In the chaotic landscape of modern life, many women feel like they are constantly under fire. Whether it’s the exhaustion of a demanding career, the weight of family responsibilities, or the quiet gnawing of insecurity, there is a sense that something is working against us.
In her transformative book, “Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer,” Priscilla Shirer argues that this “something” isn’t just bad luck or a busy schedule—it’s a targeted spiritual attack. Shirer doesn’t just want you to pray; she wants you to go to war.
This isn’t a book of “polite” prayers. It is a tactical manual for the woman who is tired of being pushed around by the enemy and is ready to push back.
This Means War: The Call to Arms
The book opens with a jarring realization: you have an enemy. He is real, he is focused, and he hates everything you stand for. Shirer sets the stage by explaining that if we aren’t praying specifically, we are essentially fighting blindfolded.
The premise of Fervent is inspired by the movie War Room, in which Shirer starred. The core message is that victory in the physical realm is preceded by victory in the spiritual realm. If you want to see change in your life, your marriage, or your mind, you have to start on your knees.
Opening in Prayer: The Foundation
Before diving into the strategies, Shirer emphasizes the importance of the posture of the heart. Prayer isn’t a magic wand or a cosmic vending machine; it is communication with the Creator of the universe.
“Opening in prayer” isn’t just a formal start to a book; it’s the realization that prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is the actual engine that drives the battle plan.
Strategy 1: Your Passion – Getting It Back When It’s Gone
Have you ever felt “spiritually dry”? Like your prayers are hitting the ceiling and your love for God has grown cold?
Shirer identifies this as the enemy’s first line of attack. If he can take away your passion, he takes away your power. This strategy focuses on asking God to reignite the fire. It’s about admitting when you’re bored or indifferent and asking the Holy Spirit to do a work of “heart-resuscitation.”
Strategy 2: Your Focus – Fighting the Real Enemy
Most of us spend our lives fighting the wrong people. We fight our husbands, our bosses, our kids, or our neighbors.
Shirer pulls back the curtain to reveal that these people are not your problem. The enemy is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Strategy 2 is about regaining focus. When you stop fighting people and start fighting the spiritual forces behind the conflict, your tactics change from nagging and arguing to fervent, strategic prayer.
Strategy 3: Your Identity – Remembering Who You Are
The enemy’s favorite weapon is the lie. He loves to whisper that you aren’t good enough, that you’re a failure, or that you’re defined by your mistakes.
This strategy is a deep dive into your “ID card” in Christ. Shirer encourages women to pray through the truths of Scripture: that you are chosen, redeemed, and empowered. When you know who you are, the enemy’s taunts lose their power.
Strategy 4: Your Family – Fortifying the Lives of Those You Love
Your family is a primary target. Why? Because a strong family is a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
In Strategy 4, Shirer teaches women how to build a hedge of protection around their homes. This isn’t just about praying for “blessings” over your kids; it’s about strategically interceding against the specific temptations and spiritual weights that your family members face. It’s about being the “spiritual watchman” for your household.
Strategy 5: Your Past – Ending the Reign of Guilt, Shame, and Regret
The enemy loves to use your history as a leash to keep you from your future. If he can keep you looking backward at your sins and failures, you’ll never move forward into your calling.
Strategy 5 is about the power of the blood of Jesus to silence the accuser. Shirer guides readers to pray for a “holy amnesia” regarding forgiven sins—to stop letting the past define the present.
Strategy 6: Your Fears – Confronting Your Worries, Claiming Your Calling
Fear is a paralyzer. It stops us from taking risks, from speaking up, and from walking in faith.
Shirer argues that fear is often a sign that you are on the verge of something great, which is why the enemy is trying to stop you. This strategy focuses on replacing “What if?” with “Even if.” It’s about praying for a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
Strategy 7: Your Purity – Staying Strong in Your Most Susceptible Places
Compromise doesn’t happen all at once; it happens in small, incremental steps. Strategy 7 addresses the “little foxes” that ruin the vineyard.
Shirer challenges women to pray for integrity and purity of heart. This isn’t just about sexual purity; it’s about being “all in” for God, without hidden corners of disobedience that give the enemy a foothold.
Strategy 8: Your Pressures – Reclaiming Peace, Rest, and Contentment
In a culture that worships “busy,” we are often overwhelmed, over-scheduled, and under-rested.
Shirer identifies “pressure” as a strategic attack to keep us from hearing God’s voice. Strategy 8 is a call to reclaim your Sabbath and your sanity. It involves praying for the wisdom to say “no” and the faith to trust that God can handle what we leave undone.
Strategy 9: Your Hurts – Turning Bitterness to Forgiveness
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. It binds you more than it binds them.
Shirer doesn’t minimize the pain of being hurt, but she highlights that bitterness is a doorway for the enemy. This strategy is perhaps the most difficult: praying for the strength to forgive. It is a strategic move to release the weight of the offense so that you can walk freely.
Strategy 10: Your Relationships – Uniting in a Common Cause
Finally, Shirer addresses our connections with others. The enemy loves to cause division among believers.
Strategy 10 is about praying for unity—in friendships, in churches, and in communities. It’s a call to link arms with other women rather than competing with them. When women are united in prayer, they become an unstoppable force.
Amen, Note Pages, and Prayer Strategy Pages
The book concludes not with a “the end,” but with a “to be continued.”
- Amen: This isn’t just a closing word; it’s a declaration of “so be it.” It’s an act of faith that God has heard and will act.
- Note Pages: Shirer encourages active reading. These pages are for the reader to jot down the specific promptings of the Holy Spirit.
- Prayer Strategy Pages: This is the most practical part of the book. It includes perforated cards where you can write out your own “Battle Plans”—scripture-based, specific prayers for each of the ten areas.
The Core Message: What Priscilla Shirer Wants You to Know
The central message of Fervent is simple yet revolutionary: Prayer is not a religious ritual; it is a tactical strike.
Priscilla Shirer wants to convey that women are not helpless victims of their circumstances. We have been given the most powerful weapon in the universe, yet we often leave it sitting on the shelf.
Through this book, she aims to:
- Expose the Enemy: To show women that their struggles are often spiritual, not just physical or emotional.
- Empower the Believer: To give women the tools (Scripture) to craft specific prayers that get results.
- Encourage Consistency: To move women from “occasional prayer” to “fervent prayer”—a lifestyle of constant communication and strategic warfare.
“Prayer is the way you defeat the enemy. It is the way you take your life back.” — Priscilla Shirer
A Comprehensive Review: Why This Book Matters
It is Scripturally Grounded
Unlike many “self-help” books that offer vague affirmations, Fervent is rooted deeply in the Bible. Every strategy is backed by specific verses, teaching readers how to pray the Word of God back to Him. This is “praying with teeth.”
It is Brutally Honest
Shirer doesn’t pretend that life is easy or that prayer is a magic “fix-it” button. She acknowledges the depth of pain, the reality of depression, the sting of betrayal, and the exhaustion of motherhood. Her empathy makes her authority believable.
It is Practical and Actionable
The inclusion of the prayer cards is a stroke of genius. It moves the reader from being a passive consumer of information to an active participant in their own spiritual defense. It turns a “reading experience” into a “life-changing habit.”
It Targets Modern Struggles
While the principles are timeless, the applications—specifically regarding “pressures” and “identity”—resonate deeply with the 21st-century woman who is bombarded by social media comparisons and “hustle culture.”
How to Use This “Battle Plan” for Maximum Impact
If you are picking up Fervent for the first time, don’t just rush through it. Here is a recommended approach:
Step | Action | Purpose |
1 | Audit Your Life | Identify which of the 10 strategies you need most right now. |
2 | Write it Down | Use the prayer strategy pages to write out your prayers. There is power in the pen. |
3 | Post Your Prayers | Put your prayer cards on your bathroom mirror, your dashboard, or your war room wall. |
4 | Find a Partner | Strategy 10 is about relationships. Find a “battle buddy” to pray through these sections with you. |
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Conclusion: Will You Fight?
Fervent is more than a book summary; it’s a lifestyle invitation. Priscilla Shirer reminds us that we are in the middle of a war, whether we like it or not. We can either be casualties, or we can be warriors.
By the time you reach the “Amen” at the end of this book, you won’t just feel better—you will be armed. You will have a serious, specific, and strategic plan to take back the ground the enemy has stolen from you.
The battle is real. But thanks to the power of fervent prayer, the victory is already decided.
FAQs
Q1. Is Fervent suitable for beginners in prayer?
Yes. It’s structured, practical, and accessible without oversimplifying.
Q2. Is this book only for women?
While written for women, its principles apply to anyone seeking strategic prayer.
Q3. Do I need prior biblical knowledge?
No. Shirer explains concepts clearly and contextually.
Q4. Can this book be used for group study?
Absolutely. The strategy pages make it ideal for small groups.
Q5. Is Fervent more devotional or instructional?
It’s a powerful blend of both—with a strong emphasis on application.