James Bible Study Chapter 5: the epistle of James encourages believers to pray in times of trouble and to pray for one another; he highlights the effectiveness of fervent and righteous prayers. We must learn how to talk to God until our praying will move every mountain, every obstruction, everything that stands between us and the fulfilment of God’s promises.
Submit yourselves to God
James Bible Study Chapter 4: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Made righteous through faith evidenced by works
James Bible Study Chapter 2: “Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:23-26, NKJV)
Count it all joy
James Bible Study Chapter 1: ‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing… Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.’
The dynamic power of prayer
Powerful prayer works! The original Greek of the Bible often uses a special word for power: dunamis – it signifies miraculous, wonder-working power. From it we get the words dynamo (which generates power), and dynamite (the explosive). If you want prayer to work, to change your circumstances, then it must generate power. Jesus never once in the four Gospels told His disciples to pray for the sick. He said, ‘HEAL the sick!’ (Luke 9&10). He was speaking with authority! Yes, in James 5:14 it says ‘the prayer of faith will save the sick’ – but this is in the church. There is a big difference between the call of the evangelist and ministry within the church.
The Power of Humility before the Lord
So many of God's promises are conditional upon our obedience. James 4, verses 6-8, are an encouragement to submit to God and be humble before Him. There is power in your obedience and humility. ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.'
Your words contain miracles
There are miracles in the words you speak. If you really believe what you say, you will speak – and the mountain will move! Whatever you say, if you speak with faith and authority, and don’t doubt, you will be healed, your family will be blessed, your financial burden will move – even if these things are mountains in your life! But let this be a warning – watch your tongue – the miracle is in your mouth!!