James 5:13-20 (NIV) The Prayer of Faith
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.
Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me.
Today we finish our reading of the Epistle of James. James, the half-brother of Jesus and for a long time the chief doubter of Jesus’ divinity, closes his letter to the Jews scattered due to persecution by pointing out the significance of prayer. I love this! James says if you are in trouble, or if you are happy or if you are sick there is one answer: PRAY.
I mentioned before that I have used the model “PRAY” for years. For those who may be unfamiliar with this pattern, it is as follows:
PRAISE—Begin every prayer praising God for all He is worth. I often refer to Habakkuk, the questioning prophet, who, after asking God why his people had to suffer while in captivity, ultimately reconciled himself to praising God NO MATTER WHAT! So, I praise Him for Who He is, for what He has done, and for what He will do!
REPENT—I ask forgiveness of my sins, for although Jesus took my sins to the cross where they were crucified, I still have a sin nature. I will tell you at my age my sin nature is pretty much under the control of the Holy Spirit, and He enables me to keep my accounts short. What does that mean? If I say something that hurts or offends someone, the Holy Spirit tugs on my heart immediately so that I can ask forgiveness.
ASK—I normally begin by praying for others. It is a glorious thing to be able to stand in the gap for a brother or sister in Christ who needs prayer support. Then I pray for those who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus, I pray for famiIy, friends and I pray that God will increase the territory of our church and all churches that preach the gospel. Finally, I pray that God would send someone across my path that I can help.
YIELD—I relinquish my will for God’s. Blessed relief!
James ends by counseling Christ followers to pray for brothers and sisters who have turned from the faith. And what is the result? Repentance—Redemption—Reconciliation.
May we be eager to pray at all times, knowing that this is the will of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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