Prayer of Faith

James 5:15 NKJV

Galatians 5:22

John 14:26 NIV

James Series

James 5:15 raises the questions, what is faith, and how do I get it?

For the better part of my life I spent time trying to figure out how I can ‘get’ more faith. I came to a point when I was sort of mad at myself because I thought it was my fault I didn’t have enough faith.

So, let me clue you in. That kind of thinking is not of God.

Ever.

God never uses guilt or shame to reach or teach us.

As it turned out, the answer was found in scripture. Seminary gave me the tools I needed.

I learned how to study and how lo look for clues and themes. I didn’t really learn that in class, but as I studied I started to really think about the writer, the audience he was writing to, what he was saying, what God was saying to them, and what God is saying to us today.

I learned to leave no stones unturned.

I learned how to search and pray.

I learned to pray and wait for the answer.

I found that when I pray and wait, God shows up.

Every. Time.

In James 5:15 we read, “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

For this scripture, the prayer of faith is a matter of asking Papa God/Jesus to GIVE me His faith.

I go back to Galatians 5:22. The fruit (the reality and the stuff that touches humans) of the Spirit (of God) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, gentleness, and faithfulness.

Today we are going to focus on God’s faithfulness. The Greek word for faithfulness is Pistis and is translated as your faith, his faith, her faith, and most importantly THE faith.

Why is the faith important? The other examples talk about faith from humans. THE faith separates faith from human to divine.

Since the Fruit of the Spirit is of God and comes from God, we can ask God for ‘THE faith’.

I do not need to stress about it. I do not need to come up with it on my own. In my humanness, if I feel like I am uncertain about how to pray, I can ask God to give me what I need. I promise you the Spirit will rush in without hesitation to help.

We know that because in John 14:26 Jesus promised, “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Jesus promised the Spirit will teach us anything!

But, here’s the thing, it may not be an instant fix. Depending on your faith history and what you’ve been taught about faith, God may need to help you to receive THE faith. The Spirit will continue to work with you for as long as it takes to teach you and help you.

Even as write this, and as I write everything, I rely on the teaching of the Spirit. I’ve said before one of the main things I learned in Seminary is how much I do not know. My professors, theologians, and Biblical Scholars amaze me with their insights, but even they pale in comparison to the Spirit of God. The Spirit of the living God is our teacher.

In addition to asking and relying on the Spirit to teach me, I also rely on the Spirit to keep me on track. I ask for confirmation that I am on track as I write.

When we ask, the Spirit gives.

The Spirit gives the faith and whatever else we ask for and need.

According to James 5:15 it is the Lord who will raise us up. It is the Lord who forgives.

The truth of the matter is, WE are just not that powerful.

So when we pray for another, it is the Lord who has the faith. He is faithful. ‘THE faith’ is God’s faith.

Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Faith

Have faith. Ask God to give you faith. The Spirit promised when we ask, He will show up. Ask God to show up.

In God, Deborah

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