Couples,

 

Prayer is a high and holy privilege!  James encourages us to pray in chapter 5. He tells those suffering to pray, asking God for wisdom to understand the situation and use it to His glory.  When we are suffering in difficult circumstances, we must draw near to Jesus.  God can will transform troubles into triumphs (Rom. 8:28).  Also, mature Christians can sing while they are suffering.  God gives songs in the night (Job 35:10).  Paul and Silas sang praises to the Lord while in a damp, cold, dark dungeon. (Acts 16:25)

 

James tells those who are sick to call for the elders of the church to pray and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord (5:14).  They are to pray the "prayer of faith".  First John 5:14-15 gives the best definition of "prayer of faith" - "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him."  We must pray according to God's Will.  We can know His Will by studying the Scriptures and drawing near to Him.  Also, Paul writes in Romans 8:26-27:  "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

 

James addresses in verse 15 and 16,  that "IF" the sick person has committed sin, then the sin must be confessed to the Lord and to those whom the sin affected.  Pay attention to the word "if" - meaning sickness does not also mean there is sin in one's life.  However, James is warning us to do a spiritual check up just as we would do a physical check up.  Then, "IF" there is sin, confess it; because sin does grow and infect others.  Sin affects the whole church by hindering the prayers of believers and blocks the healing power of God from being manifested in the congregation.

 

We as children of God can freely and boldly go to the throne and share our needs with Him - PRAY!

 

Join us this week as we finish up our discussion on prayer.  We will look at how our prayers can be effective and praying for our nation and for those who have strayed from the truth.

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