"When Pain Leads to Prayer"

James 5:13–20 CSB

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit. My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

If ever a man was qualified to address the subject of prayer, it was Jesus’ half-brother, Jacob!

One ancient writer recorded the following about Jacob:

He used to enter into the Temple and be found kneeling and praying for forgiveness for the people, so that his knees grew hard like a camel’s because of his constant worship of God, kneeling and asking forgiveness for the people. So often did he pray that he was referred to as, “Old Camel Knees,” because he developed knots on his knees from his long seasons of prayer. From his excessive righteousness he was call the Just.

Most of us find it very hard to identify with a man like Jacob!

Q: Who do we know that prays so much they develop callus’ on their knees?

It’s not a question calculated to instill any kind of guilt…But rather, to encourage us to engage in the practice of prayer!

In the book, “To Busy Not to Pray,” the author offers the following analysis of our prayerlessness:

Prayer is an unnatural activity. From birth we have been learning the rules of self-reliance as we strain and struggle to achieve self-sufficiency. Prayer flies in the face of those deep-seated values. It is an assault on human autonomy, and indictment of independent living. To people in the fast lane, determined to make it on their own, prayer is an embarrassing interruption. Prayer is alien to our proud human nature.

ONE OF THE STRONGEST PASSAGES ON PRAYER in the NT is now before us as Jacob closes this letter to his scattered Jewish friends.

In (James 5:7-12) the word “patience” is used 7 times. In our passage today (5:13-20), the word “prayer” appears 7 times as well!

In situations where patience is required, PRAYER IS THE KEY!

James gives THREE times/reasons prayer is needed:

I. We Need to Pray for EMOTIONAL REASONS – (5:13)

A. “Is anyone among you suffering?”

“…among you” refers to the Church!

Colossians 4:2 CSB

Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 CSB

In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith,

2 Thessalonians 3:1 CSB

In addition, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,

“…suffering” – means to suffer hardships, distresses, misfortune (NIV – “…anyone in trouble?”)

“…He should pray.”

When you connect this with (v.12), we see a consistent approach to unexpected difficulty: When facing trouble/stress, the answer is not to swear but go to prayer!

B. “…Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.”

The phrase, “…He should sing praises” is one word in Greek: ψαλλέτω (psaletto) which describes singing accompanied by the harp, or what we would call a guitar!

In other words, praising God is viewed in the same measure of seriousness as praying to God!

BTW, the word “praise” is found 550 times in the Bible!

Praising God in song is a form of prayer!

According to (Ephesians 5:18-19), it is the natural outcome of being “filled with the Spirit!”

Ephesians 5:18–19 CSB

And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord,

Pray during the challenging times and praise during the happy times!

BOTH will bring you to God! – (James 4:8a) – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

II. We Need to Pray for PHYSICAL REASONS! – (5:14-15)

While this is considered to be the KEY passage in the NT on the subject of healing, the ideas about its meaning are as varied as the many opinions about faith-healing!

A. The DEFINITION of “SICK”

The Greek word for “sick” is ἀσθενεῖand means, ‘to be without strength,’ and depicts the debilitating effect of sickness, incapacitating one for work.

· (John 4:46-47) – it refers to a royal officer’s son who is about to die.

· (John 11:1-3) – It was used to of Lazarus who shortly did die!

· (Acts 9:37) – It was used of Dorcas, who also died!

· (Philippians 2) – It was used of Epaphroditus, who almost died!

This passage does not apply to the snifflesbut refers to a very serious illness!

(v.15) – “…raise him up” would support this understanding.

B. The INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The sick person is to summon the elders – (v.14a) – “He should call for the elders of the church…”

NOTE the following:

1) The sick person is to take the initiative and call for the elders.

2) This is to take place in the home of the sick (or wherever they are).

There is no evidence that anointing services ever took place at the front of a church (service or otherwise). This is not a show, or some public demonstration of the power of God! Put the white suits, lights, and cameras away.

2. The elders are to come and “…they are to pray over him” – (v.14b)

The INSTRUMENT of healing is not the prayers or faith of the one who is sick, but the prayer and faith of the elders!

The POWER that raises him up is not the elder’s, but the Lord’s response to the “…prayer of faith!”

3. The elders are to “…pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” – (v.14c)

Q: “Why use oil?”

A: Why not?

Since when do we need to explain, or defend obedience to God’s Word?

Since the issue is faith, what better way to demonstrate faith than with simple obedience to what God says?

Answer #1: Oil represents the presence of God

Leviticus 21:12 CSB

He must not leave the sanctuary or he will desecrate the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the Lord.

Answer #2: Because God expects OBEDIENCE

2 Kings 5:1 CSB

Naaman, commander of the army for the king of Aram, was a man important to his master and highly regarded because through him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was a valiant warrior, but he had a skin disease.

2 Kings 5:9–14 CSB

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan and your skin will be restored and you will be clean.” But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the skin disease. Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and left in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more should you do it when he only tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the command of the man of God. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean.

III. We Need Pray for SPIRITUAL REASONS – (5:15b-20)

A. We Pray for FORGIVENESS of SINS! – (vv.15b-16a)

Although sin is not always the cause of sickness, it is a possible cause:

Romans 1:26–27 CSB

For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.

1 Corinthians 11:29–32 CSB

For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

B. We Live RIGHTEOUSLY So Our Prayers Will Show the Power of God! – (vv.16b-18)

NKJV - (v.16b) – “…The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

(v.17) – “Elijah was a human being as we are…”

In his humanity, Elijah was no different than us. The difference is how he lived!

The POINT: How you live matters—especially when it comes to your prayers!

C. We Pray for the RESTORATION of SINNERS! – (vv.19-20)

James places the responsibility for the wandering believer on us!

There’s a certain irony that some dispute the authenticity of James because it contradicts the message of Galatians, and yet it ends with the same message!

Galatians 6:1–2 CSB

Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

CONCLUSION – A Word of Encouragement to the Elders…

When you are called on to pray for the sick, just remember God doesn’t expect you to be mystical, or the next Elijah, just faithful!

It’s not your power or ability He needs, just your willingness to be a vessel of His power!