Part 8 Prayer of Faith
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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.
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Where does the Bible tell us to pray for healing?
James 5:13
What other promises might apply to prayer for healing?
Mark 11:24 Whatever you ask. . . the same terminology pray, faith and don’t doubt like in James 1 are used here.
Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask in prayer. . . the same terminology pray, faith and don’t doubt like in James 1 are used here.
John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name
John 15:6-7 If you abide in me, ask whatever you wish
1 John 5:14 This is the confidence if we ask anything according to His will He hears us
Where are there examples of praying for healing?
2 Samuel 12:16-17 for his son with Bathsheba
Hezekiah 2 Kings 20 who got 15 more years
Healing from barrenness Genesis 15:2-6 Abraham and Sarah, 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Hannah, Luke 1:13 Zechariah and Elizabeth,
Where are examples of not praying for healing ?
1 Timothy 5:23 Timothy was sick and Paul told him to drink some wine
Luke 9:1-2, Luke 9:6 The twelve disciples were given power and authority over demons and to heal.
Luke 10:9 Jesus told the 70 to heal the sick.
The text of James 5:13-20, in particular verse 15 is clear. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.
Problem: Our experience differs from that. There is no promise in the Bible that God will always heal. There is no way to “believe harder.” The prayer of faith isn’t greater than God.
Introduction
Introduction
This passage is about prayer.
God is the healer. Exodus 15:26, Luke 4:18, Matthew 14:14,
The issue of faith isn’t about believing if God can heal.
Everyone who believes in God believes He can heal.
1. First condition: Suffering. v. 13
1. First condition: Suffering. v. 13
First condition: In suffering, in trouble “suffering physical pain, hardship and distress” Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A
Response: Pray
Response: Pray
Pray
2. Second condition: Cheerful v. 13
2. Second condition: Cheerful v. 13
Second condition: Cheerful, happy “to be or to become encouraged and hence cheerful” Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A.
Response: Praise
Response: Praise
Praise
3. Third condition: Sick v. 14
3. Third condition: Sick v. 14
Third condition: Sick “to be sick and, as a result, in a state of weakness and incapacity” Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A
Responses:
Responses:
A. Any person who is sick calls for elders v. 14
A. Any person who is sick calls for elders v. 14
This isn’t the only way we are to deal with the sick. It is one clear way. Some have the gift of healing and they may or may not be elders. We can pray for anyone, anytime.
This is a wide open invitation to the church. “among you.”
It isn’t limited to age, spirituality, or circumstances.
B. Elders of the church v. 14
B. Elders of the church v. 14
more than one
This isn’t instruction to someone who has the gift of healing. 1 Corinthians 12:9
This is quite a contrast to the “faith healers” who travel and put on a show of healing, often by one person.
C. Person confesses their sins v. 16
C. Person confesses their sins v. 16
Healing isn’t more important to God than holiness. Psalm 119:67, 71
D. Elders pray v. 14
D. Elders pray v. 14
This isn’t a command to pray the prayer of faith v. 15
E. For or over the sick person v. 15
E. For or over the sick person v. 15
F. Anoint with oil in the name of the Lord v. 15
F. Anoint with oil in the name of the Lord v. 15
This is not medicinal oil for healing v. 15
G. If the elders pray the prayer of faith.
G. If the elders pray the prayer of faith.
It isn’t alway prayed.
It is not faithful prayer, “Thy will be done,” whatever it is.
The prayer of faith is a guarantee of healing.
It is a humble prayer without doubting like James taught in praying for wisdom James 1:5-11.
It is confident prayer. Mark 5:23-34 Woman healed of bleeding for twelve years. Mark 10:46-52 Blind Bartimaeus, his faith healed him.
Lack of faith prevents miracles and healing. Mark 6:1-6 Jesus did few healings in Nazareth due to the lack of faith.
Lame man in Lystra healed because Paul saw he had faith Acts 14:8-10.
It is the faith if the elders. Acts 3:1-9 Peter and John gave them what they had, healing by their faith
H. The person is saved.
H. The person is saved.
σῴζω, healed. (v. 15)
James uses the generic verb sodzo (swvzw = save), rather than a more specific term like therapeuo (qerapeuvw = heal), when he describes the result of the prayer of faith in the sick person’s life: literally, “…and the prayer of faith shall save the sick one.” Sodzo was used to mean physical healing, as we see in the case of Lazarus (see Gk. of John 11.12), but we are more familiar with the term as connoting forgiveness, justification, sanctification and eternal life. https://www.tmin.org/tminpages/ragbio.html
I. The Lord lifts them up. v. 15
I. The Lord lifts them up. v. 15
cf. Mark 1:31 Peter’s mother.) Raised up is often used in the context of Jesus’ healings Mark 2:9-12; 9:27; Acts 3:7
J. The person is forgiven of sins. v. 15
J. The person is forgiven of sins. v. 15
cf. Mark 2:1-12; Matthew 9:2-8; Luke 5:18-26 Jesus healed and forgave the paralytic lowered through a hole in the roof.)
4. How to pray the prayer of faith, pray without doubt
4. How to pray the prayer of faith, pray without doubt
This is the same for how to pray the prayer of faith about anything.
A. There is no such thing as believing “hard enough.”
A. There is no such thing as believing “hard enough.”
David E. O’Brien has well said, “But faith is like manna. We can’t collect it. God gives the faith we need when we need it.” Today’s Handbook for Solving Bible difficulties (Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, 1990), p. 338.
B. Pray based upon God’s will. 1 John 5:14-15, Galatians 5:16-18.
B. Pray based upon God’s will. 1 John 5:14-15, Galatians 5:16-18.
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Is it God’s will to always heal? No.
We have to discern God’s will for the situation. How can we know if it’s God’s will in this situation?
If it is consistent with His revealed will in Scripture.
If it is consistent with God’s character.
Did David know it was God’s will for him to kill Goliath (1 Samuel 17)? Yes but not because God told him. David knew God.
If it is consistent with what God says to us as He leads us. Galatians 5:16-18
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
C. Elijah’s prayer of faith for rain. 1 Kings 18:1, 41-45
C. Elijah’s prayer of faith for rain. 1 Kings 18:1, 41-45
Elijah knew it was God’s will for it to rain. 1 Kings 18:1
Elijah knew it was God’s will for it to rain. 1 Kings 18:1
1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”
Elijah prayed for rain. 1 Kings 18:42
Elijah prayed for rain. 1 Kings 18:42
42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
Elijah prayed seven times. 1 Kings 18:43-44.
Elijah prayed seven times. 1 Kings 18:43-44.
We have to have persistence in our praying.
43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” 44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”