Prayers For Healing
Prayers for Healing
Prayers for healing, for binding up the injured and healing the sick is vital work Jesus Christ calls us.
Luke 4:18-19 is my favorite passage. It is Christ’s ministry while here on earth and it is the ministry He passed on to us, His Body of True Believers.
Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV)
18
"The
Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He
has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the
captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty
those who are oppressed;
James tells us how we are to heal those who are broken hearted, who are held captive by the enemy, who are physically and spiritually blind and who are oppressed by the enemy.
James
5:14-16 (NKJV)
14
Is anyone
among you sick? 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.
Why Don’t We See More Healing?
Prayers for healing are called for in God’s Word. The Question is why don’t we see more healing? We try techniques, we try increasing our faith and expectations, yet it seems major healing is for the TV Evangelist and their healing revivals.
But what about us little everyday guys?
Can we ever expect to see healing done by ourselves or is prayers for healing just for the superstars? I don’t think it is just for the superstars – in fact, I KNOW NOT!
We All Are Special People
When we talk about prayers for healing we tend to think about someone with a special relationship with God; we tend to think of someone with a special gift from God. The truth is we all are special people with God and He has given each of us gifts.
So, the people who can give prayers of healing are just like us. However, some people are gifted to care for others, they have special shepherding gifts. They are not pastors, board members, or deacons (although they could be).
Rather, they are people who can see the needs and hurts of others and walk closely to the Lord. They are a part of the Body of Christ, the True Believers (not just professing to believe).
No Wonder We See Such Little Success From Prayers For Healing.
If we will go back to James’ instructions for prayers for healing, we realize not many places in America that heed his words. No wonder we see such little success from prayers for healing.
Keep in mind that the word Elders in James’s passage is not referring to the traditional church elder of today; the elders of the church are not church board members, executives, or advisers to the pastor, as is the case in most churches today.
Rather, this passage demonstrates that elders are shepherds of the people.
Board members don't go to the bedside of the sick.
Board members don't deal with people's sins. Indeed, they may not directly deal with the people at all.
Church elders or shepherds do pray for the sick. In fact, they must be men of strong faith and prayer.
Shepherds must have spiritual perception and knowledge in order to deal with people's personal problems and sins.
Shepherds must be caring and compassionate. They must be ready and willing to visit needy, hurting sheep. Thus, elders are shepherds of people. They care for the people's practical as well as spiritual needs."
We Must Not Leave God Out Of Our Medical Decisions
Today, the doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies are competing for the authority in medical decisions. The patient has been left out and the True Believer in the Body of Christ is not even considered. We must not leave God out of our medical decisions, because often an illness is the result of spiritual causes such as immorality, greed, worry, bitterness, and guilt.
The Institutional Church Today Has Become So Powerless
The institutional church today has become so powerless that it is easy to see why the church is not considered. Keep in mind that “The Body of Christ, made up of True Believers” is NOT THE SAME AS the “institutional church”.
With that in mind, let’s look at what is meant by James dealing with prayers for healing.
1. THE REASONS FOR ILLNESS: There are four causes or reasons why a person becomes ill. We should determine the cause behind the sickness and pray accordingly.
a. Sickness Unto Death: God has declared our normal life span to be 70 to 80 years. Psalm 90:10. Often an illness heralds death. This was true of Elisha who died of an illness, 2 Kings 13:14. But it was not true of Lazarus who died but Jesus said it was not an sickness unto death and raised him from the dead.
b. Sickness Unto Chastisement: This illness involves the physical consequences of violating God's laws. Observing the Lord's Supper in a wrong manner can cause illness, for one purpose of the Communion service is to examine one's self, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32. Sickness is often caused by eating the wrong foods. Bitterness, anger, and guilt will also cause illness.
c. Sickness For the Glory of God: This is a sickness that will cause people to glorify God because He will either heal the illness or correct the problem, as in the case of the blind man (John 9:2,3). Or He will give the person more grace to be victorious through it, as in the case of Paul and his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:9,10).
d. Sickness For Attention: These are those people who want to be sick. They use their condition to receive attention and to manipulate others for their own benefit and ends. They do not want to get well, although, to gain attention they may call the elders to anoint them and pray for them.
Some may call for the elders but not want to confess their sins or take responsibility for them. One of the functions of the Shepherd is to teach people the importance of taking responsibility for their own sins and not blaming others or situations for their mistakes and sins.
2. BE UNDER AUTHORITY: When believers are under the spiritual authority of the family, a group of True Believers, and government, they are given special protection from Satan's destruction.
The instructions in James 5:14-16 are to be carried out in connection with a group of True Believers. Every member of the True Believers has a function to perform and when one member is ill the entire membership is affected, 1 Corinthians 12:25,26.
Therefore, every member should pray for the ill and provide loving care and service in every way possible. God has structured the Body of True Believers to provide the same kind of hedge of protection to its members as was given to Job, his family, and his possessions.
3. THE PROCEDURE: a. Who Calls the Elders? Although all Christians are to visit the sick and afflicted, the one who is sick is to call the Elders. They must call the elders to confirm that they are looking to God as their primary healer, and are willing to follow God's instructions concerning illness.
b. What Kind of Illness Is Referred To? The word for "sick" includes all types of illness, including physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
c. Who Should Confess Faults and Sins? The Elders before going to the sick person should gather to cleanse themselves by confessing and prayer. The sick person should be asked, "Is there any sin in your life which may have caused this sickness or which might hinder God from healing you?" Also parents should confess their sins since this can have a direct affect upon the physical health of their children. A "house cleansing" may also be needed.
d. What Is the Prayer of Faith? Faith is not a blind leap in the dark, nor is it forcing our will upon the will of God. Faith is knowing what God's will is and cooperating with it. Faith requires action. Through faith the Elders must determine what kind of sickness is involved. The prayer of faith is the agreement of the will of man with the will of God.
e. What Is Anointing With Oil? After confession the sick person is anointed with oil in the name of the Lord. It is customary for one of the elders to take some oil and rub it on the forehead of the sick person. The word for "anoint" has a wide application and can include practical medical treatment. (See Luke 10:34).
f. How Often Should Prayer Be Made? Elijah prayed seven times for rain, Paul prayed three times about his thorn, and Jesus prayed three times in the garden. Prayer should be made until definite results are obtained. Determine which hindrance to prayer exists when there is no answer.
It is important that the Elders keep a record of those who have been anointed and prayers for healing. This will be a means of teaching others about how to find healing and prayers for healing. Also, the Elders should be acquainted with the bulletins published by the Medical Training Institute of America and teach the principles of good health presented there to the other True believers.
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