This post is Day 25 in a series of studies about “James”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

James – Day 25

Please note that this verse does not say go to the doctor. The first thing we should do with sickness is pray. Too often in the body of Christ it is the last thing we do. We think the elders are too busy, or the sickness is not serious enough.

James 5:14-15

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 make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

The Thought

Please note that this verse does not say “go to the doctor”. The first thing we should do with sickness is pray. Too often in the body of Christ it is the last thing we do. We think the elders are too busy or God is too busy, or the sickness is not serious enough.

If more prayer was offered to protect us from illness or at the start of an illness, I am sure that many diseases could be stopped from getting worse and any consequent medication would work much more effectively, and maybe would not even be necessary.

In the gospels, there is no record of Jesus telling anyone to go to the doctor, although He did tell a leper to go and show the priest that he was healed! He also instructed the leper to pay the normal gift to the temple. He didn’t want any more aggression from the priests, He also wanted them to be aware of the healing (Matthew 8:4)!

Our part in all of this is to keep praying and to keep renewing our minds to think and act like Jesus (Romans 12:2).

Action

Praise God that it is His will to heal, but more importantly that we don’t get sick!

Praise Him that there is no sickness in Heaven.

Pray for boldness for the leaders in your church group to pray with confidence for healing.

Pray for an increase in the healing testimonies to the power of God in your church.