Prayer?

When we talk about limitations of prayer we use Paul's request for removal of "the thorn" and God's negative response with an explanation. Not available to us today. When we talk about God answering prayer we use Elijah increasing the oil of the widow, raising the dead son, causing rain, and fire where God communicates directly to him also not available to us today. To support our contention that God answers prayer we use Jesus' telling his disciples that anything they asked according to his will he would do. None are applicable to us today.

Apparently I have never met a righteous man because I have never observed nor experienced a prayer that did anything not to mention "availeth much." I wonder what "prayer is powerful means?