READ James 5:14-15, 17-18

The second kind of prayer this passage mentions is:

• Elder Prayer (5:14-15, 17-18) — “When you are sick, you may need to call for the elders.” This part of the passage is very important to understand because here’s where all those phrases I mentioned earlier come into play. First, James implies that the sick person is too weak and weary to come to a church meeting, so the elders go to them. Second, the context—the verses before and after this passage (James 5:15-16 and 19-20)—suggests that the sickness James is talking about here has come as the result of sin. There are other places in the New Testament where physical illness and premature death may be God’s discipline for unconfessed/undealt with sin in the life of a believer (Acts 5; 1 Cor 11:30).

Most definitely, all sickness is not the result of sin, but some sickness may be the result of sin. Verse 16 shows us that, in some cases, confessing your sin, and praying for healing, does result in being healed. There seem to be two conditions for healing when God chooses to heal. First, prayer must be offered “in the name of the Lord,” and second, prayer must be “offered in faith.” So first, “praying in the name of the Lord” is not simply using that phrase as if it’s some kind of formula or magical incantation. “Prayer in the name of the Lord” is prayer in keeping with how Jesus did life and ministry. Jesus did not heal people simply because He could. He did not initiate healing. The Father did, and He only did what He saw the Father doing. “Praying in the name of Jesus” means praying and looking for where God is already working so we can join Him in His work. Second, “prayer offered in faith” is not about how much faith you have. It’s not about you working hard to “believe” that God will give you what you want and not doubting. No, praying in faith is very different from what many of us think. Prayer offered “in the name of the Lord” is prayer that is keeping with how God is already working.

The “prayer of faith” is a prayer that is in keeping with what God has revealed He will do. Elijah's story of praying for it not to rain and then praying for it to rain for three and a half years perfectly fits with these two points. In this story, God disciplines His people because of their sin in turning away from Him. God tells Elijah He will send no rain. Then, the people repent. They confess their sin and turn back to God. And God tells Elijah to pray for rain, and it rains. The point is—Elijah prayed in response to God’s revealed Word. He prayed in faith that God, who was working to change the hearts of His people, would do what He said He would do—praying to stop the rain, then praying for God to send the rain. This means we need to always be praying, “God show me where and how You are working in this situation (this sickness), and God, show me what you want to do in this situation.” FYI—anointing with oil most likely has a symbolic meaning. Oil symbolized the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in our lives as people set apart for God.

We'll look at the last kind of prayer mentioned in this passage tomorrow.