Prayer and Healing

There is a real blessing in knowing how to be humble and honest among fellow believers who are trustworthy. Here is what I have in mind regarding this: "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" (Jas. 5:16). A couple of nights ago I told a brother in Christ that something had been blocking me from getting prophecy for several days, and asked him to pray for me about it there on the spot. Several of us were together and we had been discussing something that had been stolen from him a few days previously, and we were trying to get an answer from the Lord about the whereabouts of the item. It was after I couldn't get anything about the matter that I told him of my situation and asked him to pray for me. I should also explain that this particular brother is not in a great spiritual state, and in fact he has some glaring flaws that make him difficult to be around if you're not really anchored deep in the Spirit. The fact is Jesus sent him to me because he's in a lot of need and I can help him get where he needs to go. But he has a really good heart and some great potential in the Lord, and I consider him a good friend in Christ. So when I asked him to pray for me it wasn't because I felt he had more faith than I do, or that he is spiritually more advanced than me. The reason I had him pray for me is because I knew God would honor his prayer because I believed that he would. The reason I was able to believe that is because humbling myself and asking prayer from my brother gave me the confidence toward God that I needed to get that prayer answered. Peter explained what I'm talking about here: "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble" (I Pet. 5:5).

What Peter gave us there was not a suggestion, but rather a commandment of God, and John gave us the result of keeping that commandment: "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (I Jn. 3:21,22). Okay, with these things in mind I'll get back to the other night and my prayer request. The brother prayed for me the best he knew how, and I could have focused on the fact that his prayer sounded and looked a little off beat. Instead I was thanking God for his prayer and totally expecting it to be answered. So with all this buildup about it, what was the result? As soon as he prayed for me I bowed my head silently and asked the Lord to show me what happened to his item. The Lord immediately gave me a word that showed me it had been sold by the thief who stole it. I couldn't count the times that I've had similar results when I have acknowledged that someone else could help me in a matter where I couldn't get the help myself. None of us can afford to become too self assured because it is God who GIVES us the help we need, not us who GETS it. I've known people who have protected their 'image' as a believer, or a minister, or whatever, to the point of leaving the impression that they just never have any difficulties of any kind. They are not doing so well these days even though some of them appear to some to be in lofty positions. They, as well as we all, should remember the simplistic admonition of Jesus on these things: "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Lk. 14:11). I think that about says it. God bless.