The Prayer of Faith

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. (James 5:14-15)

James provided a very practical instruction here. If someone in the church is sick, call the elders. Let them pray over the person, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith shall save the sick.

Notice what saves the sick: not the oil, but the prayer of faith. The oil is not a mystical substance that confers power; it is a reminder—a physical symbol pointing to a spiritual reality. It reminds the believer of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is already within them. When an elder anoints someone with oil, they communicate that healing power does not come from the oil itself but from the One who lives inside you.

That is what the ministry of laying on hands should always communicate to the sick believer: you have healing power inside you. The Holy Spirit—the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead—dwells within you right now. Romans 8:11 says that the Spirit will quicken, make alive in a new way of living, your mortal body. It does not say it might. It will. The prayer of faith, pistis, includes trust, confidence, and belief. It’s when two people stand together in agreement on what the Word says is already true. The elder isn’t bringing something external; they are acknowledging and activating what’s already within. That’s the model and the picture. When both parties pray in genuine faith, the enemy has no chance.

Practical Application

Whether you’re praying for yourself or with someone else, make your prayer of faith specific and bold. Don’t beg God to heal; thank Him that the healing power is already within you, and command it to rise up and manifest in Jesus' name. That’s the prayer of faith.

Mark 16:18; Romans 8:11