Praying for the Sick

Presbyterian Continuist · Apr 2, 2015

AbbaLove said:
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It's important that the person in need of healing has the Faith to Believe as well as the elders of the church. That's one reason why James says it's the responsibility of the sick to first call for the elders, not for the elders to first go, pray, and anoint the sick with oil. The intention of healing the sick then and there by the Elders may be premature if the sick person doesn't have the faith to believe for their own healing. On the other hand it is always good to encourage and strengthen a sick person's nominal faith for a subsequent healing when the elders are all in agreement of like mind.

Matthew 18:19-20
19"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

John 14:12
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Mark 6:5-6
4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home."
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Some sick people are actually indifferent or don't really have enough faith to believe they can be healed. Some are eagerly waiting to depart from this world to their Heavenly Home and don't want to be healed. Then there are others that say, "If it's God's Will" as if it's entirely up to God and not dependant on their own Faith. So it requires Discernment and Words of Knowledge on the part of the church elders.

We know from the Word that it is God's Will to heal the sick. Everyone that came to Jesus was healed, not most not some, but everyone that came with expectant Faith. Even the woman with the issue of blood that touched the fringe of Jesus' garment.

Luke 8:44-48
44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
45 And Jesus said, Who was it that touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!
46 But Jesus said, Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.
47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
48 And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.

Romas 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Luke 18:8
... However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God

So, if you pray for someone for healing and they are not healed, are you going to tell them they are not healed because they do not have enough faith?

If that i so, then Naaman could not have been healed, nor could the man in Acts 3, nor could Lazarus, or the young man that Paul healed, nor could John Wesley's horse that got healed of lameness!

ByTheSpirit · Apr 2, 2015

I think the principle element of healing is waiting on the Spirit to show us when and where.

Jesus only did what the Father showed him, nothing more. We get this idea Jesus healed everyone and everything but that isn't true.

How many times did Jesus walk past that lame man by the Gate Beautiful and not heal him? At least 3 or 4 times. All those people at Bethesda (John 5) and Jesus only healed one, why?

John 5:19 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 14:10 ESV

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Jesus did only what the Father through the Spirit showed him to do. That is our task. Keep in constant prayer so we can hear the Spirit when he says, "You see that person there? I want them to be healed, go lay your hands on them."

ByTheSpirit · Apr 2, 2015

Look at the "unorthodox" ways people were healed by Jesus. He put mud on their eyes, he put his fingers in their mouth and ears, he spit on them!

Now I am not suggesting we go spitting on people so they can see, merely that we listen for the Spirit to know who needs healing, and how to get the job done.

ByTheSpirit · Apr 2, 2015

Matthew 17:21 is a good scripture to use in sharpening the ability to hear the Spirit. I am somewhat saddened most modern translations exclude it. Mark 9:29 is the sister verse to it....

Prayer and fasting.

Alithis · Apr 2, 2015

Oscarr said:
So, if you pray for someone for healing and they are not healed, are you going to tell them they are not healed because they do not have enough faith?

If that i so, then Naaman could not have been healed, nor could the man in Acts 3, nor could Lazarus, or the young man that Paul healed, nor could John Wesley's horse that got healed of lameness!

yes . i hear this .
im done with how much faith another does or does not have ..the very act of healing may be the catylist a person needs to germinate the seed of faith within them and be saved .

ooouh i pray lord Jesus ..let it be that the only reason a person is not healed ..is because we did not listen to you and pray for them as you led us to.
deal with us gently lord and teach us of your ways that we might surrender to your working in us to your glory forever - amen

Rose_bud · Apr 2, 2015

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, .... Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

James says the prayer of faith shall heal the sick.. And he likens this kind of prayer to that of Elijah, (full of faith).. when the time of famine was to come to a close (which occured due to his word), Elijah prayed but he didn’t see an immediate rain, it was more progressive..first nothing, but on the seventh time ,the grey clouds… not immediate results… but he never stopped believing and he never stopped praying, because He counted on Gods word.

Our faith for healing is too be a persistant faith.. a faith that doesnt waver, even if we don't see immediate result.. Sometimes its difficult, especially if we don't see immediate results ..but our trust is to be on Him continually.. but know that when we ask in faith ... The "heavens" will give "rain", and the "earth" will bring forth "fruit".

Presbyterian Continuist · Apr 2, 2015

Alithis said:
yes . i hear this .
im done with how much faith another does or does not have ..the very act of healing may be the catylist a person needs to germinate the seed of faith within them and be saved .

ooouh i pray lord Jesus ..let it be that the only reason a person is not healed ..is because we did not listen to you and pray for them as you led us to.
deal with us gently lord and teach us of your ways that we might surrender to your working in us to your glory forever - amen

The only bit that we have control over in the area of healing is our decision to go and pray for a person or not to. We have absolutely no control over the results. Therefore we pray the prayer of faith out of obedience and leave the rest to God. We don't criticise God or ourselves or the sick person if the healing doesn't take place right away or even if it doesn't happen at all. For the Christian being healed isn't absolutely critical because there is no difference between life or death for them. But for the unconverted there is a big difference so it is important that we get out there and pray for as many who will accept it. It is more important to prolong the life of an unconverted person so they get another chance to be saved. The trouble is that too many Christians are selfish in the sense that they keep healing within their churches, and haven't got the balls to get out into the unsaved community and use the healing ministry there. We need to develop a greater love and concern for the lost that will almost compel us to get out there and start ministering to them. A YWAM group I know would go doorknocking, but instead of just giving them talk, they asked if anyone was sick in the household and would they accept a short prayer. Another group goes around and offers to do jobs for old people that they cannot do themselves. These groups have a much better success rate than those who go door to door just to preach and nothing else.

Alithis · Apr 2, 2015

Rose_bud said:
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, .... Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

James says the prayer of faith shall heal the sick.. And he likens this kind of prayer to that of Elijah, (full of faith).. when the time of famine was to come to a close (which occured due to his word), Elijah prayed but he didnt see an immediate rain, it was more progressive..first nothing, but on the seventh time ,the grey clouds not immediate results but he never stopped believing and he never stopped praying, because He counted on Gods word.

Our faith for healing is too be a persistant faith.. a faith that doesnt waver, even if we don't see immediate result.. Sometimes its difficult, especially if we don't see immediate results ..but our trust is to be on Him continually.. but know that when we ask in faith ... The "heavens" will give "rain", and the "earth" will bring forth "fruit".

we need more like you on this forum ..

persistent faith that does not waver ... great stuff . :amen:

in the book reece howels "intercessor" it tells he used to say ... once having taken a stance of faith .. do not allow any though imagination or word which disagrees .
and in the words of another of my favorites .. smith wiggles-worth - "ONLY believe"

ByTheSpirit · Apr 3, 2015

the art of healing, if it is an art is simple really.

It is calling into being things that are not as though they are...

Lame people cannot walk or even get up, yet they were told... rise and walk

Dead people do not come forth, yet Lazarus did.

Now the basic principle of healing... to ensure healing EVERY TIME is to hear the Spirit and obey.

Frogster · Apr 3, 2015

Alithis said:
yeah for sure ..i was just ranting about the topic of healing generally because it perplexes me how much unbelief has flooded in.. and how are we as the church going to mister it to the lost if we cant even get it in the church .. etc

naaaa..it's just that some people turn faith into a work, and they can kill with the letter, setting up people as failures if they have an ailment.

I could ask anyone here, where is their faith, go heal everyone, have they? No, yet we still see the same old thing, blame the ill person!

Where is their Peter like faith? He said we have it, yet the very people that can't do as peter did, they lack faith, yet then they turn around, and blame the ill for their lack of faith. :doh:

Paleeeeease!

Messy · Apr 4, 2015

Frogster said:
naaaa..it's just that some people turn faith into a work, and they can kill with the letter, setting up people as failures if they have an ailment.

I could ask anyone here, where is their faith, go heal everyone, have they? No, yet we still see the same old thing, blame the ill person!

Where is their Peter like faith? He said we have it, yet the very people that can't do as peter did, they lack faith, yet then they turn around, and blame the ill for their lack of faith.

Paleeeeease!

That's easy to blame someone else. Jesus just told Peter he didn't have enough faith, so it would grow. If I had faith like him everyone would heal in my Shadow and I'd ask every person without a Limb let me pray for you. Since I don't I simply haven't built my faith for that yet. It's a Growth and we're one Body. You can't blame the finger if the Body doesn't function like it should. It's all about unity and maturity of the whole church.

ByTheSpirit · Apr 4, 2015

Frogster said:
naaaa..it's just that some people turn faith into a work, and they can kill with the letter, setting up people as failures if they have an ailment.

I could ask anyone here, where is their faith, go heal everyone, have they? No, yet we still see the same old thing, blame the ill person!

Where is their Peter like faith? He said we have it, yet the very people that can't do as peter did, they lack faith, yet then they turn around, and blame the ill for their lack of faith.

Paleeeeease!

Well not even Jesus healed everyone, so you are setting up a double standard that not even the Lord kept.

Anyways, how do you know some here have had problems in healing?

ByTheSpirit · Apr 4, 2015

Healing faith goes both ways.

Jesus in Matthew 17 told the disciples they couldn't cast out the demon because of their unbelief...

And in Matthew 13 we read that Jesus could do no mighty works because of the people's unbelief.

So faith for healing goes both ways. The interesting thing about this though is you do not read about the Apostles not being able to heal after Acts 2. So why in Matthew 17 could they not when from Acts 2 on they could.

It is because faith forhealing does not come from a seperate faith to heal, but rather faith in Christ. Jesus said those who believe IN ME will do the same works, not those who believe in me and the power I have had... He also said these signs WILL FOLLOW those who believe.

So the faith on part of the healing agent rests entirely upon their faith in Christ. I believe this is why even as a Baptist I saw healings take place even when I was taught they didn't happen any more.

The one variable that does change is does the person who wants healing have faith?

Even in Acts when the Apostles healed, the one receiving healing had to activate their faith to receive. In Acts 3, 9, and 14 the lame man had to get on his feet, the Apostles couldn't do that for him.

Do not be afraid ONLY BELIEVE and she will be made well.. Luke 8:50

Frogster · Apr 4, 2015

Messy said:
That's easy to blame someone else. Jesus just told Peter he didn't have enough faith, so it would grow. If I had faith like him everyone would heal in my Shadow and I'd ask every person without a Limb let me pray for you. Since I don't I simply haven't built my faith for that yet. It's a Growth and we're one Body. You can't blame the finger if the Body doesn't function like it should. It's all about unity and maturity of the whole church.

well, Jesus did not like hypocrisy, so if people are going to blame the sick, for not having enough faith, then they, the accusers, have to carry blame too. If you want to allow for growth, that works both ways.

MoreCoffee · Apr 4, 2015

Saint Peter offered a short prayer by invoking the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when he healed the lame man near the temple.

But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. (Acts 3:6)

souldier2 · Apr 4, 2015

I have a question. I often hear people quoting Jesus concerning fasting and prayer. They say that some demons can only be cast out through fasting and prayer, and they seem to suggest that the person who is possessed needs to fast and pray. However i wonder if its the church who should be fasting and praying for that person. Perhaps Jesus was telling his disciples that they themselves needed to fast and pray? I dont know but its something i often wonder about. The bible does seem to put healing prayer in the hands of others, not the person who is afflicted by illness. So perhaps Jesus was saying that his disciples needed to fast and pray? I dunno.

Matthew 17:21New King James Version (NKJV)

21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.[a]

Frogster · Apr 4, 2015

MoreCoffee said:
Saint Peter offered a short prayer by invoking the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when he healed the lame man near the temple.

But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. (Acts 3:6)

yup, and by all rights, he was an unbeliever, and it does not day he had faith..

Frogster · Apr 4, 2015

souldier2 said:
I have a question. I often hear people quoting Jesus concerning fasting and prayer. They say that some demons can only be cast out through fasting and prayer, and they seem to suggest that the person who is possessed needs to fast and pray. However i wonder if its the church who should be fasting and praying for that person. Perhaps Jesus was telling his disciples that they themselves needed to fast and pray? I dont know but its something i often wonder about. The bible does seem to put healing prayer in the hands of others, not the person who is afflicted by illness. So perhaps Jesus was saying that his disciples needed to fast and pray? I dunno.

Matthew 17:21New King James Version (NKJV)

21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.[a]

I have heard that, not sure what to make of it, and it was not about a believer.

Some Bibles don't put that verse in, like the ESV. Nasb, maybe all don't, but the KJV. But hey, the KJV stands big time!

souldier2 · Apr 4, 2015

Frogster said:
I have heard that, not sure what to make of it, and it was not about a believer. Some Bibles don't put that verse in, like the ESV. Nasb, maybe all don't, but the KJV. But hey, the KJV stands big time!

Yes, the KJV seems to have some strong legs.

Messy · Apr 5, 2015

souldier2 said:
I have a question. I often hear people quoting Jesus concerning fasting and prayer. They say that some demons can only be cast out through fasting and prayer, and they seem to suggest that the person who is possessed needs to fast and pray. However i wonder if its the church who should be fasting and praying for that person. Perhaps Jesus was telling his disciples that they themselves needed to fast and pray? I dont know but its something i often wonder about. The bible does seem to put healing prayer in the hands of others, not the person who is afflicted by illness. So perhaps Jesus was saying that his disciples needed to fast and pray? I dunno.

Matthew 17:21New King James Version (NKJV)

21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.[a]

Yes He said those things to His disciples. It was to heal the sick. He blamed them when they couldn't help that man's son.

Praying for the Sick

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