Ephesians 6:18 – And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)

James 5:15 – The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. (NIV)

Readers of our world-wide Daily PrayerLine will be interested in the following study. It certainly affirms what we have experienced here through the prayer support of our brothers and sisters in Christ, all praying at a distance for us. May those who doubt the power of prayer take heart, for it does work! I can personally attest to that. Look at this study and marvel:

In a double-blind study by Krucoff et al. (2001), some 150 cardiac patients were assigned to one of four groups: a control group, touch therapy, stress relaxation, imagery, or distant prayer. The prayer groups from different religious affiliations around the world prayed for patients assigned to them.

Researchers tracked clinical indicators, as well as incidents of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, death, length of hospital stay, and need for surgery. The adverse outcomes in the prayer group (who didn't know if they were being prayed for or not) were 50 to 100 percent fewer than those who were not prayed for.

Patients who received other complimentary therapies had a 30 percent reduction in adverse outcomes.

American Heart Journal

142 (5): 760-769. 2001.

What does this say to us faithful pray-ers? Keep on praying for one another, for "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). Prayer opens both the pray-er and receiver to God's amazing power.

Prayer: Amazing and loving God, we open ourselves now to be a channel of your divine healing power. May your blessings abound in the lives of all we pray for today. Keep us humble, yet fervent, praying without ceasing for those in need, and for this our troubled world. We pray through Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

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