The Prayer of Faith
May 16, 2019
Commentary
James has already said a lot about prayer but now he puts a fitting climax to his letter with further instructions on the subject. Two of the greatest weaknesses in the life of the average Christian today is prayer and praise (v.13). There is much need for prayer and much cause for praise. People in the church are not alone. Christians should be able to count on others for support and prayer, especially when they are sick or suffering (vv. 14-15). God heals, faith doesn’t (v. 15). The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (v. 16).
In the case of Elijah he was a man who believed God and gave Him full control of his life. Just think of what it would have been like if you had been a child growing up in the home of Elijah. You would have known that your dad was a man of prayer, but then to see him pray for God to stop the rain because of the wickedness of Ahab and for there to be “no rain on the earth for three years and six months” (v.17) would have been something to witness. I am sure you would have heard the people all around you grumbling and complaining about the weather, just as we do today.
Then after all of that, can you imagine what it would have been like the day you went with your father up to Mount Carmel and heard him pray that “the heaven give rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit" (v.18). As a child there would have been no doubt in your mind that when your earthly father talked to his Heavenly Father he was heard and as a result things happened. No one would have been able to convince you that prayer was just a ritual and that God doesn’t answer prayer. The book of James emphasizes faith in action. Faith and trust must have hands and feet (vv. 19-20).
Application
I need to discipline myself to spend more time each day in prayer and praise to God?
James 5:13– 20 (NET)
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive 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 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. 17 Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.