We’ve been told that prayer should be our first response, not our last resort; but we still tend to delay. As we continue our study of James, we see that he encourages us to pray fervently about everything.

Read: James 5:13-18 and list three situations that should prompt us to pray.

But it’s not just about saying a lengthy prayer meant to impress. Prayer has an inherent nature to heal when coupled with faith. There must be intention behind the prayer, not just a bunch of words. We often feel that if we would just pray a long enough prayer or if we’d pray enough times, our prayers would magically be answered. Power is not made available by lengthy prayers, but by prayers that are living, fervent, and passionate.

God is not a genie in a bottle. We can’t simply recite a prayer and it be answered. The lifeblood of effective prayer is a believer that makes himself available in conjunction with the heart of God. We must humble ourselves before Him to receive the fullness of His power.

Sounds easy, right? So many things threaten to hinder our prayers. Because of our history, we often think we aren’t good enough. Past hurt in relationships can impact our trust. We judge people by their outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Journal: What is something that has hindered your prayers?

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

We may not trust the intentions of people, but we can trust the intentions of God. Sometimes our prayers aren’t answered as quickly as we’d like, or it may not be the answer we’d hoped for. But we can confidently leave the outcome to God’s will because we know that He has our best interest at heart.

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. —James 5:17-18

Elijah had human tendencies just as we do, but he was fervent in his prayers. In spite of his humanness, he passionately prayed from a heart of God and expected his prayer to be answered according to God’s will.

How do we pray with passion and heart? We must intentionally position ourselves to discover the heart of God as Elijah did. It starts with the company we keep. Are we positioning ourselves with those who point us to Jesus? Take time this week to position yourself to hear God’s voice and begin trusting the outcome to Him.

Response: According to the message notes from this week’s message, “The Attitude Of Prayer,” what three things can you do to intentionally position yourself to discover God’s heart?

Activation: Each day this week, pray the prayer below; then in a notebook, write down what the Holy Spirit says to you.

Prayer: God, would you exchange my heart for yours today?