Slides: Prayer and Healing (James 5:13-20)

¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ 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.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.¹⁷ 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.¹⁹ My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Troubled or happy?

¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

Prayer and anointing by church elders

¹⁴ 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.

Anoint with oil

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13)

Pray and anoint

Anointing often meant consecration.

As the elders pray, they are to anoint the sick person in order to symbolize that the person is being set apart for God’s special attention and care. (Douglas Moo)

Sickness healed, sins forgiven

¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well [σώσει save, heal]; the Lord will raise him up [ἐγερεῖ raise, resurrect]. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” Do you want to be healed? Rise, take your mat, and walk. See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14)

Raised, healed, forgiven

My son; your sins are forgiven… Rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” (Mark 2:5, 11)

Rise, take your mat, and walk… See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:6-14)

Sickness and sin

• Sometimes a sickness is due to personal sin. Healing is hindered until sin is forgiven.
• Sometimes a sickness is not due to personal sin or unbelief. God may have other purposes.

There is no one on earth like Job; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. (Job 2:3)

“Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:2-3)

Sickness healed, sins forgiven

¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well [σώσει save, heal]; the Lord will raise him up [ἐγερεῖ raise, resurrect]. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

The prayer of faith

• Overall faith in God makes possible each prayer of faith in a particular situation.
• As we relate with God and partner in His mission, God may grant a special gift of knowing what God is about to do.
• This knowing enables us to pray a completely confident prayer because because we already know God’s intent.

Prayer with authority

• The more we are in tune with Jesus and his mission, the more our prayers bring about things authorized by God.
• In the new creation, our words and work will rule reality. Totally in tune with God, we will know his intent exactly, pray with certainty, speak words that always come true, and succeed all we work at.

Prayer with humility

• Specific faith for healing is God’s gift, not something to psych yourself into.
• Prayer didn’t heal Paul’s “thorn.”
• Prayer didn’t instantly heal Paul’s friends Epaphroditus and Trophimus.
• We don’t know what will happen. “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live” (4:15-15)

Saved, raised, forgiven

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick. The Lord will raise him.

If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

Priestly sacraments?

• Extreme unction: anointing of the sick by a priest is a Catholic sacrament for the dying
• Penance: confession to a priest is a Catholic sacrament for sinners
• James is not talking about sacraments done by priests

Each other

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

• Be open about sins & struggles.
• Pray expectantly for healing from sickness and saving from sin.

Prayer power

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 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.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

God hears us

If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. If we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. (1 John 5:15-16)

Save wanderers

¹⁹ My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Save wanderers

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. (Galatians 6:1)

Snatch others from the fire and save them. (Jude 1:23)

Sick with sins

• Selfish desires and self-deception
• Favoring the rich over the poor
• Dead faith without godly deeds
• Doubletalk that destroys with words
• Doublethink that loves wicked world
• Business as usual without God
• Wavering and wandering from faith

Save wanderers

¹⁹ My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.