God’s Path to Healing

Introduction

Growth Track

Join me in James chapter five…

The life of a Christian is hard. Marriages attacked. Some of you might be headed right for the cliff and you don’t know how to stop the train. People trapped in addiction and you don’t know how to get out. Faith is weak. Worry is eating away at your peace.

God has provided a path to “healing.” (((why HEALING)))

This is a message that God put on my heart a few weeks ago for our church.

James 5:13–20 ESV

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 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. 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. 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. 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. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 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.

In verses 13 & 14, James asks 3 rhetorical questions. Well, I want to answer them. There ARE, in this room, in this church, among us who are suffering. There ARE, in this room, those among us who—even in the middle of trials and weakness—who are hanging on to joy. There ARE those whose faith is weak this morning. The question is—do you want to stay there or do you want to be on God’s path to healing?

God did not save you to live in defeat. Listen…if you’re saved and you’re being attacked…Satan is attacking territory that doesn’t belong to him.

You’re married…you’re in a marriage that belongs to God. If Satan is attacking your marriage, he’s on territory that doesn’t belong to him.

Context—suffering under persecution. The trials of following Jesus. The temptation to give up. Weakened faith.

CONFESSION

This can be a scary word. But, if you’re going to experience the healing that God provides, you’ve got to begin here. This is the entryway into the path.

What does James say we need to “confess”?

Our weakness

vs. 13-14

The context is important especially as we get to verse 14. James says, “Is anyone among you sick?” Now, the translators of the NT have translated the word that means “weak.”

MacArthur’s explanation…so, this doesn’t mean that we don’t pray for the healing of those who are sick. But, that’s not what THIS verse is about.

Explain “weakness/sick”

Our sin

What is hidden in the dark needs to be brought into the light for it to be healed.

What keeps us from confession? Pride. Fear.

Fear of judgment or humiliation—man, if people really knew what was going on in my marriage, they would label me a fake/hypocrite.

Small group who confessed sin—last guy “gossip...I can’t wait to get out of here.”

The problem—we don’t confess. We hide. We think, “I can handle this on my own.” This is exactly where Satan wants you. Satan does not want you to experience the abundant life that Jesus gives. He wants you to hide in the shadows. He wants you to believe the lies that you’re not safe confessing your sin or your struggle with other believers. “I don’t want to bother people with my problems…they’re busy…etc” “They’ll gossip about you…etc”

Then...when brothers and sisters in Christ find out, it’s too late. It’s already hit the fan.

James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

So, what’s the point of “confessing to one another?”

PRAYER

Prayer is the central theme of this whole passage. In fact, in these 8 verses, prayer is specifically mentioned or referred to EIGHT TIMES. Eight times in eight verses…I’d say it’s pretty important, wouldn’t you?

Suffering—PRAY

Hanging on to joy (maybe even barely) while suffering—PRAISE (Prayer)

But, then, there’s the bringing in of others into your life. This is the point of confession. It’s not just to get your sin struggle or your faith struggle off your chest. The point of confession is admitting your weakness and sinfulness and inviting someone into your life to intercede for you.

Faith is weak—Calling the elders together (vs. 14)…for what? Prayer & anointing with oil.

When you’re struggling with Sin—confess to one another…for what? Pray for one another (vs. 16)

Watch what happens…

Prayer of faith will save the one who is sick (weak) and the Lord will raise him up.

Emphasis—“of faith”—not the person being prayed for’s faith but the person doing the praying. Genuine prayer begins with faith. I’m asking God believing he’s going to answer. I wouldn’t pray if I didn’t believe God hears me, God can do what I’m asking him to do, and that he WILL do what I’m asking him to do.

Guess what…sometimes, in my life, I’ll be honest…my faith is weak.

Story about me almost leaving TRBC in 2021.

FOUR FRIENDS BRING PARALYTIC TO JESUS

Luke 5:20 “And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.””

Pray for them throughout the day…whenever God brings them to your mind but go to them. Pray for them. Lay hands on them. Anoint them with oil.

Where Satan is attacking in “secret places,” God is working, too…Fight Club

RESTORATION

If you want to be forgiven, confess it to God. If you want to be healed, confess to one another. Pray and be prayed for by one another.

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.

COVERING A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Here’s the deal…there are some brothers and sisters—dealing with sin. Dealing with weakness…struggle…and we’ve got to pursue them. They’re not entering the pathway to healing. They’re hiding.

Healing in marriage. Healing in your relationships. Healing in your life.

Healing in church—Fairhaven.

CONCLUSION

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

If you’re hiding, you’re not healing.

Notice…this isn’t a line. It doesn’t have an ending point. This is the cycle of the Christian life. Constant confession, prayer, restoration.