Plugged in Through Prayer

Prayer

God you are _____________________.

God I need you because ___________________.

God I thank you for _____________________.

God I need to see you move in __________________.

Recap

In our sermon last week James ended with these words.

James 5:12 ESV

12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

James says that our integrity not only effects our relationship with each other but also our relationship with God. So, what do we need to do, ultimately to insure that our enduring will be done with patience and integrity? By being plugged into the power source through prayer.

James starts this last section of chapter 5 with instructions for us. HE goes back to the trials that we are to be patient in as we endure and makes the statement that “faith that endures is prayerful in sorrow.”

Praise and Worship Through Prayer

James 5:13–14 ESV

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.

One of the biggest things that can tend to effect our yes’s and no’s is suffering. One of the easiest times to drift in our faith is in times when things are going good, and one of the times when we can panic the most and question if God really is in control is when we or a family member are sick. In all of these things James is saying we need to and God desires us to pray to Him, sing praises to Him, and call on the church to pray for us. He’s reminding us that this is what someone with authentic faith does in their time of need.

You might say, what does someone who’s cheerful need?

We are all created with a sin nature that is hostile towards God. When we accept His gift of salvation we are redeemed and the sanctification process begins. Jesus is our life line.

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

When we aren’t connected to Him, we don’t bear fruit and prayer and praise are at the top of the list for ways to stay connected, or abide in Him. You might even say that the one suffering ought to be singing praise as well and the one that is cheerful should be praying as well. When we pray, we are to praise Him for who He is. When we sing praise, we do the same thing as we sing. We remind ourselves and proclaim to God and anyone around us who God is and that matters because He is the one who hears our prayers and meets us in our time of need.

Verse 14 is one that has been misunderstood & misinterpreted by many denominations.

We should never treat God as a vending machine, “put your quarters in, push B4 to get help in suffering, D10 to get healing”. What God is emphasizing in this text is our need to call on our church family, especially the leadership, to pray for us. As we look into the context of the original audience, we find some helpful information that will aid us in understanding what James is getting at here.

This anointing with oil has been interpreted as either seeking the best medical attention possible for the afflicted (oil massages were considered medicinal), or as an emblem of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.

“Oil was and is frequently used in the east as a means of cure in very dangerous diseases; and in Egypt it is often used in the cure of the plague. Even in Europe it has been tried with great success in the cure of dropsy. And pure olive oil is excellent for recent wounds and bruises; and I have seen it tried in this way with the best effects… St. James desires them to use natural means while looking to God for an especial blessing. And no wise man would direct otherwise.” (Clarke)

It would be easy for us as 21st century Christians to look at this and see it as a formula to get what we want. In the Jewish culture it is to be understood as a means to help treat an ailment as we seek the Lord who heals in the process. It doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk that the person will be healed.

You might even say, but Peter the very next verse states that it is a slam dunk.

James 5:15 ESV

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.

Some would look at these verses and say, this proves that if you have enough faith that you will be healed, while others will say that these verses only point to ultimate spiritual healing in our own resurrection. I believe it points to both healing and salvation, just not in the same, name it claim it/ Word of faith sense.

There is a very true reality that when someone is healed by God there is faith involved, whether by the person who is sick or the person/persons who are praying for the sick person. Either way, two common denominators are present. Faith and Prayer. Even in times of true faith our prayers for healing aren’t always met with a “yes” from the Lord.

We should pray for others in faith, expecting that God will heal them, then leave the matter in God’s hands.

Clearly, God does not grant immediate healing for every prayer of faith, and the reasons are hidden in the heart and mind of God. Still, many are not healed simply because there is no prayer of faith offered. The best approach in praying for the sick is to pray with humble confidence that they will be healed, unless God clearly and powerfully makes it clear that this is not His will. Having prayed, we simply leave the matter to God. Often we do not pray the prayer of faith out of concern for God’s reputation if there should be no healing. We should remember that God is big enough to handle His own reputation. (David Guzik)

In this first part of the puzzle all we can control is our willingness to pray in faith. The next part of this puzzle is absolutely in our control, but it’s the one part of the Christian life we dread the most.

True Healing

James 5:16 ESV

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.

What does confessing your sins to one another and praying have to do with physical healing? Well, it didn’t say physical healing did it?

Confessing your sins means that you “say the same thing” about your sin as God does. It means you agree with Him. James is telling us to confess our sins to one another, in an appropriate setting with someone you can trust, but most importantly with someone who will pray for you in the process of God bringing healing to your relationship with Him and others. It could even be linked to physical healing. Paul talks about this briefly in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 11.

1 Corinthians 11:29–30 ESV

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

Confession to another in the body of Christ is essential because sin will demand to have us to itself, isolated from all others. Confession breaks the power of secret sin. 

“We may have our theories of the desirability or undesirability of public confession of sin. I have had mine, but I know that when the Spirit of God falls upon guilty souls, there will be confession, and no power on earth can stop it.” (from Calling to Remembrance by William Newton Blair)

Confessing our sins to one another sounds intimidating doesn’t it, but quite honestly this is what held me back for years in my addiction. As soon as I confessed my sin, not only did God change me and saved me but it took the power away from the sin itself.

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Look what Peter said in Acts 3.

Acts 3:17–21 ESV

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Revival will be held back in our own lives as long as secret sin is still being hidden. Healing in our relationships will still be absent as long as sin goes unconfessed. All because our hearts are not turned toward the Lord! Repent and turn back to the Lord. Confess your sins to someone whom you trust and ask them to pray for you so you can experience all the healing that God has planned for you! This is what happens when James says “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Prayer of someone who is living rightly with God has great power in his prayer to accomplish much in building the Kingdom of God!

Don’t think you can accomplish this? Don’t think you have it in you?

James 5:17–18 ESV

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

This word here for “nature like ours” points to the fact that Elijah, although a well know God fearing prophet, still struggled. Still dealt with fear and depression. One minute he was calling down fire from heaven to defeat the 450 prophets of Baal and the next he is running for his life.

1 Kings 19:1–4 ESV

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Restoring A Brother or Sister

James 5:19–20 ESV

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

 Having introduced the topics of sin and confession, James reminds us of the need to confront those who have wandered from the truth. Wanders from the truth is a good picture. Most people don’t wander deliberately — it just sort of happens. Nonetheless, it still gets them off track and possibly in danger.

“Most persons have been convinced by the pious conversation of sisters, by the holy example of mothers, by the minister, by the Sabbath-school, or by the reading of tracts or perusing Scripture. Let us not therefore believe that God will often work without instruments; let us not sit down silently and say, ‘God will do his own work.’ It is quite true he will; but then he does his work by using his children as instruments.” (Spurgeon)

One reason God uses human “instruments” is because it brings Him more glory than if He were to do His work by Himself. In this way God is like a skilled workman who makes “incredible things using the worst of tools”. After the same pattern, God uses earthen vessels to be containers of His glory. Along this line, can we not say that when we refuse to make ourselves available to God’s service — weak and flawed as we are — we in fact rob Him of some of His glory? He can glorify Himself through a weak vessel like you; you and me and we should let Him do it.

There is a blessing for the one who loves his brother enough to confront him.

This speaks powerfully of the restoration that is possible for those who have sinned. “I know of men of good standing in the gospel ministry, who, ten years ago, fell into sin; and that is thrown in our teeth to this very day. Do you speak of them? You are at once informed, ‘Why, ten years ago they did so-and-so.’ Brethren, Christian men ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking notice of such things so long afterwards. True, we may use more caution in our dealings; but to reproach a fallen brother for what he did so long ago, is contrary to the spirit of John, who went after Peter, three days after he had denied his Master with oaths and curses.” (Spurgeon)

James concludes with this because this is exactly what he has endeavored to do through this challenging letter — to confront those who have wandered from a living faith, endeavoring to save their souls from death, by demanding that they not only hear the word, but do it, because a living authentic faith will have its proof.

Lets pray!