Prayer Works? (James 5:13-15)

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Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. - James  5:13-15

Does prayer work?

I don't know about you, but I have prayers that are not answered the way I expect them to be answered, the way I want them to be answered. The way I feel I need them to be answered. So I ask myself, does prayer work? In prayer, there are often three parties. The pray-er. The pray-ee. And the God who stands between the two. When I’ve been visiting my homeless friends at the encampment each week (especially in the early days when I hadn't got to know people and there wasn't as much to do) if I had spare time, I would walk in a circle around the Camp. As I walked, I would pray these words: I testify to the powers in this place, the presence of the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead. I testify to the powers in this place, the presence of the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead. I testify to the powers in this place, the presence of the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead. I would pray that over and over again and I can only tell you that I felt... resistance. Sometimes it was hard for me to complete that sentence. When I encountered that resistance, it humbled me. I was reminded of what our world is up against. I was reminded of Who is on our side.

Prayer works—not as a magic formula, not an incantation. It's not a thing where if you remember at the end of the prayer to say, “In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen” then God has to do it.

Prayer works—and first of all it works in us when we pray.

  • Prayer works in me every time I pray a prayer of thanks, reminding me of my own story.
  • Prayer works in me every time I pray a prayer of need that is not answered, challenging me into greater depths of trust. To keep on seeking. To keep on asking. To keep on knocking.
  • Prayer works in me every time I pray a prayer of need that is answered. Strengthening my faith, not because I needed proof, but because... Look what God did!
  • Prayer works on me every time I say to you, “Yes, at the hour when you have that appointment, I will be praying for you.”
  • It works in me every time I ask you to, at the hour when I have that appointment, pray for me. Prayer works, reminding us that we are one. That I’m part of you and you are part of me, and between us stands the God who hears. The God who answers.
  • Finally, every time I pray, “I'm sorry. Forgive me,” prayer works in me, deepening my love for God. In the certain and undeniable knowledge that He forgives me and I can try again and try again and try again.

Prayer works in us because every time we pray, God works. What He will do in response to our prayer... sometimes it's not what we expect. Sometimes it's not what we want. But it will be, in the end, what we need. It will be, in the end, infinitely greater and better than anything we can imagine or deserve. Prayer can be simple. It can be a single word, crying out into the silence and into the darkness. Please. Help. Thanks. Sorry. Wow. And that one, single word, caught by the Holy Spirit, filled with His breath and His power, when it's carried to the throne is caught by the Father. It's heard by the Son and it is always—always—answered.

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Let's pray together. Father, Son and Spirit. In our church family there are people who are praying for help. Who are up against something that is greater than they are. Who are butting their heads against a wall. Who just do not know what to do next. And on their behalf, God, we—the church—pray, “help.” In our church family there are people who are praying prayers of joy. Prayers of gratitude for goodness received. Whether that happened suddenly, or by a route that was long and slow. As a church family together, on their behalf, we pray, “thank you.” In our church family there are people who are praying for healing. Praying that You will, either through appropriate medical care, or in a miraculous undeniable God-touch way, restore what needs to be restored, bring back into balance what needs to be brought back into balance. On their behalf, as a church family, we pray for Your healing. In our church family there are people who are praying for forgiveness. Who are saying, “I'm sorry. I messed that up... 30 years ago. This morning. Five minutes ago.” We know that You are the God of new creation. Of second chances, and 3rd, and 4th. God, on behalf of each other as a church family, we pray for forgiveness and for the courage to take that fresh start. God, You tell us that every time we pray, we are heard. We know that every time we pray, You respond. In ways that we can see, or in ways that we can't. In ways that we had hoped, or in ways that we don't understand. God, we pray that you will give us the wisdom to pray. No matter what our situation, no matter what we encounter, no matter where we stand or where we fall. Call to us from heaven, and remind us to pray. In Jesus’ name I ask this. Amen


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