James 5:13-18
Prayer and Faith
We often ask for prayer requests when
we gather together with believers. And when we do that, inevitably there will
be requests to pray for a physical difficulty in someone?s
life. We should pray for our bodies and our health and when there is sickness
of some kind. That is appropriate. All sickness has it?s
root in sin. Physical disease exists as a consequence of sin. So does death. We
often cause sickness in our own lives because of the sinful choices we make.
The result is that we weaken ourselves and become weary enough to require the
need for prayer from others for restoration. It is this need that James
addresses in
1. WHEN YOU DISCOVER
YOU
(A)
The word sick is a general enough word to describe more than just physical
sickness. It is used for physical ailments but also for a weak conscience or a
weak faith. In vs 15 the word sick is a different word used only one other time
in the Bible, Heb 12:3, so that you may not grow
weary and lose heart. Coupled with sick in vs 14 these words convey the idea of
weakness and weariness in one?s life. James is not
referring to the bedridden, the diseased. It could be physical, emotional,
circumstantial, personal or spiritual or a combination of these.
(B)
The fact that this sick, weakened and weary person was to summon the elders
gives a clue that this person?s sickness connects with
some spiritual condition in his or her life. Elders, those recognized for their
spiritual leadership in our lives, have the responsibility to care for the
spiritual nurture of those they lead and serve (Acts
(C) When
we have this need we must call for prayer from these elders. 7 times prayer is
mentioned. This passage is about prayer, personal prayer, elder prayer and one
another prayer. It is the recognition that we need prayer support from those
spiritually discerning enough to petition God for deliverance for me.
2. PRAYER MUST BE
OFFERED IN FAITH FOR DELIVERANCE FROM WEAKNESS BY SIN 15
(A) It
is the prayer of faith which has God as its object that is effective. This is
the effective kind of praying noted in vs 16. A righteous man?s
prayers can accomplish much, whether the elders for this kind of special
praying or any of us, in the spiritual and physical deliverance of
someone else as Elijah?s praying illustrates in vs 17-18.
(B) First,
Elijah was an ordinary man just like us. He lived with similar feelings,
circumstances, and experiences as we do. So whatever impact was made by his
praying did not lie in his supernatural
greatness. He was human just like us. Second, he prayed in his prayer is the
idea. He prayed earnestly and the rain was withheld and later restored (1 Kgs
17:1;
(C) The
praying is accompanied by the anointing of oil in the name of the Lord vs 14. The point here is of rubbing with
oil rather than some type of ceremonial anointing. It does not seem to include
some sacred or religious idea. It may be referring to the common practice of
using oil as a means of granting honor or refreshment and grooming. So James is
not suggesting a ritual anointing as a means of divine healing but either rubbing
with oil for medicinal purposes or as a therapeutic means of refreshment and
soothing comfort for the person. Praying, though is
the main emphasis here.
3. THE PRAYER OFFERED
TO GOD IN FAITH WILL BRING RESTORATION TO WEAK 15-16
(A)
For the fallen, discouraged, weary, ailing believer, restoration is assured.
The word means to deliver, save, restore. First, this person will be delivered
from his weakened condition and restored from his sickness. Second, the Lord
will raise him up. (My dad has been bedridden for two months and just got the
word recently that after back surgery he can now leave his bed and begin to
systematically arouse himself back to good health.) However, this raising up
here indicates it is the Lord?s doing and not the
prayer that raises him again from a bed of sickness to health. What is promised to happen here is restoration. This is not
saying that praying in faith means praying with confidence that something will
happen just because we pray or every time we pray. For example, prayer must be
for the right motives (James 4:3) and according to the will of God (1 Jn
(B) If
this sick person has committed some sin that has resulted in the illness God
will forgive him. He will be delivered from the consequences of that sin, that
is, the sickness. It is God who raises up and who forgives. This person will be
forgiven of that sin and restored from the consequences associated with it. Not
all sickness and weakness and weariness is the result
of sin as the conditional clause if he has sinned indicates. But when it is James
says ask the spiritually mature to come alongside you and pray for you, your
sin and your restoration.
(C) The
conclusion then, is to confess sin not just to the elders but to one another
most likely those involved, not sin against each other but acknowledging the
sin against God that is causing the sickness in your life, then we can pray for
one another to be cured of anything not just physical healing. What is
important is this person is rite with God now and God has stopped consequences
of sin going further. James 5:19-20 adds that this person may have stopped his
death as well as further death-dealing consequences.