“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 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. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. – James 5:13-16
LIGHT FOR NOW: The believer that prays with the heart of gratitude or with thankfulness releases his faith to receive what he has believed in prayers.
The prayer of faith incorporates thanksgiving in prayers as this shows an attitude that we believe we’ve received what we prayed for. 1John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him”. The word “confidence” implies “confident speaking, assurance, a freedom of speech”. Acts 28:31 “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him”. Confidence was used in Acts 4:29 as “boldness” and 2Corinthians 7:4 as “boldness of speech”. Hence, John’s use of that word would have been referring to “boldness to freely make requests” in prayer which is predicated on our relationship; fellowship; union with the father in Christ. Based on this confidence (boldness to freely make requests in prayers), we give thanks as a show off our confidence in a giving God who gives freely; who is consistent (James 1:17). How do we give thanks? Paul teaches us in 1Corinthians 14:14-17; He gives us an order.
• “I will pray in the spirit; I will pray in the understanding also”.
• “I will sing with the spirit; I will sing in the understanding also”.
In Ephesians 6:18, he tells us how to pray; in the spirit (is what he says – that is, in tongues). Hence, the “how to” give thanks is also in the spirit (1Corinthians 14:16-17). So, the “how to give thanks well” in prayers is in the spirit (in tongues). Glory!
INSTRUCTION: Pray more in the spirit.
CONFESSION: I am given to regular and consistent prayer in the Holy Ghost, in Jesus Name, Amen
QUOTE: Thanksgiving in prayers is the voice of faith in what Christ has done.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: EPHESIANS CHAPTER 5; EVENING: EPHESIANS CHAPTER 6
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 