THE PRAYER OF FAITH by Mrs. Hattie Oppen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 23, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 30.

THE PRAYER OF FAITH.

By Mrs. Hattie Oppen

"THE prayer of faith shall save the sick." Let us put with this the scripture which says, "Faith without works is dead;" or in other words, it is a dead faith that does not bring forth works. So as we pray the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick, let us do the works of faith. Let us use the means that God Himself has provided; and let us teach the sick properly to care for the body which He has given them, and which He says He wishes to purify and make a fit temple wherein may dwell His Holy Spirit.

Let our faith, when we pray, be the faith of Abraham, who, having living faith in God, worked the works of faith, even unto the offering up of his son Isaac. For he had faith to believe that even tho God permitted Isaac to be offered up as a burnt-offering, He was abundantly able to raise him up again. Let us remember that before Christ said to the woman, "Thy faith hath made thee whole," the woman reached out and touched the hem of His garment, thus showing her faith by her works.

Christ had perfect faith. When He said to the sick, "Be thou healed," they were invariably healed. Why?—He says, "Of Myself I can do nothing." It was by His faith in the power and willingness of God the Father to heal the sick that He did the work. A certain man came to Jesus with a child possessed with devils, and said that he had been to the disciples, but they could not cast them out. Afterward when the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out the devils, He said it was because of their unbelief.

So we see that it is impossible for faith to exist and not produce works. James says, "Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." When we say we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not the works of Christ, we deceive ourselves.

Then let us remember that the prayer of faith does heal the sick; but that faith is always made manifest by works, and that we manifest our faith just as truly by giving a hot or cold water pack according to knowledge, or by teaching the people how to live according to right principles, as by vocal prayer. Faith and works go together, and can not be separated. MRS. HATTIE OPPEN. Clotho, Todd Co., Minn.