The Book Of James Pt. 52 Conclusion: Praying When We Are Sick.

The apostle James is wrapping up his epistle to the churches. This last segment is going to deal with the subject of prayer. Therefore it is something we all need to read and heed.

Praying when sick and praising when joyful. 

James 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 

The idea of affliction reaches back to counting it joy when we fall into some type of trial and rejoicing when God tests our faith, because these are good gifts from God. 

What should a Christian do when he or she is suffering hardship or enduring troubles? We must pray. 

In this present evil world, our daily conditions are variable. We may enjoy seasons of ease and comfort that are followed by hard times and personal devastation. 

Sometimes we are sorrowful and other times we are joyful. We are taught to endure these things and to pray when it threatens to overwhelm us. 

To this end, God sends afflictions, so that we may seek him early. During good times we may tend to neglect Him and affliction brings us running to His throne of mercy. 

Then our spirit is more humble, and our heart is more tender. At this point, our prayer is most acceptable to God, for it comes from a contrite humble spirit.

If we are merry rather than afflicted, then we ought to be singing psalms of praise to God. The book of Psalms begins with the words "Blessed is the man.." and the word blessed, means joy or much happiness. 

Elders pray for the sick and trust Christ for the results.

James 5:14-15  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15)  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  

What happens when a Christian is sick? They were instructed to call for the elders in the church. The apostles usually set elders in place in each church (See Acts 15:23, 16:4, 20:17; 21:18, 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:5).

To understand "anointing with oil", it must be remembered that in those early days, when little was known about the human body, oil was regarded as a great restorative, and as the best form of medicine. 

In the Old Testament, Isaiah speaks of wounds and bruises which have never been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 

In the New Testament, when the good Samaritan bound up the wounds of the traveler to Jericho, he gave oil as a medicine, and wine.

Oil was frequently used as a means of curing dangerous diseases. 

In Egypt it was used to cure the plague. In Europe it has been tried with great success to help with dropsy. Pure olive oil is excellent for treating wounds and bruises.

The elders were to pray for the sick individuals in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Remember, that the gifts of healings, speaking in tongues, and other miracles, had an expiration date. 

For example, if we still had the gift of speaking in tongues today, then our missionaries would not need to learn a foreign language, for the Holy Spirit would enable them to do so. 

Even the apostle Paul was unable to be healed from the thorn in his flesh. 

Mark 6:12-13  And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13)  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. 

Jesus sent out His disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom and as they went, they anointed sick people with oil and healed them. 

This is part of kingdom ministry and was part of the early church, as God confirmed His spokesmen with signs. 

Thus, the proper focus is praying for the sick and afflicted. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, which means making them whole, if that is the Lord's will. 

The sickness spoken of may be physical or it may be spiritual in nature. 

Some sickness was chastening from God.

1 Corinthians 11:29-30  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30)  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Paul tells us that some saints at Corinth took the Lord's supper unworthily, and were chastened by God with sickness and sometimes, death (1 Corinthians 11). 

It is the Lord who may choose to raise someone up from their illness. Those persons whose sin caused them to be ill, can be forgiven as they confess their sins.

Seek to pray fervently, effectively with zeal for God.  

James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

The word "faults" means a fall, or a deviation from truth. When a believer falls into straying from uprightness, he or she is to confess that to another Christian. 

If we have wronged someone, we go and tell them what we did and seek forgiveness, just as Jesus tells us to do. 

Confession of sin will brings God's cleansing and forgiveness and He will remove the chastisement of our illness. 

We pray for one another in these circumstances. There must be an active faith both in the person praying, and in the person prayed for. 

Fervent prayer is effective prayer. It is passionate prayer guided by a zeal for Christ and the things of God. It is a strong prayer that seeks the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom. 

Thus, a Christian who prays fervently for others, is boldly going to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and help in the time of great need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

John 5:14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

When Jesus healed the man at the pool of Siloam, He told him to go and sin no more, lest something worse come to him.

James is teaching us that when we are ill we should examine ourselves to see if sin is the root cause of our illness. 

If so, we must confess it, forsake and and seek cleansing as God tells us to do (1 John 1:7-2:2). 

Elijah is an example of a strong prayer life. 

James 5:17-18  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18)  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 

James is very good at giving us worthy examples to illustrate what he is trying to teach. In the case of prayer, he points us to the prophet Elijah. 

First, he reminds us that Elijah had his own struggles and weaknesses just like you and me. 

Yet, Elijah prayed that Jehovah would stop the rain, and there was not rain for 3 1/2 years. 

Again, he prayed for rain and Jehovah sent copious rainfall to replenish the water supply and aid in growing crops. 

Elijah's prayers were answered because the prophet was concerned about the glory of God in the midst of an idolatrous nation.

Only in this we should copy after Elijah, that he prayed earnestly, or, as it is in the original, in prayer he prayed. 

It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Our thoughts must be fixed, our desires firm and ardent, and our graces exercised on behalf of the one we are praying for. 

We must be ready to help steer wayward Christians back to truth. 

James 5:19-20  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20)  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.  

When a Christian strays from the truth, then a Christian who brings that person back to the truth of the scriptures, will be blessed. False teachers, false teaching and many heresies vexed the early church.

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

Paul spoke of this same practice. If another Christian is overtaken in falling away from the truth, those who remain true to God are to seek to restore the erring brother. 

We are to help them while we consider that weakness in our flesh, where dwells no good thing. 

A brother who converts a sinner shall save a soul from eternal death, and a body from ruin. In the process of being a good gospel witness, he shall hide a multitude of sins.

If God uses that Christian to bring a sick believer who is sick because of sin, back to confession and forsaking their sin, God, blots out the numerous sins which he had committed during the time of his backsliding. 

It is the sins of the backslider, which are here said to be hidden.

It is no mark of a wise  man to boast of being free from error, or to refuse to acknowledge when he is in an error. 

But if any do err a great error, we must not be afraid to show them their error. If their error seems weak and little, we must not turn from making them wiser and better. 

If they err from the truth, that is, from the gospel, we must endeavor to bring them again to the rule of truth.

Thoughts to Ponder...

We have finished our study of the book of James. I pray that it has been a great blessing to all of you.

There is certainly more truth that could be gleaned from this apostle, but we have more than enough to think about and digest.

May the words of the Psalmist guide us as we seek to live for God's glory and to be faithful witnesses. 

Bob 

Psalm 126:5-6  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6)  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.