PRAYING FOR THE SICK

 

PRAYING FOR THE SICK

James 5:14-15  Are any among you sick?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well.  And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.  NLT

      When was the last time the church prayed over you for healing?  Most churches have gotten away from this practice.  I wonder why.  There is something very powerful and personally affirming when the church prays over a soul for healing.  Just knowing that others care and are interceding on one's behalf bolsters one's faith.  It is an awesome way to strengthen faith and bind the body of Christ together.

       Does God always answer prayers for healing?  Certainly not in the way we want Him to.  Our desire is that the sickness will go away and that the body and mind would be whole and "normal" once again.  Sometimes the Lord grants us our prayers and at other times He answers prayers in other ways.  Sometimes He brings healing over a period of time.  Sometimes death is the way He makes a soul's body whole once again.

      Our responsibility is to join together in prayer.  We pray in faith believing in what the Lord will do and leave the rest to Him.  When we pray in the will of God we must always submit to His workings with gratitude.  Our Father knows best how to deal with a person's sickness.  He knows best how it will work out for the good and bring Him the glory He alone deserves.

      Doctors and medical people are important and we should never neglect going to them, but we should always bring the Lord into the mix.  We should ask the elders of the church to anoint us with oil and the Lord promises to hear our prayers and answer them.