KJV - 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.
NLT - Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Confession, the Righteous Man, and Effectual Fervent Prayer
This one little verse has so much meat, I think I could study it and make an entire blog series for a month!
Confess your faults. In this world of Instagram selfies and Pinterest perfection, confessing faults seems obtuse. Faults (some translations say 'sin') are when we deviate from the right path. We have strayed from upright living. Why are we commanded to confess these?
We confess so we may be made whole, freed from our errors and sins.
We confess to be healed. Although some interpret this verse as healing from sickness; after digging around a bit, I believe the root words point to healing of the spirit, our souls. We need this step in order to take the next...becoming righteous before God.
David Guzik's notes on a righteous man:
...someone one who recognizes the grounds of his righteousness reside in Jesus, and whose personal walk is generally consistent with the righteousness that he has in Jesus.
We need to be righteous, someone who keeps God's commands and of clean heart, in order for our prayers to be effective and fervent. How is a prayer effective?
If a prayer isn't answered in the 5 minutes we shot it up to heaven, we have to keep praying, keep asking even if discouraged. Seek Him and find His will. And I love this part of the verse, because effective prayer is tied to fervent prayer.
We don't stop praying (pray without ceasing) until God moves.
If a prayer isn't answered in the 5 minutes we shot it up to heaven, we have to keep praying, keep asking even if discouraged. Seek Him and find His will. And I love this part of the verse, because effective prayer is tied to fervent prayer.
When we've lost confidence, because we think our prayer is not heard by Him, that is the time for fervent prayer. Fervent prayer is when our souls cry out to God. We let the Holy Spirit fill us, take over our words, and lift our prayers to Father God through Christ Jesus.
I urge you to dig into this verse. Toss it around in your mind, feed your spirit with it, and ask Him to reveal His Truth regarding these words.
I urge you to dig into this verse. Toss it around in your mind, feed your spirit with it, and ask Him to reveal His Truth regarding these words.
Allow Him to nourish your soul today, so you may be restored.
He is waiting for you.
What does this verse speak to you?
