The Body and Bodily Healing – James 5:10-15

The matter of healing is a complicated subject. Christians do suffer affliction.

1 – The causes of sickness

Some people are sick because of their sin. See 1 John 5:16. Some people even die because of their sin. See 1 Corinthians 11:30. Often our sickness is the direct result of our sin. If a person is intoxicated they have toxic in the body. Alcoholism causes an adverse affect on the body. Cigarettes are the cause of 99% of lung cancer. You can cut your life expectancy with each packet you smoke.
Some people are sick because of their diet. We eat everything we eat. We eat too much junk food.
Some people are sick because of worry. God tells us not to worry. Worry can cause many forms of sickness.
Some people are sick because of Satan. See Job 2:7 & Acts 10:38. Jesus went about healing those who were oppressed by the Devil.
Some people are sick because God has done it. See 2 Corinthians 12:7. The Apostle Paul was not healed. Was it because of sin? No! Was it because of weak faith? I doubt it! See 2 Timothy 4:20. Paul was a healer. This man was left sick as it was not God’s will to heal him. See 1 Timothy 5:23. Timothy was often sick. He was not miraculously healed. He had to drink wine mixed with the water. See 2 Kings 13:14. Elisha died from a sickness. He was in communion with God when he died. It was not because of his sin that he died.

God has some loving purposes for sickness.

Power comes through suffering and sickness.
Productivity often comes through suffering and sickness. Sometimes God uses our suffering to bless others. Pruning is required for us to bear fruit. When a branch has nothing but leaves it needs to be wounded to produce fruit.
Purity comes through suffering and sickness. See 1 Peter 5:10. Did you ever think that suffering was for your perfection? The dross and impurities are burned off so that gold remains.
Praise comes through suffering and sickness. See 1 Corinthians 1:27. God has chosen weak and sickly people. God often gets the glory through sickness. See John 11:4. Jesus glorified God in His death. Job continued to serve the Lord in his suffering and sickness. He shut the mouth of the Devil.

See James 5:13.

The problem – The word means to be without strength.
The procedure – The word “Elder” refers to a leader in the church. It is not just anyone to do this. They are to pray and anoint with oil. The here oil does not refer to medicine – although the sick person should use medicine. The oil is symbolic of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This person is “set apart” to serve God.
The prayer – It is not to pray for him – it is over him. It is to determine the will of God. If it is God’s will to heal the person then God will give the faith. There is any number of false healers. Yet there is real healing. Those who pray over the sick are to have the faith which leads to healing. It has to come from God. It is God who ultimately will decide whether a person is healed or not.

Categories: James