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James 5:13-20

“What this texts makes clear is that sickness and sin happen in the new covenant community. Some day that will not be true (Revelation 21:3–4). But for now in this fallen age of futility and groaning and waiting, it is true. Belonging to the covenant community does not mean guaranteed health or guaranteed sinlessness now.” John Piper
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I don’t want to minimize physical healing in this text, but I don’t want to universalize it either. God can do physical healing. That is for sure! The most important healing is spiritual healing. Eternal life will always be more important than temporal physical healing, but what’s important to know is that God will not do anything significant unless we pray! Physical or spiritual healing comes as a result of someone doing battle!

v.13-14- Prayer is the prescription for suffering and sickness
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2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

Why would God maybe not eliminate suffering and sickness immediately when we ask? He can! He may allow us to see our utter dependency upon Him! The sovereign supremacy of God may take us on a journey to some of the sweetest places with Christ as we grow closer in relationship with Him. What we ask for may not be His ultimate will for our lives. Paul asked to have the thorn removed, but finally he resolved that God’s grace was sufficient! If you’ve been given a car, chances are you will not care for it the same way you would if you patiently waited for it or earned it! Waiting for God’s answer doesn’t make it any easier does it, but we can rest knowing He is in control?

Two possible reasons

1) Allow the church to be the church

2) Grow our relationship with Christ to desperately seek Him
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v.15- Prayer is the prerequisite to salvation

Although there is no “sinners prayer” in the Bible, one comes to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer. You cry out to God that you’re a sinner in need of Jesus to save you! You believe what He did was for your sins!

Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Also, we’ll do battle for others salvation

To accomplish that purpose, we must do some important work. It involves strategic prayer for our loved ones from Satan’s grasp. The Bible tells us, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

There is a covering over the minds and hearts of unbelievers that keeps them from clearly seeing the light and truth of the gospel. Until unbelievers have “eyes to see and ears to hear”, they won’t understand the gospel because the veil prevents them from comprehending it. We must pray for spiritual surgery to happen!
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v.16-18 Prayer brings the power for forgiveness and healing

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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v.19-20 Prayer gives us a passion for compassion

Luke 18:1 “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”