When should we Pray?

James 5:13-18

James has taught quite a lot about praying in the book already. So often Christians think God doesn’t care because they don’t see immediate results of their prayers. After a while they just quit praying. We’ve already looked at some reasons why prayers don’t get answered. In Luke 11, Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray. He uses the illustration of a man asking his friend for help. Though the friend wouldn’t have got out of bed just for friendship, because of his need, he will.

“And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.” (Luke 11:5-8)

We can expect God to act on our needs, regardless of any personal inconvenience, because he cares about our needs. He is a loving father. As a result, we can expect him to deliver what is needed.

“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:9-13)

Unlike the unjust judge of Luke 18, we don’t have to nag at God to get an answer. It is a heathen idea that we have to keep repeating our prayers to God to get an answer. Matthew 6:7-8 forbids such an approach. “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” James gives specific guidelines about when we should pray.

“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: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 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.” (James 5:14-16)

We ought to pray when we are struggling, discouraged , or depressed. It is the first and most effective thing to be done. Philippians 4:6-7 commands us not to allow our selves to worry, but to pray, and the Holy spirit will give us an attitude of peace. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Sometimes it is hard to pray when things are tough.

When we are rejoicing, we ought be singing songs of thanksgiving. Ephesians 5;19-20 describes the effect. “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Health problems should be addressed with prayer. God is the source of all healing. This does not mean not applying medication. In the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, the Samaritan anointed the injured man with oil and wine. Luke 1:34 describes his actions. “And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” We are to apply proper medications, praying for God to produce needed healing.

We ought also pray when sin is detected. We need to confess to each other, as well as to God. Proverbs 28:13 warns, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Admitting our sin to others isn’t easy, but it is necessary to make things right with those we have wronged. I John 1:8-10 drives the point home. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” Calling most people liars makes them angry. God cannot lie, and calling him a liar is pretty dumb.

James made it very clear that prayer to satisfy human lusts is ineffectual. He also made it clear that a flippant and undecided prayer will produce no results. Psalm 66:18 says deliberate sin will prevent God’s hearing requests other than for forgiveness. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” On the other hand, a proper prayer, sincerely made, from a person who is seeking to please God accomplishes a lot. Elijah is a powerful example of the results of such prayer.

“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (James 5:17)