LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
Wednesday Night, December 12, 2007 “The Prayer of Faith”
James 5:13-20
5 Minutes - Welcome / Prayer
5 Minutes - OPEN
Read the text for tonight.
Why should the church have a “holistic approach” to ministry to people? Describe in your own words what it means to become whole.
15 Minutes - DIG
Throughout this letter, James has spoken candidly about the suffering that believers will experience. Here he says, “is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.”
Why is prayer a proper response to trouble?
Is this prayer to be offered in private? Or is it to be offered with other believers (when the church gathers)?
James then posed a second question, “Is anyone happy?
Times of happiness are a blessing from God. What is the proper response for these times – “Let him sing songs of praise.”
Is this song that we sing to be done in private? Or is it to be sung with other believers (when the church gathers)?
And then a third question, “I any one of you sick?”
What kind of sickness do you think James was referring to –
( ) physical;
( ) emotional;
( ) mental;
( ) spiritual;
( ) or all.
For those of us who believe God does heal today, the question becomes how does he go about it? James gives some specific instructions:
• First of all, the one who is sick has to ask for help and James’ instruction is to involve the elders of the church. The elders are instructed to anoint the sick person with oil in the name of the Lord.
• What is the purpose of using oil? While it is true that olive oil was often used for medicinal purposes (Luke 10:34; Mark 6:12-14), more important is the application of the oil “in the name of the Lord” because herein the Spirit of God gets involved!
• And the elders’ prayer must be offered in faith. What is the belief the elders should have when offering this prayer?
( ) That God can heal this person.
( ) Submitting this concern to God and trusting that He
knows what is best.
( ) That God will show up in this situation.
( ) Any other ideas?
James described the prayer of the true believer as being “powerful and effective.” Have you found this to be true? If so, share some examples of such with your LIFE Group.
James used an Old Testament example to illustrate effective prayer. Elijah prayed and God withheld rain from the earth for three and one-half years. Then God sent rain again at Elijah’s request (1 Kings 17:1; 18:41-42).
15 Minutes - REFLECT
There are two different approaches people take to faith healing that interferes with a proper understanding of James’ teaching on faith healing.
• The first we’ll call the sensationalist approach. These are the healers who advertise healing sessions, who pack coliseums with people looking for miracles on demand.
• A second approach to healing says that it only happened in the past.
With this perspective, some of us never even think of asking for divine healing. Why?
How closely are physical health and spiritual health connected? Why do you think James includes in this section the importance of confession of sins?
James continued his instruction on prayer by telling his readers that their entire church should be characterized by mutual confession of sin.
How is it that mutual confession leads to prayer for each other?
At the very heart of the life and work of the church is restoration of the fallen, the finding of the lost, and the saving of sinners.
It is the nature of human beings to stray from God’s way, to “miss the mark” that God has established for us, and to turn from the path that He has prescribed for us.
To anyone willing, the way back to God and to life is to turn from “the error of his way” to save one’s soul from “death and cover over a multitude of sins” (v. 20).
Are you involved in this kind of ministry?
5 Minutes - CLOSING PRAYER
From this discussion, what are those things you feel compelled to pray about tonight? Pray about these matters one by one and bring them before your Heavenly Father.
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