Ralph Porter

© 2003

    What's your first thought when it seems like God doesn't do what He said He would do? Job struggled with such thoughts when everything seemed to go wrong, and God didn't bless him the way he expected. Habakkuk also questioned God: "How long are You going to let this go on?" "Why don't You do something?"

    Have you ever looked at a passage, believed God to do something, and then become discouraged because it seemed God didn't do what He said He'do? Do we start with the assumption that there's something wrong with God's promise, or do we start with us-with our understanding of what God said?

    I've observed a lot of confusion and frustration among God's people because we're expecting the wrong thing. When we don't get what we expected, we wonder why! We doubt God, because He didn't do what He said He would--at least what we thought He said He would do! We're about to look at a passage where that confusion often occurs. People are confused and frustrated because they've misunderstood what God promised.

    James wrote to the scattered Jewish church during one of the most difficult times of its history. He's addressing the issue of discouragement in the hard times of life. They're doubting God. They're ready to throw in the towel. They're complaining about the hard times. They're criticizing one another. How do we respond when we face hard times? When it feels like God has abandoned us?

    Some years ago a close friend of mine went through a time like that. He was a missionary. He committed his life to serving God. He was suddenly informed he'd been doing things all wrong. He was being sent home. He wasn't needed anymore. He and his wife sat alone in their home way out in the village-stunned-and alone!

It seemed nobody cared. They didn't know what to do. They were ready to chuck it all-pack up their stuff and go home! At that moment, God seemed far away and uncaring. They even doubted God!

    Do you know what that's like? Have you ever gone through hard times and wondered whether God cared? Was He even there? Have you come to the place where you doubted Him?

    When we go through a long period of suffering, we've all experienced discouragement and frustration. Discouragement takes our eyes off the Lord and off other people around us who are suffering. We begin to think about ourselves and how we can escape the affliction.

    That's what was happening to God's people in the first century. The church is going through a terrible time of affliction. They're discouraged. James urges us to respond to such times of pressure with a living, fruit-producing faith: a faith which endures tribulation (1:2-12); a faith which overcomes temptation (1:13-27).

THREE EXHORTATIONS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE

WHEN WE FACE TIMES OF SUFFERING   5:7-20

    In the conclusion of his letter, James encourages us to hang in thereto remain faithful.

         1.    Wait patiently on the Lord   5:7-11

                        As a farmer waits patiently for the final rain, in anticipation of the harvest,

                        we ought to wait patiently for God's work in us to be completed.

         2.    Affirm the truth   5:12

                        In contrast to pagan people in a dishonest society, who use oaths to

                        guarantee their word, God's people should establish a reputation for honesty

                        so that we don't need to swear by anything. Just speak straight. Give a

                        simple yes or no answer, and then do it. People will learn we mean what we

                        say.

        3.    Support one another in prayer   5:13-20

                        The third exhortation for us, when we're facing the hard times of life is

                        summarized in 5:13-14:

                        "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.

                        Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

                        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."

    When we feel bad, rather than complain, we should pray (5:13a). The root idea underlying the word "trouble" or "suffering" contains the root for "passion." It has to do with how you feel! When we're feeling bad, when times are hard and things are rough, it's time to pray! Turn your burden over to God! Let Him handle it!

    When we feel good, rather than gloat about it, we should praise (5:13b). This is the appropriate response when we feel good. This is the time to sing praise, literally, to sing a psalm! When things are going well--if you're feeling good--give God the credit! Praise Him!

    When we feel weak--too weak to go on--instead of complaining and criticizing others, we should call the elders and have them pray for us (5:14). When the heat's on, and we feel like we just can't take it anymore-when we're too weak to go on--it's time to stand together, support one another, encourage one another, and pray for one another.

    When times are rough, most people retreat. In the early church, they threw in the towel and retreated under the cover of Judaism. They pulled away from the church. They didn't feel like going to church!

    Hebrews 10:22-25 says that when that happens, don't retreat! Don't forsake the assembly--that's when we need each other most! Draw near to God. Hang on to your hope. Encourage one another.

    James adds, "Call in the elders! Have them pray for you!" In that context, when we're too weak to go on, the prayer of faith will bring healing! The Lord will raise up the weak! Our sin of doubting God in the dark will be forgiven! When you face the hard times of life, that's the time to rally the troops, to cling to one another, to encourage one another, to pray for one another, and the prayer of faith will bring healing to the weak, ALWAYS!

    How did I get to that conclusion?!!! The word James uses that most versions translate as "sick," literally means "weak." Usually the weakness described is a physical weakness; we call that weakness "illness" or "being sick." However, in context of suffering, illness isn't the most likely weakness we face, but rather the weakening of spirit is a greater risk.

    We call that kind of weakness "discouragement" or even, "depression." People weakened by discouragement in the midst of hard times should call in the elders. Their prayer and identification by anointing with oil will bring about restoration (5:14-16).

        "Does anyone feel weak? 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 weak person whole; and the Lord will raise him up. If he has

    sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray 

    for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is 

    powerful and effective.

    When someone is discouraged, the rest of us, especially church leaders, ought to rally around the one who is down and encourage them to keep going, by prayer and identification with them. That's what the anointing with oil was about. Olive oil isn't a magic potion with special curative power. Nor is the use of olive oil a way to manipulate God to get Him to do what we want Him to do. Anointing with oil was a Jewish custom, established in the Old Testament, as a symbol of identification.

    It was used in ordination to the priesthood to demonstrate the anointer's (and God's) identification with the new priest. In that case it was equivalent to the New Testament practice of laying hands on a person committed to ministry to demonstrate our identification with that person and their ministry.

    When someone was weak in spirit, church leaders identified with them in their suffering. These verses refer to the same person, who due to lack of faith is discouraged, and has sinned by not trusting God in their suffering.

    If you want to apply this passage to sick people, I can't deny absolutely that it's applicable to physical weakness ( that is, to sickness). However, people are frequently confused and frustrated by this passage because it's been misunderstood! Amy Carmichael, a well-known missionary to India, was frustrated because the formula didn't "work" for her co-laborer, Ponnamal, who died of cancer.

    Two common misunderstandings develop out of this passage. First, as we've already noted, it's not really talking about physical illness; it's talking about spiritual weakness, that is, discouragement. The people to whom James is writing have grown weak and weary in their struggle with sin (Heb. 12:3). That's why sin is introduced in the picture. Sometimes we give up and doubt God in unbelief. Even then, forgiveness and restoration are possible!

    The second misunderstanding concerning this passage is that it isn't prescribing a way to manipulate God to get what we want. God's people are never able to accomplish that! According to the passage, spiritual leaders come; they identify with the one who is weak. Together they seek God's will. God works through them to show His will. They lay claim by faith to whatever God shows them He wants to do.

    If James is referring to sick people, we're still to call more than one of the elders to pray; they anoint the person with oil as a means of identifying with the sick one; they determine God's will, and trust God to do what He indicates to them He is going to do. Either way, the point is that spiritually mature leaders agree about what God wants to do, and then trust Him to do what He has shown them. God honors the faith of those godly leaders.

    Elijah serves as an example of how God deals with discouraged people. He was suffering from a "similar affliction" (that is, he too was "feeling bad!"). Scripture never records an incident of a time when Elijah was physically sick. However, we do know about a time when he was discouraged (5:16b-18)!

         "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like 

    us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for

    three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth

    produced its crops.

    James' play on words concludes climactically in these verses. Back in 5:10 he described the suffering of the prophets. They understand our pain because they suffered evil too. They know what it's like to "feel bad." They "feel our pain!" In urging us to call for the elders to pray, James takes note of the pain that we feel when the pressure rises (5:13). Now he uses a related root word. He tells us that Elijah "suffered similarly!"

    Are you feeling down because of what you're suffering? Elijah knows what it's like! He suffered evil, in the same ways we suffer! He knows just what you're going through. He's been there! But he won the battle. Elijah fought the battle. He suffered evil, but when he prayed fervently, God did something! In spite of his affliction and discouragement, when he prayed, God answered! The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective!

    James introduces three formulas for righteous people to apply in times of trouble. Three of them are directly applied to Elijah's experience. The third is demonstrated by Elijah, but affirmed directly by James:

    When God's people were headed down the tubes. When they were characterized by moral degeneration, idolatry and injustice, Elijah prayed that God would withhold the rain--and He did it! Elijah was a guy, just like us! He felt the same kinds of pain we feel! When Elijah prayed, God worked! Then the people repented.

JUST PEOPLE + FERVENT PRAYER = RAIN + HARVEST

    When the people responded appropriately to God's judgment, Elijah prayed again. This time God poured out the rain and harvest came. A guy just like us! He prayed! God worked! Harvest came! Because of His prayer, a whole nation repented and turned back to God! That leads James to yet another conclusion:

    The days in which we live could easily lead to discouragement. Our national moral condition, our economic situation, political conditions, post modern rejection of any absolute standards, even the condition of the church. It would be easy to get discouraged today. In many parts of the world, God's people are suffering for their faith. It would be easy to focus on the hard times and give up. You name it! When we're feeling weak--like Elijah--common people can still pray! God can still work! The prayer of the righteous is still powerful and effective!

    As in Elijah's day, and in James' day, when someone gives up because of discouragement, God can use us to bring them back (5:19-20):

        My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should 

    bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way 

    will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

    If God can use Elijah, He can use other discouraged people--like us!--if we'll trust Him. When righteous people pray for one another, God uses it to turn people back to Him.

    True believers sometimes do give up and throw in the towel. God can use us to go after them and bring them back. We can be the instruments God uses to save them from judgment. Sin, in the end, leads to death (1:15). The sin of unbelief sometimes leads to physical death. I've seen people turn their backs on God and die bitter old men--because of unbelief--sometimes the story has a tragic ending!

    However, we might have a role in saving their life. We might be the instrument God uses to turn them back, just like Elijah was able to turn Israel back to Him. Their sin will be forgiven, and a multitude of sins covered! By exhorting the one who has turned away, we can save them from the consequences of their turn.

    I began our message this morning with the story of a friend. I want you to know that his story has a happy ending--because they had friends who cared about them.

Their friends heard about their distress. Their friends lived four hours away in the big city. They went down to the local chicken place and bought some chicken-Pollo Campero! They drove through an incredible storm. They took them lunch. They prayed with them--and God restored them!

    Like Elijah--God can use plain ordinary people like us-people who feel the same kind of pain we feel, to pray. The prayer of the righteous is still powerful and effective. The prayer of faith--believing God can use the hard times--still brings healing to the weak. The prayer of faith is still able to turn back those who doubt, can still prevent death, and cover a multitude of sins.

    Several years ago we were preaching from this passage from James. After the service, one of the men from the church came up to me. He told me, "My family and I have been going through some incredibly difficult times. I've been accused of a crime I didn't commit, but there doesn't seem to be anyway to prove that. Frankly, with all that's been going on, we're about to throw in the towel! Could you have the elders get together and pray for me?"

    We went gathered some of the elders, anointed our brother with oil and prayed for him. Over the course of the next few weeks we watched God work. He was vindicated inexplicably. His family struggles were resolved, and God brought healing to their family. That's one of the ways the body of Christ is supposed to function!

            When we feel like . . .                                     We should . . .

                   Complaining                                                     Pray

                   Bragging                                                           Sing praise to God

                   Getting discouraged                                          Pray with others

                   Criticizing the weak                                         Pray for others

    When things are going wrong, when times are hard, . . .

         . . . do we spend more time complaining or praying?

              . . . more time criticizing others or praying for them?

    What does your week look like? I don't know what this week will hold for you. I do know that the prayer of the righteous is still powerful and effective! Do you know someone who's going to have a rough week? This isn't the time to abandon them. Maybe God wants to use us to come alongside of them and encourage them. Maybe God wants to use you to bring them back to Him.

    We need to       get our eyes off ourselves and on God;

                                  stop defending ourselves and start depending on God;

                                  seek His purposes for our lives and praise Him for them;

                                  pray and ask for guidance and strength to endure until His coming;

                                  seek first His purposes and His glory!

    In other words, when in doubt, PRAY!

         God can still work today through people like us, just as He did in Elijah's day!