Consider the scripture:
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 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: 15 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. 16 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. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:13-18 KJV)
The Bible tells us it tells us how we should pray when we are facing affliction. Like faith, affliction is actually defined in the bible, and is one of the many troubles that believers and unbelievers alike face. What is clear from scripture is that affliction will prevail when there is an absence of prayer, and faith. Whether, the affliction is sickness, oppression, depression, stagnation, slow progress, limitations or otherwise, God tells us how to deal with it.
The scripture tells us if we are afflicted prayer is the response. It goes on to tell us an example of successful breakthrough over affliction. It says Elijah prayed earnestly. Why? It didn’t say that he prayed. It says he prayed earnestly in a time that it was not raining. There was no rain. There was the absence
of something that he needed, and he prayed earnestly and something
happened: it rained!
Affliction includes needs that are not being met – lack; and limitations. However, here lies the solution if you feel afflicted, we have to pray.
Many persons pray, but there is a matter that arises that may escape their attention. That is, passion in prayer. Praying passionately is not a lack of faith but evidence to its presence, and a good companion to its results. The scripture emphatically states that earnest was his prayer, and earnest we must we also pray, if we must lay all our afflictions to rest.
