June 26, 2016 Pastor Kenton Rahn Powerful Prayer James 5:13-18 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 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. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. Three Kinds of Prayer 1. Requests Verse 13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray” 2. Praises Verse 13: “Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” Whether you’re suffering or cheerful, is prayer your first response or your last resort? Corrie Ten Boom: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” 3. Intercession Verse 14: “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him...” •

It’s important to ask other people to pray for you. “… he must call for the elders of the church…”

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It’s important to ask the right people to pray for you. “… he must call for the elders of the church…”

Clearing Up Confusion Verses 14-15: “… anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

What is the significance of oil? Does this passage guarantee that sick people will always be healed? •

Sick people were not always healed in the New Testament. (cf. 1Tim 5:23; 2Tim 4:20; Phil 2:2527; 2Cor 12:7-10)

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Prayer should always be according to the will of God. (Lk 22:42; 1Jn 5:14-15; Rom 8:26)

What is the relationship between sickness and sin? Sickness can be the result of sin (cf. Ps 32; 1Cor 11:30), but that is not necessarily the case. Notice James stated the case conditionally: “If he has sinned…” So sin may or may not be the cause of sickness. We have to be careful not to presume. The Role of Confession Verse 16: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” • • •

Confession demonstrates true repentance. Confession develops humility. Confession invites accountability.

The Power of Prayer Verse 16: “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” The Example of Elijah Verses 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.” •

God answers the prayers of ordinary Christians.

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God changes the world through prayer.

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