“Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:13-14).
The Scripture asks the question: is any among you afflicted? The word afflicted does not mean sick, because the very next verse asks is there any sick among you. The word “afflicted” here means tempted, tested, or tried.
Now notice the instructions given to the afflicted person is to let him pray. Why? It is because a faith filled prayer will release your faith and produce victory in your life.
If you are going through a test or trial right now, remember the Word tells us that “there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
The disciples, in Acts chapter 4, prayed faith-filled words to complete their faith and caused great grace to be on them all. At that time they were experiencing some terrible affliction. The head of the government, the Sanhedrin council, called Peter and John before them, threatening them, and they commanded them not to preach or teach in the name of Jesus anymore.
The Sanhedrin council didn’t want the gospel to spread among the people; they wanted to shut the disciples up. Now the disciples had to choose either to obey God or be beaten possibly to death by the government.
Well what did they do? They prayed. “Lord, you are God… now grant us all boldness to speak your word by stretching forth thy hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done in Jesus’ name.”
They told God who He was and how big He is, and what He can and will do; then they asked God to give them some miracles. Well their prayers were answered, because in the next chapter we see them preaching and healing everyone (Acts 5:12-16).
Now they didn’t pray the problem. That’s right. They didn’t pray, “Oh Lord, why is this happening to me? Or Lord, what are you going to do to get me out of this?” That’s what’s wrong with some of us; we want to run too much.
But if you are being afflicted, faith-filled prayer is the first thing you need to do to release your faith. Then stand and know that God will equip you for battle.
Scripture References: Acts 4:23-33; Ephesians 6:18
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).