Getting the Most Out of Prayer
“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: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 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.” (James 5:14-16)
James, known personally for his competent and consistent prayer life, having addressed the subject of prayer with respect to the fathers (vs.14), faith (vs.15), and the family (vs.16); turns his attention to the matter of fruitfulness. He enlightens us to the means whereby the supplicant can get the most out of prayer; “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James declares three personal elements that help assure that one’s prayer is capable of producing results in any and all respects; that it “availeth much.” While it is an assault on personal pride, the absence of fruit can always be attributed to the ways of the saint and not the weakness of the Sovereign!
Within the text, James names three elements that must reside in the character of the supplicant to get the most out of prayer:
1. Fervent in Spirit
Fruitful prayer requires a saint who is fervent in Spirit – “effectual fervent.” While the phrase has the idea of active or energetic, it seems that it denotes the inspiration of prayer that is wrought by the operation of the Holy Spirit. While fire is important, the fuel that produces it is imperative. Remember the words of Our Lord; “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7). Fruitful prayer gushes from the fountainhead of the Spirit, not the fervency of self.
2. Focused in Substance
Fruitful prayer requires a saint that is focused in substance – “prayer.” While it is imperative that we pray, “yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). The question that we must ask ourselves is what kind of prayer is it? There are two words James uses for prayer in verses 16 & 17. The main difference between the two is here James is emphasizing supplication or prayer for a particular benefit; it is a specific request for a specific benefit from God. Prayer that is fruitful is not only fueled by the Spirit but it is focused on the specific substance that it believes God for!
3. Faithful in Separation
Fruitful prayer requires a saint who is faithful in separation – “a righteous man.” A man may be religious and not righteous! The “righteous man” is just concerning the One who sets the rules and regulations whereby man must live. It is one’s duty. How is this to be accomplished? “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
To get the most out of prayer; be an individual in whom the Spirit provides the fervor, the focus, and the faith; “be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Fruitful prayer is Spirit-filled praying; “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).
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