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The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jm5:16 How do we become effectual? How do we get to the place that we know with a good deal of certainty that what we ask for we will receive, that our prayers availeth much? Let me begin by saying that unless we have passed through Acts Chapter Two, unless we have experienced Pentecost we have no right to this scripture or for any epistle written to a born again, spirit filled church. We need the Holy Spirit. Unless we receive the Comforter the word of God has little power. Without the Spirit, we are dead in our trespasses and sin (Eph2:1) and we have no fervent love for scripture. We must cultivate our relationship with God over and above our relationship to the church. What that means is that many base their relationship with God on being a member of a church. Whereas people who have a relationship with God can, in reality, practice their faith in almost any Christian church. That is to say, the elect can be a Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic, Evangelical, or Pentecostal or any store front church where faith in Christ is proclaimed. So the primary condition is a life in the Spirit and where that experience is present, there is a love for scripture of which this verse from James is present. The next characteristic of a person who is effectual is the ability to speak, confess, and proclaim the scripture with faith and authority. Our words have the power of life and death and we must learn to speak only the truth and not speak negatively, fearfully, or contrary to scripture. This takes time and practice as well as studying the word to be able not to be ashamed and able to rightly divide it (2Tim2:15). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rm10:17). If we say to this mountain be thou removed and cast into the sea and not doubt in our heart, we shall receive what we ask for (Mk11:23-24) So without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb11:6) Third we need to spend time in silence to learn to hear from God. As we learn to hear we are able to apply the truth of scripture in time and space for a specific need at a particular time in a particular place. Without the leading of the Spirit our prayers are not effectual or consistently reliable and we are prone to failure. We need to learn to hear from God. Finally we are more effectual when the flesh has been crucified and we are no longer subject to habitual sin. This occurs most often when we have entered the kingdom of God. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you (Mt6:33) That kingdom is not meat or drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rm14:17). Kingdom people are effectual people. Kingdom people are faith filled people. Kingdom people walk in love, walk in the Spirit, and are a means of great blessing for believer and unbeliever alike. They bring comfort to the one and salvation to the other. By becoming effectual you become a sign of God's presence in the world. amen |