R.C. Sproul

because if it did, that would make me God.

And I guarantee you, I would be an extremely poor substitute for the one who already holds that position.

So saying, if it be thy will, is not an act of unbelief.

It is an act of trust, trusting in God and in his will.

Nevertheless, having said all of that,

Again, James will not allow us to retreat into fatalism where we just say, que sera, sera, what will be will be, and I don't have to be engaged in serious prayers.

But he goes on to say, the fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man avails what?

Everything?

No.

But it avails much.

And that answers the question, does prayer change things?

Yes.

a whole lot of things.

Does it avail for anything?

Yes, it avails much.

But again, he doesn't say the cavalier, casual, insipid prayer of an unrighteous person avails much.

It's the fervent prayer.

that avails, the fervent prayer of a righteous person, a righteous person relatively speaking.

So what about fervency?

Well, it's not that we have a Richter scale that measures the emotional intensity of every prayer, but fervency means praying with some degree of passion, and that passion should be