"The Prayer Of Faith..."

James 5:15

James assures us that the prayer of faith, the prayer that is born of and caused by faith in Christ, shall save the sick. Of course the word "save" means "deliver." The prayer of faith shall, most assuredly, deliver the sick from his sickness. What is "the prayer of faith"? The next verse tell us: "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous mean availeth much."

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS "EFFECTUAL". The word used by James means "in wrought". It is a prayer wrought in, or produced in the heart of a believer by the Spirit of God. It is a prayer that is found in the heart (II Sam. 7:27), produced by the work of God and based upon the Word of God. Without question, the prayer of faith willingly submits to the will of God. But there is more to it than that. The prayer of faith discerns what the will of God is by the illumination of the Holy Spirit in his heart (Rom. 8:27). And the prayer of faith is according to the will of God (I John 5:14).

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS "FERVENT". Faith is im- portunate.It will not give up its plea until it obtains the mercy it seeks(Luke 11:8-10).Like the Syrophenician woman, faith cannot be turned away (Matt. 15:21-28).

THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS THE PRAYER OF "A RIGHTEOUS MAN", one who has been made righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to him and by the cleansing of his blood. It is the prayer of one who draws near to, calls upon, and is accepted of God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:15; Heb. 7:25).

AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH "AVAILETH MUCH".The prayer of the righteous is God's delight;therefore "he heareth the prayer of the righteous" (Prov. 15:8,29). "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (I John 5:14-15).We have what we desire, because what we desire is what our heavenly Father desires - his will and his glory. We gladly subject all our desires to these two things. The prayer of faith is free of selfish desire and personal want(James 4:3). The prayer of faith wants what God has purposed.Therefore,it is always effectual. If my will is subject to and in harmony with my Father's will, I may, and most assuredly shall, have what I will.

Don Fortner