“The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”
James 5:15-16
The word “sick” in verse 15 means “to tire with exertion, labor to weariness; to be discouraged; to labor under disease or sickness”. This word can mean physically sick or emotionally discouraged/weary.
Prayer:
Father, thank you that you choose to use prayer to do a powerful work in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for. You use prayer to heal us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Thank you that you tell us to confess our sins to one another as part of our healing. God, help me to have the courage and humility to ask for prayer from others and to let a trusted friend know where I struggle with sin so they can pray for me. Lord, confessing sin to a trusted friend and asking for prayer is a big step for me, but I want to be healed and free. Please give me wisdom and guidance in this area of my life and direct my steps. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ask God to speak to your heart about confessing sin to a trusted friend (or spouse if you are married). Scripture makes it clear that we receive forgiveness when we confess our sins directly to God (1 John 1:9). However, there are times when we need to tell a trusted friend our sins or struggles so that we can be healed. It takes humility to tell someone our sins, and when a trusted friend prays for us without condemning us, we experience freedom from shame. If you need freedom from a particular sin or struggle, then ask God to direct you to a trusted friend who will pray for you.
40 Days of Prayer 