A Ministry Of Restorative Prayer-2

A MINISTRY of RESTORATIVE PRAYER-II—James 5:13-20

Attention:

I returned to my parents' home to attend a funeral. At the church, my mother led me to a man who looked vaguely familiar. "Barbara, remember Pastor Green?" she asked as she left me in his company.

I frantically tried to place him, & suddenly it came to me. He was the kind man who, five years earlier, had officiated at my grandmother's funeral. "It's good to see you again, Pastor," I said. "Though I wish it weren't always under such tragic circumstances."

The pastor looked perplexed but uttered some words of consolation before he was called away. A few minutes later, I rejoined my mother.

"Imagine,"she whispered, "after all this time, to run into the pastor who performed your wedding!"

Relationship Restored

Need:

Some of our membership get ‘out of sorts’ with the rest of us. They seem to drop out, don’t stay involved as they used to.

Some just seem to need help that I know the Lord can provide. Why does this happen? But more importantly, Can it be stopped?

In order for James’ audience to experience the fullness of life in Christ, a ministry of restorative prayer must characterize a congregation.

James wanted his audience to consider the gravity of restorative prayer.

The true Church must manifest/demonstrate/a ministry of restorative prayer.

Why must the true Church manifest/demonstrate a ministry of restorative prayer?

6 provisions of the ministry of restorative prayer.

Restorative prayer brings/provides...

1. RELIEF(:13a)

2. RELEASE(:13b)

3. COOPERATION(:14-15)

4—Restorative prayer brings/provides...

TRUST(:16)

Explanation: (:16)

:16—“Confess your trespasses to one another, & pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

A further healthy practice for the Christian to be whole(:15) involves our confessing personal lapses in faith to “one another.” This will bring about the faithful Christian’s wholeness.

Indeed, the prayer of a “righteous” person truly is active/effective/or works. In fact it accomplishes a great deal, which cannot be done in our own strength. It must bring God’s power into play.

Only 5 Greek words bear out the thought of this 2nd sentence—polu iscuei dehsiv dikaiou energoumenh. It is translated into English using 9-10 words. Meaning....‘The supplication of a righteous(man) has much force, as it works.’

If we do not TRUST one another with our needs, then we forego the prayers of others. True, we cannot trust every issue with just anybody.

Many, consider anything outside of general public knowledge to be too personal. Thus no one seeks God for their healing & no one can help them with their pain/joy. Openly owning our sin(s) before our brothers & sisters in Christ & allowing their intervention, is vital to the solution.

“Confess”—exomologew—1) To confess; 2) To profess—2a) Acknowledge openly & joyfully, 2b) To one's honor: to celebrate, give praise to, 2c) To profess that one will do something, to promise, agree, engage. Strong—To acknowledge or (by implication of assent) agree fully:-- Confess, profess, promise.

“Trespasses/Faults/Sins”—paraptwma—1) To fall beside or near something; 2) A lapse or deviation from truth & uprightness—2a) A sin, misdeed. Paraptwma is used in different senses, sometimes in a milder sense, denoting an error, a mistake, a fault; & sometimes meaning a trespass, a willful sin. Strong—A side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression:-- Fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass.

“Pray”(See :13, 14)—eucomai—V.—1) To pray to God; 2) To wish, to pray, to pray for. Strong—middle voice of a primary verb; To wish; by implication, To pray to God:-- Pray, will, wish.

“Present middle imperative. Keep this up.”—RWP

“Healed”—iaomai—1) To cure, heal; 2) To make whole—2a) To free from errors & sins, to bring about (one's) salvation. Strong—To cure (literally or figuratively):-- Heal, make whole.

“Probably of bodily healing (verse 14), though iaomai is used also of healing of the soul”—RWP

“Effective/Effectual”—energew(Eng.—‘energy’)—Present Middle Participle Infinitive Sing. Fem.—1) To be operative, be at work, put forth power—1a) To work for one, aid one; 2) to effect; 3) To display one's activity, show one's self operative. Strong—To be active, efficient:-- Do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).

='In its working'

“Fervent Prayer/Prayer”—dehsiv—1) Need, indigence, want, privation, penury; 2) A seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man. Dehsiv is petitionary, proseuch is a word of sacred character, being limited to prayer to God, whereas dehsiv may also be used of a request addressed to man. Enteuxiv expresses confiding access to God, dehsiv gives prominence to the expression of personal need. Strong—A petition:-- Prayer, request, supplication.

“Righteous”—dikaiov—Adj.—1) Righteous, observing divine laws. Strong—Equitable (in character or act); by implication, Innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):-- Just, meet, right(-eous).

“Avails/Accomplish/Powerful”—iscuw—1) To be strong—1a) To be strong in body, to be robust, to be in sound health; 2) To have power—2a) To have power as shown by extraordinary deeds—2a1) To exert, wield power, to have strength to overcome, 2b) To be a force, avail, 2c) To be serviceable, 2d) To be able, can. Strong—To have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively):-- Be able, avail, can do([-not]), could, be good, might, prevail, be of strength, be whole, + much work.