PROPER PRAYER
JAMES 5:13-18
INTRODUCTION: The passage of James deals with the topic of prayer for the follower of Jesus Christ. Prayer is an essential lifeblood of the church. Great things are wrought through prayer and no great endeavor for the cause of Christ can be completed without prayer. Yet, we as believers are often tempted and distressed ourselves, needing a time of personal prayer, effective in order to bring about confession, healing, restoration, and righteousness.
MOTIVATED PRAYER – 5:13
James 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
The mark of Christian maturity is to have a constant prayer life.
Begs the question: How do we respond to trouble
Do we get angry?
Do we grumble?
Correct response is to pray!
Three main reason we do not pray in a time of trouble
Ignorance – we did not know God wants us to pray when we are in trouble
Arrogance – we are to full of pride to pray when we are in trouble
Shame – we are ashamed of what we have done, and our shame keeps us from praying when we are in trouble (like God does not already know what we have done).
Psalm 91:15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
Begs a second question: How do we respond in times of blessing?
We often think that troubles are from God and blessings are of our own devices and abilities.
God says to praise God for our good with as much emphasis as we are to pray for our troubles.
In fact the word used for happy is the same word Paul used while at sea during the storm where he informed the sailors of the ship to “keep up your courage”.
So even in the midst of severe trouble there is ALWAYS something to give praise to God for! AMEN?
JAMES IS ADDRESSING TWO GREAT WEAKNESSES OF THE CHURCH
THE CHURCH DOES NOT PRAY ENOUGH IN ITS SUFFERING AND TROUBLE
THE CHURCH DOES NOT PRAISE ENOUGH IN GOD’S SUFFICIENCY AND BLESSING
OUR CHURCH SERVICES SHOULD BE FILLED WE PEOPLE CRYING OUT TO GOD FOR THEIR TROUBLES. Yet, when the call for prayer comes, few come forward, and pour their hearts out before God for their suffering or His sufficiency.
OUR PRAYER MEETINGS WOULD BE FILLED WITH FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST COMING TOGETHER TO PRAY FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF THE BODY. In reality prayer meeting is a service of empty pews and wide open spaces.
WHEN SPECIAL PRAYER IS CALLED FOR – A VIGIL BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE GREAT, PRECIOUS FEW WILL RESPOND
THE CHURCH TODAY HAS NOT PUT GOD FIRST IN ITS VERY LIFE BLOOD – PRAYER!
BELIEVER, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR PRAYER LIFE RIGHT
WE NEED TO BE MOTIVATED TO PRAY – AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, GODS MOTIVATION TO PRAY IS NOT PRETTY
MEDICAL PRAYER – 5:14-15
James 5:14-15 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him 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 him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
James is really asking if anyone of us is weak.
In reality we all are weak
We all should be asking the elders of the church to pray for us
We need to understand that weakness and sickness comes for more than one reason.
John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
1 Corinthians 11:27-30 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
I need to warn you in this area – we all need to pray lest we go astray. To not pray is sinful and does not honor God who:
Commands us to pray
Taught us how to pray
Modeled prayer for us himself in the Garden before His crucifixion!
JUST AS PHYSICAL ILLNESS IS SICKNESS TO THE BODY, SIN IS SICKNESS TO THE SOUL. Think about the similarities, …
The soul is disordered by sin, just as the body is put out of sorts by sickness.
Deformity. Of all diseases mentioned in the law, sin was represented by leprosy, which most deforms the body.
Sickness causes pain, and sin causes a sting in the conscience and horrors at the time of death (1 Corinthians 15:54-56).
1 Corinthians 15:54-56 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Weakness. The more sin there is, the more inability and feebleness for any work of grace. The apostle says, "we were still powerless" (Romans 5:6)-
Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
weak, sickly souls that could do no work;
this is how we were in the state of nature.
Even after grace there is still daily feebleness; we never have perfect health until we reach heaven.
Our weakness should drive us to call on others to pray for us
Call for the elders
There is a purpose for the call
“to anoint with oil” – this is the to common word for anoint, not the ceremonial word for anoint
The meaning is to groom, refresh, or bestow honor
Luke 7:38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Luke 7:46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Matthew 6:17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
The reason we are to call on the elders of the church to pray for us is for our encouragement, and refreshment. It is meant to lift us up
We are talking here about faithful prayer – prayer from faithful men. Prayer from those who have walked faithfully with the Lord will refresh us and lift us up in our trouble
Praying for the Lord to restore us physically.
Praying for the Lord to restore us spiritually.
THIS IS WHY JAMES TALKS ABOUT THIS NEXT ASPECT OF PRAYER – MUTUAL PRAYER!
MUTUAL PRAYER IS IMPORTANT. IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A TIME OF CONFESSION AND RESTORATION
MUTUAL PRAYER – 5:17
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
There is a connection between pardon and confession – that is why James says therefore.
James ties verse 16 to the verses before it
Cannot have one without the other
God says to confess to one another
God accepts no service or worship with unconfessed sin
Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
Matthew 5:23-24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Confession is important for at least two reasons
If we need loving support as we struggle with a sin, we should confess the sin to those who are able to provide that support.
If after confessing a private sin to God we still don't feel his forgiveness, we may wish to confess that sin to a fellow believer and hear him or her assure us of God's pardon.
Confession has a proper method
If we have sinned against an individual, we must ask that person to forgive us.
If our sin has affected the church, we must confess it publicly.
The result is a healing
Healing of our body if God wills
Healing of our soul
MAKE NO MISTAKE IT IS RIGHTEOUS PRAYER THE EFFECTS THIS – NOTHING MORE AND NOTHING LESS!
PRAYER IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE PERSON PRAYING IS RIGHTEOUS – NOT SPECIAL OR ELITE, BUT RIGHTEOUS!
This is why James uses the example of Elijah
MIRACULOUS PRAYER – 5:17-18
James 5:17-18 Elijah was a man just like us. 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.
Elijah was just like us
Literally, “of the same feeling”
Elijah did some great things through the power of God
Elijah also snapped defeat from the jaws of victory when he defeated the prophets of Baal and then ran at the threats of Jezebel!
Elijah prayed earnestly
He did not say a prayer
He prayed a prayer
HALF HEARTED PRAYER IS SELF DEFEATING
IT WAS THAT WAY FOR ELIJAH – IT IS THAT WAY FOR US TODAY. WHEN WE DON’T PRAY, STAY AWAY FROM OPPORTUNITIES TO PRAY, WE ARE DEFEATING THE WORK OF GOD IN OUR CHURCH
Elijah prayed and God withheld the rain. Elijah prayed again and God brought the rain
Elijah possessed no special power. The power was all Gods acting through the prayer of Elijah
Elijah prayed with excitement, earnestness and in the spirit
CHURCH – UNDERSTAND THIS -- WHEN GOD WANTS TO BLESS, HE STIRS PEOPLE TO PRAY.
IS GOD STIRRING YOU TO PRAY?
ARE YOU LISTENING?
IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH IN PRAYER AND CONFESSION BEFORE GOD CAN STIR YOUR HEART?
IF YOUR HEART IS NOT STIRRED FOR YOUR CHURCH, PERHAPS THERE IS.
RIGHT NOW, I AM CALLING ON YOU TO COME FORWARD AND TO FIND A DEACON AND BEGIN TO PRAY
