“Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11).

The word “fervent” or “fervency” is found only eight times in the word of God, all in the New Testament. It basically means to boil or be hot, ardent, fervid, or zealous. God’s people need to be fervent in four very important areas: A fervent spirit: Our text reminds us to be “fervent in spirit.” “Apollos . . . was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord” (Acts 18:24,25). His internal fervency produced an external fervency in his service for the Lord. It goes without saying that those who are not on fire on the inside will not do very much for Christ on the outside! A fervent prayer life: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Although many years have passed since James wrote it, this promise (like all God’s promises) is as true today as it was then. Scripturally, Epaphras is a perfect example of this: “Always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12). A fervent mind: Paul noted that the Corinthians had a “fervent mind toward” him (II Corinthians 7:7). The Greek word is zelos, from which we get our English word zealous. Thus it could be translated, “your zeal for me.” In other words, they had an ardent attachment to Paul. The believer today should have a great zeal or fervency to be one with other believers and not cause divisions and contentions. A fervent love: “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently . . . and above all things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins” (I Peter 1:22; 4:8). Fervent love comes from a pure heart and does not generate dissension. NPS