Anointing, Understanding An Oft Misunderstood Prayer

James 5:16-18  “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

I did an internet search yesterday. It said there were:

If you were to ask me, “what’s your favorite prayer in the Bible?”, I would have a hard time answering, as I usually have several favorites, including:

  • Joshua’s prayer for the sun to stand still
  • Elijah’s prayer for the rain to stop, and later start
  • Daniel’s prayer for wisdom
  • Jesus’ prayer that His people be one; and His prayer for forgiveness of those who crucified Him, because both of those include you and me!
  • And this one…. An oft misunderstood prayer…the Anointing prayer (James 5)

An evangelist friend of mine use to say, “little prayer = little power, but much prayer = much power”. He called his morning devotional time his “power time”.

I believe that because I have witnessed and experienced the power of prayer!

I’m reminded of one of my favorite non-Bible quotes:

“Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?” Steps to Christ, 94

Jesus’ power was often displayed through His miracles of healing the sick. But there was a reason He had power from the Father to accomplish this – Their connection through His consistent prayer life.

Luke 6:12 “…and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.”

We need that connection, that consistency!

Acts 1:7,8  “He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

It’s no wonder the early church “continually devoted       themselves to prayer” prior to their receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14).

And when revival came… when they were unified in heart and purpose, the Holy Spirit was poured out with power in response to prayer (Acts 2:2). And after receiving the Holy Spirit, they continued steadfast in prayer (Acts 2:42)

Prayer was so important to the Apostles that they had the church select additional leaders (deacons), and said, Acts 6:4 “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

When Jesus sent out the 70, and even after His ascension, the disciples went around miraculously healing the sick. Paul did too.

Acts 19:10-12   “This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.  11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.”

Now we know that Satan will work powerful miracles in the last days to deceive people, but I’m excited when I think of inspired cousel that says the work will finish with no less power then when it began!

Miraculous healings are one of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:28) and were ultimately for this purpose: To edify the church and give powerful witness to the gospel of Jesus (Nurture & Outreach) (Acts 4:33).

People should be cautious about miracles for good reason –

Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’  23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Matthew 24:11,24 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. …24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Revelation 13:13  “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.”

Yet we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater

The Apostles prayed for the ability to heal and do miracles (Acts 4:29-30, 31)

Acts 5:12-15  “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.  13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.  14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.”

One of the greatest miracles God’s people can engage in is intercessory prayer; and especially for elders/pastors there is a special intercessory prayer for the sick. It’s a part of Anointing, and described in James 5:13-16

Anointing is often misunderstood by the saints:

  • It is NOT last rights, to prepare a person for death!
  • It is NOT for any minor ailment or sneeze!

Lets open our Bibles to James 5:13-16 to see what it IS.

Vs 13 says that if someone is suffering they should be praying. And I would add, asking for intercessory prayer from the saints! 

Once recovered, they should then be praising God!

Vs 14 says that if they get worse, they, the sick person, should call for the pastor and local elders. It’s important that the sick person initiate this because it’s a matter of faith and they need to demonstrate their faith in this process. The pastor or elders should review with the person what anointing is and what the person should do to prepare and be ready when they are actually anointed with the pure olive oil.

I like to review the instructions of James with the person and their immediate family, and ask them to read the chapter called “Prayer For The Sick” out of the book “Ministry of Healing”. I also instruct them to search their heart with God, asking Him to reveal to them any hidden or as yet un-dealt with sins, so they can confess them to God and receive His forgiveness, and/or make amends with those they have harmed. Then the actual anointing can be done, often at their home.

Biblically, Oil was used for healing and is also a symbol for the Holy Spirit. It, the pure olive oil, is simply placed on the person’s forehead by the pastor and each elder, who, in turn, offer special intercessory prayers for God’s healing of the sick person.

Vs 15. Did you notice the promise here? The prayer WILL save the sick and they WILL be healed. The only condition is faith!

Did you also notice the correlation between sin sickness and health sickness?

Before continuing, allow me to interject some common, and Biblical, sense: James also writes that …

 “every good and perfect gift comes from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Good doctors, nurses, other health professionals, medical staff, hospitals, medical procedures, medicines, etc. are a gift from God, and should be used when and where appropriate!

Faith does not neglect what God provides simply because it is not what one wants.

May I also add … commit to healthy living!

1 Corinthians 6:19,20  says we are not our own, our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, we belong to God. He created us and He redeemed us with the precious blood of Jesus!

And, did you notice that the timing of the healing is left to God to determine? The healing, if the conditions of faith and forgiveness are met, is guaranteed. But the timing is not specified. It may be immediate, it may be at resurrection morning, or some where in between. But true faith says, “thy will be done”. True faith accepts God’s will, His methods, and His timing.

A member asked me for anointing for her cancer.  We went through some of the counsel/education I have already mentioned. When she was ready, I assembled the elders and she was anointed. A few weeks later I saw her and she was beaming! She said she felt something happen during the anointing but didn’t want to say anything just then. She later went to her doctors for an appointment and he remarked that something seemed different about her. Her tests were done and later she was told her cancer was gone! I’m sure that is the kind of result that everyone wants. But it may not be the result that everyone needs, or receives.

A fellow seminary student shared with some of us classmates who his wife, who had died previous to his coming to seminary, was anointed for a severe lung condition. She died. But he said that the anointing gave them the strength they needed to cope with her illness, and him, her death!

I’ve been anointed for my dysphonia. And while my voice is improving, it is not fully recovered. The experience has been faith building to say the least! I am content with whatever the Lord decides because I trust, and love, Him and His plan He has for me. 

Healing & Forgiveness were interrelated to Christ

To the paralytic Jesus said … “your sins are forgiven, rise up and walk” Luke 5:24,26 .  

He emphasized the spiritual healing before the physical.

Our greatest sickness is still “sin sickness”; it stands to reason that our great need is for the healing of the soul from sin.

In Vs 16. We are told to confess our trespasses, the harms we have committed against others, and to pray for one another as a pre-requisite to healing. We also confess our sins to God.

Healing can not take place till our sins are confessed to God and apologies and restitution made to those we harmed

Psalm 66:18   “God will not hear if I regard (am aware of unresolved) iniquity in my heart”

In summary, a person who is suffering should pray and even ask other members for intercessory prayer. If their condition (illness, bad habit, etc..) worsens, they should ask their pastor for anointing, live in harmony with God’s will and with other people, & then trust God’s timing!

God WILL save the sick, He WILL raise them up… at the right time, His time, that is best for their well being!

1 John 5:14-15  “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

Philippians 4:11-13   “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

Closing Hymn: #499

Appeal

My friend, are you praying for your friends and fellow church members? Are you taking your needs, and joys, to God in prayer? Have you accepted the assurance of God’s healing for sin and sickness, and committed to God’s means for recovery?

Benediction:

“But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.” Malachi 4:2 (NKJ)

“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.” Jeremiah 17:14 (NKJ)

 

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