Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of the righteous man can accomplish much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the sky poured rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

James tells us about the connective power of prayer.  His statement, "the effective prayer of the righteous man can accomplish much," is meant to provoke us to prayer outside of our own walls. 

This is why we confess our sins to one another - not to spread about our weakness, but to allow prayer it's healing power.  To allow our prayers free reign in the world around us.

Elijah was a man... like us...  When he prayed (at the request of God), his prayers changed the world around him, even the weather patterns.

James is telling us that we too have prayers that should be changing our world.

Our prayers and petitions will always move us to action, to life, to growth.  When we pray as the Father tells us, as the Father told Elijah, our prayers will fly on wings.  The task:  listen to what God wants you to pray about - and watch His glory rain down.