"…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
The Amplified Classic version of our theme verse places the premium on persistent prayer: “…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” The word “continued” is a clear indication that there must be some persistence. You don’t just mutter a few words and say the issue is “done and dusted”; you keep pushing, until you have the note of victory in your spirit.
Let’s take a cue from the Master. On a certain occasion, He took His three closest disciples—Peter, James and John with Him to a place called Gethsemane, to pray. Matthew 26:39 tells us, “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
Luke, by the Spirit, reveals, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus was distraught, and He prayed with much intensity. This was no casual two-minute prayer! Recall that He chastised the disciples for their weakness and inability to keep watch (pray) with Him for an hour (Matthew 26:40).
The Lord persisted because He understood what was at stake. What He was praying about was beyond Himself; He was about to endure a separation from His Father. It was about the salvation of generations: past, present and future. He was looking at eternity, for all those who had gone by, and those who were living at the time, and those who would ever come. So, He prayed and persisted in prayer.
This is what is required of us today; the stakes are much higher than ever. There’s a fight for the souls of men and we must agonize in prayer for their salvation. We must keep praying and interceding until the last soul that must be won is reached and brought into the Kingdom before the Rapture of the Church.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” Here, we see why we must strive in prayer for the souls of men. Perhaps you have family members and loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbours you’ve been witnessing to and they’ve refused to heed the call of salvation; God’s Word shows what the real problem is: Satan—the “god of this world”—has blinded their minds! For such people, you must contend for their souls in prayer; you “agonize” in intercession for them. You declare, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus, you evil spirit of darkness that has blinded their minds, I break your influence over them!”
But you see, you don’t stop there; you continue in intercession; it’s called prevailing in prayer. You travail in prayer over their minds, that their hearts be opened to the Lord, and be guided to the Word of God, in the Name of Jesus. You pray that the light of the glorious Gospel shines in their hearts, and they embrace the grace of God for their salvation; the presence of God mantles their hearts and God’s Word prevails in their lives. Hallelujah!
Study these scriptures
James 5:16, Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:44, Matthew 26:40, 1 Timothy 2:8; Luke 18:1-5
FAITH AFFIRMATION
The Spirit of God has opened my eyes to see hidden treasures in dark places!
I am walking in realms of financial revelation that transcend human wisdom.
Every business decision I make is guided by divine intelligence, producing results that defy natural laws.
I operate in a different economy—the economy of the Spirit! My wealth creation capacity is supernatural!
I am breaking records and setting new standards of prosperity.
Mountains of wealth bow before me because I carry the blessing of the Lord.
Poverty is alien to my nature
I am permanently, irreversibly, and eternally prosperous!
Everywhere I go, I am a manifestation of divine wealth!
The world's resources respond to me because I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. Everything I touch prospers extraordinarily because the grace for wealth creation flows through me without measure.
I am empowered for supernatural success and positioned for divine abundance!
My source of wealth is eternal and unfailing! Hallelujah!
