THE PRAYER OF FAITH

Passage: James 5:13-20

Key verse: 16

NIV

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.(A) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.(B) 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders(C) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil(D) in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith(E) 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(F) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.(G) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.(H)

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are.(I) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.(J) 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.(K)

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth(L) and someone should bring that person back,(M) 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save(N) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.(O)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him (A)sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, (B)anointing him with 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 (C)if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, (D)confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, (E)that you may be healed. (F)The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[a] 17 Elijah was a man (G)with a nature like ours, and (H)he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for (I)three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 (J)Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, (K)if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone (L)brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering (M)will save his soul from death and (N)will cover a multitude of sins.

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Footnotes
  1. James 5:16 Or The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The prayer of a righteous man (13-18)

If one of us is in trouble or is sick, we should call together the elders and pray. Doctors and medicines are good and sometimes necessary, but prayer is always essential. God's word promises that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. We can become prayer warriors when we are clothed in God's righteousness. When forgiven sinners unite in prayer, God surely hears.

2. Turn sinners from sin (19-2

)

God's greatest concern is that sinful people repent and believe his gospel and return to him. Elijah was a great prayer warrior. His heart was broken when he saw the sins of God's people. So he prayed, and God withheld rain for three years. After the people repented, he prayed again, and God poured out life-giving rain. We must pray for sinners to turn to God.

Prayer: Father, clothe me with your righteousness so that I can pray for your people.

One Word: Pray; repent; pray