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James 5:13-16
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.
v. 13 and 14 Let your prayer life be authentic with your situation. Happy? Praise. Trouble? Pray. Sick? Call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 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.
- The sick person initiates the prayer request to the elders of the church.
- The elders are to anoint with oil and pray in the name of Jesus.
- The prayer of faith will make the sick person well
Praying in the name of Jesus is not simply saying, “In the name of Jesus”. Praying in the name of Jesus also includes the one ministering healing, being like Jesus. In the name can be synonymously tied to the idea of the nature of Jesus. Jesus is in me and I’m in him so when I pray it’s not me it’s Jesus in me releasing the virtue of the Kingdom of God into this situation. Saying “in the name of Jesus” is not a magic spell or magic sentence. It’s got to be backed by the substance of Jesus in the one ministering. A person where sin dominates their life cannot pray in the name of Jesus with any substantive results. Jesus I know, and Paul I’m getting to know, but who are you? Acts 19:15
It’s more important that you are in Jesus than you say the words, “In the name of Jesus”. The demons, sickness, or whatever, knows if you’re in Jesus or not. The proof will be in the results of your prayers/declarations of God’s will.
It’s also interesting that physical healing and forgiveness of sins go hand in hand in this passage. I strongly encourage people of all denominations to study the concept of the Greek word Sōzō and then fearlessly share it with people you have influence with. The modern concept of salvation has been fragmented into component parts however many are being awakened to the idea that salvation includes healing and deliverance from unclean spirits.
If you want to keep someone sick and you’re the devil and you know that Jesus has already paid the price for their healing, the only strategy you have that will work will be to keep the people ignorant to the promise of God and then convince them healing is not for them or it’s not God’s will. This is the only way to keep God’s people sick from the Devil’s perspective. Don’t buy the lie!
The example from James 5 for the person who prays the prayer of faith is Elijah. James 5:17,18 references his prayers of faith to start and stop the rain.
Some may Think Elijah has special privileges but…
Hebrews 8:6
But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
Prayer to Stop the Rain
Elijah’s prayer of faith was a declaration that it wouldn’t rain.
1 Kings 17:17
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
Prayer to Start the Rain
1 Kings 18:1-2
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.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
1 Kings 18:41-43
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 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. 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.”
Mark 11:22-25
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
In Mark 11:22-25 we see Jesus teaching on the prayer of faith. Have faith in God and If you speak to the Mountain and believe and don’t doubt it will be done for you.
1 John 5:14,15
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.
Therefore… whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
When you stand praying, forgive anyone who has sinned against you. What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. If you don’t want your prayers hindered, release people from your heart judgments.
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.