Pray For One Another

05.  “Pray for one another”

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)

Are you defeated?  Sick?  Seems like you can't get any answers to your prayers?

The "one another" in James 5:16 might be your answer!  

It is the duty of believers to pray for one another.  We are to pray for each other at all times.  If you have been offended, pray for the one who offended you.  If you have offended someone, you are to ask for forgiveness and pray for that person.  The last part of the verse says that the effective prayer of a righteous man or woman can accomplish much. 

Let’s look at a couple of biblical examples:

A. Exodus 17:8-16

 ⁸ The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. ⁹ Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

 ¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³ So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

 ¹⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

 ¹⁵ Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

Who is praying for whom?

Why?

What happened when people prayed for him?

B.  James 5:13-18

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ 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.

 ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 

“Elijah was a man _______  __________  us!”

C.  Matthew 18:19-20

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

So, are we praying for each other?

And, are we praying with each other?

If we do pray for one another, we can expect:

• Victory (see Exodus 17:8-16)

• Healing and other results (see James 5:13-18)

• Answers to prayer (see Matthew 18:19-20)