Praying the Power Down

April 12

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the

church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with

oil in the name of the Lord.—JAMES 5:14

My wife and I had just moved into the parsonage of a Full

Gospel church in the blackland of northcentral Texas. There

was a knock on the door. I went to the door and a little cotton-

headed—blond-haired—boy stood there. He said, “Momma wants

you to come and pray for her. She’s sick.” Well, I didn’t recognize him. So I said, “Who is Momma?” He

told me and I recognized the name. She was one of my Sunday

school teachers. I said, “Son, you stand right there. I’ll put on

my tie and coat, and you can show me to your house.” I was a

stranger in town and I didn’t know my way around. So he took

me to his house.

I had a little bottle of olive oil in my pocket that I used to

anoint people when I prayed for them. I took it out and anointed

the woman’s forehead. I knelt by the bed and prayed. Then I

said, “In Jesus’ Name. Amen,” and I got up and started to go.

She stopped me, saying, “Brother B. [the former pastor of this

Full Gospel church] always prayed until the power fell.” Well, I was new in Full Gospel circles. So I thought, Maybe

that’s the way they do it. So I got back down on my knees. I’d

never prayed the power down before. I didn’t even know you

could pray it down. After about an hour and a half, the power of

God fell on us. The whole room was energized with the power of

God. The woman shook just like someone who was holding an

electrical wire. I’d prayed down the power. So I got up and went

home.

Confession:

It is scriptural for someone to anoint me with oil and pray the

prayer of faith. James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith shall

save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. . . .”

Delightsome Agbabo