And the prayer of faith will make the sick person well. – James 5:15.
Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947) was a guy who had enormous faith and had many stories to tell of God doing the miraculous through him. Here’s one of his stories which contrasts prayers of unbelief vs. a simple prayer of faith:
A Baptist minister came to me and said, “The doctor says that this is the last day my wife has to live. ” I said, “Oh Brother Clark, why don’t you believe God? God can raise her up if you will only believe Him!”
I sent word to another man and asked if he would come with us to pray for the dying woman. We entered the house, and I asked this man to pray first. He cried in his desperation and prayed that Brother Clark might be comforted after he was left with these little motherless children, and that he might be strengthened to bear his sorrow. I could hardly wait until he was finished! My whole being was moved, I thought, “What an awful thing to bring this man all this way to pray that kind of a prayer. What was the matter with him? He was looking at the dying woman instead of looking at God.”
When this man had finished, I said to Brother Clark, “Now you pray.” He took up the thread right where the other man had left off and went on with the same kind of prayer. He got so down beneath the burden I thought he would never rise again! I was so glad when he was finally through. I couldn’t have taken it much longer. These prayers seemed to be the most out-of-place prayers that I had ever heard. The whole atmosphere was being charged with unbelief. My soul was stirred. I was eager for God to get a chance to do something and to have His way.
I did not wait to pray but rushed up to the bed and tipped the oil bottle, pouring nearly the whole contents on the woman. Then I saw Jesus just above the bed with the sweetest smile on His face, and I said to her, “Woman, Jesus Christ makes you whole.” The woman stood up, perfectly healed, and she is a strong woman to this day.
Do you pray prayers of unbelief, or prayers of faith? May God help us to get our eyes off the conditions and symptoms, no matter how bad they may be, and get them fastened on Him. Then we will be able to pray, “the prayer of faith.”
i love this story!
Somethings I would have finished the sentence before realizing I didn’t understand what I was asking for, even when it seems my “faith” could make a difference. Some petitions don’t reveal only unbelief but also selfishness and ignorance. I guess God smiles at them all.