Discussion Questions

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The prophet Elijah is a great example of someone with a powerful and effective prayer life. He prayed bold and audacious prayers, believing God would answer him. But that’s not just a story in the Old Testament—with a little specificity, persistence, and expectancy, we can pray powerful and effective prayers, too.

Discussion Questions 1. Share about a time when God answered a prayer of yours, big or small. How did that impact your faith? 2. Read James 5:13-18. When you pray for something, how persistent are you? Do you pray for it once or twice, then give up if it’s not answered? Or do you keep praying until you have a clear answer from God? 3. What is something you’ve been waiting for and praying about for a long time—steady work, a positive pregnancy test, healing in a relationship? How can you start to change the way you pray about it? 4. Read 1 Kings 18:42-45. What small clouds do you see on the horizon that might be signs of God’s promises or hope coming your way?

Challenge This week, write down your prayer requests, and be specific. Then, commit to praying for them with persistence. Come back to those prayers every so often and see how God has answered them.

Commit to Memory The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16