Flying Closer to the Flame Pt. 10

A Biblical Case for Healing

James 5:13–16

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 

15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

-Pray

What do we do when we’re sick? 

Some so-called faith healers urge sufferers to forego medical

treatment and “expect a miracle.” 

They say that pursuing medical help demonstrates a lack of faith, and sick people must trust in God’s power alone for Him to heal them.

The Scriptures, however, never draw a line between praying for healing and seeking help from a physician.

In fact, James’ prescription for sick people includes both prayer and medical care.

Doctors prescribe medications and perform surgeries, but, ultimately, all healing comes from the One who

formed our bodies. 

James wrote his epistle to persecuted Christians whose suffering severely tested their faith. 

In the opening chapter, he counseled his readers to find joy despite their trials, seeing them as avenues to maturity and

deeper faith in God. 

James invited them to pray for God’s wisdom and assured them that “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation” ( James 1:12).

In his final chapter, James circled back to the subject of trials, urging “patience in suffering” and offering

Job as a model of endurance (5:10–11). 

He concluded with practical steps to follow when we’re suffering, featuring prayer as a central theme.

Observation: The Suffering, the Cheerful, and the Sick

Observation is the first phase of Searching the Scriptures. As you read the verses, look for patterns, questions

and answers, steps to follow, commands, and promises.

What instructions do you observe in James 5:13?

What do suffering hardships and being happy have in common?

What steps do you observe in James 5:14?

What teaching about the body and soul, sickness and sin, and prayer and confession do you observe in 5:15–16?

“Healing doesn’t come because we pay some individual who claims he or she is able to heal us. 

Healing comes because God sovereignly and mysteriously chooses to say yes to our prayer.” —Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Interpretation: The Meaning of Key Words

An accurate interpretation of Scripture often hinges on definitions of key words, such as “suffering” and

“sick” in James 5:13–14. 

Commentaries, such as Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary: James, 1 & 2 Peter, Bible dictionaries, and lexicons help us discover the meaning of the Greek words.

An excellent online resource is netbible.org. 

Go to James 5 on this website and click the “Greek” tab. 

The NET Bible translation of James 5 will appear on the left pane and the Greek New Testament on the right.

Hover your cursor over the words suffering and ill ( James 5:13–14 NET). 

The corresponding Greek word will be highlighted in yellow, and a box containing the definition of the Greek word will also appear. 

Using this resource or one of your other study aids, write down the definitions of the Greek words in the chart below.

English Word Greek Root Word Definition

suffering

( James 5:13) kakopatheo

ill

(5:14) astheneo

These terms describe two conditions that call for specific actions involving prayer. 

James didn’t say explicitly, but what did James imply the suffering person should pray for?

Too sick to leave their bed, ill people should summon the elders to come and to pray, “anointing [them] with

oil in the name of the Lord” (5:14).

In his commentary, Pastor Chuck Swindoll sheds light on the meaning of “anointing.”

We find two distinct uses of anointing with oil in the Bible. 

One involves a religious or ceremonial act as a symbol for consecration, as in the anointing of David as King of

Israel (1 Sam. 16:13). 

A more mundane type of anointing was for medicinal or hygienic purposes. . . .

Most likely James has the second use of oil in mind. 

The idea behind the use of both prayer and anointing was that the church should seek to come to the aid of both the physical and spiritual needs of a sick person. 

The medicinal use of oil provided physical comfort and

promoted the healing process. 

Please observe that for James there was no conflict between

prayer and medicine.

In James’ day, anointing with medicinal oil was one means of medical care. 

So, the implication for our day is that not only should the elders come to pray, but also the sick person should accept medical treatment.

Prayer and medical care go hand in hand.

What does it mean for the elders to pray and anoint the person “in the name of the Lord” ( James 5:14,)?

In matters of healing, God alone has the say regarding our restoration—“the Lord will make you well” (5:15). 

In Greek, the word for heal in 5:15 is sozo, which means “save” or “rescue” or “preserve.” 

What else did James say that God has authority to grant in 5:15?

James concluded his instructions in 5:16. 

Put this verse in your own words and, from the context,

summarize the roles of prayer and confession in healing body and soul.

The elders are to pray over the sick person in the name of the Lord—that is, invoking God’s will, asking God’s presence and God’s blessing. 

And the results? 

When it becomes His will, “the Lord will raise him up.” 

I take it that it is a miraculous, instantaneous healing.

—Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Correlation: Praying in Jesus’ Name for God’s Will

Praying in Jesus’ name means to pray to the Father in Jesus’ authority as His representative ( John 15:16; 16:23–24).

 “In Jesus’ name” isn’t a magic formula we attach to prayer to get whatever we wish but an invitation to ask the Father for what Jesus would ask, always in accordance with the Father’s will.

Read 1 John 5:14–15 in the Amplified Bible. 

What instructions did John give about prayer that further

explain Jesus’ teaching?

A prayer for healing offered in the name of Jesus always appeals to the will of God, for it is only by His will

and by His power that a sick person is healed.

Doctors are not miracle workers. They are not healers. They cannot cure anything. God cures. God alone heals. —Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Application: Four Practical Principles

In his book, Flying Closer to the Flame, Pastor Chuck Swindoll recalls praying for a friend with cancer who

had asked for prayer. 

Amazingly, God healed the man! Pastor Chuck reflects,

I can’t explain what happened. He couldn’t either. I have no powers within me that produce healing in anyone else. 

The God I know is the same God you know, and I simply trusted Him and prayed for His will to be done. The Spirit of God healed my friend sovereignly and silently. And best of all, God got all the glory.

God has the power to heal, and He does heal when He chooses to. 

Our part is to follow the biblical steps.

Review 

• Confession of sin is healthy—employ it. Don’t let sins build up in your life to the point that they make you physically ill.

• Praying for one another is essential—practice it. If you become ill, call upon the elders of your church to

come and pray for you. Ask others to pray.

• Use of medical assistance is imperative—utilize it. Asking for prayer but ignoring proper medical treatment was not James’ point.

• When healing comes from God—claim it. Whether or not the illness is the result of personal sin, when God heals, remember to thank Him and give Him the glory!

From the beginning to the end of James 5:13–16, prayer is the focus. 

Prayer connects a believer’s heart with the sovereign will of God. If we have joy and health, we should sing praises to God. 

If we suffer with mental, emotional, or physical pain, then we must pray for healing, confess our sins, and receive God’s

forgiveness. 

Most importantly, we must entrust ourselves to God’s perfect plan.