What would you add or subtract from this?

[FutureAndAHope]

There has been some discussion in our church around how we should express the idea of healing for people. This is something I have been thinking over. Adding your thoughts would be valuable.

I start by quoting the scriptures on this topic then write some conclusions.

Mat 21:21-22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."​

Mark 11:22-26 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."​

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Mat 17:20-21 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."​

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Mar 9:29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."​

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Luk 17:5-6 And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.​

Jesus said that if we have faith and don’t doubt, we will have the thing we ask for. However, there are certain prayers, sicknesses, and demonic activity that can only be changed by dedicated prayer and fasting; without it, our faith will not be sufficient.

There are also things that can hinder our prayers, sin, unforgiveness, or abusiveness, being some of them.

1Pe 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.​

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"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.​

James 4:2-3 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.​

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1Ti 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.​

A person cannot be in a position where they will soon speak evil of Jesus, or present false ideas:

Mar 9:38-39 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us." But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.​

QUESTION: Will God “instantly” answer every one of our prayers?

Many prayers God will instantly answer, because of our faith, even a small faith can move mountains. Like the woman with the issue of blood who reached out and touched Jesus. But there are some prayers that need abiding in the presence of God, so our faith is large enough to see the answer. Jesus said that only through prayer and fasting will we see many prayers answered. Jesus even had to fast for 40 days to prepare for His ministry.

QUESTION: Can we guarantee healing for every person we pray for?

If we, the person praying for the sick, have only prayed for 15 minutes, we may see nothing, because not every prayer can be answered in that way. But with enough dedication to God, any sick person can be healed. I believe there is an additional provision however: God decides who He allows that gift to operate through, the person praying for the sick must not be teaching falsely, not a novice lest the novice falls into pride; and there is also the condition that we don’t have deliberate sin, unforgiveness, or abusive behaviours in our lives.

I believe God cannot be “Commanded” to heal or answer a prayer we pray for others, He may choose to not work through someone who is not emotionally, or spiritually ready to pray for other people. In our prayers, we also can’t be just wanting to expend God’s power on our own lusts; it must be something within God’s good plan for us. If we are a person wishing to pray for the sick, we need to be continually prayed up, constantly in God’s presence, with prayer and fasting, and finally removing sin, false ideas, and pride from ourselves.