieved strength from God to be so calm and brave that he never moved.  He just kept meditating on God.  Had he struggled or hesitated, and tensed up, the python snake coiled and wrapped around his body would have been constricted, and he would have been crushed.  This is the process by which the python kills and eats it's prey.  Instead the missionary prayed, waited, became calm, remained poised, and didn't move.  After long minutes the snake uncoiled itself and retreated back to the rafters.  

I am reminded of the biblical promise in James 5:16, " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." The prayer of faith was prayed by Elijah, who was a man just like any other man.  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 it crops. - James 5:17-18.  

Often called the faith chapter, Hebrews chapter 11 within the Holy Bible, gives us life examples of those who had faith in God...

* By faith Abraham, even though he was past age - and Sarah herself was barren - was enabled to become a father

* By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.

* By faith Isaac Blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

* By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

* By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

* By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, 

* By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharoh's daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw HIM who is invisible.  By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

* By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land: but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

* By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.

* By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

* What more shall I say?  I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samon, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreigh armies.  Women received back their dead, raised to life again.  Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.  Some faced jeers and gloggind, while still others were chained and put in prison.  They were stoned; they were saved in two; they were put to death by the sword.  They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - the world was not worthy of them.  They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the groud.  These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.  God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God...

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was made out of what was invisible.  By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.  By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death.  By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Our very salvation in Jesus Christ, depends upon His mercy and our faith. So when asked if I believe that a missionary in Indian with a python coiled around and about his body survived through faith and dependence upon God is truth?  Yes, I believe.  And by faith I pray upon reading his story, and the faith of others, you do too.  "For we walk by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7  Our faith does not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:5

* Source: Living Powerfully One Day at a Time, Robert H. Schuller, Fleming H. Revell Company.  Orginally published by Crystal Cathedral Ministries.

Copyright - 2009,  Synthia Esther.   All Rights Reserved.