The word 'fervent' means ... vehement or impassioned. The King James Version of the Bible uses it to describe heartfelt supplications that bring results.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)
Who is this 'righteous man'?
Every 'blood-bought' believer qualifies ... for we are considered 'positionally' righteous (justified) at the moment we receive the gift of salvation, and 'experientially' righteous (sanctified) as we continue to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.
But James 5:16 also reveals a spiritual prerequisite. A 'clean slate' must be secured first ... Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
Some Bible scholars interpret the word 'healed' as pertaining to physical illness. Others understand it to mean ... restored from feelings of discouragement and spiritual weakness. In either case, it requires two things: confession of sin and prayer for others.
In today's culture, 'vulnerability' is something we avoid. The church would be much healthier if Christians would bare their souls and pray for one another.
James asserts that neither the eloquence nor the forcefulness with which one prays determines 'effectiveness'. Rather, it is the prayer of a righteous person that is impactful. David learned ... If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. (Psalm 66:18)
To 'regard iniquity' is to treat evil as something worth protecting. We are to root it out ... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
The body of Christ is made up of believers who strengthen one another's faith by being candid concerning their failings ... and fervent when it comes to interceding for the brethren.
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