Bible Study January 13, 2025
James 5:13 – 17
The Prayer of Inspiring Faith Daily
13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? 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 will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”
Do you pray, do you believe what you ask for will be granted? Do you pray in the will of God? (By the way the will of God is found in the scriptures). I have talked to many people over the years about these questions. They end their prayer “If it’s God’s will”, but He has stated His will in His Word. If it is in His Word, it is His will. Let me share some thoughts I have.
First, when we read this verse the first question asked is “are you suffering?” What is the answer to that question? It is found in the next three words “let him pray.” Is prayer the first thing we do or the last thing? Suffering can take many forms from illness, to hunger, to broken relationships, the answer is prayer. I know many people will believe that is a simple answer but it is truth.
Second, If you are sick James says we should call the elders of the church to pray over the one who is sick, anointing them with oil, then pray. There are a coupe of keys to this verse. One we acknowledge we need prayer. The second is the prayer of faith.
Whose faith is it? I believe it can be the faith of the one who is sick or it can be the faith of those praying. Why do I say that? Yesterday we had a report of a man who had cancer that had been healed. The man sharing the story said, “we had been praying for this man with cancer.” I am certain knowing the man who shared it that he had prayed and most likely told the sick man he was praying for him.
Third, what happens when we pray for the sick? The answer is found in verse fifteen. “15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
Fourth, exercise your faith that others will be healed and delivered from their infirmities. You may be the key to their healing, exercise your faith, believe in what you pray, then give the praise for healing to One who delivered the healing- our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We all should be about our Father’s business.
Asbury Chapel 