Effectual and Fervent Prayer

Topic: Effectual and Fervent Prayer

When we look at James 5:16 there are some key words in this Scripture that are going to be crucial in understanding how we as sons are to have a consistent and effectual prayer life.  The reason I say consistent and effectual because you can be consistent and not effectual especially when it comes to prayer because you can consistently be praying for the wrong thing.  This is why prayer is only effective, not only when it is consistent but when it is from someone who is righteous.  We will talk about the righteous man in a upcoming message.  But let’s back up and deal with two of the three words of this Scripture, fervent and effectual.

Fervent

When we look at the word fervent, it means: passionate and intensity.  So we can say that the passionate and effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  Why should we be passionate about prayer?  What is prayer?  We know that prayer is communion with God in order for God’s will to be done on earth as it already is in Heaven.  If you can keep that definition in mind that should give you a slight glimpse into the importance of prayer in the life of a Son. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17: Pray without ceasing

This means we should always be praying, we should desire and mature to a passionate prayer life that is not ritualistic but out of understanding the Heavenly relationship between man and God and that relationship is Father/Son and we will discuss this later because depending upon your perception of the relationship between you and God, it shapes your prayer life.  We want God’s continued impact on this earth through the lives of His Sons and that requires prayer.  Considering the shape of this world 1 Thessalonians 5:17 should be priority number one for the believer but as we can see and many have experienced, many of our prayers have gone unanswered and many have gotten discouraged because of God not answering their prayers.  But keep this in mind, there is a reason, there is always a reason to why God did not answer your prayer.  And that brings me to the second word:  Effectual

Effectual

One who is consistent, passionate and righteous will have a effectual prayer life.  Many of their prayers are answered consistently.  Here is a simple key to keep in mind to why and you can confirm this statement in the many prayer of Jesus Himself. 

“Their requests lined up with what was on the heart of the Father”

To have an effectual prayer life that has to be at the heart of your requests and this is why it is crucial to get the relationship right because the Scriptures declare the Sons only does what he sees his Father do.  So there has to be a functioning relationship between man and God in the reality of Father and Son for mankind to know what is on the heart of God and when that request is made, earth is impacted by Heaven through a prayer of the sons in the earth.  So as you can see we must mature from the asking of things for us to the things that are on the heart of God for this very reason:

Your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things”

Before I deal with the word righteous man, I want to go all the way back to the beginning and lay this foundation because without a proper foundation your prayer life will be shaky and unstable and when the storms of life (trials and tribulations) come, what you know will be “washed away”….Let’s build a effectual prayer life with Christ as the center, the Rock! 

Peace and Grace,

Calvin Calhoun,Jr.

    

Effectual Prayer Life: Introduction

Effectual Prayer Life

Topic:  Introduction

             

Greetings Sons of God:

In maturing in Christ as a son, one of the hard aspects to growth is a effectual prayer life.  Many of us, including myself, have found ourselves frustrated at one time or another with our prayer life.  Most of the frustration centers around God not answering our prayers and of course watching others pray and seeing God answer their prayers.  Through the carnal lenses we can easily interpret and feel that God has abandoned us or He does not care but we as believers should know better because the Word says “He will never leave us nor forsake us”.  So if that is the case, why does it feel that God does not answer our prayers?  And how can I mature my prayer life to be like Jesus where every prayer was answered?  Simply put the answer is in the Word of God.  Now I will not leave you with that answer solely as a mere statement but I desire to dig deep and share some wisdom, knowledge and understanding that will help us all in maturing our prayer life.  

Prayer is not optional for any believer!  Without prayer we leave ourselves vulnerable and subject to the continuing deterioration of our the world and ourselves to Satan.  We know in the end that the Kingdom will win, that is guaranteed but the question posed to you is are you going to be a part of the advancing of the Kingdom or sit on the sidelines and suffer in many cases unnecessarily the oppression of a defeated enemy?  Let share some Scriptures that I want to use for the base of this study:

James 5:16: Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

Luke 18:1: And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint;

Here are simply two Scriptures that we all know but the problem is they are full of wisdom into maturing into a effectual prayer life.  Jesus tells us that we ought to always pray but then through Paul Christ tells us that the effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

In the next message I want to dig into our Scripture here in James and to be honest I do not know how long this series will be but I know no matter how long, it is necessary for us as sons who are called to be fellow-labourers with our Father in advancing the Kingdom.

Peace, Love and Grace,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.