Many people quote this verse often: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Many believers would tell you they have prayed, they praying… but nothing seems to happen. My brother, my sister, the Bible does not say ‘the prayer of the righteous man’. It says ‘the FERVENT prayer…’ That’s the first point. Now, let’s look at the definition of the word righteous (from merriam-webster.com): “acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin”. This is it: many believers lip-quote the Word of God while their actions may not be aligned with the Word. That’s the reason why the Word that is alive does not revive or resuscitate destroyed or dead situations in their lives. The same, quoting the Word in your prayer, be careful not to sound like a clanging cymbal: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).
My friend, the key to answered prayers is your actions, because your actions are a shadow of tnclination of your heart. Righteousness is not in what we do, it comes from who we truly are inside of us. Our actions will just reflect it as we demonstrate who we are through the love of God and the love of others above the love of self. Why? Because that is the order Jesus gave: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Luke 10:27). GOD. YOUR NEIGHBOUR.YOURSELF… let’s learn to incline our prayers in this order too:
1) pray for the will of God to de done and for God’s interests to be looked after well and for the Kingdom of Heaven to come on earth.
2) pray for the others… and that does not mean to pray only for your family members
3) pray for yourself
Then, as you do it fervently, with the mindset of heaven and the right heart disposition, your prayer will be of great efficiency. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.