Sunday Sermon - September 28, 2003

Sunday Sermon

Prayer for Healing

Dave Shaner

September 28, 2003

Introduction: Getting down on your knees is the best way to handle your problems. What is your reaction when trials come?

Text: James 5:13-16

¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him 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 him up. If he has sinned, he 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 man is powerful and effective.

For James, real faith is faith in action. Fervent, intense prayer is the greatest work of faith there is.

I. We should lay every ______________ of our lives before the Lord.

A. I Thessalonians 5:16-17

Be joyful always; pray continually.

B. Too often, prayer is our last ____________ rather than our first ____________.

C. Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

D. Hebrews 4:16

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

II. We should pray:

A. When we need ______________ healing. - James 5:13

1. Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

2. Psalm 103:1-4

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.

B. When we need ______________ healing. - James 5:14

1. Why does James say to call the elders?

2. The Bible does not teach that some have access to God while others do not.

3. All healing is __________, but not all healing is ____________.

4. We are to pray boldly in many situations:

a. Matthew 18:19

Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

b. John 14:13-14

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

5. Prayer is never to be an attempt to obligate God.

C. When we need ______________ healing. - James 5:15-16

1. ___________ sickness is ____________ connected to __________.

2. ___________ sickness is a __________ result of __________.

3. John 5:14

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

4. I Peter 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

III. We should stay committed to intercessory relationships. - 5:16

A. It is important to stay connected to a local body of believers.

B. The church cannot promise anybody a healing.

C. What we can promise is that we'll take anybody to Jesus.

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