Studies from the Book of James
Fervent Praying. 5:13-20
Preached by Pastor Jack Anderson
Bethel Church Isle of Man
Introduction Tradition has it that James,
the writer of this epistle, was nicknamed “Camel Knees”.
His knees had become hardened and calloused because of the
time he spent in the place of Prayer.
There is no way that we can confirm this legend,
yet, we have only to read through his epistle to realise that
he was deeply concerned with the matter of prayer.
He was ever anxious to impress upon believers
the importance of prayer.
James 1:5 if any of you lack wisdom, let him
ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind and tossed.
James 4:2 he examines the believer’s failure
in the area of prayer “yet ye have not, because ye ask
not”.
As he comes to the conclusion of his writing,
he returns to this subject of prayer. We now come to some
of the most controversial words in the whole of James’s
letter.
It is this question of healing, which for centuries
has caused divisions among Christians who are united on most
other scriptural issues.
Although I would confess to not having all
the answers on this subject of healing, I will give to you
my understanding of these verses before us.
A Directive that is Valuable v 14-16
This is the only directive in scripture concerning
praying for the sick. There are many passages that record
healings, but here we receive instructions on how to pray
for the sick.
I note that there is quite a difference in
what James is teaching, and the healing ministries that we
see in operation today, in vast crusade meetings.
Most faith healers rent large auditoriums and
then invite people to come to them for healing. However, those
who are most in need don’t get there.
James is describing a local Church ministry,
at a member’s bedside by the elders of the Church
It goes without saying that God heals and He
can heal anywhere at anytime, and that includes healing meetings.
But I do not think that James is giving us magic formula for
the healing of the sick. God heals, but not everyone is healed,
for God works according to His sovereign will.
Note James’ directive. James 5:14 Is any
sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church;
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord:
James is talking about the Church being in
touch with hurting people.
1> The Complaint Is any sick among you?
Was James speaking of physical sickness, emotional
sickness or even spiritual sickness? The key is found in the
word sick. Greek word Astheno ( Without strength) To be weak.
It can mean weakness in body, weakness in soul,
or weakness in mind and spirit. This word Astheno is also
translated “weak” in Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in
the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
The word also appears in Acts 20:35 I have
showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support
the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how
he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Verse 15 James uses another word that is translated
“sick” (Kamno) “and the prayer of faith shall
save the sick” The Greek word (Kamno) means to be weary.
Friends, when we are sick, we become weary
in mind, in body and in soul. When we are sick, we grow weary
of the struggles of life. What is the Christian to do?
1> The Complaint Is any sick among you?
2> The Call. Let him call for the elders
of the Church
Elders hold God ordained positions of spiritual
and practical leadership in the local Church of Christ. It
is interesting to learn that the Greek word for call means,
“to call alongside, to summon”. Why should we call
for the elders if we are sick? Beloved, people, who are weary
mentally, physically, and spiritually, need someone from whom
they can draw strength.
Let me point out that the imitative comes from
the patient and not from the Pastor.
The sick are to call the elders, who in return
will exercise a ministry of encouragement. If you are able,
you are to send for the elders of the Church.
In preaching, we are called to go into the
entire world, to every creature with the gospel, but in healing
we are to await the call from the sick.
3>The Course of action v14 ---
This procedure is the primary task of Pastoral
ministry. But that is not to say that the elders are to run
to everyone who is sick, and try to heal them from their little
bottles of oil.
The use of oil for medicinal purposes was common
in Biblical times. You will remember the story of the Good
Samaritan; part of the first aid, that he was given was the
pouring in of Oil and wine. The wine was to fight the infection
and the Oil to soothe the hurt.
Verse 15 James is saying let them Oil the sick
with Oil, in the same way the Good Samaritan rubbed Oil on
the wounded man.
In Mark 6:13 and they cast out many devils,
and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Friends, the cures did not stem from the disciples,
or from the properties of the Oil, but from the power of Christ
working through His disciples.
The Power did not rest in the means, but in
the Master
Believers need to take care to avoid the magical,
while searching for the Miraculous.
The Anointing with Oil was not just a little
Oil that was placed on the forehead of the sick, they were
rubbed in Oil and then they were prayed over. In those days
the action was more practical than symbolic. James was calling
for some practical Christianity.
The Church should not only say, “We will
pray for you” the Church should be in touch with those
who are hurting. If people are weak physically, we must seek
to ease the hurt. If they are hurting emotionally, we are
to rub in the Oil of encouragement.
He climbs highest who helps another up.
Ben Sweetland—“We cannot hold a torch
to light another's path without brightening our own”.
1> The Complaint Is any sick among you?
2> The Call. Let him call for the elders
of the Church
3> The Course of action 14b
4> The Consequence v15
This verse has caused many problems over the
years.
The Prayer of Faith of shall save the sick
The Prayer of faith must be offered. What is
the prayer of faith? A Prayer of faith, in the context of
this passage is a prayer that is offered in harmony with the
will of God. Where is faith found? In the Word of God.
I would suggest that it is impossible to pray
the prayer of faith unless we have been alone with God and
have received from Him the word of faith on which to stand.
The Prayer of faith is grounded in the word of God. It is
accordance with God’s sovereign will, and is offered
when we agree with Him, that His will be done. The Church
elders were to seek the mind of God in this matter of sickness,
and then pray according to the will of God.
1 John 5:14 and this is the confidence that
we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his
will, he heareth us:
1 John 5:15 and if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we desired of him.
Friends, physical healing is a mystery that
is wrapped up in the council of God’s will. There are
those who preach that every believer should be well.
Yet, some of God’s choice Saints have
lived lives that were filled with pain and sickness, while
some of the most sinful people have been free from pain and
sickness.
Many believers have suffered dreadful pain
and affliction and yet they remain faithful to the Lord. Epaphroditus
became so ill that he almost died. Paul sought the Lord to
remove his thorn in the flesh. Paul wrote to Timothy and told
him to take a little wine for his stomach and his frequent
illness.
We must grasp that Healing is Divine. God can
heal, preserve and restore His people, but it is plainly not
always His will to do so. Healing is Divine and who can understand
the ways of the great physician?
Doctors do not heal! Medicine does not heal!
God heals!
God uses Doctors and He uses Medicine and He
hears the Prayer of Faith, but He does the healing. Our part
is to pray that His will might be done.
James 5:15 and the prayer of faith shall save
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up;
James now states a second consequence. And
if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
This surely indicates that James has more than
just a physical dimension in mind; he has also a spiritual
dimension in mind. The connection between sin and sickness
is sometimes shrouded in mystery.
James is referring here to the possibility
of a link between the patient’s sin and his sickness,
the link cause and the effect. All human sorrow, pain and
suffering stem from Adam’s deadly sin in the Garden of
Eden. “In Adam all die”
At the same time not all sickness is the direct
result of a person’s sin. When the disciples asked Jesus,
“Whose sin was responsible for the sad condition of a
man who was blind from birth”?
John 9:3 Jesus answered, neither hath this
man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him.
What James is saying here is that if in the
case concerned some sin has been attributed to the sickness,
that sin shall be forgiven.
Illustration— The Quotable Spurgeon,
Philip James Spencer had a son with eminent
talents, but he was a wicked and extremely vicious young man
All means of love and persuasion were without
success. His father could only pray, which he continued to
do, that the Lord might yet be pleased to save his son at
any time and in any way.
The son fell sick, and while lying on his bed
in great distress of mind, nearly past the power of speech
or motion, he suddenly started up, clasped his hands, and
exclaimed, 'My father's prayers, like mountains, surround
me!'
Soon after his anxiety ceased, a sweet peace
spread over his face, his malady came to a crisis, and the
son was saved in body and soul.
Friends, how easy it is for the believer to
fall into sin when we are weary in well doing. When we are
too defeated to pray and our guard is down, we are prone to
sin.
James 5:15 and the prayer of faith shall save
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
James is making it very clear that confession
is a part of Restoration. God’s people are to be a people
of Praise, and of Prayer and those who pursue holiness.
A Directive that is Valuable v 14-16
A Doctrine that is Vital v 16
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much”
Amp “The earnest heartfelt continued prayer
of a righteous man makes tremendous power available that is
dynamic in its working”.
Effectual praying can achieve great things
and bring tremendous blessing. What makes prayer effective?
Is it long prayers? Short Prayers? Spending
nights in Prayer? Early morning Prayer times? I would suggest
1> Asking with Intensity
The Prayers that get results in the Bible are
not long drawn out orations with high-sounding terminology.
They are prayers that are pointed and powerful and full of
intensity. For example.
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar
off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Simon Peter prayed on the sea “Lord save
me”
Gen 32 26 Jacob wrestled with God And he said,
I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
How we need to develop intensity in our praying.
Paul could say of Epaphras. Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one
of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring
fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and
complete in all the will of God.
2> The Asker must have Integrity
“The fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much
Friends it is not enough to be able to say
“I am a Christian” It is not just good enough to
look at our positional righteousness in Christ, as a guarantee
for successful praying, we must live in such a way as to display
practical righteousness. The Psalmist underlines this truth
Psa 66:18 if I regard iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear me:
We have this illustrated in the life of ancient
Israel. After their success at Jericho, they were defeated
at AI, and Joshua called the people to prayer.
All day long they lay on their faces and called
upon God, and what did God do? He stopped the prayer meeting
because there was sin in camp.
Josh 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get
thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Josh 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and they have
also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for
they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also
stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among
their own stuff.
Josh 7:12 Therefore the children of Israel
could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs
before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither
will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed
from among you.
There was sin in the camp and God would not
hear, and Israel could not stand before their enemies. Achan
had coveted the silver, the gold and the garments of the enemy
and hid them in his tent.
We cannot live defectively and hope to pray
effectively It is only when there is practical righteousness
that the Lord’s people can pray effectively
D.L. Moody. Some men's prayers need to be cut
short at both ends and set on fire in the middle.
1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemns
us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1 John 3:22 and whatsoever we ask, we receive
of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things
that are pleasing in his sight.
1> Asking with Intensity
2> The Asker must have Integrity
3> The Answer will have Immensity
Prayer can be really effective, if we do what
is right and pray in humility and with a spirit of intensity.
2. A Doctrine that is Vital v 16
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much”
It divided the Red Sea! Made water to gush
out of a Rock. Muzzled the lions for Daniel, and it has brought
down fire from heaven.
3. A Demonstration that is Vivid v 17,18
James could have chosen many Old Testament
examples of fervent praying. He could have used Moses, who
prostrated himself before the Lord, for forty days and forty
nights. Or Daniel who prayed, defying the law of the land
But he chooses Elijah a man just like us, who
had found the secret for fervent praying.
1> Elijah had Natural Weakness. V17
He was subject to like passions as we are.
This is the point that James wants to impress on every believer.
Elijah was no superman. Sometimes when we read our Bibles
and we see the acts of certain men and women we think that
they must have lived in a different world.
Friend, they lived in our world. They were
human just like us, with their faults and failings, and their
good days and bad. They could sing one day and sigh the next.
But they also had their FAITH
2> Elijah had Supernatural Power. V17,18
He prayed earnestly that it might not rain:
and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years
and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain,
and the earth brought forth her fruit.
As Elijah prayed with integrity, he asked with
intensity and he received answers with immensity. He prayed
the prayer of faith; God revealed His will and Elijah just
got on with it.
He harnessed his prayers to the will of God.
A prayer that is answered with immensity has been an effective
prayer. Elijah is a vivid example of Praying that prevails.
Often we fail to get what God wants to send us because we
stop praying too soon.
Elijah continued to pray for rain until his
servant reported that there was a cloud in the sky that size
of a man’s hand. Elijah did not only say words in prayer
he prayed in prayer and eventually the earth brought forth
her fruit again.
Mankind has progressed from Manpower to horsepower,
to atomic power, to Nuclear power, but greater than all of
these combined together is the Power of the effectual praying
of a righteous man.
We see that because of the effective prayers
of one man, God moved in the life of a nation. Elijah prayed
that God would send the rain upon the earth.
Our prayers can affect the lives of others,
many of whom we do not even know. Our prayers can affect situations
across this world. Prayer is not simply something we do for
ourselves. It is something we do for the sake of all mankind.
How we need to pray that the Lord would send
the showers of Spiritual revival blessing on our Nation today.
Floods of Revival Lord let them fall
Streams of Salvation reaching to all
Pour out Thy Spirit, Great is our need
Sweep over our being, Now while we plead. |
