James Expounds on Faith Volume 59

 Praying in Faith Part 4

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We have seen in the previous verses how the Apostle James exhorted and encouraged the brothers or sisters in our Lord Jesus' Mystical Body to go to the elders of the Body seeking prayer from them for their physical ailments or diseases, however, we now find him appealing to each one of them and us to seek out one another to confess to one another our sins against our Father in Heaven which may have caused someone's sicknesses, as it is written, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16) (KJV). The English word 'Confess' that begins this verse of Scripture is translated by the Greek word exomologeō meaning to acknowledge or (by implication of assent) agree fully. The little English phrase 'your faults' is translated by the Greek word paraptōma meaning a side slip (lapse or deviation), that is, (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression: - fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass. Here is what Robertson's Word Pictures had to say of this, "Confession of sin to God is already assumed. But public confession of certain sins to one another in the meetings is greatly helpful in many ways. This is not confessing to one man like a Priest in place of the public confession. One may confess to the Pastor without confessing to God or to the Church, with little benefit to anybody." When you are able to be among a body of true and faithful believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is beneficial not only to the transgressor, but also to the rest of the body as we remember these words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatian believers in Christ when he wrote, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." (Galatians 6:1-5) (NKJV). When the Apostle James writes in James 5:16 these words, 'and pray one for another, that ye may be healed', he means that we should collectively lift up hands to our Father in Heaven 🙏 praying to Him for the brother of sister who is overtaken by a sin or tresspass praying 🙏 that he or she be healed from the desire of that particular sin, for our Father in Heaven does not just heal from physical malady, but He heals from spiritual malady or diseases as well (all sin is spiritual disease). The English word 'healed' used by the Apostle in James 5:16 is translated by the Greek word iaomai is a primary verb meaning to cure (literally or figuratively): - heal, make whole.

In the last part of James 5:16, which reads, 'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much', means that any son or daughter of our Lord Jesus Christ has the ability to pray in faith through Christ Jesus our Lord and to expect God the Father to hear and answer prayers. The little English phrase, 'The effectual fervent' is translated by the Greek word energeō meaning to be active, efficient: - do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in). The liitle English phrase 'availeth much' is translated by the Greek words (polu ischuei) meaning to have much force or strength 💪. Example, Moses, as it is written, "Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah (Burning), because the fire of the LORD had burned among them." (Numbers 11:1-3) (NKJV), and the Apostle Peter and John along with many other brothers and sisters after they were forbidden to declare the Name of Jesus, as it is written, "So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed. And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' 'For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.' And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:18-31) (NKJV).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…