THE POWER OF PRAYER
JAMES 5:13-18
JAMES 5:13-18 NKJV
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? 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. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
OBSERVATION:
James was obviously a man who believed in the power of prayer. In our passage for today, he outlines some of prayers’ benefits.
Is anyone suffering? Let him pray. I don't believe James is encouraging prayer merely as a spiritual exercise. For the suffering, they need help and relief. And God is the God of hope and comfort. God is not the cause of the suffering; He is the solution for the suffering.
Prayer is advocated for those who are sick. Because James separates sickness from suffering, we can surmise that suffering also includes the other troubles of life.
But prayer is still an answer for sickness. Call for the church leaders to anoint with oil and pray over the sick. And here is a wonderful promise, the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has sinned, he will be forgiven. That is an outstanding package, healing and forgiveness with no copay or deductible.
And James, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is not done on the subject of prayer. Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another. This sounds a lot like being open, transparent, and non-judgmental. And unselfish. By praying for others instead of being critical, the door is opened for healing. It is harder to judge others when you confess where you have come up short.
James then sums up the power of prayer. The effective, heartfelt prayer of one who is in right standing with God avails much. The word 'avails' means strength, ability, and power. When we pray in line with God's will and word, we connect with the One who brings strength, ability, and power into the situation.
Elijah was a real person like us. He had flaws and problems, but he also had a relationship with God. His prayers dramatically influenced a nation because he prayed and connected with God who made great power available.
APPLICATION:
This passage stirs me up to give myself more to prayer. Prayer to connect and have fellowship with the Lord. And prayer to see God's strength, ability, and power in my life and the lives of those around me. Prayer is powerful! Let's pray!
PRAYER:
Thank You, Lord, that You have made me righteous in Christ, and my prayers are powerful!