To believe in the Power of Prayer

Cindy Palacios

Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

James 5:13–20

Prayer

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Like I mentioned before I grew up in a Christian household. My dad was an elder in the UMC church and my mom made it her mission to teach me and my siblings about God. Our bedtime stories would be about Samson and Delilah, David and Goliath, bible stories. And I can remember as we got older, we would always gather to read scripture and take turns praying. There was a time that we would even have time to share our prayer concerns. One time my sister was worried that we would not have money to pay for college applications, and my mom could have used a story from the Word, but she told us.

When my mom was in her twenties, she was in seminary for a couple of years. And like what we do at ATS, we need to take 3 classes that involved us working in the actual church setting and a nonprofit. During her time, she was required to volunteer at a church. She and her roommate served together, and both had a passion for studying and teaching the bible. My mom had heard that the group of young adults that they were teaching had no bibles, and she without thinking promised all of the new bibles in the upcoming bible study. Well, my mom was a seminary student and she nor her roommate had money to buy them. There was not much that the seminary could do to help them, the seminary already did not have a lot of resources in the first place. As the days passed by my mom would continue to pray for bibles. She did the math and she needed exactly 405 pesos which is not Mexican currency.

The day had come to go and meet with them, so as they were driving the bus to the small pueblo (small town) my mom saw people walk and pass by in the aisle, as it was her turn to exit the bus and walk the aisle, she found a grocery bag. The bag was visible and out in the open My mom asked around if it belong to someone and what was weird is that people would walk by that same spot, and no one noticed it. After asking and she opened the bag and saw pesos… she counted them and it was exactly what she needed 405, to buy the bibles. So, she thanked God, and went to buy the bibles and was able to give them to them. That testimony was told to use every time we were in need. To this day when I call my mom for minor things, she still reminds me of that testimony. That testimony has encouraged us through some difficult times, financially and even while praying for healing. The point is that God, provided and that He hears our prayers.

Today’s scripture is found in James 5:13-20 and it will help us understand the power of Prayer.

New International Version

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD

We will restart our bible study of the book of James on the 6th of October. The book of James is known to be a letter written by James (known as Jesus's younger brother) James had a specific audience that he wrote this letter. And unlike another letter of the New Testament, it seems that the book of James illustrates the structure of salvation while at the same time guiding gentiles/new believers into the Way of Christ.

Jesus had already ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit was moving in the lives of the disciples and followers of Christ. Peter was spreading the Word and Paul was too. James, Jesus's younger brother, also was spreading the Word and instructing new believers. The portion that we just read we can divide into 3 categories.

Verses in 13-15 say:

James is encouraging us to show mutual concern. This past week I was able to visit some of you and pray for you. I am encouraged by the love that the members of this church have for each other. How you all pray over each other and even help in needs. Our brother Burch is not doing well and I was able to talk to him on the phone and he was telling me how great of help is our sister Debbie. She goes up and checks on brother Burch and provides will groceries items that he may need. That you believe in the power of Prayer/ and are thinking of others to bring up to Our Father and believing that God listens.

. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James is calling us to be people of confession and prayer. It is important to know that confessing to each other doesn’t mean doing it carelessly or that you won't be forgiven if you don’t confess it to some else. When you share/confess with someone that you trust there seems to be a load taken off. The monster that you have quietly kept becomes smaller. It is like the monster under your bed… I never was afraid of the monster under my bed but I was afraid of the man who stole little kids.) I was told this story about this boy, who was afraid of the monster under his bed. One day he decided that he was going to be brave and confronted and when he looked under it was his sock’s shadow and all this time he thought it was something scary and dangerous. This is somewhat similar to when it comes to sins. The accuser wants us to keep the secrets quiet because if someone finds out they will disown us, then we keep quiet and we start distancing away from those who we think might judge us. Though that the accuser makes us believe that we are the only ones in that position, and we are the only horrible people that are sinning. Shame and hope start to vanish…. unfortunately, those who truly lose hope seek a way out. There is Hope… you are not the only one that finds yourself lost or with shame. Bringing out to the light to the father, if that looks like going to someone you trust and confessing then both of you can go to the father. I’ve had occasions where I’ve had friends and family walk with me in prayer reassuring me that I have been forgiven and that when I come to the Father with a sincere heart, He forgives His loved one.

In this section James mentions Elijah. Elijah was a prophet that we read about in the OT. in the book of 1 king, Elijah prayed because the king back then (King Ahab) allowed Jezebel, his wife to introduce the worship of Baal and Asherah in Israel. God's anger was provoked, He, therefore, sent Elijah, the prophet, to pronounce drought and famine on the land. ... Elijah also blamed Ahab for allowing the worship of Baal in Israel which made people forsake God.

When all was done Elijah prayed again for rain and prayed over and over and it come to be. The point that James was saying, though Elijah was a prophet, was a human just like you and me. And his prayers did not cease from God’s ear. It was according to God’s will for Elijah to do such prayer. This reminds me this past week I was talking to a classmate about the gift of tongues…what happened when you are speaking in tongues?” This is still a subject that I am learning and hoping to be able to preach about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But I know that when one does not know what to say the Holy Spirit intercedes and He knows as our Helper, can give us words and/or things to pray about. And He can lead us in prayer and tell us what to pray for. When we seek Him and ask Him. When you do not know what to pray about, He is not only able but He years to guide you. So, when it comes to tongues, though we do not know what we are saying and there is not a translator there with us, the Holy Spirit is praying to the Father, and He knows what you are saying. The peace and presence of God are to show that you are in communication with Father God. Like Elijah, a human being, God listens to our prayers and guides them too.

One important prayer that we can do is the prayer to save the lost souls. That is where the Heart of God is… He wants us to share the good news and hope with those lost. I have talked to a couple of those who have children that are not believers

But we are called to be ever ready to redirect an errant brother or sister. Again this is to be done out of love and confidence. My. Mom told me one time at a Pentecostal church in the small town she knew of a member who was called out for living a sinful life. She was invited to the services and people threw bibles at her to tell her she was in the wrong… The way to come to those is out of love and praying for Them. There are a ton of testimonies of those that were or drifted away from God and came back. My story is similar to those but it was my mothers' consistent prayers and friends' love and kindness towards me. The more I was pushed to the word I pushed God away. But when I was met with love, patience, and compassion. They were representing God. I realized that God was love, patient, and compassionate with Me. I encouraged us to continue praying for our loved ones or those around us who are straying from God. Let us be patient.

The power of prayer never ceased to amaze me. I've heard a lot of testimonies by you about how prayers are answered. This past week I received a text from a Ranies daughter Debbie. We have been praying for Ranie health and I go a text that said.

“Believe this or not the Drs don't know what to think all the nodes sent off no cancer.” Some tests are still to be done but tubes are and even staples. God listens. Even when our prayers are yet to answer He has heard them…Do not lose hope or become anxious.

This past week MY STORY

Trust in Him. I've mentioned even when you can let me trust in Him for You. It has been hard having community during this time. However, we are here and we have phones and emails. Share your concerns share your days of doubt with your brothers and sisters Christ. We are not meant to do it alone. Most of all we are not meant to do life without prayer. God is Here, He is present HE IS HERE