Pray Like Elijah

September 29th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

James 5:17-18 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 earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Previously James spoke of the prophets and Job (vv.10-11) to illustrate suffering and endurance. Now he reminds of Israel’s most popular prophet, Elijah, a man who also suffered in difficult times under the most ungodly pagan rulers Israel ever knew: Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah illustrates how “an effective prayer from a righteous man can accomplish much” (v. 16).
The first note about Elijah is that he “was a man with a nature like ours” (NIV, “just like us”). He was thus a sinner who, though he performed miraculous feats, was a mere human who got hungry, tired, scared, confused, and at one time just wanted to die out of dejection (1 Kings 19:4). But though a man, he was righteous, a man faithful to his God and his task.

The account of Elijah’s life is seen from 1 Kings 17:1—2 Kings 2:11. He prayed effectively in bringing a widow’s dead son back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24), calling down fire from heaven in a grand display of God’s power working through him (1 Kings 18:36-45), and of course his prayer for drought in Israel (1 Kings 17:1) that lasted over three years. In vv. 17-18, James focuses on that prayer, for Elijah “prayed earnestly”—literally “prayer praying,” that rain would be withheld from the land of Israel for three and a half years. Then he “prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced fruit” (v. 18; cf. 1 Kings 18:41-46). Clearly, Elijah’s prayers were in keeping with God’s will as He judged Ahab and Israel. But the fact that God used a normal man “with a nature like ours” (Gr. homoiopathēs) to work His providence is the very point James is making. Prayer is effective when faithful believers utilize it well. Elijah’s effective prayers thus stand in direct contrast with the weak prayers James rebukes in 1:6-8.

One wonders why James only mentions Elijah’s prayer for the drought in light of his other more spectacular prayers—like calling down fire from heaven or raising the dead. In fact, 1 Kings 17:1 does not even mention the prayer of Elijah; rather, it simply pictures Elijah making the declaration to Israel that the rain would be withheld for three years. But in James’ context, this particular feat makes sense. For James is illustrating a Christian whose life has become a barren wilderness of weak faith—just like the land of Israel was during those three-plus years of drought, circa 850 BC. Such a one has thus become spiritually weak, or “sick,” and is in need of prayer to restore his ineffective faith. Like a dry land suddenly flooded with rain, so is a Christian whose soul is prayed over by the effective prayer of a righteous person. He will be restored, raised up, and if his sins have incapacitated him, God will absolutely forgive (v. 15).

The life of Elijah is indeed a spectacular life to reflect upon for many reasons. His prayers were effective only because he placed himself in the center of God’s will. Part of that included stern denunciations against the sins of Ahab and Jezebel—the ruling elite of that day. As such, Elijah was hated, his life in constant danger. That in itself would cause any man to become prayerful, looking to God for protection and direction. Once Elijah was translated into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11), later prophets spoke of him reappearing in the future, coming again to pave the way for the Messianic age (Mal. 4:5-6; Mark 9:12; Luke 1:17). Jesus said the near-fulfillment of this occurred when John the Baptist came in the power and likeness of Elijah (Matt. 11:11-14) but was rejected. Elijah will apparently appear again just prior to Christ’s return, perhaps as one of the Two Witnesses the Book of Revelation depicts in chapter 11.

Food For Thought
Elijah’s prayer for both drought and rain fits the context of his day when Baal, the pagan god of rain, was relied upon by Israel to fertilize crops—in Israel! Elijah thus prayed that God withhold rain to prove to Israel that only God can provide rain. Thus, praying that it rain today or not rain has no context outside of our desire that a prolonged drought might end. We should, however, pray that our world leaders come to realize that Jesus is God (cf. 1 Tim. 2:1-2). God has absolutely called us and equipped us to pray effectively by praying according to His perfect will in the name of Christ. When we know His will, we ought to pray His will. Jesus calls us to pray for our persecutors (Matt. 5:44), for God’s kingdom to come (6:10), for daily provision of food and water (6:11), for overcoming temptation (6:13), and for forgiveness of our sins (Luke 11:4). The Apostle Paul recommends praying for the advancement of the gospel (2 Thess. 3:1) and for our earthly rulers to rule wisely (1 Tim. 2:1-2). And James instructs us to pray for wisdom (1:5), spiritual maturity (5:16; cf. Eph. 6:18), perseverance while suffering (5:13), and for wayward Christians (5:16; cf. 1 John 5:16). Now you’ve got a biblical prayer list in order to pray like Elijah, a man who was just as human as any one of us.