Words part 6 – praying for each other.

Yesterday after the service had ended I saw a small group of people gathered around a man who clearly was not well. In fact he has outlived the time the doctors had given him to live. The church attribute this to prayer. This group were fervently praying for this man. They want him to live. They were speaking words to God. It was a reminder that prayer works. Words to God can be powerfully effective.

James is closing down his letter and he does so by looking at the words we use. He has called us to pray, to sing, to call upon the leaders of the church, to confess your sins and ‘to pray for each other.’

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5 v 14-16)

“Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” (Leonard Ravenhill)

The greatest need for the Church today is not a move from God but a move to God in prayer.

The world is not waiting for the Church to become modernised and slick with its presentations but it is waiting for the Church to discover the ancient paths of presenting itself in front of God. Great communication is only successful if there has been communication with a great God.

Never stop praying. If you have, start it up again. Make a determined effort to pray every day and throughout the day. Stay up late and pray. Get up early and pray. Spend the night in prayer. Fast things so you can pray more.

For when you are praying you are hoping. You are waiting. You are expecting God to answer. When you are praying you are focused on Him. Prayer keeps your eyes lifted upwards even when your heart maybe heavy. When we pray we are acknowledging that we are not alone in this life but there is another presence, the Living God.

In this letter James has taught on double-mindedness, humility, perseverance, temptation, deception, hearing and exercising God’s Word, favouritism and love, faith and works, controlling the tongue, divine wisdom, a pure heart, submission to God and each other, slander and gossip, knowing God’s will, the dangers of money and living in the light of His coming again. Why? His Churches were righteous but the evidence was lacking. James was saying be who you are, be righteous.

The key to effective prayer is a close relationship with God and His Word. This is not a reward for obedience. No. The righteous prayer is powerful not necessarily because it is related to the nature of the one praying but because they are able by their close relationship with God to discern how to pray.

Pray today for someone and if there is a prayer meeting at church this week then go to it.