Msg #1421 Healing and Anointing Oil

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

"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: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." (James 5:14-15a) Oil is not mystical or magical for healing. It is not filled with power, but obedience is. It does not get a hold of God, but prayer does. It can not heal any disease, but God can. In James 5 anointing oil is only a symbol. Baptismal water is also a symbol. It does not wash a single sin away. A communion wafer is also only a symbol. It is not a sacrament filled with magical power. It is not physically the body of Christ, nor does it magically turn into the body of Christ, it is a symbol. Jesus spent half of John chapter 4 trying to get the Samaritan woman to let go of the physical and get a grasp on the spiritual. Healing is promised to the believer and in James chapter 5 it is connected to a symbolic anointing oil. Oil is first mentioned in the Holy Bible when Jacob poured some on stones that were his pillow at Bethel. It symbolized the presence of God. Oil olive gave light where God dwelt with man, in the Tabernacle of God. Anointing oil was on the alter of incense, typifying the prayers of saints. The the meal offering included a log of oil in sacrifice. Oil anointed the priest. Oil anointed the King. The parable of the 10 virgins teaches that we cannot barrow oil from another. Many who say they believe, leave the powerful promise of James 5:14 out of their vocabulary. You can trust His Holy Word.

An Essay for week #21 05/25/2014

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