James, Session 13: The Power of Prayer

Read the passage: James 5:13-20 (ESV, Bible Gateway)

Do you pray more when life is good or when it’s not so good?

Read James 5:13-20

Considering v13, generally, why should the suffering pray?
- Why does James need to remind us to pray when suffering? Why might we not pray?
Why should the cheerful sing praise?
Considering v14, why should the sick ask for prayer?
- All three situations (suffering, cheerful, sick) call for a response to God. What does this tell us?
In v14, who are the sick to call?
- Why does it matter that it’s the elders as a group and not just someone seen as having a gift of healing?
- Why might someone not call the elders to pray over them?
- What are the elders to do? Why?
- In the Old Testament, what did anointing with oil symbolise? Why might this explain why James describes the elders doing this for a sick person?
Considering v15-16, where does the power of prayer lie and why does it matter to get this right?
- Does this mean God will always heal? Why or why not?
What is the link between sickness and sin? Is sickness always, sometimes, or never a result of sin?
- Why does this help make sense of the self-examination suggested in v16?
- Why does this area require great sensitivity? And why might this explain the calling of the elders?
Considering v16, what are some implications of prayer being powerful?
- What are some reasons we don’t pray?
- Why does James stipulate that it’s the prayers of a ‘righteous’ person that have great power?
- What does the example of Elijah have to do with prayer and sin?
Look at v19-20. What might wandering away from the truth look like?
- Why does looking out for one another matter?

Recap & Reflect

Recap what this passage teaches you about prayer – when to pray, with whom, what attitude to have.

Take time now to pray for others, for those who are sick and suffering, for those who have wandered from the truth, not forgetting to confess your own sins as well.

Leader’s notes

The notes are here to help you lead a group and answer tough questions. The idea isn’t to read the “right” answer out after each question, but rather to give you support or a helpful nudge in guiding your discussion in the right direction. Feel free to use them as best suits your group.

Why should the cheerful sing praise?
The danger when life is good is that we think we’re responsible for our successes. Praise reminds us that everything we have is a gift.
Considering v14, why should the sick ask for prayer?
To be healed; to be encouraged knowing others are with us in our difficulty; because sometimes we need other people’s faith to carry us.
- All three situations (suffering, cheerful, sick) call for a response to God. What does this tell us?
  We should be prayerful, praying people, whatever circumstances we are going through
In v14, who are the sick to call?
- Why does it matter that it’s the elders as a group and not just someone seen as having a gift of healing?
  We should not think that James is promoting some sort of special healing ministry within a church. Calling the elders should mean calling the leaders entrusted with shepherding the flock. They should be godly, wise and insightful men, full of the Spirit and faith. This spiritual discernment may be necessary if sin is playing a part in the person’s sickness as James goes on to suggest may sometimes be the case.
- Why might someone not call the elders to pray over them?
  They may be embarrassed, or not want to bother them; they may not trust them, or think they have sufficient faith for healing. They may recognise sin is at the root of their health problem and not want to have to confront that.
- What are the elders to do? Why?
  The elders are to come and pray over the sick person and anoint them with oil in the Lord’s name. Prayer is the means of bringing God’s healing presence to bear upon the situation. It is to ask for his will to be done and his kingly rule to come. Oil, as we will see below, is a symbol of his presence, through the Spirit.
- In the Old Testament, what did anointing with oil symbolise? Why might this explain why James describes the elders doing this for a sick person?
  It symbolised setting apart/consecration to God, of kings and priests. The same is true for the sick person – it symbolises them being set apart for the Lord’s special attention; but also, the consecration of a sinner repenting and coming back to God as a result of sickness. It’s a symbol of the Spirit, and so anointing with oil may remind us of the Lord’s presence and power to heal and restore.
Considering v15-16, where does the power of prayer lie and why does it matter to get this right?
The power of prayer is not in prayer itself but in God who we pray for. ‘True’ prayer, the prayer that has power with God, is an expression of faith in God – not faith in prayer, or ourselves for praying. This matters because it means that even if we have only a little faith our prayers can bring great results because God is great. This can give us great assurance and increase our faith. But if we think the power of prayer lies in the prayer itself, or the fervency, or volume, or length of our prayer we’ll never have real assurance we have done enough for God to hear us and answer us, and we will, overtime, become spiritually exhausted.
- Does this mean God will always heal? Why or why not?
  No. We know that the Lord told Paul that he would not be healed, that his power was made perfect in Paul’s weakness; we know that Timothy was sick and Paul prescribed wine… presumably he was not healed instantaneously by prayer. In addition, in 4:13-15 James has already encouraged us to view life through the sovereignty of God, not our own desires.
What is the link between sickness and sin? Is sickness always, sometimes, or never a result of sin?
The answer must be sometimes. See John 9:1-3 for an example where sickness/disability was not a cause of sin, and John 5:14 and 1 Corinthians 11:28- 30 where it is.
- Why does this area require great sensitivity? And why might this explain the calling of the elders?
  To label someone’s sickness a result of their sin (or lack of faith) when it isn’t, or to falsely reassure them when it is, can do great damage.
Considering v16, what are some implications of prayer being powerful?
This can be God’s means to bring about real change, healing and repentance in our and others’ lives. We should pray!
- Why does James stipulate that it’s the prayers of a ‘righteous’ person that have great power?
  For two reasons: firstly, we are counted righteous in Christ. Because of Christ we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. Knowing our righteousness in Christ can give us great boldness and confidence in prayer. But secondly, knowing we have been made righteous in Christ will cause us to want to grow in practical, lived-out righteousness; to grow to become more like Christ. If we are not doing this, but rather are deliberately continuing in a life of sin, it should make us question whether we have been made righteous at all, but also we should not think we can live in frank sin and still expect God to graciously hear us. In fact, his refusal to hear our prayers may be one means he uses to bring us to face up to the sin in our lives.
- What does the example of Elijah have to do with prayer and sin?
  He was a man of prayer, he was righteous, and his prayers were answered. But also, the situation the people of Israel found themselves in was as a result of their sin… as James is suggesting might sometimes be the case with sickness.
Look at v19-20. What might wandering away from the truth look like?
Someone might stop coming to church, or come intermittently; they might start questioning central parts of the gospel, or the need for repentance and faith; they may begin to excuse their own or other people’s sins.

Download the complete study: Bible study on James (PDF)