James (Part 6)
James on Prayer (continued)
6. Ask … with clean hands and a pure heart (4:8b and 5:16a)
We need clean hands, which speaks of being washed from “outward sin” and also a pure heart, which speaks of being washed from inner, hidden, secret sin (see Psalms 24:3-5 and 19:12).
If we want God to hear us as we pray, we need to come to Him cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Jesus.
When praying for people for their healing, James 5:16 says we need to confess our faults or sins to one another (that is, get cleaned up first), and then pray for healing.
7. Ask … with powerful, effective prayer (5:16)
The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective, and accomplish much. So we need to pray effective, fervent prayers from a righteous life.
“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-5)
Then, as Jesus said, “If you ask anything according to My will, it shall be done for you” (1 John 5:14-15; Matt. 7:7-11). Waiting on God in prayer and meditation is one of the ways in which we can know God’s will, and hence know how we should pray.
FINALLY …
A few further points from what James says about prayer:
When and how to pray (5:13-18)
· When suffering – pray
· When joyful – sing praises
· When sick – call for the elders to pray
· When there are unforgiven sins, which have not been previously dealt with – repent and confess them
· When God needs to intervene in a situation – we need to pray fervently. This may involve floods, droughts, earthquakes or other disasters.
Thus James covers all the major types of prayer:
Praise + Worship + Thanksgiving + Confession + Supplication + Intercession + Spiritual warfare + Meditation
Bless and do not curse (3:1-12)
The tongue can praise, worship, bless, confess, intercede, make declarations, give thanks and so on. Or, it can speak negatively, curse, lie, gossip, hurt and be used in other ways by the devil.
We need to watch our words and make sure that we make positive confessions and proclamations, and not negative, unbelieving, “cursing” statements, even about ourselves! e.g. “I’m no good.” “I can’t do it!” I’m a failure”, etc.
This is not referring to:
· “name it and claim it”, or to
· making untrue statements “in faith”, or to
· “the power of positive thinking”
but we do need to confess God’s Word and be careful not to say negative, unbelieving words which bring a curse rather than a blessing. After all, it is the same tongue which is trying to pray for right things, which has already said wrong things! This should not be so!
When Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, he said, “Woe is me … for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.” And the angel took a burning coal off the altar and touched his lips and said “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out” (Is. 6:5). Do we need our lips purged from unclean words, words of condemnation, words of unbelief or words which bring a curse rather than a blessing – to someone else or even to ourselves? “Lord, cleanse my lips from all such things!”
We need to make sure that what is in our heart is pure, for out of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34; Luke 6:45). The tongue is loosened by alcohol, and when we let our guard down, for example, by foolish jesting, anger, pride or jealousy.
Sincerity and truth need to fill our hearts if our words and our prayers are to be heard and answered – that is, if our prayers are to be effective.
Elijah and us (5:17-18)
Elijah was like us: he ran away, discouraged, fearful, and lonely (“only I am left” – but in actual fact there were 7000 others; Rom. 11:2-4), but when “he heard from God” (8 times in 1 Kings chapters 17-19) and prayed, he was bold; his prayers were powerful and effective, and he saw miracles. We can too!
Hearing and doing (1:22)
“Be doers of the Word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves!” What God has taught us to do through His Word, we must apply to our lives daily if we are to pray effectively and see God’s answers to our prayers!
Learn how to pray, and then PRAY! (James 4:17).
SUMMARY
1. Ask and ask correctly – watch your motives!
2. Ask in faith
3. Balance faith and works
4. Watch your tongue – bless and do not curse
5. Submit to God and resist the devil
6. Confess anything which might hinder your prayers from being answered
7. Pray powerful, effective prayers from a righteous life
8. Be like Elijah – hear from God and pray
9. Hear and do
QUESTIONS
1. Why are “clean hands and a pure heart” so important before we pray for other things?
2. Why is it important to wait on God, in prayer and meditation?
3. James covers all the major types of prayer. Which, if any, of these types of prayer are often lacking in your prayer life?
4. What does James say about “the tongue” (the things we say) and how it relates to our prayer lives?
5. In what ways does the life of Elijah illustrate some of the principles of effective prayer? What can we learn from him?
6. “Faith and works”, “hearing and doing” are all important in James’ letter. How do faith, works, hearing and doing all relate to an effective prayer life?