Posted 5 years ago by Anonymous

Summary

“Fully Devoted, Fully Engaged Christ-Follower: Until Then, Pray!” James 5:13-20

The simple, but profound & urgent conclusion of James: Pray!

Until Jesus comes, in the midst of trials, when in need of wisdom & grace, pray!

Oswald Chambers: “…the purpose of prayer is the maintenance of fitness in an ideal relationship w/God…by prayer we lay hold on God & He unites us into His consciousness. The purpose of prayer is to reveal the presence of God equally present all the time in every condition.”

James 5:13-20 -

I)In trouble? Pray! Philippians 4:6, I Peter 2:23

II)Happy? Sing praises (a form of prayer)! Set your attention on God in every circumstance.

III)Sick (not just physical sickness, but powerlessness)? Call for the elders/church to come & pray over you.

“Call for”: bid to come - the onus is on the one in need - act of humility.

Elders - God-appointed leaders - as if the whole church is praying. Anoint w/oil - invoking the Holy Spirit’s presence & power.

“In the name of the Lord” - “onoma” is “used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, or remembering the name” (Strg’s).

“kyrios” - “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about what he has power of deciding” (Strg’s). Acknowledge, submit to, cry out for His Lordship!

“There is strength…power…hope in the name of the Lord!”

“Prayer of faith” - conviction of the truth of the Lordship of Christ.

“Will save” - “keep safe & sound, rescue from danger or destruction… deliver” (Strg’s)

“the Lord will raise him up” - will “arouse, cause to rise from seat or bed, awake,” even to “recall the dead to life” (Strg’s).

“If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” The greatest need is spiritual.

Confess sin - to acknowledge openly & agree w/God.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful & effective” - You/I are righteous in Christ!

Elijah - just a man who “prayed with prayer” (earnestly/fervently). Others can be delivered & restored through prayer!

James is not guaranteeing physical healing nor any particular answer, but he is guaranteeing God’s deliverance & rescue & salvation in whatever way He chooses - physical, emotional, eternal, etc. Isn’t that what we want?

It’s about is a submitting ourselves & situation to God, looking to Him, trusting in Him for His good & perfect gift.

Fully devoted, fully engaged Christ-followers are people of prayer, humbling themselves before God & the church, relying upon the name of the Lord.