Building a successful prayer life post series [James 5:16]
So the term from our key passage (in James 5:16) is ‘effectual fervent’ – fervency is a word that is used to describe a ‘glowingly hot’ object or an act of ‘passionate enthusiasm’, otherwise known as persistence or zeal.Jesus committed to prayer; he as well persisted in His prayers. Persisting in prayer could demand some spiritual exercise like fasting, as seen in the life of Christ – his admonishment to His disciples in Matthew 17:21.
Committing to prayer is generally developing the attitude of prayer, and Persisting in prayer is travailing in prayer (for a particular need – taking authority: the PUSH technique; Pray Until Something Happens), holding on for an answer.
Luke 18:1 - ‘And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;’
From the parable in Luke 18, Jesus illustrates persistence in prayer: continuous pressure [v5] for a particular need [v3].
Jesus further says in v7 and 8:
“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
So persisting in prayer is in fact a sign of faith in God and trust in him as the primary source of answers [v8].
2 Kings 13:18-19, shows a need for persisting in prayer. There has to be fervency, it has to be an effectual fervent prayer.
In 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 Paul writes about running the race with focus, keeping the body under subject and maintaining the cause. Persisting in prayer calls for spiritual discipline.
A prayer life that lacks fervency is more comparable with life with no direction, because if you know what you are praying about and you really need an answer or a connection then there will be fervency in your prayer.
Remain forever blessed.