Handle Everything In Life With Prayer

Handle Everything In Life with Prayer (James 5:13-18)

In Chapter 5:13-18, James is writing to the 12 tribes who were scattered abroad. They were persecuted and had become worn and weakened. They were weakened from a spiritual standpoint. He encouraged the people to handle everything with prayer. The words prayer, prayed, and pray are used seven times in verses 13-18. James teaches us to pray to petition God.

“Don’t treat prayer as the last result—go to God in the beginning.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

1. If I am suffering—I need to Pray.

“Is anyone among you suffering” (5:13)? Suffering is going through emotional pain. Before you start calling everyone—pray. Before you go to Facebook—pray. Before you start a GoFundMe page—pray. Don’t get to a place where you think God is not faithful to do what He said—handle everything with prayer.

“Other people can pray for you but they cannot do your praying for you.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

2. If I am sick—Call to the elders.

“Is anyone among you sick? Call to the elders of the church” (5:14). You need other people to pray for you—people with spiritual authority. The elders will come and anoint you with oil and pray for you. A lot of times, when we have gone through spiritual battle, we try to nurture it naturally but we can’t. We need someone to come along and pray strength in us.

3. Confess my trespasses.

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (5:16). There are going to be times when you will need to admit you did it and you’ll need to say it; however, it does not mean to go tell everybody.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (5:16). This is a level of intensity in your prayers. It causes God’s power to be on the scene of whatever needs to be done. Righteousness has been given to you by what Jesus did on the cross.

“You cannot get free from what you don’t admit you have.”- Pastor Billy Johnson

Elijah was a man with a nature like yours—a person just like you. He experienced some of the same emotions. Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain and his prayer changed the weather system. Don’t underestimate what God can do when you pray. He’s waiting to hear and act when you pray! Say—My effective, fervent prayer because of my righteousness—makes much power available.