The Power of Prayer

Teach us to Pray

James five has many different subjects but our focus today is on the ending and the power of prayer. James has mentioned through this letter things that are linked directly to prayer, if we lack wisdom ask God, we don’t have because we don’t ask, and when we do ask our motives are wrong. Even here in chapter 5 patience in suffering is linked to prayer.

Prayer is important. Jesus disciples gathered how important it is when they asked him to teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples to pray. Today James in this short section teaches us when and how the community is involved in prayer. When we are suffering, when we’re happy, when we’re sick , confession, and for each other.

As we wrestle with James today are we a praying church? Are we a church where the type of confession mentioned here can happen? James calls us to day corporately and personally to a life of prayer. May we grow in our prayer lives as we wrestle with James today.

When to pray

The previous section in James 5 in my Bible is headlined patience in suffering. James urges his readers and us to be patient as we wait for the coming of the LORD. The day that suffering will cease. James points to the prophets who also endured suffering. In our text for today he uses Elijah, one of those prophets, as an example of prayer.

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Suffering here goes beyond physical suffering, and encompasses emotional suffering perhaps depression brought on by difficult circumstances. James command to those of us suffering today is to pray. As followers of Christ we should pray at times of suffering. As Christ hung on the cross he also prayed, Father forgive them, my God my God why have you forsaken me. In the face of suffering we pray to God who is in control, and will one day deliver all of creation from suffering pain and death.

Are any happy? We should pray prayers of thanksgiving for what God has done. The Psalms are full of songs of Thanksgiving. Psalm 118 is one of them. When times are good and when times aren’t so good our response should be the same, we should pray.

Are any among you sick? Let them call for the elders of the church so they can anoint them with oil and pray for them. For James readers and us today this prayer is done after appropriate medical attention was given. God is the one who ultimately heals, but medicine is important to the healing process. This prayer is offered in the name of the LORD recognizing his authority and his power to heal not that of the elder.

James uses the word save. “The prayer of faith will save the sick”. The word translated save here is soizo which means to rescue, deliver from hazard or danger. The use of this word goes beyond just physical healings, but a more complete healing in spirit, soul, body and mind. The elder has no power to heal only God does, the LORD will raise them up.

James links confessing sins to healing and forgiveness. Confession and intercessory prayer are vital to healing.

James: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition From the Text

Modern medicine recognizes the intimate relationship between illness and hope or anxiety. God created human beings as whole beings, so one’s relationship with others and with God affects one’s physical body as well as one’s mental state. Stress is a well-known cause or accelerator of the most common life-threatening diseases such as cancer and heart disease. James encourages his readers to make the relationships in their lives right, confessing to each other, so that they might be healed.

Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The wrongs we carry, the unforgiveness we cling to do more harm to our physical bodies, they do more harm to our mental well being than the person we’re staying mad at. I urge you today make things right, confess and release it to God so that you may be healed. Jesus even teaches us in the LORD’s prayer to both ask God for forgiveness while at the same time extending forgiveness to others.

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Remember the prophets remember Elijah who was just as human as you and I are yet when he confronted the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel God responds to his prayer. When he prayed for rain and the end of a long drought God sent the rain. My brothers and sisters God can and will move through our prayers.

Praying Church

I’ll ask a question I asked earlier. Are we a praying church? To experience God’s soizo, his rescue and deliverance we must be a praying church. To sum up James we must pray at all times. We must pray in the midst of suffering. We must pray when things are good. We must pray in sickness and in health. We must be a place where James 5 confession can happen.

As an ordained elder in the church of the Nazarene I feel led to offer anointing and prayer for healing. Remember healing doesn’t just mean physical, but healing of relationships through confession, healing in spirit, soul, body and mind. Perhaps there is suffering going on in your life take time to pray. If things are going great give thanks to God. Our response today is to spend some time in prayer. Pray as the Holy Spirit has lead you to pray.