Encouragement and Exhortation
Excerpt
Pray, sing, be anointed and healed! Christians should be bold in expressing their emotions before the Lord, whether that involves sorrow expressed in prayer, or joy expressed in worship (5:13). Those who are ill should not hesitate to ask for prayer. The prayer of faith will heal, and if sin is involved and confessed, God will forgive (5:14–16; see 1 John 1:9). Elijah is our model: Though he was human just like us, his prayers had amazing results (5:17–18; see 1 Kings 17:1; 18:41–46). However, it is not always God’s will to heal the sick (see exposition on 1 Tim. 5:21–25). Suffering, if rightly understood and endured by the believer, can bring glory to God (see Exod. 4:11; John 9:1–3; see exposition on 2 Cor. 12:7–10). Note that healing is promised not through so-called faith healers but through elders of local churches. James also urged concern for the spiritually sick (5:19–20). More
Willmington, H. L. Willmington’s Bible Handbook. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1997. Print.
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