Pray For Or Command Healing?

[DiscipleWhomJesusLoves]

I just read somone's blog on healing. He was just sharing some thing's he's learned.

Anyway, he said that Jesus and the Apostles never really prayed for healing but commanded either the sickness to go or the person to be healed.

He said that Smith Wigglesworth said that 80% of the time, just commanding the spirit responsible for the sickness to go would be enough to bring healing. The other 20% I suppose, was commanding the person to be healed, eg Get up and walk!

I haven't studied every healing incidence in the gospels to know if this is true. All I know is that they never prayed long prayers. It was usually just a few words.

What are your thots?

 

[iafic]

We have been given authority to heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. That authority is ours to exercise. and faith filled words will move a mountain. we aren't to pray to God to move the mountain...we are to SPEAK TO the mountain.

I often still pray also, just in acknowlegement to myself that God is the source or that I am thanking him for that authority or such like....

 

[ACADEMIC]

he said that Jesus and the Apostles never really prayed for healing but commanded either the sickness to go or the person to be healed.

we are to SPEAK TO the mountain.

Recall that during one point in Luke's travelings with Paul, they are en route to Rome via ship to bring Paul to plead his religious freedom case before Caesar (Acts 27). While on the Mediterranean, a storm of hurricane force arose (vs. 14), which caused the ship to wreck (vss. 27-41). In accordance with Paul's divinely given foresight (vss. 23-26), the entire crew survived by either swimming or floating to the island of Malta, where they were shown unusual kindness by the natives who provided them with basic human necessities (vs. 42-28:2). Heightening the native's interest in Paul and Luke, God miraculously protected Paul from a poisonous viper bite (vss. 3-6), which resulted in the ship's crew being invited to the estate of Malta's chief official (vs. 7). While there, Paul and Luke discovered that the official's father was bedridden, carefully pointed out by Dr. Luke to be there sick with " recurrent fever and dysentery" (vs.8). As befitting a work where the gospel is brought for the very first time, Paul "went to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him" (vs.8). Continuing on with the text, "When this has happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured" (vs. 9).

A casual reading of verses 8-9 would leave one with the impression that the rest of the island's sick came to Paul for a miraculous healing, as was given to the chief official's father. However, a study of the specific language used by Dr. Luke to describe these events reveals otherwise.

The word in verse 8, commonly translated "healed", is the Greek word iaomai, which denotes an instantaneous event--in this case, an instant divine healing given to authenticate God's prime designate messenger, Paul.

But the word in verse 9, commonly translated as "cured", is a word altogether different from the one translated "healed" (iaomai) in verse 8. The word is therapeuo, from which we get our English word "therapy."

Like the word therapy, therapeuo denotes not an instantaneous event, but rather a process. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary has noted regarding this text and its use of therapeuo that

It might better be translated, "were treated." It suggests not miraculous healings but medical treatment, probably at the hands of Luke the physician. Verses 10 and 11 suggest that this medical ministry lasted throughout the three months stay at Malta.​

 

[iafic]

Recall that during one point in Luke's travelings with Paul, they are en route to Rome via ship to bring Paul to plead his religious freedom case before Caesar (Acts 27). While on the Mediterranean, a storm of hurricane force arose (vs. 14), which caused the ship to wreck (vss. 27-41). In accordance with Paul's divinely given foresight (vss. 23-26), the entire crew survived by either swimming or floating to the island of Malta, where they were shown unusual kindness by the natives who provided them with basic human necessities (vs. 42-28:2). Heightening the native's interest in Paul and Luke, God miraculously protected Paul from a poisonous viper bite (vss. 3-6), which resulted in the ship's crew being invited to the estate of Malta's chief official (vs. 7). While there, Paul and Luke discovered that the official's father was bedridden, carefully pointed out by Dr. Luke to be there sick with " recurrent fever and dysentery" (vs.8). As befitting a work where the gospel is brought for the very first time, Paul "went to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him" (vs.8). Continuing on with the text, "When this has happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured" (vs. 9).

A casual reading of verses 8-9 would leave one with the impression that the rest of the island's sick came to Paul for a miraculous healing, as was given to the chief official's father. However, a study of the specific language used by Dr. Luke to describe these events reveals otherwise.

The word in verse 8, commonly translated "healed", is the Greek word iaomai, which denotes an instantaneous event--in this case, an instant divine healing given to authenticate God's prime designate messenger, Paul.

But the word in verse 9, commonly translated as "cured", is a word altogether different from the one translated "healed" (iaomai) in verse 8. The word is therapeuo, from which we get our English word "therapy."


Like the word therapy, therapeuo denotes not an instantaneous event, but rather a process. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary has noted regarding this text and its use of therapeuo that

It might better be translated, "were treated." It suggests not miraculous healings but medical treatment, probably at the hands of Luke the physician. Verses 10 and 11 suggest that this medical ministry lasted throughout the three months stay at Malta.​

you lost me...not sure how it relates to the OP.

 

[JTM3]

you have no clue what forum you're in do you?

 

[Christina M]

I don't really pray for healings..... I declare God's Word back to Him... claiming it, declaring it, calling things that be not as though they were.... Romans 4:17

I learned a long time ago that sickness is not attacking us, it is the devil trying to steal the health that is already ours.

 

[DiscipleWhomJesusLoves]

I know that the Bible does say that Paul or Peter prayed first, then turned to the sick person and layed hands and commanded.

I'm not saying you can't pray BEFORE you lay hands on the sick. But I am saying that when the ministering proper actually takes place, it is usu just commanding. "Get up sir. Walk in the name of Jesus." "Look at me. I command the cancer to die in Jesus' name." "I command the spirit of death to depart and the life of God to fill you." etc etc.

It is not so much closing your eyes, laying hands on the person, and praying in tongues, then praying in English, then praying in tongues. I'm not knocking this. Just wondering what the Bible 'technique' (for lack of a better word) is and what your experience (if you regularly pray for the sick) is and which is 'better'.

 

[iafic]

I know that the Bible does say that Paul or Peter prayed first, then turned to the sick person and layed hands and commanded.

I'm not saying you can't pray BEFORE you lay hands on the sick. But I am saying that when the ministering proper actually takes place, it is usu just commanding. "Get up sir. Walk in the name of Jesus." "Look at me. I command the cancer to die in Jesus' name." "I command the spirit of death to depart and the life of God to fill you." etc etc.

It is not so much closing your eyes, laying hands on the person, and praying in tongues, then praying in English, then praying in tongues. I'm not knocking this. Just wondering what the Bible 'technique' (for lack of a better word) is and what your experience (if you regularly pray for the sick) is and which is 'better'.

I am with you!!! I think sometimes when people pray before, in tongues or whatever, they may be seeking God for direction concerning the healing or miracle. but again, you are correct...biblical examples state that we speak to the problem, not to God about the problem. We aren't praying to God to heal that person...He already did. We are merely commanding what already took place to manifest...or for the body to obey the cross.

 

[PastorJoey]

I just read somone's blog on healing. He was just sharing some thing's he's learned.

Anyway, he said that Jesus and the Apostles never really prayed for healing but commanded either the sickness to go or the person to be healed.

He said that Smith Wigglesworth said that 80% of the time, just commanding the spirit responsible for the sickness to go would be enough to bring healing. The other 20% I suppose, was commanding the person to be healed, eg Get up and walk!

I haven't studied every healing incidence in the gospels to know if this is true. All I know is that they never prayed long prayers. It was usually just a few words.

What are your thots?

Both the prayer of Faith & a Direct command are scriptural means of imparting healing.

When a command is used it is usually coupled with a gift of healing or the working of miracles [the gift may manifest before the command is given or directly after it is given] and requires a greater understanding of the authority of the believer.

A gift of healing most likely was manifested for the lame man at gate beautiful in Acts 3. Notice Peter gave a command for him to stand on his feet, but then the next thing we read is Peter jerks him up on his feet. Because of this, I believe the gift came on him directly after the command was spoken.

 

[Hisgirl]

Andrew, I looked into this last year and was surprised to see it is true.

The first time I did it was over myself. I was about to pray over my sick, sick tummy...and the Holy Spirit spoke LOUDLY to me saying, "Command it!". I was stunned to say the least. So I did, and within five seconds all the nausea was gone.

Those whom I respect most in this arena pray this way. Also, it is important to address the spirit of infirmity behind the illness.

I also prayed over a woman with psoriasis and what came out of my mouth was a command against a spirit of rejection. Her healing began that week.

 

[Christina M]

I also prayed over a woman with psoriasis and what came out of my mouth was a command against a spirit of rejection. Her healing began that week.

Great testimony, Dana!

 

[victoryword]

I've done both as lead by the spirit. Here are two of many examples:

Once after preaching and during an altar call, I had a woman come to me for prayer. I asked her to tell me what she needed prayer for. She hard a difficult time telling me, so I told her, "Don't worry about it. God knows what it is." I then began to ask God to meet whatever need she had that she had difficulty sharing with me. That week here friend (who had invited her to church) called me and told me that she had had cancer but after I prayed for her she went to the doctor and there was no trace of it. HALLUJAH!

Had a number of healings from simply praying for people.

Had a number of healing through commanding (exercising my authority). One incident I remember was when we were doing hospital visitation and a woman was wailing in pain. We went to her room and I asked if she wanted prayer. In that much pain she cried "Yes, please." The team and I grabbed hands and began to pray. The Lord poke to me very clearly and told me, "Let go of their hands and command that sickness to leave her." I obeyed and commanded the devil to loose this woman and for her to be healed. Instantabneously she stopped crying and said "Wow, I feel so much better now. The pain is gone." I was super-excited. I left the rest of the team to stay and witness to her because I was too high to be any more good to anyone.

The Bible (as PastorJ pointed out) teaches both (though the majority of examples in Scriptures does show "commanding faith" more than praying). I have done both and have gotten results.

 

[PastorJoey]

I don't really pray for healings..... I declare God's Word back to Him... claiming it, declaring it, calling things that be not as though they were.... Romans 4:17

I learned a long time ago that sickness is not attacking us, it is the devil trying to steal the health that is already ours.

That is excellent. It shows a greater consciousness of our authority and place in Christ.

We are not the sick trying to get healed, we are the healed and the devil is trying to take it from us!

 

[CindyisHis]

I don't really pray for healings..... I declare God's Word back to Him... claiming it, declaring it, calling things that be not as though they were.... Romans 4:17

I learned a long time ago that sickness is not attacking us, it is the devil trying to steal the health that is already ours.

This is exactly the way I see it. This is my stance.

Excellent things have been shared. I would only add this thought, we see Jesus saying to people, "Be healed". We are to walk as He walked. He "showed us how to do it", if you will.

I tell the sickness to get off of me. It has no place in me. I declare, "I am healed".

This past Sunday at church during worship, the Lord showed me something. I had a vision of Jesus and sickness. Jesus was brilliant, white, and power, purity, and holiness emanated from Him. Sickness was a hideous entity. I had never seen anything so ugly. I have no words to describe it. Hideous, gross, is the best I can do.

But O the power and purity of Jesus! There was no comparison between the two. Sickness fears Him.