Prayer, the Word, and the Prayer of Faith
The spiritual means God has given for recovery James 5:14-16 is not only for the crisis of acute sickness; it continues into the season of recovery. “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up… 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.” Prayer is not a last resort after the doctors have done all they can. It is the ongoing work of the recovering believer. We pray for strength, for wisdom in the daily decisions of recovery, for protection from setbacks, and for a heart that remains soft toward the Lord. We also keep the Word of God before us. Psalm 119:50 says, “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” The same Word that gives life to the soul sustains the body in its healing. Many recoveries are hindered not by lack of medical care but by neglected confession, lingering bitterness, or prayerlessness. The Lord often ti...