Rick Warren - A Faith That Can Transform Weaknesses (03/14/2024)
Pastor Rick Warren teaches from James 5 on divine healing, addressing three common misconceptions: you can’t buy healing, sickness isn’t always due to a lack of faith, and miracles have not ceased. He explores when and how to pray for healing, emphasizing that all healing comes from God and that earnest prayer offered in faith by any believer is powerful and effective.
A Faith That Heals
Hi, everybody. I’m Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, author of «The Purpose Driven Life,» and teacher of the Daily Hope Broadcast. Welcome back to our series, «Through the Book of James,» which we’re calling «A Faith That Works When Life Doesn’t: Principles for Living Through a Pandemic». We’re coming down to our last couple of studies as we finish up chapter five of the book of James. We’re going to be studying the same passage of scripture that we did last time, but we’re going to look at it from a different angle.
I told you last time that the Greek word astheneo, the big word used in this text, is translated in the Bible as «weakness» about half the time and as «illness» or «sickness» the other half. So it’s used both ways. It can mean weakness or it can mean illness. In our last time together, we looked at a faith that can transform your weaknesses. If you missed that session, I hope you can watch it online. But today we’re going to look at what James says about a faith that can heal illnesses.
I want to begin by pointing out that physical healing was a major part of Jesus' ministry. Matthew chapter four, verse 23 tells us: «Jesus went everywhere teaching, preaching, and healing people who had all kinds of diseases and sicknesses». Jesus was a Teacher, a Preacher, and a Healer. He didn’t just care about saving souls. He also cared about educating minds and healing bodies. You would be accurate in saying that one third of Jesus' ministry was health care.
That’s why Christianity is a preaching, teaching, and healing faith, because Jesus went everywhere doing those three things. As Christians, we build schools and hospitals, not just churches. Here at Saddleback, we follow Jesus' model. In the past 2,000 years, Christians have started more schools and more hospitals than anybody else by far. In fact, you may not realize this: it was the Church that invented the hospital during the Antonine Plague in the 2nd century.
Later, Christians improved that idea, showing hospitality in cities and starting a new thing called the hospital. During the 3rd century Cyprian Plague, they improved the hospital idea further. So healing is a major part of our faith. Now, before we look at what the Bible says about a faith that can heal illnesses, I want to quickly point out three mistaken views about divine healing.
Three Mistaken Views About Healing
Okay, three false views, errors, misconceptions, myths—these are common errors about healing that simply aren’t true but you hear them all the time. As your Pastor, I just want to call attention to them. The fact is that all healing of any kind comes from our Creator, God. God may use a doctor’s hands, medicine, a miracle, or something else, but God is always the source of all healing. He is a healing God.
So let me just give you these first three common errors or myths about divine healing. Error number one is this: I can buy my healing by giving. I can purchase it by giving. Friends, that simply isn’t true. You can’t buy your healing. You can’t bribe God to do a miracle in your life by giving an offering. You can’t bargain with God either. Everything God does in your life He does by His own free grace. We don’t deserve anything, we don’t earn it, we don’t work for it, and God can’t be bought.
You know, it’s interesting to me that about 500 years ago, there were some Christians who started selling what were then called Indulgences. They were like tickets to Heaven, sold to fund a church building project in Rome. Some unscrupulous people started telling peasants they could buy their way into Heaven, that they could purchase their salvation. These errors incensed people and helped cause the Reformation 500 years ago.
Now, today, 500 years later, nobody’s trying to sell you tickets to Heaven. Nobody’s claiming you can buy your salvation by giving. But all you have to do is turn on a Christian TV channel to find that people are selling Indulgences—500 years later, only today they’re not for salvation, they’re for healing. The pitch goes like this: if you’ll just send a certain amount of money, I will send you a prayer cloth, or special oil from the Holy Land, or some Holy water, or some other trinket that will bring physical healing.
Of course it’s bogus. It’s the same principle as an Indulgence 500 years ago, only it’s about healing, not salvation. You can’t buy your healing. But by the way, that’s not a new problem. It happened even in Bible times. Let me show you in Acts chapter eight, verses nine to about 22. It gives us an example of a magician named Simon. Let me read you that: «There was a man named Simon, who used magic tricks for many years to pose as a miracle worker. He amazed everybody, and he claimed supernatural powers.»
«He had a large following and people called him the Great Power. But when Philip preached Jesus in his town, Simon himself believed and was later baptized.» So this magician, this conman, became a Christian. Then it says later on, «when Simon saw the Holy Spirit healing people through the prayers and the hands of Jesus' apostles, he offered them money to buy this power. But Peter said, 'you and your money will end up in Hell if you think God’s gift can be bought.'»
«'Your heart is not right before God. Turn from this wicked attitude and pray, and ask God to forgive you for trying to use God to make money.'» Hmm, I think some people need to pray that last line today. «Ask God to forgive you for trying to use God to make money». Evidently, pretty quickly, people started figuring out they could make money in a religious racket, but they weren’t the real deal. That’s why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:17, «unlike so many others, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit».
Okay, he says, «unlike many, we don’t peddle the Word of God for profit». You know that I don’t take any money. I’ve served Saddleback for free now for 40 years as the Pastor. I don’t take a salary from our Church. I don’t peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, Paul says, «in Christ we speak before God with sincerity». Now, you may be wondering, «Rick, these people on TV doing this stuff, are they truly believers? Or are they just fakes and phonies and con men?»
Well, I tell you what, that’s for God to judge. But here’s what Jesus had to say in Matthew chapter seven, verse 22: Jesus said, «On judgment day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? And did we not drive out demons in your name? And did we not perform many miracles in your name? ' Then I will say to them, 'I never knew you. Go away from me, your works were evil.'» So not everybody who claims to be doing miracles in the name of God, Jesus said, actually knows God or knows Jesus.
So you need to be careful about that. You can’t buy a miracle; you can’t buy a healing. Here’s the second misconception, or myth, or error about divine healing that you hear a lot these days. Error number two: People will say, It’s never God’s will for me to be sick. That sounds good, and the people who teach this sincerely believe God always wants you to be well. They believe illness is never God’s will for your life, and that if you do get sick, it’s because you lack faith or you have sinned.
These teachers are often called Health and Wealth Gospel teachers. If you’re sick, they say it’s your own fault; you just need more faith. If you’ve gotten ill, you just didn’t have enough faith. They act like Earth should be perfect, like Heaven. But there’s a big problem with the second view too. The Bible teaches the exact opposite. In fact, the Bible teaches us that problems, pain, suffering, and yes, even illnesses, are part of God’s discipling process for building our Christ-like character and bringing us to full maturity.
You know, God did not exempt His own Son, Jesus, from sorrow or suffering. Jesus had sorrow, suffering, sickness, pain, torture, and death. So why would God exempt us if He didn’t exempt His own Son? Let me show you some scriptures you can use when somebody says, «Well, you just don’t have enough faith, that’s why you’re sick,» or, «You’ve sinned, that’s why you’re sick.» Let me just show you some verses. First Peter 4:19 says this: «Those who suffer according to the will of God should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good».
Did you notice the phrase «those who suffer according to God’s will»? Sometimes you get sick and it’s God’s will. Yeah, it’s not your fault; it’s just part of living on a broken planet where nothing works right. People are getting COVID-19 right now. They didn’t do anything wrong; they just got it. Some of the greatest Christian saints of history lived their entire lives with chronic illness—chronic pain—and were never relieved of it.
God used that chronic pain and perpetual illness to draw them close to Him and actually make them great saints. Last week we talked about Paul’s ailment, which he called «a thorn in my flesh"—some kind of bodily infirmity, a weakness, an illness. Three times he asked God to take it away, and God didn’t. He said, «Instead, I’m going to leave it, and I’m going to give you the grace to handle it». You remember when we started this book of James, the very first thing he said was, «Don’t be surprised when you have troubles, and trials, and pain».
Don’t be shocked by it. So, of course, it’s not always God’s will that you’re going to be in perfect health. Things are going to go wrong in your life; you’re going to have trials, troubles, and tribulation. In fact, Jesus said in John 16:33, «In the world you will have trouble». So there’s no way you’re going to go through life free of illness. Let me show you three things that Paul said in the Bible about this second error—that it’s always God’s will for me to be well.
Philippians 1:29: «For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Him». That’s part of the privilege of being a Christian. Colossians 1:24, Paul says: «There are things that Christ still suffers through His body, the Church». And Paul says, «I am accepting in my body my part of these things that must be suffered». «I’m accepting in my body the part of these things that still must be suffered». He said the Church, which is the Body of Christ, still has sufferings. And you’re part of the Body of Christ, so there are going to be sufferings in your body too.
First Thessalonians 3:3, Paul says: «We want no one to be unsettled—otherwise, blown away—by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them». Whoa. First Thessalonians 3:3: we were destined to actually have some pain in our lives. You know, all sunshine and no rain makes a desert, as the old saying goes. Now, there’s a third error about divine healing you need to know that’s not true before we can look at the text.
Error number three: Some Christians say that miracles ended with the completion of the Bible. Okay, some well-meaning Christians believe there are no more miracles today. They believe all the miracles you see in the Bible, when Jesus was resurrected and went back to Heaven, were to prove He was the Son of God and are no longer necessary. Okay, well, I get your point. Obviously, Jesus went back to Heaven; He proved He was the Son of God through the resurrection.
But to believe that view—that there are no more miracles happening—you have to, number one, ignore a whole lot of commands Jesus gave us regarding asking in prayer for miracles. And two, you have to explain away a number of promises Jesus made. And then, number three, you have to explain away the billions of miracles that have happened in the last 2,000 years. Jesus' desire to heal people has not changed one bit. Hebrews 13:8 says this: «Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever».
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same Preacher, Teacher, Healer of 2,000 years ago wants to preach and teach and heal today through His body. And who is His body today? You and me—the Body of Christ. Even today, Jesus is still our Teacher, our Savior, our Healer, and our Redeemer. With that settled—those three things I just wanted to get out of the way—we can now look at James chapter five. This will go quick, but it’s about a faith that can heal illnesses.
James on Healing and Prayer
James chapter five, verses 13 to 18, says this: «Are you hurting? Then you should pray. Are you happy? Then you should sing songs of praise. Are you sick? Then you should call the church elders to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer offered in faith will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise them up. If you have sinned, you’ll be forgiven. Therefore, confess your faults to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed.»
«The earnest prayer of a believing person is powerful and effective. For example, Elijah was a human being, just like us. Yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, there was no rain for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it poured down and everything began to grow again». Now we read that passage last week, but we’re coming back to look at it from the angle of illnesses, not weaknesses.
I really love that last phrase where it says, after Elijah prayed, «and everything began to grow again». Friends, that’s a verse of hope—a verse of hope that we all need in this season of the COVID-19 global pandemic. I’m praying for everything to start growing in your life again. So many people need healing today: not just those sick physically from the pandemic or other illnesses, but also economic healing, financial healing. The economy is sick, our culture is sick, our nations are sick.
We need healing in so many areas. That’s why this is an important message today. I want you to know that in that passage I just read—James five—in just six verses, James mentions prayer seven times. If you’re taking notes, go back and circle the word «pray» or «prayer» seven times in six verses. He didn’t want you to miss the point. Here it is: healing comes through prayer. Not through healers; healing comes through prayer. When someone prays for you, there is the healing.
Four Questions About Healing
So, what I want to do in just the last few minutes is simply ask four questions. One: When should I pray for healing? Two: Why aren’t people healed every time we pray? Three: Who can pray for healing? And four: How do I pray for healing for myself and for other people? This is a very important message, so I encourage you to take notes on it. You can also download it from the websites.
Number one: When should I pray for healing? Well, in that passage I just read, James mentions four specific times to pray for healing. We find these in four different words and phrases he uses. First, he says, «Are you hurting?» Remember last week I told you that Greek word kakopatheo. It means you’re having trouble, a tough time, suffering, hurting. Then he says, «Are you sick?» That’s astheneo, which means I feel weak, sick, or ill—it can be weakness or illness.
Then he says, «the sick person"—that’s the Greek word kamno, which means I’m weary, worn out, I feel like giving up, tired, drained. And then he says Elijah prayed, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He prayed for rain, and it sent a gully washer. No rain for three and a half years—he’s talking about a drought, a dry spell. Some of you right now are going through a dry spell in your life because of this pandemic. Everything’s been shut down. You’re going through a spiritual, physical, or emotional dry spell. Things have dried up.
So, based on those four things he said, here’s the answer to the first question. Write this down: When should I pray for healing? Any time I’m hurting, sick, tired, or empty. That’s it. Any time I’m hurting, I should pray for healing. Any time I’m sick, I should pray. Any time I’m tired, I should pray. Any time I feel empty, I should pray. I know some of you are thinking, «Rick, those four words describe the totality of my life right now. I’m sick, tired, empty, and hurting». Well, then this is the time to pray for healing and have others pray for you.
Question number two: Why aren’t people healed every time? The answer is pretty simple. We simply don’t know God’s will. God’s not going to give you something against His will because God always wants what’s best for you. You don’t always know what’s best. I could pray for things that really wouldn’t be good for me, but I don’t know God’s will. God uses illnesses in many ways. So when we pray for healing, we’re asking God because all we can see is our side.
God says, «Just pray what you ask for, pray the desires of your heart». But then we trust God that if it’s not His will—because He knows something else—He’s not going to answer with a yes. God answers every prayer: sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes wait, sometimes «you gotta be kiddin'». We don’t have time to list all the ways God uses illness, but let me mention three. Why does God sometimes allow sickness in my life? Three reasons.
Reason number one: to get my attention and redirect me. Sometimes God has to lay you flat on your back to get you to look up. He makes me lie down in green pastures. Psalm 119:71 says: «It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees». Sometimes God uses illness to get my attention and head me in a different direction. Another good verse is Proverbs 20:30 in the Today’s English Version: «Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways». Anybody want to give a testimony on that one?
This first reason is what the Bible calls a sickness for discipline or training—a sickness under chastisement. Reason number two: sometimes God allows sickness to be a testimony for others. He knows He can trust you with an illness, and you’ll be a good example, particularly to unbelievers. Paul says in Philippians 1:12: «I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has helped spread the good news». Where is Paul? He’s sick and in prison in Rome when he writes that.
He’s in a lonely, damp, dank, dark, cold prison dungeon. He says, «What’s happened has helped spread the good news». I could spend a whole message on this, but I’ll say it like this: after walking with God for six decades (I’ve been a Christian 60 years), I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe the greatest witness you’ll ever have in front of unbelievers is your example—the way you handle pain. I’ve found that true in my own life.
In moments of pain, God was using that as a witness to my neighbors and the world. Christians aren’t exempt from problems. We have the same ones everybody else does. We just have our relationship with Christ to strengthen, comfort, encourage, and give us hope and wisdom. Sometimes God lets you be ill because He can trust you to be an example of patience and godliness. The Bible calls this a sickness to the glory of God. Jesus talks about it in John 11:4 regarding Lazarus: «This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God».
Did you know there have been illnesses in your life that God wanted to use to bring glory to Himself? If you’re griping and complaining and bitter the whole time, there’s no glory going to God. But when you respond to pressure and pain positively, it brings glory. So there’s a sickness for discipline, a sickness for God’s glory, and sometimes God allows sickness, reason number three, to take us into eternity. The Bible calls this a sickness unto death.
Jesus said about Lazarus that it was not a sickness unto death but for God’s glory. If you could be healed of every illness just by having enough faith, then if you had enough faith you’d never die, and you’d end up living on Earth forever. That certainly isn’t God’s will. Hebrews 9:27 says: «God has already appointed a time that each of us will die». Did you know that? It’s one appointment you’re not going to be late for. So one reason God allows illness is sometimes He wants to take you home; your time on Earth is done.
What I’m saying is: we pray for healing, trusting God’s will to be done. As Jesus prayed in Gethsemane: «Father, if it’s possible (and I know it’s possible), take this cup from me. Nevertheless, thy will be done, not mine». That’s what we do. «God, it’s my desire that you heal me, heal my loved one. Nevertheless, thy will be done». First John 5:14 says: «This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us».
All right, so we’ve looked at when to pray (four times: hurting, sick, tired, empty). We’ve looked at why some aren’t healed (we don’t know God’s will). Number three: Who can pray for healing? Do you have to be the Pope, a pastor, a missionary, or somebody super holy? Write this down: Any child of God can pray for healing. You can come to your Heavenly Father and say, «Daddy, I’m sick; I need your healing». James 5:16–17 says: «The earnest prayer of a believing person is powerful and effective».
Let me stop there. «The earnest prayer of a believing person». It doesn’t say you have to be a super saint. You just have to be a believing person, and you have to be earnest. «For example,» he says, «Elijah was a human being just like us, yet when he prayed earnestly…» You know the rest. Elijah’s life was filled with miracles, but the most comforting thing is: Elijah was just like us. He wasn’t some super saint. God used him because he dared to pray for miracles.
If God only heard the prayers of perfect people, nobody’s prayers would ever be heard. God hears the prayers of sinners, failures, all of us imperfect. Earlier in this text, James says, «you can call the elders of your church to pray for you and anoint you with oil». Of course, we do that at Saddleback all the time. We’ve only got about a dozen elders and about 30,000 members, so we can’t keep up with everybody. What is he talking about with anointing with oil? We’ve talked about this before.
Oil is simply a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Just like water in baptism is a symbol of your death, burial, and resurrection. Just like water, oil in praying for healing is a symbol of your faith and trust. There is no healing power in any kind of oil, so don’t go writing off for special oil. You could use Crisco or whatever; it’s just a symbol of your faith. Now, you don’t have to be an elder to pray for others. Many other scriptures talk about praying for each other’s healing.
We even anoint each other in the name of the Lord. I talked to our elders last week about planning a drive-thru anointing service during COVID-19. So look forward to that; I’m hoping we can do it at every campus. Stay tuned. But in the meantime, as your Pastor, I authorize all of you in your small groups to pray for each other, to pray for healing, and to anoint each other in the name of the Lord. Why? Because Jesus said in John 14:12–14: «I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I’ve been doing».
What was he doing? The verse right before talks about the miracles he’d done. He turns to his disciples and says, «Anyone who has faith in me will do what I’ve been doing. He will even do greater miracles than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father». Wow. I don’t see many of us doing greater works than Jesus. How? Because when Jesus was here in his physical body, he could only be in one place at one time.
He could only heal one person here, then there. He couldn’t be in China, Europe, and Africa simultaneously. But now the Body of Christ is spread worldwide. We are the Body of Christ. 2.3 billion people can pray for healing at the same time on every continent, in every country, city, state, and province. That’s how we do greater works—together. We’re not limited to one body; the Body of Christ is now spread worldwide.
How to Pray for Healing
Finally, let’s look simply at how to pray for healing—for myself and others. Did you know God wants to make you a healing agent? Yes, you—normal you. You don’t have to be an elder. God wants to use you to pray for healing. It’s not complicated. James teaches three things. Number one: make sure my heart is clean from sin. That’s the starting point. I can’t have unconfessed sin and pray for myself or others. That’s why verse 16 says, «Confess your faults to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed».
I’ve said it thousands of times: revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. Confess your faults, clean out your life, take out the garbage, confess your sins, get them out. You’ll never be sinless, but it is possible to sin less. You can confess and be cleaned out inside. That’s step one. Step two: be specific when I ask. Too many people are afraid to put God in a box, so they won’t ask specifically for healing. They say, «Lord, be with this sick person, show them your love».
That’s fine, but over 20 times in the New Testament we are commanded to ask. Ask, seek, knock. «If you ask anything in my name, I’ll do it». You need to be specific. James says in chapter four, verse two: «You do not have because you do not ask». I’ve been with many people who say, «Pray for me; I’m sick». And I pray, «Lord, be with him, bless him». What’s a blessing? If a blessing hit you in the face, how would you know? Sometimes a blessing is an illness. Is that what you’re really praying for?
So be specific. You don’t have because you don’t ask. I often say it like this: «God, you’ve told us many times in your word to ask and to pray for healing. So I’m just obeying you. I’m asking you to heal this person. Just heal him. It’s up to you. I can’t control it; I don’t have any power in me. But you told us to ask. I’m asking. Keep your promise, keep your word. Heal him». Okay, be specific. Number three: ask in faith. That’s the third thing James says. James 1:6: «When you ask, you must believe and not doubt. For the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways».
If you don’t think God’s going to heal, if you don’t believe, then don’t even ask; you’re wasting your breath. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt. Why? Because God has his promises and his word. I’m trusting God for his will to be done, but I’m going to do what God says. «God, you told us to pray, to ask, to pray for healing. I’m praying. Now keep your word». Then leave it up to God.
A Closing Prayer for Healing
I want to close right now by praying for you. But for this to be effective, I’d like you to think of an area where you need healing. I don’t have to know it; God knows it, and you know it. Think of something: a relationship that needs healing, a physical ailment, a mental illness, financial healing, a job, depression, worry, anxiety. I’m going to give you about 10 seconds to think, then I’ll pray. All right, let’s bow our heads. Think of what you want to ask God to heal. It won’t hurt to share it with your small group and ask them to pray too. That’s powerful.
Lord, I don’t know all the hundreds, even thousands, of issues being brought before you right now. You’re not too busy. Your circuits don’t get overloaded. You can handle billions of requests at the same time. As each of us comes to you in our point of need—maybe healing from bitterness, or healing in our bodies, organs, muscles, backs, brains, bones, digestive system—we’re just doing what you say. You told us to ask, to believe, to trust. So we ask you to keep your word right now. We come not in doubt but in confidence that if we ask anything according to your will, it will be done. We say like Jesus: Lord, this is what we want. Nevertheless, thy will be done, not ours. But that’s not a lack of faith; our faith is in you. We want your will. If that happens to be this healing, so be it. May we not stand in the way of the gift you want to give. Lord, there are people here who’ve never opened their lives to Jesus Christ. They’ve never received healing for all their sins, all their guilt. May they, right now, receive your salvation.
If you’ve never asked him, say: «Jesus Christ, save me. Forgive all my sins. Accept me into your family. Make me a new person. I want to be your child, in your family. I want to learn to know you». Just say that.
Jesus, I want to believe in you today, and I want to trust you. I’m asking you to save me. Father, whatever the needs are, as the pastor and shepherd of this flock, I ask you to hear these prayers. I pray that whether the glory comes through us seeing a miracle or through us being a witness with the right attitude, that either way you will get the glory. We pray in your name, Amen.