THE POWER OF FERVENT
PRAYER
JAMES 5:13-18
LOGO
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
James said the prayer of a righteous man is
powerful and effective. This could also read the
prayer of a just man work in him by divine
energy.
The word effective means producing the effect
desired or intended. That is having the
adequate power or force to produce the effect,
an outcome, or to achieve a result.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
The word fervent according to (Acts 18:25) zeo
(dzeh-oh); Strong’s #2204: Compare “zeal,”
“zeolite,” or “seethe.” Living fervor, fiery hot, full
of burning zeal. It is the opposite of dignified,
cold, and unemotional.
In a Christian context, it signifies a high spiritual
temperature, inflamed by the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, in the Greek, it means to be active
and energetic, to prove one self-strong.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 In the book of James, this word seen to denote the
inspired prayer or the prayer of the righteous worked by
the operation of the Holy Spirit. As individuals, we are
powerful. What would happen if we come together as a
church?
 To be an effective praying church, we must understand
the power that we have. We have to understand that this
power works from the divine energy of the Spirit within
us. This makes us effective according to the scripture.
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that worketh in us” (Eph 3:20).
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
We have the power in prayer to bring about an
effect. We can change things by prayer
individually, or corporately.
When Peter was in jail, the church prayed and
God sent an angel to bring about his release.
Likewise, with Paul and Silas, God shook the jail
when prayer went up by them.
Prayer was very effective because its’
foundation was laid in the Old Testament, based
on the relationship initiated by God.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 The core of this relationship was a mutual commitment expressed in
the OT concept of a covenant. This concept was from the
beginning. God wanted a relationship with man in the garden.
 Sin broke the bonds of that relationship, but God pursued the
relationship again through the Tabernacle by setting up a new way
for man to approach him. God could now be approach by man
through sacrifice and offering.
 The tabernacle was built so that God could now dwell among men
(Ex 25:8, 9), and it was built according to the pattern shown by
Moses. However, this was to be God dwelling place among men
intending to teach men the spiritual reality of how to approach him.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 According to (Heb 8:5) the priest on earth served at the
sanctuary that was a copy and a shadow of what was in
heaven. The heavenly reality is the sanctuary of God
presence into which Christ our high priest entered with
his own blood.
 Both the earthly tabernacle and its ministry was intended
to illustrate symbolically the only way one could
approach a holy God and be forgiven and find help in his
time of need.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 The Ark of the Covenant and
the mercy seat provide a way
for man to get the help he
needed. God comes to man
again through relationship
opening the way for man to
approach him in prayer. He is
shown steps by step how to
come to God and get answers
to his problems.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 There were eight steps for him:
1. Enter the gate-way: introduction that Christ is the way.
He was to enter into the gate with Thanksgiving… (Ps
100:4; John14:6).
2. He was to meet God at the brazen altar : this was the
way of reconciliation where death occurs, sacrifice’ was
made the relationship restored (2 Cor. 5:21).
3. The laver, the way of separation: Christ our cleanser and
sanctification (holiness 1Thess. 4:7).
4. The golden candlestick: the way of illumination-Christ
the light to God fullness.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
5. The table of showbread - the way of
satisfaction. Christ our nourishment or sustainer
(John 6:35).
6. The altar of incense - the way of intercession.
Christ our intercessory (Heb 7:25).
7. The veil - Christ our life, access to God the
Father, through his blood (Heb 10:19).
8. The ark of the covenant - the way of
communion-God throne in the earth.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
The way to God for communion took all these
steps plus sacrifices, which was done in
obedience to have an effective and fervent
prayer life.
This was their order to have power with God.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
B. How does all of this
information help us?
 1. The altar of incense was the
heartbeat of this system for the priest
represented an intercessory that took
the request of the people to God and
received the answer for them. This was
to show us how prayer and relationship
worked. The golden incense altar was
at the heart of the tabernacle and from
this, we could see that the ministry of
intercession, prayer and praise are at
the very heart of God.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 2. Ex 30:1-2) show us that the altar of incenses was the
highest price of furniture in the Holy place. Symbolizing
the highest ministry in the Holy place was intercessory
prayer.
 3. Let look again at the measurement of this altar 1x1x2
or 10x10x20 cubits = 2,000 cubits; if we look at this
dispensation analogy, this would speak of two thousand
years of the church age. Ex 30:1-2 shows us that the altar
of incenses was the highest price of furniture in the Holy
place. Symbolizing the highest ministry in the Holy place was
intercessory prayer.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 Being that the altar of incenses is placed at the very end
of the holy place or at the 2,000 years, this could be
symbolic that the church at the end of the age is going to
experience the altar of incenses ministry that is the spirit
of intercessory or cooperate prayer.
 I believe we have approached that time where prayer is
going to be effectual producing an effect and by the
power of prayer, strongholds will come down, if we are
fervent by using the energy of prayer to make things
happen.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
This is the most powerful weapon that God has
given to the church to reach and cross all lines,
It can turn the heart of a king, it can change the
vilest person, it can change the direction of
storms, and it can break any yoke.
When Christ died the veil in the temple was
rented into that ended the OT dispensation and
open up a new for us through the veil of his flesh
(Heb 10:19-22).
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
We are told to draw near to him with a sincere
heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts
sprinkled, and cleanse from a guilty conscience;
God is again building a relationship with us so
through prayer we can get the job done.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
 The effectual praying of the church
will get the job done because it:
 (Amp) Dynamic in its working
 (Phil) Tremendous power is made
available to us.
 (Wms) When it keep at work it is
very powerful.
 Effectual prayer will always prevail if
we keep at it, but we must PUSH
prayer until something happens.
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.
THE POWER OF FERVENT PRAYER
LOGO
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Dr. Ralph Godfrey Sr.