“Pray for me and I’ll pray for you…” James 5:13-18
Many years ago, back when black and white television was the cutting edge of technology, there was a particular show that every kid watched - Superman – Superman was a great show! It had action, drama, and the good verses the evil. Superman was a great guy, a real hero. In fact the shows theme is still popular today. There is a new Superman out in the show Smallville. Why is it so popular? Because everyone wants to be a Superman. One of the great things about Superman was that for most of the show he was just plain old ordinary goofy looking Clark Kent.
He wasn’t Superman all the time, the power was there for him when he need it sure but for the most part he just seemed ordinary. But you let him step into that phone booth and he would come out ready and able to take on whatever evil came around. Funny thing though, he never went to tackle all the bad guys and evil until after he went to his little booth. He always went there first.
And believe it or not that is where James closes out his letter to the church. James has laid out through this whole letter some serious and real challenges to the church. Some real life evils and sins to fight against. James started his letter telling the church to ask God for wisdom and now he closes the letter with a wonderful word of encouragement.
That is the power of prayer in every situation available to every Christian not to a Superman but to every Clark Kent.
And here we find that in every circumstance of life we get to come to God, individually and as a church… Turn in you bibles to the very last section of James – and lets look at the prayer that we are encouraged to offer.
The Prayer of DISTRESS and DELIGHT (verse 13)
This is a very simple point… pray when in distress or broken hearted. Pray when all is well. No matter what your circumstances you can lift your voice. In cries and in choruses. Why? Because God can be trusted in both times.
The Prayer of HEALING and HELP (verse 14&15)
Olive oil was the medicine of the day. It had medicinal qualities such that it was used for just about everything. But medicine alone was not what they used. It was understood that anointing was not just for medicinal purposes but also to symbolized that God cares. And that the prayer given was to seek God’s purpose and healing as the Great Physician. And that the ministry of prayer is intended for the whole person, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. James is not advocating “faith healing” as we have seen that has fallen into bad reputation - but the task of healing prayer.
Some doctors are now prescribing prayer for their patients. Isn’t it ironic that the medical world sometimes seems to believe in the healing power of prayer more than the church? Of the 250 family practitioners surveyed, 99 percent believed that a patient’s spiritual beliefs contribute to healing. Eleven medical schools, including Harvard and Johns Hopkins, offer courses in Prayer and Healing.
Frankly though, if we really didn’t believe in healing prayer – we wouldn’t ask for friends and loved ones to be put on the prayer list for healing. Or do we not really trust it when we ask?
The Prayer of CONFESSION and COMMUNITY (verse 16a)
James isn’t advocating that all sickness is caused by sin, the New Testament does not teach that. Though unconfessed sins can indeed cause sickness. Grief, guilt, depression, ulcers, all sorts of ailments. This praying here could be for healing of divisions caused by sins against one another. When you pray for someone will find it very difficult to maintain a division, because real prayer requires real humility.
The Prayer of POWER and PURPOSE (verse 16b – 18)
When James speaks about Elijah you need to understand – he isn’t speaking about Elijah’s power, but simply Elijah calling for God’s power and God’s purpose. James says – “look, Elijah was a man just like you.” But that his sense of intense prayer was not to gain his own but to see God’s power and purpose at work. His prayers were sincere, he was a man that searched for God’s heart…
If you are in a boat and throw an anchor onto the shore and begin pulling is it you pulling the shore to yourself or are you being brought closer to the shore? And it is the same when you pray, you are not pulling God toward you… you are coming closer to Him.
As in James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Elijah’s prayers were answered because he prayed with a focus on God’s power and plan… in I Kings 17 the whole point of his prayer was to demonstrate the power of God. And that power and purpose are absolutely available to every Christian.
James’ Final Encouragement
So like Clark Kent – the power is always there, always available for the Christian. To provide what ever we need to overcome the challenges and evils of life. You simply need to slip into your booth (sometimes you may need to take someone with you) and draw close to God.
Because Prayer is the link that connects us with God, His power and purpose.
Our prayer is to be -
PERPETUAL (verse 13)
“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
In verse 13, it is prayer in the bad times and prayers of praise in the good times. What you must know is this though, if God isn’t worthy of prayer in the good times why would you search Him out in the bad times.
An open line of prayer in every situation is a privilege. Yet so many people run to Him when times are bad and then once things settle down they don’t have time to sit down with God anymore… until the next bad circumstance comes along.
But James is suggesting here that in the good time and the bad times PRAY! When you hurt PRAY! When you’re happy PRAISE!
Prayer is to be persistent, steady, daily, not just a distress flare.
RESULTS (verse 14-15)
"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened” Matthew 7:8
Take a look at verse 15. “…the prayer offered in faith, restores.” James knew of the power of prayer to change – it will either change you or the circumstances. James is not say that there is any special power in the individual but that Prayer offered up in faith – to God – will be answered – PRAYER WILL ALWAYS BE ANSWERED.
The results here must be noted – it was not the prayer that did it, it was not the oil or the elder… James says it was “the Lord.” Prayer is not THE power but there is power through the prayer.
ACCOUNTABLE (verse 16a)
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
The writer of Proverbs 27:17 said it this way - “iron sharpens iron, so one man…” For iron to sharpen iron it has to be put together. By being accountable to someone – a trusted brother or sister in Christ you will find that you both grow.
When you share prayer concerns and troubles and yes even sins… you both become humble, more understanding, it heals divisions and keeps you on the right track. Having a prayer partner is a very powerful encouragement.
Praying together divides burdens, multiplies joys & helps each of you in your daily walk
YOU (verse 16b)
“If you stay in Me and My words stay in you, then you may ask for whatever you want and it will happen for you.” John 15:7
Look at verse 16, the last half. Now if you have a pen I want you to circle a very important word that appears there. Circle the word “A”.
The person that draws close to God, who is committed to His purpose and to building a relationship with HIM through prayer will be both powerful and effective.
Every Christian has at their disposal the most powerful, most effective tool for life, to be a “Superman”. It simply needs to be used. God is ready for you to pray, He is waiting for you to pray, He is waiting for you to step into that prayer booth - the rest is up to you.
What you need to understand is that is isn’t that you “ought to pray” not even that you “have to pray.
I want you to see today is that you “get to pray” -Hebrews 4:16 “Let us, then, have no fear in approaching the throne of grace…”
The challenge I want to give you today is this – A call to a Season of Prayer –
Beginning 1 NOV to DEC 31-
Every Sunday 8:30 to 9:30 – Every Thursday 6:45 – Nov 11th prayer vigil and through out the next 64 days to pray for this church, its future, its mission to this community.
Our church faces God-sized tasks – that will only be overcome by God-focused prayer – individually and corporately.
