Fervent Prayer

 

Perhaps we’ve all felt our prayer life was inadequate or ineffective at times, yet as we have been learning, crying out to God with fervency, with an audible voice  makes a difference.  Somehow God responds to our desperation.

When Peter was about to sink, as he attempted to walk on the water, he cried out in desperation, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30). In verse 31 we read, “And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him…” before Peter went under.

Elijah experienced the awesome power of God as he prayed. In James 5:17 it says, “…and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain:” And guess what? It didn’t rain for 3 ½ years! In verse 18 we read where Elijah prayed again, “and the heaven gave rain”.

The word earnestly sticks out doesn’t it?  The phrase “effectual fervent prayer” in James 5:16 comes from the Greek word “energo” from which we get our English word “energy”.  Praying with energy and fervency is powerful prayer that gets results and isn’t that what we all want?  Faithful saints of the past knew this little secret and maybe it’s time we learn it.  Crying out to God with energy or intensity makes a difference.

Look at Psalm 86:1-7. Is not David praying with intensity amidst his troubles – out loud?  Look at Psalm 88, a man named Heman the Ezrahite pens his prayer amidst major desperation.  It is a desperate cry, a loud cry!  Charles Spurgeon once said, “he who prays without fervency, does not pray at all”.  Let’s put “the fire” back in our prayer life!


The Pastor's Pocket

Pastor Bruce Freeman


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