James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”.  Tonight we want to talk about prayer that avails much.  Prayer that avails much must be:

Prayer – “prayer”.  The reason many of us don’t accomplish much through prayer is that we are simply not praying.  James says, “Ye have not, because ye ask not”.  Randy used to say, “The devil doesn’t have to make you bad, he just has to make you busy”.  Pastor Keck says, “I find now that I get much more done through prayer than I do through production”.  Dr Ruckman said, “Prayer should not be the last extremity, it should be the first necessity”.  Prayer is the most productive thing we can do.

Acceptable prayer – “of a righteous man”.  Ps 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me”.  Prov 10:32, “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable”.  Prov 28:9, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination”.  The idea is that we should be clean and right when we intercede for others.  Why should God be inclined to do what we’re asking him to do when we aren’t inclined to do what he is asking us to do?

Effectual prayer – “effectual”.  Prayer is effectual when it is able to produce the desired effect.  In effectual prayer, you know what you’re asking for and God knows what you’re asking for.  It’s something very specific, not broadly generic.  In effectual prayer, we are not worrying out loud before God and we are not coming to him simply to ease our conscience.  We are very specific in what we’re asking him to do and we are praying according to his will, 1 Jn 5:14-15.

Fervent prayer – “fervent”.  When I think of fervent prayer, I imagine a fire place.  The night before, it had a roaring fire producing plenty of heat in the room.  But in the morning it appears to be cold ash.  In truth, under the ash is a coal.  You brush away the ash, add kindling, blow upon it with the bellows, and kindle a little flame.  Then you add some smaller pieces of wood, and eventually the split logs.  In a while, you have a roaring fire again.  Our prayer should be like this rekindled fire each day.

Conclusion: no doubt, God wants us to pray and he wants to answer our prayers.  Hopefully, this sermon on prayer that avails much will stir us to pray effectual fervent prayers.