Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 5:16, NKJV
This verse is part of a larger passage challenging Christians to share prayer requests with leadership whether their issue is sickness, sinfulness, or suffering. People endure pain because of a temperature, temptation, or trial. If the matter is physical, anointing oil is sometimes used to symbolize the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in bringing about supernatural healing. If the matter is an inward temptation to sin, prayer is a powerful weapon in the fight. If the matter is an outward trial, such as the famine in Elijah’s day, the prayer of the righteous makes a difference. This passage focuses both on the prayer and on the person. If we wish to see God move mightily, let our prayer be strong and our people be sanctified.