Lord’s Day, Vol. 3 No. 50
Steps For Effectual Prayer
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
(1) Confession and Reconciliation (v16a)
(2) Prayer Restores (v16b)
(3) Burdens Lifted (v16c)
(4) More Prayer, More Power (v16d)
The late Rev Dr Timothy Tow said, “United Prayer is like burning charcoal, more prayer, more power, less prayer, less power”.
(1) Confession and Reconciliation (v16a)
– Confess your faults one to another…
God’s Word commands that we are to confess our faults one to another. In other words, to forgive one another and to seek reconciliation when we have offended one another. It is a command for restoration. When we are willing to obey, the grace of God will enable us to have the courage to make reconciliation with one another. That requires mutual honesty, an openness which is in the root of the word “confession”, signifying full, frank, open confession.
The psalmist correctly observed in Psalm 24:3-5 “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” and in Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
When there is no true forgiveness, there is no true reconciliation, hence no true healing. If a person has offended a fellow Christian, he or she should make right with that person privately. The confession is made to the person whom he has wronged. However, this verse also speaks of public confession by way of a testimony so that others can pray for our needs.
As written in the Bible, Job was sorely afflicted. His friends who came to him to comfort him were no true comforters. They tormented him with their inadequate theology, misjudging him that his afflictions were due to his sins. When God finally revealed Himself to Job, He asked Job to pray for his friends so that the wrath of God might be averted from them. Job’s friends also realised that they had charged Job foolishly and asked for his forgiveness. Job prayed for his friends because he could truly forgive them. When Job did so, God restored him as recorded in Job 42:7-10.
(2) Prayer Restores (v16b)
– And pray one for another, that ye may be healed…
John Calvin remarked, “God does not hear the ungodly nor is access to God open, except through a good conscience: not that our prayers are founded on our worthiness but because the heart must be cleansed by faith before we can present ourselves before God.”
“Pray one for another” is the other command. It is a command that we pray continually, all the time, not by proxy, but to do so ourselves. It is our privilege as priests, having access to the very presence of God by the merits of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.
When there is reconciliation and the guilt of sin is taken away, washed by the blood of Christ, then there is healing. What is this healing? It is a spiritual healing, a restoration of a right relationship with God and with our fellow brethren. It does not preclude physical healing. When a sin caused sickness, confession and mutual prayer heal the sick, according to the will of God.
“Confession of sin and praying for one another are vital ingredients of the healing ministry in the Christian Community. When sin is removed, the power of prayer becomes evident in its amazing effectiveness.” (Simon J. Kistemaker)
(3) Burdens Lifted (v16c)
– The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man…
Once there is no hindrance in our hearts when we have confessed our sins and washed by the blood of Jesus, our prayer is being made effective.
The righteous man is one who practises that which is commanded in v16a and b. Elijah the prophet, is described as a man subject to like passions as we are. His prayer was heard by God and effectual. The word “effectual” is in the passive voice, enabling by an external source. It is inspired prayer led by the Holy Spirit, made with utmost sincerity and devotion, where we empathise with the person whom we are praying for and cry out to God for him.
Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Dear friends, how much life is there in your prayer life? The Lord wants us to plead with Him with our whole being.
(4) More Prayer, More Power (v16d)
– availeth much.
An effectual fervent prayer will be heard by God and answered. It begins with our confession, the willingness to surrender our hearts to Him as we approach Him in prayer. The preparation begins not when we step into God’s House. The preparation of the heart begins before and culminates when we approach Him. It is a solemn occasion when we search our hearts and ask the Lord to cleanse us by His precious blood that we may be made clean again.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee