The document discusses healing through prayer according to the book of James. It examines James 5:16 which talks about confessing sins to one another and praying for healing. It notes that prayer can bring both spiritual and physical healing. Elijah is given as an example of a righteous man whose prayers were effective. The document stresses that prayer for healing should involve repentance from sin and living according to God's will.

1. Lesson 12

2. KEY TEXT
“Therefore, confess your
sins to one another,
and pray for one another so
that you may be healed.
The effective prayer of a
righteous man can
accomplish much”
James 5:16

3. People are fascinated by the miraculous and the magical. They often are drawn to such
things as spectacles or matters of curiosity and nothing more. So, when Jesus was asked to
perform a miracle merely for entertainment (Luke 23:8, 9) or as a sign of His Messiahship
(Matt. 12:38–41) or even to satisfy a legitimate need of His own (Matt. 4:2–4), He refused.
The Spirit, by which Jesus taught authoritatively and effected miraculous healings, is not
simply a power to be used; we are to be instruments in His hands. God would gladly heal
everyone who is sick, but He is interested in a more substantial, lasting healing.

4. Thus, in this context, we
will look at some crucial
questions: How do we
understand the words in
James about the healing
of the sick? Is there a
relationship between
healing and forgiveness in
answer to prayer? Elijah is
presented as an
important model of
prayer in a time of
widespread apostasy.
What can we learn from
his life of prayer and his
work of calling Israel back
to God and true worship?

5. “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is
anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” (James 5:13)
Mood changes are part of
people’s lives. James wanted
us to feel God’s presence
anytime, no matter our
mood.
Are we grief-stricken? Let’s
talk to God through prayer.
Are we happy? Let’s talk to
God through singing.
In addition, hasn’t our sorrow
become happiness many
times after singing a hymn?

6. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the
elders of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And
the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the
Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15)
The elders anoint the sick and pray for
him, like the apostles did as Jesus told
them to do.
“And they cast out many demons, and
anointed with oil many who were sick,
and healed them.” (Mark 6:13)
It seems like James introduced a specific
case; a Christian who suddenly contracts a
serious disease that he wants to put in
God’s hands.

7. “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the
church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in
the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the
sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15)
“The Lord will raise him up” may be a
double entendre in this text.
Ultimately, God heals the sick (He “raises
him up” from his bed), or lets him rest
until the day of the resurrection when he
will be “raised up”.
Lastly, prayer for healing must always
be prayed with the desire of living
according to God’s will. Therefore,
true repentance and forgiveness of
sins must be part of that kind of
prayer.

8. “Confess your trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another,
that you may be
healed. The effective,
fervent prayer of a
righteous man avails
much.” (James 5:16)
James first wrote about healing for the body. Then
he wrote about healing for the soul.
Confessing our trespasses to one another and
intercessory prayer will bring both healing for the
soul and physical healing.
The prayer of a righteous man is effective, but
that’s not because he is perfect. He is
righteous because he has asked for forgiveness
of his sins. He has confessed his trespasses, so
he prays for his brothers too.

9. “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it
would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced
its fruit.” (James 5:17-18)
James used the example of a “righteous
man” who ascended to heaven in a chariot
of fire. That way he reaffirmed how
important is to pray for healing.
God heard the prayer of a person like any of
us. God worked wonders through him. That
is the example of a prayer with power to
heal.
According to Malachi 4:5-6, Elijah also
represented the precursor of the Messiah
(both in His First and in His Second Coming).
We are the people of god. We are called to
a work of revival and reformation that will
prepare this world for the Second Coming.

10. “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and
someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a
sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death
and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)
The end of the epistle
of James was written
for the Elijah who will
rise at the End Time.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he will turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the
hearts of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and strike the
earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6)
This is a calling to
restore broken
relationships and
to lead others
back to God.

11. “Christ is the same compassionate physician now
that He was during His earthly ministry. In Him
there is healing balm for every disease, restoring
power for every infirmity. His disciples in this time
are to pray for the sick as verily as the disciples of
old prayed. And recoveries will follow; for ‘the
prayer of faith shall save the sick.’ We have the Holy
Spirit’s power, the calm assurance of faith, that can
claim God’s promises. The Lord’s promise, ‘They
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover’
(Mark 16:18), is just as trustworthy now as in the
days of the apostles. It presents the privilege of
God’s children, and our faith should lay hold of all
that it embraces. Christ’s servants are the channel of
His working, and through them He desires to
exercise His healing power. It is our work to present
the sick and suffering to God in the arms of our
faith. We should teach them to believe in the Great
Healer.”
E.G.W. (The Ministry of Healing, cp. 16, pg. 226)

12. JAMES,
THE BROTHER OF JESUS
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