"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Supplication is much more heartfelt than a casual request.  The word "supplication" means a humble, earnest entreaty or request.

We pray the prayer of supplication for ourselves concerning both natural and spiritual needs. "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

We also pray the prayer of supplication for believers and all God's people. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Ephesians 6:18

In addition, we are to pray the prayer of supplication for all men and for those who are in authority, including unbelievers. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for Kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."  1 Timothy 2:1&2

Supplication can also be made for laborers to be sent into God's harvest.  "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'"  Matthew 9:37 &38 (NIV)  The word translated "Ask" in verse 38 involves the idea of an urgent and necessary request presented with fervency and desire.

"Confess to one another therefore your faults  -  your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray also for one another, that you may be healed and restored  -  to a spiritual tone of mind and heart.  The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available  -  dynamic in its working."  James 5:16 (Amplified)  You'll notice that the characteristics of supplication is fervent, earnest, heartfelt, and continued.  Such prayer makes tremendous power available.

Effective supplication prayer involves fervency.  The Bible teaches us that we are to be fervent.  "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord." Romans 12:11 (NIV)

Fervorless prayer has no heart in it.  Heart, soul and life must all find a place in real praying.  Heaven must be able to feel the force of this crying out to God.
Supplication praying must be red hot.  W.E. Vine says the word "fervor" in Romans 12:11 means to be hot; to boil.  Coldness of spirit hinders praying by  drying up the springs of supplication.   It takes fire to make prayer go.  Heat is intensity, something that glows and burns.

Fervency is warmth of soul.  If our praying does not set us on fire, it is because we have frozen hearts.  And as stated earlier, supplication prayer is heartfelt prayer.

It takes being absorbed in God's will and having our whole being fired up that is a qualifying condition for the person who would engage in effectual prayer.

Jesus warns against feeble praying. "Men ought always to pray," he declares, "and not to faint." Luke 18:1 (KJV)  That means that we are to possess sufficient fervency to carry us through long periods of supplication  prayer.  It takes heat and fervency to push through to heaven where God dwells in light.

While fervency is not prayer, it is precious in the sight of God.  God stands ready to give us the desire of our hearts in proportion to the fervency of spirit we show when seeking His face in prayer.

Fervency is in the heart, not in the brain, nor in the intellectual understanding of the mind.  Fervency is not an expression of the intellect, but rather it comes from the heart.
 
 

Father, put that desire in our hearts to have that fire in our prayer life that gets all of heavens attention.  Jesus said that we ought always to pray and not to faint or lose heart and give up.  Give us that earnestness so that we might be unwearied and steadfast in our prayer life.  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of Your throne.  We consider Him Who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that we will not grow weary and lose heart during times of prayer.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.