Confess + Pray = Healing

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

James 5:16

Recently I saw this scripture in a fresh light.  How does the James passage unite with the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:23-24:  "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, [24] leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  Perhaps my brother has something against me because I have wronged him!  If that is the case, it is my brother to whom I ought to confess my trespass.  Confession to God alone is sometimes not enough.

Is God able to absolve my guilt by the blood of Jesus Christ?  Absolutely.  But simply confessing my sin before God it does not clear me from confessing my faults to those I have wronged.  There is an interesting relationship which exists between one wronged by another.  A perfect example is Job.  He was wrong in justifying himself before God, but when confronted by God he humbly admitted his sin.  God never condemned Job for this sin because of his repentance!  Yet He was angry against the Job's "friends" who falsely judged him and condemned him as wicked.  Job 42:7-10 reads, "And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. [8] Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." [9] So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had accepted Job. [10] And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

Though not a perfect man, Job was accepted by God because of his faith.  He had already offered the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart. Job's friends were told to go to Job and offer sacrifices for their sin. Notice what happened when Job prays.  Not only was the offering of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar accepted, but God restored Job's losses when he prayed.  The offense between these men and God was taken away, and Job's health, family, and wealth returned to him abundantly.  It is true that the prayers of a righteous man avails much.  One righteous man who prays to God and is accepted by Him has more power than entire nations who are right in their own eyes.

Moses is another example of a man who interceded on behalf of others in prayer.  We see this principle at work in Numbers 11:2:  "Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched."  Also in Numbers 21:7:  "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people."  God directed Moses to place a bronze serpent on a pole, and all who looked upon it would be cured from their poisonous snake bites.  There was another occasion when Miriam and Aaron spoke against the authority and leadership of Moses over the children of Israel.  God called them all to appear before Him and sternly chastened Miriam and Aaron.  To the horror of all, Miriam was stricken with leprosy!  Numbers 12:11-13 reads, "So Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. [12] Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!" [13] So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!"  God graciously restored Miriam's heath according to the prayer of Moses.

With these examples in mind, let us read the James passage again:  "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  I had the opportunity to put this principle to work the other day.  I was convicted by God for not being honest.  In the world's eyes, I did no wrong.  But God told me differently!  He doesn't see as the world sees!  I felt God was leading me to confess my sin not only to Him, but to the person who wasn't aware of my dishonesty.  There was no doubt in my heart that my relationship with God was distant, as if I was Samson robbed of his strength (in a spiritual sense).  After I confessed my sin to this person, there was such light which shone through to my heart!  What treachery sin is!  How it robs us not only of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ but denies us the glory of God's presence!

I believe Christians ought to obey the scriptures and confess our trespasses to one another and pray for one another.  The wisdom of this is validated throughout scripture.  This does not mean that prayer meetings are reserved for opportunities to air out our soiled laundry!  Go to the one you have wronged and confess your sin as led by the Holy Spirit.  I am convinced there are many who have denied themselves spiritual health because they refuse to trust God and obey Him in this matter.  Why else would it be commanded in scripture if it did not apply to us?  Praise God that we can at all times boldly venture into God's throne room of grace, where Christ stands at the right hand of the Father living to make intercession for us.  When Christ prays for us, His prayers will be answered.  Whether or not people on earth forgive us, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Then our prayers will be heard by God and we can intercede for others!  What a wonderful God we serve who hears and heals us!