Righteous Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Handout
f🐕 nights of prayer
Work day
Alarm going off from missionary update Wed AM
Human power has progressed from
manpower
to horsepower,
to dynamite,
to gas power,
to solar power,
and to atomic power.
Yet,
The greatest power is prayer power
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,
let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Three Keys to Pray Well
Three Keys to Pray Well
1: Make prayer a habit, in good times and bad times
1: Make prayer a habit, in good times and bad times
(James 5:13
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
-The God of the mountain is the God of the valley
-When we pray, let us remember that God does not always remove our problems.
-But through prayer, we receive strength from God to overcome.
B. Prayer Key
2: Recruit others to pray with you
2: Recruit others to pray with you
Break sticks or spaghetti to demonstrate how praying together is more effective
Moving something heavy is easier with more people
(James 5:14-16
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
James 5 mentions several truths in relation to prayer and healing:
-Sick people should admit they are sick.
James does not tell us to deny the truth and confess healing while we are sick.
Rather, he tells us to admit our sickness and call for help.
The sick should call for the elders to pray and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord.
Elders refers to church leaders and pillars-steadfast, dependable believers in the church.
James says the elders are to anoint with oil and pray in the name of the Lord.
If you would like prayer for a sickness or illness today,
then I want you to know now that we will be praying for the sick at the end of the service.
However, I don’t want you to wait until the end to come forward.
At any point between now and then, move to the front row if you think you might want prayer.
and begin to believe now that God will heal you, as you step out in faith.
The Bible uses oil as a symbol for the Holy Spirit
Mark tells us that the disciples "anointed many sick people with oil and healed them" (Mark 6:13
They went out and preached that men should repent.
And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.
Oil represents the healing power of the Holy Spirit and is used to focus the sick person's faith.
However, Remember that many other healings in the New Testament came without oil.
The oil does not bring the healing.
The Holy Spirit brings the healing as we pray to God in the name of Jesus.
The prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
-The prayer of faith is a prayer we offer when we know God's will and are confident of His answer.
John wrote, (1 John 5:14
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
In our passage in James, the faith of the person joins with the faith of the elders to bring healing from God to the sick
It is God's plan for some healings to flow through church elders.
This is one way that God encourages believers to
honor,
respect,
and keep good relationships with church leaders.
Why should believers unite their prayers with elders or other believers?
Under the old covenant people brought their needs to God through a priest.
Now, God invites us to bring our needs directly to Him.
We do not need to go through a priest or another person.
Peter tells us that all believers are all part of "a royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Jesus taught His disciples to pray directly to the Father in His name (John 16:23-24
“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
“Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
Still, all of us encounter times, as in sickness, when we need the help of others in prayer.
When we are weak or full of pain,
it may be difficult to focus on prayer.
(James 5:14-15
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Moses did a lot of things in the name of God without the help of others,
parted the red sea
water from a rock twice
staff to a snake
most of the ten plagues used Moses as the starting point
water to blood
but not that this paragon of Biblical leadership regularly had to depend on others for help.
Aaron was his speaker because of his speech impediment
Moses’ father in law chastised him for doing too much on his own, and Moses had to learn to delegate
and my favorite example is when he needed help praying
Story of Moses holding his hands up for victory
(Exod. 17:8-16
Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.
So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.
But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.
So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
As Aaron and Hur strengthened Moses when his hands must strengthen each other by praying together.
-When we are weak, other believers can kneel beside us in prayer.
When they do so,
they encourage us,
build our faith,
and strengthen our prayers.
Jesus promised, (Matt. 18:19
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
-Our prayers become more powerful when we pray together.
(Eccl. 4:9-12
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
One person pictured heaven with a room full of gifts.
Each gift had a person's name on it and a little note.
The notes said, "Never sent to earth because never requested from earth."
This picture reminds us that God wants us to ask because He wants to give.
C. Prayer Key
3: Remember that powerful praying depends on right living
3: Remember that powerful praying depends on right living
(James 5:16b-18
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
The Bible implies that some were sick because of sin.
-Unrepentant sin can cause sickness
And James says eternal death is the final result of sin
(James 1:15
Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
; 5:20
let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Paul also wrote that sin can cause some to be sick (1 Cor. 11:27-30
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
-We need to be careful not to accuse all sick people of sin.
Sin is just one of the many causes of sickness.
Others causes of sickness include
poor eating habits,
Old Age
bad water,
mosquitoes,
a long list of germs and viruses-
and even attacks from the devil.
Job's friends said sin caused his boils and problems,
but Job's troubles came from Satan.
When we are sick, we should search our hearts for sin.
For God will not hear our prayers if we cling to sin in our hearts (Ps. 66:18
If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;
(John 9:31
“We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.
-The same God who reveals sin in a person's heart is always ready to forgive and restore.
To pray powerfully we must get rid of sin in our lives.
The Bible teaches believers how to conquer sin.
Earlier in James, he mentioned several keys to being free from sin.
These included
being humble,
receiving grace,
submitting to God,
resisting the devil,
mourning for sin,
and washing our hands, hearts, and minds
(James 4:6-10
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
And in James 5:16, he encourages sick believers to get rid of sin by confessing it to others before seeking healing.
James is referring to sins that harm our unity and fellowship with others.
-We need to be right with God and each other if we want our prayers to be effective.
-Confessing sin must go hand in hand with turning from sin.
Proverbs 28:13 tells us, (Prov. 28:13
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
Likewise, John says that (1 John 1:7
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Cleansing from sin always includes confessing it, and turning from what we know is wrong.
Still, even as we turn from sin and face the Lord,
we must depend on Him to free us from the power of sin.
It is always in God's strength,
not our own,
that we overcome.
As we abide in Christ,
and are led by the Spirit
and not the flesh.
we are righteous in God's eyes (Rom. 8:5-10.
Be vigelent about the war within each and every one of us between the flesh and the spirit
Do no grow complacent in you faith
Lobster
Overcook in sauna or tub
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
When we are right with God
Then we can claim the promise: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective"
(James 5:16; 1 John 3:21-22
1 John 3:21–22 (NASB95)
Beloved, IF our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Powerful praying depends on right living.
(1 Pet. 3:12
“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Human power has progressed from
manpower
to horsepower,
to dynamite,
to gas power,
to solar power,
and to atomic power.
Yet,
The greatest power is prayer power
The prayer of one person who is living right is powerful
and is available to any righteous man or woman.
can bring healing,
remove mountains,
and even change the future of a nation.
Altar Call
Elders to come up to pray
First, I want us to search our hearts and confess our sins.
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Then I want them to pray for healing.
