“Pray for Healing”
James 5: 13-16
May 30, 2010
Intro: When we read the Bible we see stories of incredible healings. You can read @ Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11. You can read @ a guy w/leprosy being instantly healed by Jesus in Luke 5. In that same chapter you see Jesus tell a paralytic to get up and walk! And guess what? He does!
-The past month we’ve been focused on prayer. We’ve talked @ praying w/persistence and praying w/power. But today our focus is going to be on praying for healing. I said earlier this month that prayer is one of the toughest spiritual disciplines there is. But you can count on just @ all of us becoming prayer warriors when we get sick or someone we’re close to gets sick!
-Now why is that? B/c it’s something that affects us NOW. It’s not one of those things where you say, “If I keep eating a box of donuts every day, if I keep smoking 6 packs of cigarettes a day, this eventually is going to cause me to have bad health.” When you get sick, you’re sick right then! So what do we do? We call out to God in prayer to heal us! We ask Him to make us feel better!
-Now I know some of us can get a little nervous when we start talking @ healing. And we can have some pretty wild thoughts @ how this plays out in the religious world today. But I do want you to know I believe God still has the power to heal people today.
-When I was a kid the doctors found a hole in my stomach. They said I was going to require surgery to fix it. At the time my dad was pastoring a church making $100 a week on the south side of Oklahoma City, which was a rough place. For me to have surgery was going to be difficult for my parents to afford. And not knowing what else to do, they began to pray for God to heal me.
-After praying for me, I went to the doctor for an x-ray before my surgery. And when they looked at the x-ray the hole in my stomach was gone! I no longer required surgery b/c God had healed me! Isn’t that a cool story?
Sermon Idea: Today in our passage of Scripture we’re going see James sharing w/believers some lessons on praying for healing. While he was speaking to people who were living almost 2,000 years ago I believe this Scripture is still applicable for us today.
TEXT: JAMES 5: 13-16
Bckgrd: It’s always important to know the context of Scripture. This letter was written by James, who was the brother of Jesus, to Xians who were living outside of Israel. James starts off this letter in ch. 1: 1 by addressing it to, “the 12 tribes scattered among the nations.” Why were they scattered? B/c there had been a wave of persecution that had hit Israel and caused the Xians to go to different countries to escape. And when they went to these new countries many of them weren’t well received. And once again they faced being looked down upon and persecuted b/c of their faith in Jesus.
-When James started off v. 13 by saying, “Is anyone of you in trouble” the overwhelming answer would’ve been “YES!” And it’s here James shares w/them some lessons on praying for healing. The 1st lesson he shares on praying for healing is:
DIV. 1: WHEN TO PRAY FOR HEALING (vv. 13-14)
Exp: So when do we pray for healing? I think the answer’s pretty obvious. I know I don’t pray for healing when I’m feeling fine! You pray for healing when you’re in trouble and are sick! What’s he talking @ when he refers to being in trouble? The word “trouble” means “suffering.” What were the people he was writing to facing? They were undergoing persecution. So he’s addressing the people who were being persecuted b/c of their faith.
A. That word is referring to people who are enduring evil treatment by others. He’s not talking @ physical sickness but @ people who are hurting b/c of what the world’s doing to them. My guess is that a lot of you are in good shape physically but you’re whipped emotionally.
1. I’m always amazed at how many people are actually suffering in their relationships; their relationships in marriage and their relationships w/their children. What’s the antidote to our suffering? Notice that James says it’s prayer. The fact of the matter is prayer is essential to enduring the sufferings of this life.
a. I’m not trying to sound trite, but endurance in our walk w/God is going to come w/us talking to God and pouring our heart out to Him. If you’re a practical person you might wonder how prayer’s actually going to help. Well, it’s one of the miraculous things @ our faith.
b. 2 Cor. 1: 3-4, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” Peter wrote in 1 Pet. 5: 7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, b/c He cares for you.”
2. When life is difficult, when we’re weak in our faith and don’t understand what’s going on around us, we’re encouraged to call out to God for comfort. We’re encouraged to call out to God to heal our spirits and provide us w/peace. I think too many times our prayers for healing are directed solely towards physical ailments and struggles.
a. But it goes much deeper than that. There’s a recognition by God that we also can be sick spiritually. But God has a desire to heal us. What does it mean to be healed? It can mean a reconciliation of relationships. It can be a new understanding that God is standing w/us and we don’t have to be a people of fear.
b. One of my favorite verses in all the Bible is Phil. 4: 6-7. It says, “Do not be anxious @ anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, w/thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
B. To get to a point in your life where you experience the peace of God is healing. And that means regardless of what your circumstances are; regardless of how poorly you’re treated by family and friends; regardless of what your health is, God has the ability and power to provide you w/peace.
1. Now before you think this is a copout concerning physical healing, James also says we’re to pray when we’re sick. What are we to pray for when we’re sick? I think if we personalize this a little bit we’ll be able to figure it out a little better. I guarantee you I can tell you what to pray for if I’m sick. Pray for me to be HEALED!
a. I’d ask you to pray that b/c Christ has the power to restore health to people! Just read the gospel accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and you’ll see Christ going around and healing people of their ailments and diseases! When we bring our prayers to God for healing we’re demonstrating faith that He has the power to heal.
b. Does that mean that when we pray for people to be healed that it’ll happen every time? The answer is no. I’ve prayed for people to become well and I’ve seen it happen. But I’ve also prayed for people to be healed who also died. What’s up w/that? I wish I had a really good answer to that one but I don’t. The Bible teaches that every person is going to face death.
2. But that fact doesn’t mean we’re not to pray for God’s healing powers to touch someone physically! God may choose to heal that person on this earth to bring glory to His name. But a prayer that can be answered is for you to also pray for a person’s endurance in the midst of sickness.
a. It’s a powerful testimony to others when they see endurance in our faith in the midst of difficulties. Endurance sort of separates the men from the boys. It’s a sign to others that our faith in Christ is REAL!
ILLUS: Eric "The Swimmer" Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea was an unlikely hero of the Sydney Olympic Games. The 22-year-old African had only learned to swim the previous January, had only practiced in a 20-meter pool without lane markers, and had never raced more than 50 meters.
-By special invitation of the International Olympic Committee, under a special program that permits poorer countries to participate even though their athletes don't meet customary standards, he had been entered in the 100-meter men's freestyle.
-When the other two swimmers in his heat were disqualified because of false starts, Moussambani was forced to swim alone. Eric was, to use the words of an Associated Press story about his race, "charmingly inept." He never put his head under the water's surface and flailed wildly to stay afloat. With ten meters left to the wall, he virtually came to a stop.
-Some spectators thought he might drown! Even though his time was over a minute slower than what qualified for the next level of competition, the capacity crowd at the Olympic Aquatic Center stood to their feet and cheered the swimmer on.
-After what seemed like an eternity, the African reached the wall and hung on for dear life. When he had caught his breath and regained his composure, the French-speaking Moussambani said through an interpreter, "I want to send hugs and kisses to the crowd. It was their cheering that kept me going."
b. You know what? We need more people cheering us on to endure in this life. And it’s the church, it’s people like you who can cheer each other on in our prayer life. We can pray for one another in the midst of the distresses of life that will enable us to keep going and to remain faithful in our walk w/God.
3. Now here’s my question for you. Are you cheering anyone one in prayer, b/c we’re surrounded by people all around us who are in need of healing and endurance! Make it a part of your daily prayer life to pray for those people around you that God would bring His peace into their lives; that God would reveal Himself to the people around us.
a. There are way too many people who go under water b/c they don’t have anyone cheering them on. VillageChurch, let’s be a loud cheering section in prayer for one another and our community!
Reit: The 1st lesson is when to pray for healing. The 2nd lesson is:
DIV. 2: HOW TO PRAY FOR HEALING (vv. 14-15)
Exp: James seems to be addressing a specific group of people who were ill. These people apparently were struggling physically b/c of sin in their lives. When a person becomes a follower of Christ and yet they continue to live a lifestyle that’s contrary to God’s leadership then it can affect their bodies.
A. You see, when you belong to God, sin is like a virus that’s inside of you that not only will make you sick spiritually but it can make you sick physically. I’m not saying it always happens, but it does sometime. As a matter of fact Paul addressed this issue w/Xians in the church at Corinth. There were people who were taking the Lord’s Supper but they were living contrary to God’s leadership.
1. And in 1 Cor. 11: 30, “many among you are weak and sick, and a # of you have fallen asleep (died).” Pretty frightening to think @. So what should a person do when he’s sick? How should he pray for healing? James gives some very specific instructions. He tells us we should call together the elders of the church.
a. Who are the elders of the church? It’s a term that’s used interchangeably to describe pastors and bishops. It’s a reference to those who are spiritually mature; those who are strong in their faith. Some of you are thinking, “I’d just prefer to keep this matter private. I don’t want to share what I’m going thru w/anyone.” You have the right to do that. But if you do that then you’re bypassing a major source of strength.
b. A few weeks ago we let a church borrow our baptistery. It’s not easy to move b/c it’s so cumbersome and heavy. So I told him he’d need @ 4 guys to move it. What if he would’ve refused to do that b/c he didn’t want to put anyone out? He would’ve had a VERY difficult time loading it. As a matter of fact, I don’t think he would’ve been able to do it b/c it would’ve been too much for him to do on his own.
2. When we’re weak, when we’re sick, we need to call out on those who are strong to support us in prayer! B/c if we try to make it thru alone, we don’t have the power to do it. I know typically when I get real sick I’m to weak to do anything for myself. I need support to survive. That’s why we want to call out on our support group.
a. So what can our support group do? James says they can anoint the sick person w/oil. There’s been a lot of debate as to what exactly this means. Some scholars point out that oil was used for medicinal purposes. It was used for health. But it was also used as a symbolic anointing. The kings of Israel were anointed w/oil as a sign that God was w/them. I think both of them are accurate. The oil served as medicine for the people in James’ day, but the oil also was a reminder to the person being prayed over that God was w/them.
b. The anointing of oil shows me a couple of things. For one, I think we’re reminded of the importance of medicine in the healing process. A person’s not demonstrating a lack of faith when they go to see a doctor! I believe God is the provider of medicine! But another thing I see is that our prayers for people are a hands-on affair
B. If we’re going to be Xians who care for one another and support each other, it’s going to mean being involved in someone’s life. This enables you to see what’s really going on in their lives. I’ll be honest w/you. That can be a real turn-off to some of us. You think, “Man, I don’t want to know their stuff! I don’t want to spend time w/them!”
1. But the other side of it is you get to know people on a deeper level. And when you really know them you know HOW to pray for them; you know HOW to support them.
a. Probably the most intriguing part of this section of Scripture is v. 15. We’re told that the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. That sounds rather magical. So we have to be careful in thinking that we’re going to get whatever we want b/c of this verse. I know I’ve prayed for healing and seen it happen sometimes and then not happen other times.
b. So what is the prayer of faith? The prayer of faith is described in 1 John 5: 14-15. It says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”
2. What is the key to prayer? It’s asking for things according to HIS will! And if we’re praying for things in His will then we can know that they’re going to be answered. So how do I know what His will is concerning what to pray for when someone’s sick?
a. Being honest w/you I don’t. I know God’s original intent was for man to live forever. But we messed that up back in the Garden of Eden w/disobedience to God. The result was complete chaos that allowed death and disease to enter into our world.
b. But there are times when God will choose to physically heal someone here and other times He’ll heal them in the next life as they go to live w/Him in heaven. But there’s another side to this issue of healing. James is dealing w/people who are sick b/c of sin. You get a pretty good picture of this in v. 16.
C. We’re told to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we’ll be healed. You see, the Bible is very clear that sin is a major block concerning access to God. Ps. 66: 18, “If I have sin in my heart God will not hear me.”
1. If something is blocking you from getting to something that will help you, what are you going to do? You’re going to get around that obstacle in whatever way you can. What blocks us from God is sin. Therefore, for our prayers to be heard by Him, the sin has to be removed.
a. And the only one who can remove that sin is God. So our job is to confess our sin and turn away from it, and then ask for forgiveness. You know what God does w/our sin after that? Ps. 103: 12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” He wipes it away from us. And when that happens we then have a clear path to God!
b. Some of you are in need of experiencing healing in your life. For some of you it could be a physical healing that you need. For others of you it could be your spirit needs to be healed. I’m going to ask our prayer team to come up front. If you’re in need of some type of healing, would you come to them at this time and just ask them to pray for you; to lift your need up to the Lord in prayer.
c. Some of you are in need of a spiritual healing. It’s time for you to ask God to be the Lord and Savior of your life. It’s time to ask Him to cleanse you from your sin. Take this time to pray to Him and to come into your life to be your leader. Tell Him you’re submitting yourself to His leadership today. If you did that, open your bulletin and fill out the section on the right side, tear it out and then place it in the offering basket so we can get you some information on how to grow in your walk w/Christ.
