SF694 - WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT FAITH HEALING - DEVELOPING A FAITH THAT WORKS (James 5 13-15)
What The Bible Teaches About Faith Healing
Developing a Faith that Works
James 5:13-15
Introduction
Does God still heal people?
When, where and how does He heal?
What does the Bible teach us?
Jesus is the Answer to every Need
(Philippians 4:19 NIV) "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Bodily Healing comes from God
In Jesus we have Victory
1A. The Problem (13-14a)
"sick" = to be without strength a serious illness
1B. Sickness may be a Result of God's Judgement
(1 Corinthians 11:30 NIV) "That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep."
2B. Sickness may be the Result of our Choices
Drinking Alcohol
Ø Intoxicated: toxin is a poison
Smoking Cigarettes
Linus Pawling: 1 pack/day from 20 years on you will cut your life expectancy by 8 full years or 14.4 minutes per cigarette.
Improper Diet
Ø Over-eat
"We live off half of what we eat the doctor lives off the other half."
Ø Eat the wrong foods
Worry
(Psalms 37:8 NIV)…do not fret--it leads only to evil."
Ø 77% of all illnesses are self-induced
3B. Sickness may be the Result of Satan's Attack
(Job 2:7 NIV) "So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head."
4B. Sickness may be the Result of God's Grace
Power can come through sickness
(2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NIV) "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. {8} Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. {9} But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
Productivity can come through sickness
Ø Sometimes God uses our suffering to bless other people.
(2 Corinthians 1:6 NIV) "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation…."
Ø God sometimes has to prune us to make us productive!
(John 15:2 NIV) "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
Purity can come from sickness
(Job 23:10 NIV) "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold."
Praise can come from sickness
(John 11:4 NIV) "When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.""
2A. The Procedure
1B. The Command to Call (14b)
"Call" = imperative verb
Notice who does the calling: the sick
Ø We are to call and inform the elders of our sickness
Notice who they call: the elders
Ø This would refer to the ordained leaders of the local church
2C. The Commitment to Christ
"anoint" = not a command, it is a participle
May refer to the use of medicine
It is symbolic, spiritual and significant
Ø Refers to a special anointing of a person symbolizing the Holy Spirit and the setting aside of someone for the cause of Christ
(Leviticus 8:10-12 NIV) "Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. {11} He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. {12} He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him."
Ø The anointing symbolizes that they are completely yielding themselves to God.
Ø Why would God heal someone who was not committing Himself to the Lord. Would God heal you so you could serve Satan?
3A. The Prayer (14b-15)
1B. It is to be a Prayer for Knowledge (14b)
"pray over him" = no for but over, to find and do the will of God.
The prayer that gets to heaven starts in heaven
We are not to pray any just prayer that comes into our mind.
(1 John 5:14 NIV) "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."
It is not always God's will to heal
Ø Paul
Ø Elisha
(2 Kings 13:14 NIV) "Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died…""
2B. It is to be a Prayer of Faith based on Knowledge (15a)
The faith comes from God through prayer
The healing comes from God as a result of prayer
The forgiveness comes from God as a part of prayer
Ø 1 John 1:9
Application
People get sick for various reasons.
It is the sick person's responsibility to seek healing
The sick person must submit completely to Christ.
We are to seek God's will concerning healing - It is not God's will that everyone be healed.
When it is God's will to heal, we can pray with confidence knowing the person will be healed.
What The Bible Teaches About Faith Healing
Developing a Faith that Works
July 20, 1997 A.M. - James 5:13-15
Tim McGhee
1A. The Problem
1B. Sickness may be a Result of _______ ___________
(1 Corinthians 11:30 NIV) "That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep."
2B. Sickness may be the Result of _____ ____________
3B. Sickness may be the Result of ______ ___________
(Job 2:7 NIV) "So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head."
4B. Sickness may be the Result of ____ _____________
____________ can come through sickness
(2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NIV) "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. {8} Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. {9} But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
________________ can come through sickness
(2 Corinthians 1:6 NIV) "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation…."
(John 15:2 NIV) "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
_______________ can come from sickness
(Job 23:10 NIV) "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold."
_______________ can come from sickness
(John 11:4 NIV) "When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.""
2A. The Procedure
1B. The Command to Call
Notice who does the calling: _____ ________
Notice who they call: _____ ____________
2C. The Commitment to Christ
(Leviticus 8:10-12 NIV) "Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. {11} He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. {12} He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him."
3A. The Prayer
1B. It is to be a Prayer for _________________ (14b)
(1 John 5:14 NIV) "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."
(2 Kings 13:14 NIV) "Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died…""
2B. It is to be a Prayer of ____ based on ________ (15a)