“Is any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord.” (James 5:13 ESV)
While these words are very powerful and full of meaning, we need to reflect on the complete verse of James 5:13. Not only are we to pray for the suffering that we endure, we are to, “sing praise when we are cheerful.” I want to complete my study of James with all of the verses of James 5:13-20.
Many of us suffer in many ways and for many reasons. While we are each different our suffering is as individual as we are. To some, the suffering we go through may seem trivial and to others it may appear to be overwhelming. We need to be mindful that because we are created with equality that is of God, we still remain separate and unique personalities. Those of us who live in comfort can not comprehend the turmoil that a pastor in China or Africa must face daily. I am in constant prayer for those two Christian woman in Iran who are in the most vile prison in the country because they refuse to renounce Christ.
In my prayer time, I find it hard to pray cheerfully and with a glad heart for my own blessings because of the suffering Christians around the world. Yet I am reminded that I am to give joyful praise to God for my blessings. God wants to hear us tell Him of the goodness that He bestows upon us. Paul tells us of the Joy of Believing; “Whatever happens, dear friends, may the Lord give you joy. I never get tired of telling you this…” (Colossians 3:1) “Where is the joyful spirit we felt together then?” (Galatians 4:15) “Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before Our Lord Jesus when He comes back again. You are our pride and joy.” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). The writer of Hebrews tells us that; “[Jesus] was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards.” (Hebrews 12:2 NLT)
Maybe that is why we are to pray while suffering, because Christ knows the joy we will have before Him on the throne of righteousness. As I read of the missionaries and home church pastors who are harassed and falsely accused of crimes, I see the joy they have at the persecutions they face. They suffer for the Righteous Son, in that there is joy. So they are not fearful but cheerful. They sing praises to God in the Highest as prayer offerings of Joy.
“Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord,” (James 5:14 NLT)
It seems strange but Jesus used the example of the Good Samaritan to show us how the elders should care for the sick of the body. So often we use the church as the refuge of last resort. I know that it is a habit of mine to confirm what is wrong with me before I ask for prayer. As I read this passage, I gather the impression that we are to call for the elders to come to us and not for us to go to them. I have been in churches that have altar calls and I approve of them but the sick, injured and physically weary should be confident enough to have the leaders, the spiritually strong and the prayer warriors come to them. My wife and I have made it clear to our friends that if they want prayer and anointing, call us and we will come to them.
The oil is the symbol of the power of God in prayer. It is the anointing of kings and the blessing on the people. I know of several people that seem to place a high priority on special oils from “holy” places or that have been blessed by “holy people. That is not important, oil that was used for medical purposes in the time of Christ was olive oil and it was believed to have healing properties. Today we know that olive oil as a salve is not all that good, and we use other lotions, creams and medical concoctions to heal wounds. The oil is just a symbol and nothing more. I like to use it because of the reference to God’s anointing of His people. It is the next verse that carries the vital conditions for healing.
“And their prayer offered in FAITH will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. …” (James 5:15 NLT)
When I read of the many times that Jesus healed the sick it is by the power of the Father. When Paul, Peter and others laid hands on the people, I see it was the Faith of the person who called for healing rather than the sick that allowed God to work. It is clear to me that it is my faith in the healing power given from God by the Holy Spirit that heals. I do not equate the faith of the sick person into the process. By my faith, healing can bring the sick to the presence of the True God. One of my favorite stories comes from India where a young Christian Pastor went into the hut of a Hindu witch who was paralysed and prayed over her and she got up and walked, praising Jesus who healed her.
So it is the prayer of the elder whose faith must be strong. Not only the faith that the power of God is theirs to heal, but that they live in Faith and the mission given to them by Grace is pure and with honor. It is the prayer of the one offering healing that must be true to the service of Christ. It is by Faith that healing is given so that the healed may have faith in the assurance of God. When believers pray for each other, Faith is abundant in both.
“…And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.” (James 5:15 NLT)
The blessing of forgiveness is a part of the healing. As God heals the body, so he also heals the spirit. When Jesus healed the paralysed boy who was let down through the roof, He said, “Your sins are forgiven” (see Mark 2:1-5). The young man was both healed in body, because he got up and walked, and he was cleansed of his sins. While the faith of others can heal the body, it can only be by the word of Jesus that sins are forgiven. When we pray for the healings of the sick and the lame, we are to pray for the forgiveness of sins.
It is my practice to pray that I be made clean from the filth of sins that I commit before I pray for others. While some do not believe that they have to even say they’re sorry after claiming Christ, the Scriptures tells us to repent all sins and to return to a faith-based life. Besides, it is pleasing to God that we admit our faults and strive to live in an ever changing life for His sake. But to the point, when we go into prayer for the needs, and for the forgiveness of sins in others, we are to be as holy and blameless as Christ. We are to take on the Nature of Christ, who became wholly man for our sake, not clinging to His divine Nature. As Jesus is the rescuer and the one who reconciles us to the Father, when we go into prayer for others, we are to take on the same nature of Jesus.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. … “ (James 5:16 ESV)
This is to the believers and elders of the Church: We are to always pray for the forgiveness of our sins. Because many do not wish to accept accountability for their offences to God after coming to Christ, they believe that they never have to say that they are sorry. That is a falsehood. We are to pray and repent for all our sins and pray that we have the courage, strength and fortitude not to sin again. But as Paul tells us we all fall short of the glory of God. True Faith causes us to see the many failures and sins we still commit while still being believers. We are to pray for each other, ourselves and for the leadership of the fellowship of Christ. In this way, when we pray for the healings of others, we are of a pure heart.
1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (ESV). When we go into prayer for others, as elders, warriors or just as friends, we must be of pure intent and obedient to the commands of God, Our Father. If we do not acknowledge our sins and rebuke them before God, we deceive ourselves into thinking that it is justified to continue to sin. When we do that our prayers are ineffective and in vain. Without the repentant and contrite heart, God does not hear the prayer of the sinful man.
“…The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” (James 5:16 NLT)
Martin Luther said, “To pray well is the better half of study.” And S.A. Kierkegaard wrote, “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.” It is by prayer that we turn our ears, minds and hearts to God. And by prayer we listen to God. To study the word and the example of Christ, we learn to pray. We also learn what it is to be righteous before our Creator, God and Redeemer. If you find that your prayers may not be answered, if healing does not take place, it is not because of the weakness of the sick person but the weakness of your heart. So when you go into prayer, be restored to the wellness that Christ offered you in your hour of Salvation. Be the righteous person that Jesus called you to be. Live in the fullness of the Word and the wholeness of Christ. Then you will see the great wonders of prayer. Your expectations of healing will be real.
Always be careful not to let pride, vanity or love of power fill you as the workings are of the Spirit of God and not of man. In time of prayer, empty yourselves of all thoughts, preconceived notions and distractions. Focus only on the purpose of prayer, a communion with the Most High God. Never think that you are the healer, that honor only belongs to the giver, God. Remember that when the prophets of old prayed for miracles and signs, they fully trusted God to answer their prayers and were convicted by faith to know that what they prayed for would be accomplished. The next verses of James, tells of Elijah who “was a man with the nature like ours.” (see 1 Kings 17:1-7; 1 Kings 18:42-45). As elders and warriors for Christ, we are given the same authority as Elijah, having the nature of man yet the grace and authority of God to do wonders.
In this age of science and technology, we tend to forget that by prayer, we can accomplish what nature will not. And in this age of plenty (though many have nothing), we fail to rely on God to supply our needs. As a result we tend also to walk in unrighteousness and only go to God with our complaints and our sorrows. As we live in the world, and its temptations, we are to walk in righteousness. And when we pray it is to be earnest prayer, filled with love, compassion and faith.
“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wanderings will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20 ESV)
It is clear here that James, the “brother of Jesus” believed that you could forsake your salvation and end up in spiritual death. It is to these people, the ones who walk away from salvation and return to the flesh that Jesus told His disciples as He breathed the Holy Spirit on them, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven…” (John 20:23 NLT). It is by that same grace and Spirit that we can in confidence, forgive sins. We ask in the authority of Christ and it is made so. This is not a priestly right but the gift of Christ to all who are empowered by the Holy Spirit. So this verse is twofold. One; believer can “wander” from redemption and they can be brought back by prayer and forgiveness. Two; If we fail to strive to restore the “backsliding believer” but allow him or her to continue living in sin, we deny them the eternal life that is theirs. James says they will die (eternally).
Paul and Peter often told the believers to repent, return to God and to strive towards perfection in Christ. Jesus told us in the Word that we were walk in righteousness, the prophets emphasized it to the Children of Israel. The whole of the letter of James is a call to service, obedience and merciful life in Christ for the sake of our souls. If we truly believe God’s Word we will live it daily, according to the way Jesus led us to live. The Teachings and example of Christ are to serve with compassion, speak in love and to be true to the promise we gave to God when we first believed. The Word of God, the Good News of Jesus is to be something we don’t just read about and say that’s right, it is something we do each and every day.
Because of that, when we pray, we do it with the grace, authority and power of the Holy Spirit. So pray in confidence and trust in the Father that He will confirm our prayers and answer them by healing and forgiveness.