June 6, 2025 • 29 mins
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The mystery of divine healing has perplexed believers for centuries—why are some healed while others suffer? Rev. Bill Preskitt tackles this profound question with wisdom and scriptural insight, guiding listeners through a comprehensive examination of James 5:14-18.
Rev. Bill Preskitt begins by establishing the biblical foundation for healing within the Christian community. When sickness comes, James instructs believers to "call for the elders of the church" who are to "pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." This process requires faith from both parties—the sick person must trust in prayer's effectiveness enough to request it, while the elders must approach the situation with confident expectation.
The sermon carefully addresses why prayers for healing sometimes appear to go unanswered. With pastoral sensitivity, Rev. Preskitt offers several perspectives: sometimes sickness serves as God's loving discipline; sometimes illness results from poor lifestyle choices requiring behavioral changes rather than just prayer; and sometimes sickness is "unto death"—part of our mortal journey toward eternity. He reassures listeners that God never truly rejects a believer's prayer for healing—the answer is either "yes" or "wait awhile," with complete healing ultimately promised to every child of God, if not in this life, then certainly in eternity.
Drawing from personal experiences and recent testimonies, Rev. Preskitt shares powerful stories of divine healing—including three cases of cancer remission in a single church community. These modern examples of God's intervention remind listeners that Jesus Christ remains "the same yesterday, today, and forever" and that the healing power described in Scripture continues to manifest in believers' lives today.
Whether you're currently facing illness, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking to understand God's perspective on healing, this message offers biblical clarity, practical wisdom, and renewed hope in the God who heals. Listen now and discover how the prayer of faith might transform your approach to sickness and healing.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is Pastor Dwayne O'Fields.
I pastor Sheep Shed HolinessChurch in Stillwell, oklahoma,
and I want to thank you forlistening to Holiness Preaching
Online.
Preaching online.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Praise the Lord.
Well, we're so glad to be backhere with you in camp meeting
and appreciate Brother Bob andthe effort he puts into this
every year to tell us aboutthose who died so that we could
be free.
And we certainly owe thanks tothose people who sacrificed for
(00:56):
us.
I read about a British soldierafter World War II.
He was going down the street,crippled, and this young person
walked by him.
Young man walked by him andrealized that he was a soldier
(01:19):
and had been wounded in the war,and he turned around and spoke
to him and said Sir, I just wantto thank you for the sacrifice
you made for us, he said.
The old soldier's tearsstreamed down his cheeks.
He said you are the firstperson that ever told me thanks
(01:44):
for my service.
Well, we sure don't want to beunthankful, amen.
I'd like to read in James,chapter 5.
You have your Bible.
So glad to see all of youAppreciate all of the brothers
and sisters here, some wehaven't seen in a while.
We're glad to see you.
(02:04):
God bless you.
Appreciate, brother Randy.
Thank you for the invitation tocome and speak to you.
James, chapter 5, and I'm goingto start reading at verse 14, if
you will.
We'll stand for the reading ofthe word.
Is any sick among you, let himcall for the elders of the
(02:24):
church, let them pray over him,anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith shallsave the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up, and if hehave committed sins, they shall
be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one toanother.
Pray one for another that youmay be healed.
The effectual, fervent prayerof a righteous man availeth much
(02:48):
.
Elias was a man subject to likepassions, as we are, and he
prayed earnestly that it mightnot rain.
And it rained not on the earth.
By the space of three years andsix months, he prayed again and
the heaven gave rain and theearth brought forth her fruit.
Father, we love you.
We're thankful for yourgoodness to us.
We're thankful for the freedomthat we have, that we're
(03:11):
privileged to be here thismorning to worship God together,
together around your word.
We pray that you'd help me thismorning to be a blessing to
your people.
I pray for that anointing thatmakes the difference, Father,
and we'll give you the glory andhonor for the good that's done.
In Jesus' name, amen.
I'd like to say I'm honored tospeak with Brother Bill Parks.
(03:39):
Brother Bill was with us in ourconvention a few weeks ago and
was a great blessing to us, andI'm looking forward to hearing
from him.
But I'd like to preach for justa few minutes this morning on
the God who heals.
My text gives directions forhealing for the sick among the
(03:59):
Christian community.
Is any sick among you?
Obviously, christians get sick.
We've been granted eternal lifethrough our faith in Christ,
but we have this treasure inearthen vessels.
We still live in mortal bodiesand so we're subject to sickness
and disease and even death.
(04:21):
James gives the Christian aprocess to follow.
In case of sickness, he sayswe're to call for the elders of
the church.
The elders in the New Testamentchurch were the leaders in that
local congregation and it seemsthat the New Testament uses the
term bishop and elder todescribe the same church
(04:43):
officers.
Bishop means overseer.
This was his function, and in 1Peter 5, verses 1 and 2, peter
addressed the elders and heexhorted them to feed the flock
of God which is among you,taking the oversight thereof,
which is what the bishop did,not by constraint, but willingly
(05:05):
, not for filthy lucre but of aready mind.
And the writer in Hebrews,chapter 13 and verse 17,.
He exhorted the HebrewChristians to submit to their
bishops.
Obey them that have the ruleover you, and submit yourselves,
for they watch for your souls,as they that must give account
that they may do it with joy andnot.
(05:27):
There was a man that asked meone time about the authority of
the pastor.
I quoted the scripture to him,or took him to the scripture.
He said I don't like that.
I guess there's a lot of peoplewho don't like that, but it's
still there in the word of God.
In Acts, chapter 20 and verse28,.
Paul addressed the elders ofEphesus Take heed, therefore,
(05:49):
unto yourselves and to all theflock over which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers to feedthe church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.
So the elder and the bishopwere overseers, had the
oversight of the church.
Their responsibility was tofeed the flock of God.
The term elder refers to thespiritual maturity of those
(06:12):
leaders.
So that's not necessarilyreferring to their age, but to
their spiritual maturity.
The bishop or the eldergenerally served in the capacity
as a pastor.
Elder generally served in thecapacity as a pastor.
In 1 Timothy, chapter 5 andverse 17, there is a mention of
elders who were involved inleadership in the church without
being involved in pastoralministry.
(06:34):
He says let the elders thatrule well, be counted worthy of
double honor, especially theywho labored the word and
doctrine.
But even if they were notcalled to a speaking ministry,
the elder was recognized in thechurch as being a man of
integrity and spiritual maturity.
And so the sick among theChristian community were
(06:55):
directed to appeal to the elders, those respected and recognized
leaders in the congregation ofthe saints.
And James instructs the eldersto pray over the sick.
Now this section dealing withthe sickness is part of a larger
context that is dealing withthe power of prayer.
(07:16):
He says in verse 13 of thissame chapter is any among you
afflicted, let him pray.
Any sick among you, let himcall for the elders of the
church, let them pray over him.
He tells us in verse 16, theeffectual, fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.
So the context is in the powerof prayer and it's important for
(07:39):
the sick to believe in thepower of prayer.
You don't really call for theelders if you don't believe in
the power of prayer.
You don't really call for theelders if you don't believe in
the power of prayer.
It's also essential that theelders be convinced of the
effectiveness of believingprayer.
Really, if a person is going tobe healed, they have to have
(07:59):
confidence in the elders.
They have to have confidence inthe prayers of their brothers
and sisters.
In Christ, james not onlycounsels prayer, but he also
instructs the elders to anointthe sick with oil.
Some commentators that I haveread after through the years
they read into this a medicalcommand.
They think that the applicationof oil is a medicinal remedy.
(08:22):
If that's true, then thepreacher is also to be a medical
practitioner, a medical doctor.
But I personally think thatthat interpretation is far
fetched.
It seems to me that theapplication of the oil is an
object lesson that demonstratesthe necessity of the power of
(08:44):
the Holy Ghost in healing and ofthe expectation of his
intervention.
As we pray for the sick, all isa common biblical symbol of the
Holy Ghost.
And James then gives assurancethat God responds to the prayer
of faith.
He said the prayer of faithshall save the sick.
(09:06):
It isn't prayer that saves thesick, but it's the prayer of
faith that saves the sick.
And save is not used here inthe sense of conversion, but
he's talking about being savedfrom the sickness.
The next phrase expresses thesame idea, in other words the
next phrase expresses the sameidea, in other words, the Lord
shall raise him up, that is, upoff the bed of sickness, and,
(09:31):
according to James, the prayerof faith will not fail to bring
results.
This is asking, withoutwavering it's prayer, with
absolute confidence that we arepraying in the will of God and
that the answer, if it's notimmediately given, it is on the
(09:52):
way.
James then recognizes thisadded benefit to the miracle of
healing If he have committedsins, they shall be forgiven him
.
So the text recognizes thatsickness sometimes is the direct
result of personal sin.
(10:13):
All sickness can be traced backto the original sin in the
Garden of Eden, but all sicknessis not necessarily the
consequence of personalspiritual failure.
When someone in the Christiancommunity falls into sin,
(10:33):
heaven's purpose is to rescue,to repair broken relationship,
to salvage the soul, and thescriptures teach us that God
chastened those that he loves,and so sickness may be the
instrument that God uses tochasten a straying Christian.
In Psalm 119, verse 67, davidsays Before I was afflicted I
(10:59):
went astray, but now have I keptthy word.
God's chastisement may besevere, and God measures out his
chastisement to us in anintensity that is designed to
turn us away from our peril.
Hebrews, chapter 12 and verse11, says Now, no chastening, for
(11:22):
the present seemeth to bejoyous, but grievous.
That it is sorrowful, it ispainful.
Nevertheless, afterward, ityieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them, whichare exercised thereby.
The writer of Hebrews theninstructs those experiencing the
pain of chastisement like thisWherefore, lift up the hands
(11:46):
that hang down and the feebleknees and make straight paths
for your feet.
John Wesley's notes on the NewTestament.
He remarked on this passage ofScripture that the hands that
hang down are hands unable tocontinue the combat.
(12:08):
He remarked on the weak kneesas being unable to continue the
combat.
He remarked on the weak kneesas being unable to continue the
race.
He said that the exhortation tomake straight paths for your
feet meant that they must removeevery hindrance, every offense,
the lame which are weak, scarce, able to walk.
And he said the danger to thoseunder chastisement is that they
(12:28):
will be turned out of the wayof faith and holiness if they
fail to make the neededcorrection.
But it's in this connectionthat the sacred writer exhorts
the Hebrews struggling underchastisement follow peace with
all men and holiness, withoutwhich no man shall see the Lord.
My text lays down conditions forthe person To be healed who has
(12:52):
sinned Confess your thoughtsone to another and pray one for
another that you may be healed.
So I take this to mean thatthere is no healing for the
person who has sinned Unlessthey are willing to confess that
sin and to make amends.
Jesus taught us in Matthew,chapter 5, verses 23 and 24, if
(13:17):
thou bring thy gift to the altar, thou rememberest that thy
brother hath ought against thee.
Leave there thy gift before thealtar.
Go thy way, first be reconciledto thy brother and then come
and offer thy gift.
The confession that iscommanded here confess your
faults one to another does notmean that we get up and confess
(13:38):
all of our dirty deeds toeverybody in the church, but to
that person that we haveoffended, to that person that
we've done wrong.
We go to that person and wemake confession, private
confession, to that person.
And we make confession, privateconfession to that offended
person, and be reconciled tothat person so that, as the
bible says, confess your faultsone to another and pray one for
(14:01):
another that you may be healed.
So now you've been reconciledto your brother, he can join in
prayer for you without this, uh,this alienation between us.
And we are all praying for thisone that is sick.
So you understand from thistext that it's not just the
elders who pray for the sick,but we pray one for another
(14:25):
right.
So everybody can be involved inthis praying for the healing of
our sick In light of thepromises found in this text.
The question arises very oftenwhy are so many in the Christian
community sick and why do somany prayers for the sick seem
(14:47):
to be unanswered the six seem tobe unanswered and this is a
question that has troubled manythinking people, and some in the
Christian community have evenlost faith over seemingly
unanswered prayers for healing.
And probably all of us havebeen baffled at times over the
(15:11):
deaths of someone.
We prayed seriously andearnestly for their healing and
instead they didn't get healed,at least the way we thought they
would, and maybe even passed on.
And I don't have all theanswers about those things and
I'm still seeking a greaterunderstanding of God's provision
(15:31):
for divine healing.
But I do want to offer somesuggestions to us that may help
us when we are struggling withthese things.
First of all, I think it'simportant for us to seek to
discern God's purpose forsickness.
Sometimes sickness, as we'vementioned, is a means of
(15:52):
chastisement, and prayer forthat person who's unwilling to
repent will yield no positiveresults.
In some cases we are prayingfor God to lift the chastisement
before his purpose isaccomplished, and then sometimes
sickness is the result of anunhealthy lifestyle.
(16:13):
There's no physical activity,no exercise, and you know, when
we park our car, we park asclose to the building as we can
get, so we don't have to walk.
We walk as little as we can,you know, and we would rather
take the elevator than to walkthe stairs.
(16:33):
And we eat and drink withoutregard to the health
consequences of our diet and weallow our appetites to dictate
our diet rather than the gloryof God.
You know, the Bible sayswhether, therefore, you eat or
drink or whatsoever you do, doall to the glory of God.
(16:53):
My mother used to say that somepeople are digging their grave
with their fork, and persistentignoring of warning signs
concerning your health willeventually lead to severe
sickness and intense suffering.
So when we ignore those warningsigns high blood pressure,
(17:19):
elevated sugar levels, otherillnesses, you know, that could
be helped, even eliminated, bydisciplined living.
Hey, y'all listening to me outthere?
Eliminated by disciplinedliving.
Are you all listening to me outthere?
Yeah, I know what that's allabout.
(17:39):
I went to the doctor some timeback.
He gave me this bad report Highlevels of cholesterol and
triglycerides and boy, I wouldjust love for somebody to lay
hands on me and pray for me so Icould keep on drinking a
milkshake every day.
(18:05):
It didn't work that way and Ithink sometimes, you know, know,
we want to be healed, hopingfor a miracle so we can continue
indulging our out of controlappetites, and I think that many
times our prayers for healinggo unanswered because we are
(18:27):
unwilling to bring our habits oflife in line with scripture.
What sense does it make,because we're unwilling to bring
our habits of life in line withScripture?
What sense does it make to prayfor someone to be healed of
diabetes when they're unwillingto stop drinking sodas and
eating candy bars?
Any amen, amen, any amen, amen.
(18:50):
Y'all understand that inwithholding divine healing, god
may be aiming for a morepermanent solution to your
problem and your healing may beundone by continued excess and
(19:10):
indulgence in bodily appetites.
I hope I still got friends whenthis is over with I'll say this
(19:30):
too that sometimes sickness isunder death.
2 Kings 13 and 14 says Now,elisha was fallen sick of his
sickness, whereof he died.
You remember when Jesus wassummoned to come and heal his
friend Lazarus?
Jesus said this sickness is notunto death, but for the glory
of God, that the Son of God maybe glorified thereby.
(19:51):
And saying that this sicknessis not unto death, but for the
glory of God, that the Son ofGod may be glorified thereby.
And saying that this sicknessis not unto death, jesus
indicated that some sickness isunto death.
Sickness is common to the humanrace.
Both saint and sinner get sick.
Everybody's going to experiencesickness at some time in your
life.
It's a reminder of yourmortality.
(20:12):
We live in a mortal andcorruptible body.
We are promised perfect health,but not in this time world.
We have been forbidden earthlyaccess to the tree of life.
We've been cut off from it onthis earth, but we are promised
renewed access to that tree oflife in the new jerusalem.
(20:35):
Sickness is part of the deathprocess, and our body has been
equipped by our creator withmarvelous mechanisms designed to
repair the body throughsuccessions of illnesses,
sicknesses and injuries, buteventually, however, the failure
(20:56):
of some vital organ is going tousher us from time into
eternity.
So when we pray for healing anddeath results, we should not
despair.
Death does not diminish theChristian believer.
And Paul said for me to live isChrist, but for me to die is
(21:19):
gain.
No Christian should ever feardeath, because death has never
diminished a child of God.
We just go from earth to gloryand we inherit a body that will
never be sick again, never age,never know pain or sorrow,
(21:41):
hallelujah.
So it's important for us tounderstand this that the person
who dies has not been cheated bynot being healed here, but they
have been granted greater glorybeyond death.
Some of you probably have readof this great Puritan preacher
(22:03):
by the name of John Owen.
John Owen was on his death bedand he was dictating a letter to
his friend and the man writingfor him.
He said write and tell him I amstill in the land of the living
.
He said stop, change that.
Tell him I'm in the land of thedying, but I'm hoping to soon
(22:26):
be in the land of the living.
Praise God.
Sometimes healing is unto death.
I mean sickness is under death.
I mean sickness is under death.
And sometimes healing isdelayed due to a lack of faith.
It is the prayer of faith thatheals the sick.
(22:48):
Now I'm of the opinion, andsome of you might can correct me
.
Now I'm of the opinion, andsome of you might can correct me
, but I'm of the opinion thatGod does not grant faith for
healing when he designs thatthis sickness is unto death.
And so if we are praying forsomebody that God has designed
(23:13):
that this sickness is unto death, god will not grant faith for
that.
But on the other hand, we don'tknow that Most of the time we
don't know that.
We don't know whether or notthis sickness is unto death.
So we pray with confidence andfaith, as if it's God's will to
(23:36):
heal this person.
And this is a glorious truth,y'all, that by believing the
promise of God we can relievethe suffering of our fellow
believers.
The prayer of faith shall savethe sick.
I think we have to be people ofcompassion In order to pray that
prayer of faith, to have nocompassion for suffering, to
(23:59):
have no compassion for theperson that's sick.
I'm telling you, brother, jesushealed people, not only to
confirm his word, but because hehad compassion on them.
And God wants his people tohave compassion on the suffering
.
We must be people of prayer,because it is prayer in secret
(24:20):
that makes prayer in publicpowerful.
And we must be right with Godand with our fellow man in order
to pray with faith.
It is the fervent, effectualprayer of a righteous man that
God hears His prayer and answershis prayer.
We must be people of faith.
Someone said that when a childof God prays to be healed, god
(24:45):
never says no.
He may say yes or he may saywait a while, but God never
tells a child of God no.
You are going to be healed,either here or in the world to
come.
But you can be assured that,though many are the afflictions
of the righteous, but the Lorddelivers them out of them all.
(25:09):
The child of God is going to behealed.
Sometimes it's here, sometimesit's there, but the child of God
is going to be healed.
Sometimes it's here, sometimesit's there, but the child of God
is going to be healed.
God never says no to a child ofGod who is praying for healing.
So we must be people of faithand you know, I just came from
(25:31):
Georgia.
I preached down there Saturdaymorning In the area where I was
raised, in a fellowship meetingand in the church there at
Bethel at Isle of Georgia whereBrother Will Ratliff is the
pastor there now, and they'vehad sickness cancer.
Several people had cancer therein that church.
(25:52):
One sister I've been knowingabout all my life and she'd been
suffering with cancer for fouryears and just recently went to
the doctor and the doctor said Idon't know what's happened here
, but there's no cancer in yourbody.
I can't explain it, but you arefree from cancer.
(26:12):
She'd been sick with cancer forfour years and God healed her.
Another sister in that churchshe's visiting in that church.
She has a son that goes to thatchurch.
She stood up and testified.
She said she had cancer, shewas taking treatments.
They were about to kill her.
She stopped.
They just went to praying forGod to heal her.
She said I've been off mymedicine for a whole year, have
(26:35):
no pain.
God's healed me of my cancer.
And another lady there that hadcancer and she said she'd been
taking treatments and she saidmy doctor said he can't find any
more cancer in me.
Well, I'm telling you, brother,it don't matter whether it's a
cold or cancer.
Jesus has the power to heal us.
By his stripes we are healed,amen.
(26:57):
I'm telling you that there isno sickness, there's no disease
that Jesus can't cure, and Godwants us to believe in the
healing power of the blood ofJesus, that by his stripes we
are healed.
I want you to know that Jesusdidn't waste His blood.
He didn't waste His sufferingon the cross.
He hurt so we could be healed.
And Jesus told us the route totake when we are sick.
(27:21):
Call for the elders of thechurch, let them anoint Him with
oil.
Praying over them in the prayerof faith shall save the sick,
and if they've committed anysins, it shall be forgiven them.
Anybody here ever been healed?
Raise your hand.
Ah, looky here.
Oh, glory to God.
I'll tell you what Jesus is thesame yesterday, today and
(27:42):
forever.
We're going to keep onbelieving in the healing power
of our Lord and Savior, jesusChrist.
Wasn't that great.
How many enjoyed that message.
I tell you this day will godown as a monumental day, of
(28:08):
course, memorial Day.
And then, brother Prescott,will go down as the day the
preacher got preached on.
I know y'all, I know y'all.
And then, brother Prescott,it'll go down as the day the
preacher got preached on.
I know y'all, I know y'all.
You're helping me greatly.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Brother, hi everyone.
This is Laura Steele from Pekin, illinois.
I am part of the team ofgraphic designers here at
Holiness Preaching OnlinePodcast.
We are beyond grateful forevery listen and stream we
receive, and we hope you willcontinue to be blessed by this
ministry, as our team pours manyhours into producing and
publishing these sermons.
May God richly bless each oneof you as you endeavor to apply
(28:45):
these messages to your Christianwalk.
God bless.
This is Pastor Dwayne O'Fields.
I pastor Sheep Shed HolinessChurch in Stillwell, oklahoma,
and I want to thank you forlistening to Holiness Preaching
Online.
Preaching online.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Praise the Lord.
Well, we're so glad to be backhere with you in camp meeting
and appreciate Brother Bob andthe effort he puts into this
every year to tell us aboutthose who died so that we could
be free.
And we certainly owe thanks tothose people who sacrificed for
(00:56):
us.
I read about a British soldierafter World War II.
He was going down the street,crippled, and this young person
walked by him.
Young man walked by him andrealized that he was a soldier
(01:19):
and had been wounded in the war,and he turned around and spoke
to him and said Sir, I just wantto thank you for the sacrifice
you made for us, he said.
The old soldier's tearsstreamed down his cheeks.
He said you are the firstperson that ever told me thanks
(01:44):
for my service.
Well, we sure don't want to beunthankful, amen.
I'd like to read in James,chapter 5.
You have your Bible.
So glad to see all of youAppreciate all of the brothers
and sisters here, some wehaven't seen in a while.
We're glad to see you.
(02:04):
God bless you.
Appreciate, brother Randy.
Thank you for the invitation tocome and speak to you.
James, chapter 5, and I'm goingto start reading at verse 14, if
you will.
We'll stand for the reading ofthe word.
Is any sick among you, let himcall for the elders of the
(02:24):
church, let them pray over him,anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith shallsave the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up, and if hehave committed sins, they shall
be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one toanother.
Pray one for another that youmay be healed.
The effectual, fervent prayerof a righteous man availeth much
(02:48):
.
Elias was a man subject to likepassions, as we are, and he
prayed earnestly that it mightnot rain.
And it rained not on the earth.
By the space of three years andsix months, he prayed again and
the heaven gave rain and theearth brought forth her fruit.
Father, we love you.
We're thankful for yourgoodness to us.
We're thankful for the freedomthat we have, that we're
(03:11):
privileged to be here thismorning to worship God together,
together around your word.
We pray that you'd help me thismorning to be a blessing to
your people.
I pray for that anointing thatmakes the difference, Father,
and we'll give you the glory andhonor for the good that's done.
In Jesus' name, amen.
I'd like to say I'm honored tospeak with Brother Bill Parks.
(03:39):
Brother Bill was with us in ourconvention a few weeks ago and
was a great blessing to us, andI'm looking forward to hearing
from him.
But I'd like to preach for justa few minutes this morning on
the God who heals.
My text gives directions forhealing for the sick among the
(03:59):
Christian community.
Is any sick among you?
Obviously, christians get sick.
We've been granted eternal lifethrough our faith in Christ,
but we have this treasure inearthen vessels.
We still live in mortal bodiesand so we're subject to sickness
and disease and even death.
(04:21):
James gives the Christian aprocess to follow.
In case of sickness, he sayswe're to call for the elders of
the church.
The elders in the New Testamentchurch were the leaders in that
local congregation and it seemsthat the New Testament uses the
term bishop and elder todescribe the same church
(04:43):
officers.
Bishop means overseer.
This was his function, and in 1Peter 5, verses 1 and 2, peter
addressed the elders and heexhorted them to feed the flock
of God which is among you,taking the oversight thereof,
which is what the bishop did,not by constraint, but willingly
(05:05):
, not for filthy lucre but of aready mind.
And the writer in Hebrews,chapter 13 and verse 17,.
He exhorted the HebrewChristians to submit to their
bishops.
Obey them that have the ruleover you, and submit yourselves,
for they watch for your souls,as they that must give account
that they may do it with joy andnot.
(05:27):
There was a man that asked meone time about the authority of
the pastor.
I quoted the scripture to him,or took him to the scripture.
He said I don't like that.
I guess there's a lot of peoplewho don't like that, but it's
still there in the word of God.
In Acts, chapter 20 and verse28,.
Paul addressed the elders ofEphesus Take heed, therefore,
(05:49):
unto yourselves and to all theflock over which the Holy Ghost
hath made you overseers to feedthe church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.
So the elder and the bishopwere overseers, had the
oversight of the church.
Their responsibility was tofeed the flock of God.
The term elder refers to thespiritual maturity of those
(06:12):
leaders.
So that's not necessarilyreferring to their age, but to
their spiritual maturity.
The bishop or the eldergenerally served in the capacity
as a pastor.
Elder generally served in thecapacity as a pastor.
In 1 Timothy, chapter 5 andverse 17, there is a mention of
elders who were involved inleadership in the church without
being involved in pastoralministry.
(06:34):
He says let the elders thatrule well, be counted worthy of
double honor, especially theywho labored the word and
doctrine.
But even if they were notcalled to a speaking ministry,
the elder was recognized in thechurch as being a man of
integrity and spiritual maturity.
And so the sick among theChristian community were
(06:55):
directed to appeal to the elders, those respected and recognized
leaders in the congregation ofthe saints.
And James instructs the eldersto pray over the sick.
Now this section dealing withthe sickness is part of a larger
context that is dealing withthe power of prayer.
(07:16):
He says in verse 13 of thissame chapter is any among you
afflicted, let him pray.
Any sick among you, let himcall for the elders of the
church, let them pray over him.
He tells us in verse 16, theeffectual, fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.
So the context is in the powerof prayer and it's important for
(07:39):
the sick to believe in thepower of prayer.
You don't really call for theelders if you don't believe in
the power of prayer.
You don't really call for theelders if you don't believe in
the power of prayer.
It's also essential that theelders be convinced of the
effectiveness of believingprayer.
Really, if a person is going tobe healed, they have to have
(07:59):
confidence in the elders.
They have to have confidence inthe prayers of their brothers
and sisters.
In Christ, james not onlycounsels prayer, but he also
instructs the elders to anointthe sick with oil.
Some commentators that I haveread after through the years
they read into this a medicalcommand.
They think that the applicationof oil is a medicinal remedy.
(08:22):
If that's true, then thepreacher is also to be a medical
practitioner, a medical doctor.
But I personally think thatthat interpretation is far
fetched.
It seems to me that theapplication of the oil is an
object lesson that demonstratesthe necessity of the power of
(08:44):
the Holy Ghost in healing and ofthe expectation of his
intervention.
As we pray for the sick, all isa common biblical symbol of the
Holy Ghost.
And James then gives assurancethat God responds to the prayer
of faith.
He said the prayer of faithshall save the sick.
(09:06):
It isn't prayer that saves thesick, but it's the prayer of
faith that saves the sick.
And save is not used here inthe sense of conversion, but
he's talking about being savedfrom the sickness.
The next phrase expresses thesame idea, in other words the
next phrase expresses the sameidea, in other words, the Lord
shall raise him up, that is, upoff the bed of sickness, and,
(09:31):
according to James, the prayerof faith will not fail to bring
results.
This is asking, withoutwavering it's prayer, with
absolute confidence that we arepraying in the will of God and
that the answer, if it's notimmediately given, it is on the
(09:52):
way.
James then recognizes thisadded benefit to the miracle of
healing If he have committedsins, they shall be forgiven him
.
So the text recognizes thatsickness sometimes is the direct
result of personal sin.
(10:13):
All sickness can be traced backto the original sin in the
Garden of Eden, but all sicknessis not necessarily the
consequence of personalspiritual failure.
When someone in the Christiancommunity falls into sin,
(10:33):
heaven's purpose is to rescue,to repair broken relationship,
to salvage the soul, and thescriptures teach us that God
chastened those that he loves,and so sickness may be the
instrument that God uses tochasten a straying Christian.
In Psalm 119, verse 67, davidsays Before I was afflicted I
(10:59):
went astray, but now have I keptthy word.
God's chastisement may besevere, and God measures out his
chastisement to us in anintensity that is designed to
turn us away from our peril.
Hebrews, chapter 12 and verse11, says Now, no chastening, for
(11:22):
the present seemeth to bejoyous, but grievous.
That it is sorrowful, it ispainful.
Nevertheless, afterward, ityieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them, whichare exercised thereby.
The writer of Hebrews theninstructs those experiencing the
pain of chastisement like thisWherefore, lift up the hands
(11:46):
that hang down and the feebleknees and make straight paths
for your feet.
John Wesley's notes on the NewTestament.
He remarked on this passage ofScripture that the hands that
hang down are hands unable tocontinue the combat.
(12:08):
He remarked on the weak kneesas being unable to continue the
combat.
He remarked on the weak kneesas being unable to continue the
race.
He said that the exhortation tomake straight paths for your
feet meant that they must removeevery hindrance, every offense,
the lame which are weak, scarce, able to walk.
And he said the danger to thoseunder chastisement is that they
(12:28):
will be turned out of the wayof faith and holiness if they
fail to make the neededcorrection.
But it's in this connectionthat the sacred writer exhorts
the Hebrews struggling underchastisement follow peace with
all men and holiness, withoutwhich no man shall see the Lord.
My text lays down conditions forthe person To be healed who has
(12:52):
sinned Confess your thoughtsone to another and pray one for
another that you may be healed.
So I take this to mean thatthere is no healing for the
person who has sinned Unlessthey are willing to confess that
sin and to make amends.
Jesus taught us in Matthew,chapter 5, verses 23 and 24, if
(13:17):
thou bring thy gift to the altar, thou rememberest that thy
brother hath ought against thee.
Leave there thy gift before thealtar.
Go thy way, first be reconciledto thy brother and then come
and offer thy gift.
The confession that iscommanded here confess your
faults one to another does notmean that we get up and confess
(13:38):
all of our dirty deeds toeverybody in the church, but to
that person that we haveoffended, to that person that
we've done wrong.
We go to that person and wemake confession, private
confession, to that person.
And we make confession, privateconfession to that offended
person, and be reconciled tothat person so that, as the
bible says, confess your faultsone to another and pray one for
(14:01):
another that you may be healed.
So now you've been reconciledto your brother, he can join in
prayer for you without this, uh,this alienation between us.
And we are all praying for thisone that is sick.
So you understand from thistext that it's not just the
elders who pray for the sick,but we pray one for another
(14:25):
right.
So everybody can be involved inthis praying for the healing of
our sick In light of thepromises found in this text.
The question arises very oftenwhy are so many in the Christian
community sick and why do somany prayers for the sick seem
(14:47):
to be unanswered the six seem tobe unanswered and this is a
question that has troubled manythinking people, and some in the
Christian community have evenlost faith over seemingly
unanswered prayers for healing.
And probably all of us havebeen baffled at times over the
(15:11):
deaths of someone.
We prayed seriously andearnestly for their healing and
instead they didn't get healed,at least the way we thought they
would, and maybe even passed on.
And I don't have all theanswers about those things and
I'm still seeking a greaterunderstanding of God's provision
(15:31):
for divine healing.
But I do want to offer somesuggestions to us that may help
us when we are struggling withthese things.
First of all, I think it'simportant for us to seek to
discern God's purpose forsickness.
Sometimes sickness, as we'vementioned, is a means of
(15:52):
chastisement, and prayer forthat person who's unwilling to
repent will yield no positiveresults.
In some cases we are prayingfor God to lift the chastisement
before his purpose isaccomplished, and then sometimes
sickness is the result of anunhealthy lifestyle.
(16:13):
There's no physical activity,no exercise, and you know, when
we park our car, we park asclose to the building as we can
get, so we don't have to walk.
We walk as little as we can,you know, and we would rather
take the elevator than to walkthe stairs.
(16:33):
And we eat and drink withoutregard to the health
consequences of our diet and weallow our appetites to dictate
our diet rather than the gloryof God.
You know, the Bible sayswhether, therefore, you eat or
drink or whatsoever you do, doall to the glory of God.
(16:53):
My mother used to say that somepeople are digging their grave
with their fork, and persistentignoring of warning signs
concerning your health willeventually lead to severe
sickness and intense suffering.
So when we ignore those warningsigns high blood pressure,
(17:19):
elevated sugar levels, otherillnesses, you know, that could
be helped, even eliminated, bydisciplined living.
Hey, y'all listening to me outthere?
Eliminated by disciplinedliving.
Are you all listening to me outthere?
Yeah, I know what that's allabout.
(17:39):
I went to the doctor some timeback.
He gave me this bad report Highlevels of cholesterol and
triglycerides and boy, I wouldjust love for somebody to lay
hands on me and pray for me so Icould keep on drinking a
milkshake every day.
(18:05):
It didn't work that way and Ithink sometimes, you know, know,
we want to be healed, hopingfor a miracle so we can continue
indulging our out of controlappetites, and I think that many
times our prayers for healinggo unanswered because we are
(18:27):
unwilling to bring our habits oflife in line with scripture.
What sense does it make,because we're unwilling to bring
our habits of life in line withScripture?
What sense does it make to prayfor someone to be healed of
diabetes when they're unwillingto stop drinking sodas and
eating candy bars?
Any amen, amen, any amen, amen.
(18:50):
Y'all understand that inwithholding divine healing, god
may be aiming for a morepermanent solution to your
problem and your healing may beundone by continued excess and
(19:10):
indulgence in bodily appetites.
I hope I still got friends whenthis is over with I'll say this
(19:30):
too that sometimes sickness isunder death.
2 Kings 13 and 14 says Now,elisha was fallen sick of his
sickness, whereof he died.
You remember when Jesus wassummoned to come and heal his
friend Lazarus?
Jesus said this sickness is notunto death, but for the glory
of God, that the Son of God maybe glorified thereby.
(19:51):
And saying that this sicknessis not unto death, but for the
glory of God, that the Son ofGod may be glorified thereby.
And saying that this sicknessis not unto death, jesus
indicated that some sickness isunto death.
Sickness is common to the humanrace.
Both saint and sinner get sick.
Everybody's going to experiencesickness at some time in your
life.
It's a reminder of yourmortality.
(20:12):
We live in a mortal andcorruptible body.
We are promised perfect health,but not in this time world.
We have been forbidden earthlyaccess to the tree of life.
We've been cut off from it onthis earth, but we are promised
renewed access to that tree oflife in the new jerusalem.
(20:35):
Sickness is part of the deathprocess, and our body has been
equipped by our creator withmarvelous mechanisms designed to
repair the body throughsuccessions of illnesses,
sicknesses and injuries, buteventually, however, the failure
(20:56):
of some vital organ is going tousher us from time into
eternity.
So when we pray for healing anddeath results, we should not
despair.
Death does not diminish theChristian believer.
And Paul said for me to live isChrist, but for me to die is
(21:19):
gain.
No Christian should ever feardeath, because death has never
diminished a child of God.
We just go from earth to gloryand we inherit a body that will
never be sick again, never age,never know pain or sorrow,
(21:41):
hallelujah.
So it's important for us tounderstand this that the person
who dies has not been cheated bynot being healed here, but they
have been granted greater glorybeyond death.
Some of you probably have readof this great Puritan preacher
(22:03):
by the name of John Owen.
John Owen was on his death bedand he was dictating a letter to
his friend and the man writingfor him.
He said write and tell him I amstill in the land of the living
.
He said stop, change that.
Tell him I'm in the land of thedying, but I'm hoping to soon
(22:26):
be in the land of the living.
Praise God.
Sometimes healing is unto death.
I mean sickness is under death.
I mean sickness is under death.
And sometimes healing isdelayed due to a lack of faith.
It is the prayer of faith thatheals the sick.
(22:48):
Now I'm of the opinion, andsome of you might can correct me
.
Now I'm of the opinion, andsome of you might can correct me
, but I'm of the opinion thatGod does not grant faith for
healing when he designs thatthis sickness is unto death.
And so if we are praying forsomebody that God has designed
(23:13):
that this sickness is unto death, god will not grant faith for
that.
But on the other hand, we don'tknow that Most of the time we
don't know that.
We don't know whether or notthis sickness is unto death.
So we pray with confidence andfaith, as if it's God's will to
(23:36):
heal this person.
And this is a glorious truth,y'all, that by believing the
promise of God we can relievethe suffering of our fellow
believers.
The prayer of faith shall savethe sick.
I think we have to be people ofcompassion In order to pray that
prayer of faith, to have nocompassion for suffering, to
(23:59):
have no compassion for theperson that's sick.
I'm telling you, brother, jesushealed people, not only to
confirm his word, but because hehad compassion on them.
And God wants his people tohave compassion on the suffering
.
We must be people of prayer,because it is prayer in secret
(24:20):
that makes prayer in publicpowerful.
And we must be right with Godand with our fellow man in order
to pray with faith.
It is the fervent, effectualprayer of a righteous man that
God hears His prayer and answershis prayer.
We must be people of faith.
Someone said that when a childof God prays to be healed, god
(24:45):
never says no.
He may say yes or he may saywait a while, but God never
tells a child of God no.
You are going to be healed,either here or in the world to
come.
But you can be assured that,though many are the afflictions
of the righteous, but the Lorddelivers them out of them all.
(25:09):
The child of God is going to behealed.
Sometimes it's here, sometimesit's there, but the child of God
is going to be healed.
Sometimes it's here, sometimesit's there, but the child of God
is going to be healed.
God never says no to a child ofGod who is praying for healing.
So we must be people of faithand you know, I just came from
(25:31):
Georgia.
I preached down there Saturdaymorning In the area where I was
raised, in a fellowship meetingand in the church there at
Bethel at Isle of Georgia whereBrother Will Ratliff is the
pastor there now, and they'vehad sickness cancer.
Several people had cancer therein that church.
(25:52):
One sister I've been knowingabout all my life and she'd been
suffering with cancer for fouryears and just recently went to
the doctor and the doctor said Idon't know what's happened here
, but there's no cancer in yourbody.
I can't explain it, but you arefree from cancer.
(26:12):
She'd been sick with cancer forfour years and God healed her.
Another sister in that churchshe's visiting in that church.
She has a son that goes to thatchurch.
She stood up and testified.
She said she had cancer, shewas taking treatments.
They were about to kill her.
She stopped.
They just went to praying forGod to heal her.
She said I've been off mymedicine for a whole year, have
(26:35):
no pain.
God's healed me of my cancer.
And another lady there that hadcancer and she said she'd been
taking treatments and she saidmy doctor said he can't find any
more cancer in me.
Well, I'm telling you, brother,it don't matter whether it's a
cold or cancer.
Jesus has the power to heal us.
By his stripes we are healed,amen.
(26:57):
I'm telling you that there isno sickness, there's no disease
that Jesus can't cure, and Godwants us to believe in the
healing power of the blood ofJesus, that by his stripes we
are healed.
I want you to know that Jesusdidn't waste His blood.
He didn't waste His sufferingon the cross.
He hurt so we could be healed.
And Jesus told us the route totake when we are sick.
(27:21):
Call for the elders of thechurch, let them anoint Him with
oil.
Praying over them in the prayerof faith shall save the sick,
and if they've committed anysins, it shall be forgiven them.
Anybody here ever been healed?
Raise your hand.
Ah, looky here.
Oh, glory to God.
I'll tell you what Jesus is thesame yesterday, today and
(27:42):
forever.
We're going to keep onbelieving in the healing power
of our Lord and Savior, jesusChrist.
Wasn't that great.
How many enjoyed that message.
I tell you this day will godown as a monumental day, of
(28:08):
course, memorial Day.
And then, brother Prescott,will go down as the day the
preacher got preached on.
I know y'all, I know y'all.
And then, brother Prescott,it'll go down as the day the
preacher got preached on.
I know y'all, I know y'all.
You're helping me greatly.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Brother, hi everyone.
This is Laura Steele from Pekin, illinois.
I am part of the team ofgraphic designers here at
Holiness Preaching OnlinePodcast.
We are beyond grateful forevery listen and stream we
receive, and we hope you willcontinue to be blessed by this
ministry, as our team pours manyhours into producing and
publishing these sermons.
May God richly bless each oneof you as you endeavor to apply
(28:45):
these messages to your Christianwalk.
God bless.
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