On October 16, 1996, John Dina, missionary to Mozambique, was bitten by a deadly green mamba snake as he walked in the Mozambican bush with coworkers. Dina drove himself home, a trip which required five hours. His wife and a missionary doctor stayed with him during the night as his pulse slowed and his breathing became more labored.

At dawn a medical evacuation airplane arrived to take him to Johannesburg, South Africa. Doctors at a hospital administered huge doses of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. They kept a ventilator on standby. Within days Dina had made a remarkable recovery. His doctor said that he would suffer no permanent damage from the bite. Dina’s miraculous recovery from the bite left many villagers who knew of the incident amazed at the power of the God of Christians.

For his part, Dina thanked God for his recovery and acknowledged the prayers of God’s people. Thousands of people prayed for him when his name appeared on a missionary prayer calendar on October 12, his thirty-fourth birthday. Thousands of others prayed when an urgent notice was posted on the toll-free prayer lines of the Mission Board and electronic prayer network.

(James 5:13-16)

13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. 

Most believers today believe that the people living during the time the Bible was written were somehow superhuman and it was unique times and so therefore the power that God displayed during this time is not available to us as believers today. But James corrects this idea and says that God's arm is not too short and there is nothing beyond His power. He says that this power is available to those who pray earnestly. 

For most commentators who have written on this passage, earnest prayer is emotionally engaged. Listen to what the writer of the Book of Hebrews says about how Jesus prayed: (Hebrews 5:7-8) 7 During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8 Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. It can also be physically exhausting: This is Jesus the night before His crucifixion (Luke 22:30-44) 39 He went out and made His way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. 40 When He reached the place, He told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 Being in anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.

The Apostle Paul knew all too well that effective prayer must be done with persistence. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.