The Truth About Prayer
James 5:13-20
February 22, 2015
Well tonight we are going to conclude our study of the book of James.
No doubt it is one of the most beloved books in the New Testament.
People love the direct style of James to take problems head on.
• We are people who like specific instruction.
• We are people who like “how to” lists.
• We are people who want to be told what to do.
And certainly that is always important.
We need to know what God expects.
But that doesn’t address the whole problem.
The other problem that arises
Is what I like to call the Romans 7 dilemma.
You remember it:
Romans 7:14-20 “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.”
Paul there isn’t talking about a man who isn’t concerned about obedience.
That is a man who wants to obey God more than anything else.
The problem is that he has come face to face with his own weakness.
Despite his efforts, he has seen a propensity to fail.
I’m sure most of you in here can identify with this frustration.
It is the desire to do and be what God wants,
And then the failure to fully achieve it.
And really, that is where the book of James would most likely leave us,
Where it not for these last verses.
James has filled his letter with one practical command after another.
• Don’t complain
• Don’t slander
• Don’t show favoritism
• Don’t be ambitious
• Don’t be arrogant
• Don’t overlook the needs of the less fortunate
• Don’t love the world
• Don’t stretch the truth
And on and on and on
And when we study those together here at church on Sunday nights
Every one of us is primed to do it.
And then we hit the world.
And before you know it we find that we stumble
In some of those very areas we fully intended to conquer.
The reality is that obedience
Is not something that is done in human strength.
You and I cannot be who God wants us to be on our own.
It requires nothing short of the work of God in our lives.
That is why Paul followed Romans 7 with Romans 8, which is a chapter that speaks of the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Only the Holy Spirit can achieve in us God’s desires.
We can’t do it on our own.
In short, I just want you to understand that
If any of us are to become what James or God intends,
Then God will have to do it.
And if you truly understand that, and if you truly believe that,
Then tonight’s topic will make perfect sense.
And that is: PRAYER
A prayerless Christian is either one who
Doesn’t understand that obedience requires God’s help,
Or they are a Christian who doesn’t really care about obedience.
Prayer is an essential ingredient to the successful Christian life.
We must petition God if we are to ever be what God intends.
We need His help.
And that is how James closes his letter.
He closes with an appeal to pray.
He also closes with an explanation of the duty of prayer for a believer.
Now that being said, I must tell you that
This has recently become a burden of mine.
I am ashamed to say that I haven’t always been
As committed to prayer as I should have. (most likely I’m still not)
That is not to say that I didn’t pray or didn’t enjoy prayer, but rather that I was too dependent on my own efforts and abilities and didn’t understand the necessity of prayer.
This is something that God has been correcting in me for quite some time.
It is the same thing that brought about
• The Month of Stillness we had several years ago,
• And our Sunday night prayer for the lost,
• And our Wednesday night prayer times.
I am continually learning that
We will accomplish nothing if God is not involved
And as a church we should be committed to corporate worship
And corporate Bible study and corporate ministry
AND ALSO TO CORPORATE PRAYER.
We are fooling ourselves
If we think we can accomplish God’s purposes without it.
It is essential.
And that is what James is going to teach us in our text tonight.
There are four truths that we grab here from James.
#1 PRAYER IS THE RESPONSE TO LIFE
James 5:13
James here gives two extreme opposite emotions that we face,
But no doubt they are emotions that we have all faced.
“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.”
“Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”
We can probably all name many times we were “suffering”,
And we can probably all name many times when we were “cheerful”.
Each of these emotions,
Should cause a Christian to respond with prayer to God.
If a Christian is suffering, he should pray.
In other words, he should take his concerns to God.
1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
We understand the truth that Peter gives us,
It is a blessing to be able to go to God in prayer when we are suffering.
And I’m NOT even talking about some sort of a “results” based system,
Where I tell you to pray so that your suffering will stop.
Look, suffering is promised.
Suffering is even important.
We’ve seen it with Joseph and the providential plan of God.
We’ve heard about it in Hebrews how God disciplines His sons.
Suffering happens, and I’m not holding up some promise that
If you’ll just pray then God will take away your suffering.
He might eventually, but that is not what I’m talking about.
I’m talking about the “Peace in the middle of the storm” reality.
Too many today have no idea what this is like. I learned it at Crawford, and have been reminded of it many times in my life.
Crawford was my first real encounter with hardship that was beyond me.
• I faced circumstances where I knew I could not go on.
• I had no ability to study or preach or see a difference.
• I was at the end of myself.
And it was there where I learned the blessing of prayer.
What it was to go to the Father and not to see my circumstances instantly changed, but to instantly feel His arms pick me up.
I could be a wreck and go to pray,
And by the time I would leave my knees, the mountain was smaller,
God was bigger, and I was ready to keep going forward.
(go in as a kitten, come out as a lion)
“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.”
By all means pray!
There is a hymn that echo’s this same truth.
“O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer. Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
We as Christians need prayer when we are suffering.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayers are the believer’s weapons of war. When the battle is too hard for us, we call in our great Ally, who, as it were, lies in ambush until faith gives the signal by crying out, “Arise, O Lord.” Although our cause be all but lost, it shall soon be won again if the Almighty doth bestir Himself.”
James says we ought to pray when it is hard, but not only when we are suffering, but also when we are cheerful.
“Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”
And yes this may be a song, but speaking to the Father is speaking to the Father.
It doesn’t matter if your head isn’t bowed and your eyes aren’t closed.
This is why Christians who are filled with the Spirit love to sing.
Those praise songs are joyful prayers lifted to the Father in gratitude
And praise for who He is and what He does.
AND THEY ARE GOOD!
Come some Wednesday night and join the song after the prayer time.
I promise you there isn’t another song sung in church
Like the one following prayer on Wednesday nights.
But the point is, whether you are suffering or joyful – PRAY
(Prayer is always the proper response)
1 Thessalonians. 5:17 “pray without ceasing;”
Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Luke 11:1-4 “It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. ‘Give us each day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
I love what Jesus said: “When you pray…”
Jesus makes a very subtle, but powerful point.
It doesn’t matter if you know how to pray, if you don’t pray.
God intended for you to live this life with much prayer.
It ought to be continual and in every situation.
Prayer is the response to life
#2 PRAYER IS A REQUEST FOR LIBERTY
James 5:14-15
Now we hit some of the most debated over passages in the Bible.
So before we talk to much about the application, let’s see if we can’t bring some understanding to what James was talking about.
I want to show you the two ways to look at it.
#1 – Healing is just a prayer away.
This is the name it and claim it theology.
If you are sick, all you have to do is pray and if you follow that up with a little oil, you will get better.
Now let’s be honest.
• Most people read that without any intention of doing it…until they get sick.
• And I’ve known several people who did this very thing.
But there is a problem here.
Namely that everyone dies.
This can’t be a verse that promises physical healing of every sickness in response to prayer, because obviously Scripture teaches that sooner or later this body has to pass away.
If you try to take this verse and apply it to physical healing
You are working yourself into a theological boxed canyon.
But still some people look at it like that.
#2 – James is talking about spiritual renewal.
The word for “sick” is (ASTHENEI) (as-then-a-o)
It is used to refer to physical sickness,
But nearly every time in the epistles, it refers to spiritual weakness.
Acts 20:35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Romans 6:19 “I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”
Romans 14:1 “Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.”
1 Corinthians 8:9-12 “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.”
It seems very probable that James is speaking not of physical sickness,
But of that same spiritual weakness.
James is reminding those who have a spiritual weakness,
Or who have been convicted about one of the areas of this letter
Where they are falling short
To call upon those who are strong in the faith to pray for them.
This seems to make better sense of verse 15.
(Since not all sickness is a result of sin)
“and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick (weak), and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgive him.”
Perhaps the reason this word was rendered “sick” instead of “weak”
Is because of James mentioning
“anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord”
Again, we look at another Greek word.
The word James uses for “anointing” is “ALEIPHO”
it means “to rub with oil”.
This was commonly used to refresh a person.
Remember Mary anointing Jesus?
Luke 7:46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.”
Or how about Jesus teaching to those who fast?
Matthew 6:17 “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face…”
James didn’t use “chrio” which is “a ceremonial anointing”.
James wasn’t talking about a ceremonial anointing of oil,
But rather he is using a figure of speech
To speak of refreshing a person.
When you are beaten by sin,
And have an area in your life where you are weak of faith,
Then call on those who are strong to pray for you,
And their visit, and prayers will be refreshing to you.
James point is simple for us to understand.
Not only should we pray in response to life.
We should seek the prayer of those who are strong in the faith so that God may grant us freedom or liberty from the sins that hold us back.
Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”
Acts 6:1-4 “Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Acts 8:17-24 “Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
What James reminds us here, is that we should realize our weakness,
And then call upon one who is strong in the faith to pray for us.
Why not just pray for yourself?
Lets look at it in a physical sense.
• Suppose you were trapped under a log, and you did not have the strength to
free yourself. Who would you want for help? You would want someone
strong enough to move the log.
Now in prayer, it is a little different.
• Suppose a man has a difficulty with his addiction to alcohol. He realizes it is
a problem, but can’t seem to find the strength to quit. Consequently, his
prayers are even somewhat half-hearted, for if he had the strength to pray
with sincerity, he would have the strength to quit. He must call upon
someone who will pray earnestly according to the truth.
James says, call the elders. Call the leaders. Let them pray for you.
“and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up,”
James even goes further and says: “and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”
Being weak doesn’t necessarily mean you have sinned,
It just means that you recognize
That you need help to conquer a certain area.
However, many times those who are weak do fall into sin
And they not only need help, but forgiveness of their sin.
So call for the elders, and that mode of confession
And seeking of help is akin to repentance
Which promises forgiveness.
So prayer is a response to life, it is a request for liberty
#3 PRAYER IS A REQUIREMENT OF LOVE
James 5:16-18
In light of what James just said, this makes perfect sense.
“Therefore, confess yours sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”
If you’re weak, or have already stumbled in sin,
By all means solicit prayer so that you can gain victory and liberty.
After all:
“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
You ought to pray for people because prayer is extremely powerful.
Prayer works.
Samuel Chadwick said, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”
And I love what James says next.
He gives an illustration.
(17-18) “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
What a comfort!
Now I know that there are many Christians in the world
Who are absolutely intimidated by the thought
Of praying with another believer.
• I’m not spiritual enough…
• I’m not deep enough…
• I’m not righteous enough…
But look, the power or the prayer
Isn’t based upon the righteousness of the prayer.
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours”
He was one of us, and yet look how effective his prayer was.
Beyond that, when we pray, we don’t pray in our own name,
We pray in the name of Jesus.
He is truly a righteous man, and that “can accomplish much.”
Here is the point.
If we have such a powerful tool at our fingertips,
What does it say about us, if we don’t use it on behalf of other?
It is not love to withhold such a powerful resource as prayer.
1 Samuel 12:23 “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.”
Ephesians 6:18-20 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Romans 1:9-10 “For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.”
Philippians 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
If we want to pretend to love people,
We cannot withhold the most powerful weapon we possess from them.
We must pray, it makes a difference in their lives.
Response to life Request for liberty Requirement of love
#4 PRAYER IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE LOST
James 5:19-20
And here we learn that it’s not just the saved who benefit from our prayers, it is also the lost.
“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
Now obviously I think more than just prayer is implied here.
Scripture also speaks of confronting a sinning brother.
However, in light of the context of what James has been talking about
I think it is also understood that
We are talking about praying for this sinner.
We also owe it to pray continually for those lost in sin,
That God may grant them repentance, and lead them to the truth.
We ought to remember, that we cannot save anyone.
Our preaching, our witnessing, our generosity, our commitment;
Are all futile to save even one person. God has to save people.
We must therefore commit to pray for the lost.
Charles Spurgeon also said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go their unwarned and unprayed for.”
We must commit to pray for those steeped in sin.
1 Timothy 2:1-8 “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”
I know some think, “Man I’ve prayed, and it hasn’t done any good.”
How many have heard stories of the faithful prayers of a mother
Who prayed for her children her entire life before they were saved.
Luke 18:1-8 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. “There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ “For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
It is a hardened heart that won’t pray for the lost.
Amos was such a man as this,
And God had to coerce him to intercede.
Amos 7:1-6 “Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, He was forming a locust-swarm when the spring crop began to sprout. And behold, the spring crop was after the king’s mowing. And it came about, when it had finished eating the vegetation of the land, that I said, “Lord GOD, please pardon! How can Jacob stand, For he is small?” The LORD changed His mind about this. “It shall not be,” said the LORD. Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, the Lord GOD was calling to contend with them by fire, and it consumed the great deep and began to consume the farm land. Then I said, “Lord GOD, please stop! How can Jacob stand, for he is small?” The LORD changed His mind about this. “This too shall not be,” said the Lord GOD.”
But you get the point.
It is good to witness, it is good to show compassion,
But by all means pray for the lost, only God can save them.
Only God can open doors to reach them.
Prayer absolutely matters.
Spiritual victories are not one through physical means.
Pray.
• It is the response to life
• It is a request for liberty
• It is a requirement of love
• It is a responsibility to the lost
