Temple Baptist Church - 4-27-2022
James 5:16-20
Introduction:
A. As James concludes this book, he, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he ends with the effectual, fervent pray of the righteous man.
B. I want to take particular notice to the words "righteous man," not sinless man. Though still in a sinful state, the Lord has chosen to hear and answer our prayers. Our righteousness is found in the person of Christ Jesus. "Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne" are the words of "The Solid Rock," a song that we often sing.
C. James ends with a familiar character of the Old Testament, Elijah. He prefaces that greatness of Elijah's answered prayers with the words "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are." Elias was a great prophet, not a perfect man. Elias was a of great prayer, not a sinless man. God honored Elias's position as a believer and his prayers as prevailing.
D. Elijah both prevailed and failed but God was faithful to him. God honors the man or woman who effectually and fervently prays. Both Elijah and Hannah were great examples of prayer and prayer answered.
E. Our prayer life is essential to living a godly, effective life for Christ. Paul had much to say about our prayer life but one verse that I quote regularly is:
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (That we ask or think are the key words of the verse. "We think" is the effectual part of prayer (pointed, specific, not to be consumed upon our lust) and "we ask" (continuance, determined) is the fervent part.)
1. Thus availing prayer is pointed prayer.
2. Prevailing prayer is persistent prayer.
F. Our prayer life is to be well-balanced. Our Lord gave us the Model Prayer or the example of prayer: worship, thanksgiving, requests, confession, and the forgiveness of others. One of the least used parts of prayer is that of confession. Our text defines the difference between our private and public confessions with the word "faults." We confess our sins to God, but it is a good thing to confess our faults to men as it gives accountability.
G. Whereas the first part of these verses dealt with physical sickness, this latter part deals with faults that are connected to chastisement.
1. Fault – areas of weakness in one's life. Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (I believe that every child of God has areas where he or she struggles. An area of temptation to one may be an area of strength to another.)
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
H. Dealing with faults. This is not the confession of sin! Keep your sin between you and God! Public sin is to be publicly dealt with and private sin is to be dealt with privately.
1. To confess a fault is to recognize that we have one. In James, chapter one, the Bible reads: James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. (25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
In these verses we find:
a. Verse 23: The source of our recognition: the Bible. The first part of getting our faults healed is that of recognition. As we read God's perfect Word, we see the imperfect man!
b. Verse 25: The constancy of our recognition: stay in the Bible. We find our faults from reading the Bible and we control our faults by staying in the Bible.
2. To confess a fault is to find help in accountability with both God and man.
Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
a. We need first to confess to God. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
b. In cases of faults or weaknesses, we need accountability when we continue to fail in the same areas. I am not advocating AA, but one of the things that they do is confess their faults. The same thing is done with Weight Watchers as they must weigh before others. As God's children and a part of the family of God, we help each other in two ways:
c. By confessing before others our faults, we show that we are all struggling together in this sinful body of death.
d. By praying for one another in such cases, we show our being there for each other in the matter of prayer and loving help.
3. To pray for each other is to get help from God as God honors our prayers. "Call unto me and I will answer thee." "Ye have not because ye ask not." This is why we take open prayer requests in church and prayer rooms.
Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
4. We find the possibility of healing, through sins confessed in cases of chastisement or faults confessed, God is both able and willing to give help to His beloved children by removing the chastisement of sinfulness.
5. The conversion of the sinner is the covering of a multitude of sins that have been committed or that would have been committed had he not requested help. It is also a covering for all who hear because it manifest's our personal weakness in the matter of sinfulness and we strive harder to live lives that are pleasing to God.
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