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Church pastor touched my stomach and declared my chronic diverticulitis "healed"!

lismore

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They were a non-denominational. I only went after being invited by a friend. It was really good except that I was expecting a prayer for healing, not a declaration that I was healed.
Hello Beth. I believe it's the new trend in Charismatic/NAR influenced churches, to declare is seen as better than prayer. A lot of them give the impression they believe they have the same authority as Jesus or an Apostle/Prophet, so all they have to do is speak/declare something into existence. I believe they're not keen on scrutiny of the results of their declarations. God Bless You :)
 
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That was Sunday. Today (Monday) I had another attack.

This was my first visit to this church and I went up on stage because I thought that the pastor and others were simply going to pray for me. They did, which I appreciated, but was taken aback when he announced I was healed.

I'm unlikely to return. What denominations teach this stuff?
Something very similar happened to me about 40 years ago. I was healed. God does heal today. Your question implied that healing is some how not real or relevant today, but nothing could be further from the truth.
 
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DragonFox91

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Ok, but what is the difference? If we were to research what it takes for a successful healing are their some common things we could point to? My variables would still be faith, the amount of prayer and fasting, the gifts of the one praying, and possible some hindrances like unforgiveness, or unconfessed sin. God himself could be a variable but is he a respecter of persons?
Some illnesses too arrive because we failed to do the practical. Like a believer that smokes or has other poor habits that can worsen our health.
I suppose if all it took was to speak to the healing, why did Paul not do that to Epaphroditus or Timothy? I still like though that the pastor tried. My attitude is the same as Naaman's servant. What have you got to lose? Some might suggest that failure breeds mistrust. I would say yes to that if it was not attempted with compassion and understanding. Ministers too need feedback. If they consistently fail, then they need to examine why. For some they do it to grandstand or even draw a crowd or more money. Sad but yes, there are some like that.
It is the Lord’s will or it is not. You cannot manipulate him or his creation. You
cannot ‘be better’, ‘pray harder’, & check off boxes. He is completely sovereign
over his creatures & in his execution. It’s all glory to him alone.

I don't disagree supernatural miracles can't happen, & a lot of Christians
are be too quick to say miracles don't happen anymore, but they are miracles
b/c they are rare. The church's mission is to teach the truth, not promise you miracles for whatever struggle you're going thru.

What it often ends up being is repackaged Prosperity Gospel
 
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2PhiloVoid

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They were a non-denominational. I only went after being invited by a friend. It was really good except that I was expecting a prayer for healing, not a declaration that I was healed.

............. a prayer for healing is always a good thing, I suppose, at whichever Christian Church one attends.
 
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lismore

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............. a prayer for healing is always a good thing, I suppose, at whichever Christian Church one attends.
Yes, agreed. But is to declare actual prayer? God Bless :)
 
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Richard T

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It is the Lord’s will or it is not. You cannot manipulate him or his creation. You
cannot ‘be better’, ‘pray harder’, & check off boxes. He is completely sovereign
over his creatures & in his execution. It’s all glory to him alone.

I don't disagree supernatural miracles can't happen, & a lot of Christians
are be too quick to say miracles don't happen anymore, but they are miracles
b/c they are rare. The church's mission is to teach the truth, not promise you miracles for whatever struggle you're going thru.

What it often ends up being is repackaged Prosperity Gospel
What about "...the effective prayer of a righteous man availeth much? (james 5:16)

Isaiah 58:6 states, "Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?"

Of course God directs much of the fasting and prayer but given that we are to pray without ceasing our part can be small or large depending on our motivation and persistence. We do not earn salvation this way but we do earn more rewards. The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.
 
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Postvieww

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Yes, agreed. But is to declare actual prayer? God Bless :)
There are gifts of the Spirit one of which is a word of knowledge. In my case an evangelist told me of an issue in my body of which he had no earthly knowledge. He then declared I was healed and I was, that was another gift of the Spirit in operation, called the gift of healing. These gifts of the Spirit are manifest through believers as the Spirit of God wills and directs. They are not controlled by men. 1 Corinthians 12 talks of these gifts of the Spirit. Many try to teach that the gifts are no longer valid or operational in the church today but that is error.
 
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Zceptre

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Seems to me it is a misunderstanding of what he is doing. I think he is declaring your healing and saying he believes God will answer his prayer.

Child like faith does move mountains, and while there are plenty of unbiblical practices going on, I don't think this is one of them, nor do I think he is declaring it because "he said so." (limited info here, hoping all things 1 Corinthians 13:7)

I personally have lived around believers that might should have been called cautious doubters all my life, and I feel God has shown me there is an epidemic of it, doubting, that is, in the Church (Body of Christ).

I feel it has affected me to be around it, and I think sometimes our attempts to be humble or respectful or "stay in our place" are actually out of line with scripture.

I have an ailment (or two or three lol) myself. It is better than it used to be, I've prayed all my life for healing, but it isn't removed from me. Why? Part of me really does feel strongly it is partly due to lack of faith / unbelief on my part. I don't want to admit that, but I think it is true.

Mark 11:24 says that if you believe you have received it, that it is already yours. I think we underestimate Lord Jesus' words here, and Matthew 18:3 applies to this also I personally believe.

That doesn't mean I don't think some things are used for God's glory, maybe even my situation possibly, but I think we put too many things in that category to cover over doubt.

Also, the only (literally I think) account where it "wasn't" God's will to heal a person, it actually was God's will and was rather lack of faith / unbelief on the disciple's part. (Matthew 17:20)

The Lord Jesus literally told them they failed to cast out the infirmity and the spirit causing it, because they were doubting, and that they needed to pray and fast more to increase their faith to fix weak belief.

I've seen many people being healed by now, and I mean many. In videos mostly, yes... but there are far too many of them and these are cheap tiny church videos on phones, not a Benny Hinn convention I'm talking about. The prayers are always short, the people praying for them are the same people that have been sitting next to them in Church for years, they just suddenly did what the book of James said and touched them with a hand and prayed for them.

I feel like I have very strong faith in Lord Jesus and His ability to heal me, I believe God loves me with an infinite love, and I believe He wants to heal me... but I personally think "I" am the disciples right now, because I think they thought they had faith at the time. They did......... try to cast the demonic spirit out.

I wouldn't count the man a heretic or the people there and write them off completely too too quickly for declaring he believes God already answered the moment he prays (2 Corinthians 1:20). They have child like faith and I think many of us "adults" sometimes complicate things until it is too hard to believe what God actually says without doubting at all it is true and will happen just as He said it would if we pray.

Just my 2 sentiments cents.
 
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Yarddog

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I'm sure he does but in my case it seems he has things for me to experience and learn through my medical issue. That's fine with me. I definitely want my stomach to heal but I welcome the path that God has made for me.
I like your attitude. I have experienced miraculous healings but I still have issues with other items. I, too, am fine with that because, like Paul, I feel that my faith is stronger when I'm weak.

I sinned because of my pride, forty years ago. God revealed the truth to me and taught me true faith. Despite the pain, I am blessed because I know God's love. That love is so precious that the pain is nothing to me.

Amen
 
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lismore

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There are gifts of the Spirit one of which is a word of knowledge. In my case an evangelist told me of an issue in my body of which he had no earthly knowledge. He then declared I was healed and I was, that was another gift of the Spirit in operation, called the gift of healing. These gifts of the Spirit are manifest through believers as the Spirit of God wills and directs. They are not controlled by men. 1 Corinthians 12 talks of these gifts of the Spirit. Many try to teach that the gifts are no longer valid or operational in the church today but that is error.
Agreed and glad to hear your healing testimony.

As the bible says: Lamentations 3:37 Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?

IMHO there is a difference between praying for something and declaring it and no-one can declare it if it isn't God's will. I remember from my time in the Pentecostal Church there were declarations galore. God Bless You :)
 
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RileyG

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That was Sunday. Today (Monday) I had another attack.

This was my first visit to this church and I went up on stage because I thought that the pastor and others were simply going to pray for me. They did, which I appreciated, but was taken aback when he announced I was healed.

I'm unlikely to return. What denominations teach this stuff?
Are you Pentecostal? Charismatic? Word of Faith? I think these interactions are common among those denominations.
 
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Beth77

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Are you Pentecostal? Charismatic? Word of Faith? I think these interactions are common among those denominations.

I guess I'm non-denominational. I do enjoy visiting different denominations to experience their church services. :)
 
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RileyG

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I guess I'm non-denominational. I do enjoy visiting different denominations to experience their church services. :)
Ah, then I’m not too sure.
 
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