A Christianity That Works

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 18 June 29, 2008

Part 15 “How To Pray About Your Problems”

James 5:13-20

James had a reputation for being a man of prayer. His nickname was James, the Camel Knees, because he had such big knots on his knees from spending hours and hours in prayer. What a privilege, being able to talk to God.

James says there are three specific times when we really need to pray.

1. When I am hurting emotionally
Verse 13 “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
The word in Greek literally means “to suffer misfortune, to be in distress” to be under stress, under tension. Internal distress caused by external circumstances.

Psalm 18:4 “In my distress I call unto the Lord.”

James says, “Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”

I want people who come to our church to say, “Their joy is contagious”. I think it ought to be fun to go to church. “I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2. When I'm hurting physically
Verse 14-15 “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. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he’ll be forgiven.”

The word “sick” in Greek, literally means “without strength”. He's talking about a serious illness here.

The Scripture teaches that there are three different kinds of sickness.

First there is the sickness for death.
I John 5:16 and John 11:4

Second there is a sickness for discipline.
I Corinthians 11:28-32

The third kind is sickness for the glory of God. This is a sickness that God has allowed in your life because He wants to heal you of it and let it be a testimony to the world. In John 11:4 Jesus said, “This is a sickness for the glory of God.”

There are several different lines of thoughts regarding healing.

Sensationalism
Jesus never manipulated people and never used them for show. He always cared about their needs more than He did about making an impression on the crowds. He healed people quietly.

Name It - Claim It
They say that it is always God's will for everybody to be healed. All you need to do is claim your healing and God will heal. If you're not healed you lack faith. This can lead to a lot of guilt. “Maybe I just didn't believe enough.”

But what about “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty,” or I Peter 5:19 “Those who suffer according to the will of God.” It seems sometimes suffering is the will of God.

Dispensationalists
The gifts of healing were only for New Testament times. But Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”
Rationalists
These are those who say it's all in your mind. You are ill because you think you're ill. Just deny it and you'll be OK.

I think James would be a Realist. When you are sick, call the elders of the church. James says call the spiritual leaders of your church to pray for you. “Call for the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil.”

Oil is a symbol of the Holy spirit. “...in the name of the Lord.” God is the healer, not any person.

The results: “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.”

Here at the Gathering Place we try to do what the Bible says.

We have been called on to anoint with oil and pray for healing; mostly in private. In private people know they are loved, not used or put on display in any way.

The prayer may be in private but the testimony goes public!

When I'm hurting spiritually
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Jesus taught that a lot of sickness we bring upon ourselves. If I don't take care of my body, eat right, sleep right, exercise right, then all kinds of ailments can come my way.
If I worry, fret, or get anxious I could get an ulcer.

Doctors say it's not so much what you eat but what's eating you. Resentment can take its toll in your life.

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

When the spiritual is out of kilter it
affects your emotions.
When your emotions are out of kilter it affects your body.

Why isn't everybody healed? I don't know.

It is always in God's power to heal, but it is not always in God's purpose to heal.

“Confess to each other” Does that mean I get up and confess to the whole church?

Only confess as widely as it involves other people.

· If I've got a private sin, just between me and the Lord, then I ought to just confess it to the Lord.

· If it's a personal sin, between me and you, then I need to come to you.

· If it's a public sin, then I need to apologize to the whole church.

The Bible says, “By this shall all men know that you're my disciples, that you love each other.” That's what counts!
WHO CAN PRAY?
James uses Elijah as an illustration. “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain and it didn't rain on the land for three and a half years. He prayed again and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crops.”

In I Kings 19 it is after the big god contest on Mt. Carmel and Elijah runs to the other side of the desert and goes through a fit of depression and prays, “God, kill me.”

Elijah demonstrated fear, resentment, guilt, anger, loneliness and worry. Now you know why it says, “Elijah was a man just like us.”

We have anger, fear, resentment, worry and loneliness. The lesson of Elijah's life is you don't have to be perfect to pray. It says he prayed seven times. He was persistent. He wouldn’t give up.

God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through prayer.

HOW CAN I PRAY EFFECTIVELY?
I want to review four conditions for praying effectively that James mentions in his book.

1. I must ask
The more specific your prayers are the greater you're going to be blessed in the answer. James 4:2 “You do not have because you do not ask.” Be specific.

2. Have the right motive
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

3. Live a Clean life
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
Righteousness is your standing before God when you became a believer. It has nothing to do with your perfection.

4. Ask in faith
Expect an answer. James 1:6 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.”

When you come to God, believe that He wants to answer your prayer. Trust Him…..I want our church to be a miracle.

I want it only to be explained by the fact that…..God did it.