Based on the book of James chapter 5, David shares how a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick and the Lord will make them well. There is great power in prayer.

If you’re afflicted, pray. If you’re merry, sing songs of praise. Then, in verse 14, James says:

“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.”

There is absolutely no question about it: healing is part of the ministry of the Church. Sadly, I believe this is one of the most neglected aspects of church life today. There are so many churches that no longer believe in miracles or in the power of prayer to heal the sick.

But the Bible is very clear. If someone is sick, they should call for the elders of the church. They are to anoint that person with oil, pray over them in faith, and trust God for a miracle. James says that the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise them up. And he goes on to say that if they have committed sins, they will be forgiven.

Come on, we need to bring the miraculous back into the Church! We need to recover our faith in the power of prayer and believe God to do what His Word promises.

I remember one occasion during the communist era when I was in Ukraine. They smuggled me across the border into what I believe was Moldova. I needed a separate visa to enter Moldova, and I didn’t have one, so they hid me in the back of a car and took me across the border.

We held a glorious open-air meeting and preached the Gospel. Among the crowd was a young woman in her twenties who was blind. But God moved in power that day. He gloriously healed her and opened her eyes!