Review and commentary:
James 5:16: ‘The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much’
Review by Hank Miles, Special to The Layman, May 23, 2011
Charles G. Finney was a preacher/revivalist of the 19th century. What follows is a summary of one of his sermons on effectual/fervent/prevailing prayer taken from his book entitled Revival Lectures. This is the kind of prayer that I hope we will all try to attain to through the power of the Holy Spirit. Personally, I am a long way from this in my prayer life, but it is the desire of my heart to emulate this type prayer.
(1) Effectual prayer must have a definite object. In other words we must be specific in our request, otherwise how will we know if our prayer has been answered?
(2) Effectual prayer must be in accordance with the revealed will of God. God’s will is revealed by 1) Express promises in the Bible, 2) Sometimes by His providence, which requires spiritual discernment and 3) His will is revealed by His Spirit (Romans 8:26,27).
(3) We must pray with submission to the will of God. We must be obedient to the revealed will of God in our prayers. When we can’t discern God’s will we are to pour out our heart to God the desire of our hearts and leave it in His hands.
(4) If the desire for an object is strong and is a benevolent desire and the thing is not contrary to God’s will the presumption is that it will be granted. If you find yourself exercised/excited with a benevolent desire (my desire to start a prayer and fasting ministry) there is a strong presumption that God’s Spirit is exciting these desires (Gen. 32:26)
(5) Prayer must be offered with right motives. Prayer must not be selfish but should be dictated by a supreme regard for the glory of God. George Mueller is as excellent example. When he established his Orphan Homes the first object of the work was that God might be magnified by the fact that the orphans under his care be provided with all their needs only by prayer and faith without anyone being asked for funds, “Whereby it may be seen that God is faithful still and hears prayers still.”
(6) For prayer to be effectual it must be by intercession of the Spirit (Rm. 8:26,27)
(7) It must be persevering prayer. Most Christians come up to prevailing prayer by a protracted process Their minds gradually become filled with anxiety about an object, just as a mother whose child is sick goes around her house sighing, as if her heart would break. Her whole mind is absorbed in her sick child. This is the state of mind in which Christians offer prevailing prayer. Jacob wrestled all night in prayer with God. Effectual prayer is offered up with an agony of desire. We would naturally be deeply travailed at having a loved one in a house on fire. Should we not be equally concerned with thoughts of loved ones spending eternity separated from God?
(8) If you are to pray effectually you must pray a great deal. It was said of the Apostle James that his knees were callous like a camels knees, by praying so much. (One of the prisoners I visit with on Wednesday nights has callous knees.)
(9) You must offer up your prayer in the name of Christ for it to be effectual.
(10) You cannot prevail in prayer without renouncing your sins, specifically not generally.
(11) You must pray in faith. You must expect to obtain the things for which you pray (James 1:6). You need not look for an answer to prayer, if you pray without an expectation of obtaining it.