Read James 5:13-18
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make them well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they 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 person is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. 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 5:13-18)
God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. The following are some of His ways concerning physical healing:
- Visitation Healing
God, or an angel, appears to persons in a vision or a dream and they are instantly healed. No human channel is involved in such a manifestation of God’s love and mercy. - Instant Healing (see Luke 9:1-6 – to preach and to heal)
Normally this takes place through the ministry of persons who are “workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing” (1 Corinthians 12:28). During individual ministries, small group ministries (see James 5:14-15), church services, healing campaigns, revival meetings and on many other occasions, God graciously uses human channels to perform miraculous healings in the name of Jesus Christ. Such healings take place instantly or within a short period. Perhaps there would be more such miracles if we had more faith! On much rarer occasions we learn of instances of persons being raised from the dead. - Gradual Healing
For the Christians this means medical science and the prayer of faith. We believe that God uses medical staff and medicines to cure sickness. The knowledge and skills that these persons display are gifts from God which He bestows on men and women regardless of their faith. However, as Christians, we put our trust in God and so we pray, both earnestly and with faith, that God will use the medical profession for the healing of the sick and injured. - Death
How can we call death part of God’s healing? A person dies of cancer – who is the victor and who is the defeated? God has conquered the disease and the Christian is taken to be with Christ where: “God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4).
Only then will we be fully healed!
“I do believe; Help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 5:24)
This meditation is extracted from “Transformation from Belief to Behaviour: 39 Lenten Meditations on the Letter of James” by Peter Young and used with permission by the author. It may be used solely for personal, noncommercial, and informational purposes. Republication or redistribution of this devotional is prohibited.
