| The Healing Ministry |
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When I gave my life over to God’s service a number of years ago, I began to search the scriptures to help me determine what a disciple of Jesus should do to live their life for Him. The gospel passages were full of healings that Jesus did and if I had left my searching there I would have thought that only Jesus had the authority to do that. But, there in Matthew 10, Mark 3 and Luke 6, we have Jesus sending the twelve disciples out to the towns and villages with these instructions: “Go and preach the Kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons.” Jesus then goes on to give practical instructions and in Matthew 10:24 Jesus says, “No pupil is greater than his teacher; no slave is greater than his master. So a pupil should be satisfied to become like his teacher, and a slave like his master.”
I believe that those words are instructions to all followers of Jesus. What he instructed the twelve to do is what we are all called to do today. All of us are called to bring healing to a sick and broken world. All of us have different gifts and talents to help in this one task.
So then, armed with this information, I stepped out in Faith to do what Jesus had commanded. I listened to and prayed with people who were sick. Headaches, arthritis pain, muscle aches, were all symptoms that miraculously would go away almost instantaneously.
“Well that’s nice for you!” I hear you say, “but that is not me, I can’t do that.” My friends, you can and some of you probably do without realizing it. How many of you have young children, or older ones, that have been sick or injured? How many of you have cradled that child in your arms, said soothing comforting words, kissed them on the cheek or forehead or wherever they are hurting and the pain has gone away, or they have fallen asleep, comforted. Sometimes to bring about healing it means go to a doctor’s office or hospital, taking medications or treatments. All of this is part of the healing process. Using these forms of healing along with touch and prayer brings about faster healing.
Yes, I have witnessed miraculous healing firsthand. A young child received sight, a woman who had one leg shorter than the other had healing prayer and the shorter leg grew before our eyes. Healing of memories, hurts, have taken place, sometimes immediately, sometimes over days, weeks or months. And I have been on the receiving end of healing many times. Jesus wants us whole in body, mind and spirit and He has given all of us authority to bear witness to His healing power. The song line “Reach out and touch somebody’s hand.” Should be permanently written in capital letters on our hearts and minds.
This is written to encourage you to pray for healing when someone needs God’s healing touch in his or her life. He sends us out to bear witness to His love, mercy and grace.
The very first time I prayed for someone to receive healing was at a bible study. I was sitting across from a woman who was sharing that she was having a problem with arthritis in her hand. I asked if I could pray for healing for her and she said yes. Taking her hand in mine I asked God to take away the pain and swelling in her hand, firmly believing that God would grant our request. Weeks later the woman told me that she had not had pain in that hand since that night. I have never heard her complain of arthritis again.
Shortly after that experience I was asked by a friend to visit someone who had fallen and broken her knee and was now home with her leg in a plaster cast. She was feeling depressed and in pain. I had never met the woman before and literally shook with fear. My mind was racing. What should I say to the woman? Should I expect a miracle right there and then? How was I to pray? Who was I to do this? I found my answer in the scriptures. Do not be afraid. The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. See Luke 12:12 and John 14:26. And so I went praying for guidance all the way there.
My friend was already there when I arrived and I was introduced to ‘Mary’ (not her real name). I asked Mary if she believed in Jesus Christ. “Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ. I am a Lutheran.” Mary replied, “I believe in God and Jesus His Son.” I asked her then if she believed that Jesus could heal her. Mary replied, “I don’t know. I believe prayers are answered.” I asked her if I could say a prayer for her, asking Jesus to heal her. Then I placed my hand on the cast and began to pray. After visiting with her for a little while longer I left. A few days’ later I enquired after her and found that she had literally hopped on to a plane to visit her family in another province. I believe that she had received spiritual and mental healing, freeing her up to get out of bed and out of her house. The physical healing came later, the bones that had been broken knit together.
I tell you this story to help you understand that sometimes when we pray for physical healing sometimes other kinds of healing has to take place first. Mary was depressed. She had been at home in bed or in a wheelchair for weeks, not moving from her home. Her spirit was crushed. Did I know that at the time? No! I had prayed for the physical healing, what I could see was the problem; after all, the woman couldn’t walk! God taught me a very valuable lesson that day. He wants us to be whole in body, mind and spirit! He knows what needs to take place for that to happen and in what order.
If you ever pray for healing and nothing seems to be happening, be patient. God always hears our prayers and sets in motion the possibility of healing. Sometimes, we need to continually return for more prayer as God heals in other areas first before the need that we are praying for can receive healing. Don’t give up, don’t lose hope, continue in prayer with thanksgiving.
In Francis MacNutt’s classic book Healing (Ave Maria Press), he identifies three kinds of sickness:
There is one other area, which I will only mention briefly, and that is caused by demonic oppression, a different kind of cause, which needs a different kind of prayer approach, prayer for exorcism. This kind of prayer must only be done by those experienced in this field.
Jesus’ whole life culminated on the Cross. He came to take upon himself our sins. Our sins were nailed on the Cross with Him. Time and time again Jesus made a point of how important forgiveness was. In the Lord’s prayer for example we say, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Not repenting, not asking for forgiveness of others and not forgiving another can and does make us ill either emotionally or physically. The ministry of reconciliation plays an important part and is available for any one at any time in a suitable place. Two services for The Reconciliation of a Penitent are found in the B.A.S. (p. 167). It is a little known fact that these services are available in the Anglican church (after all, Confession is a “Catholic” thing, right . . .?) and all you have to do is make an appointment with your priest, deacon or lay minister.
How many of us have been, or are still haunted by things that happened in the past? Past hurts, past anger, things that we have shut out of our minds tend to surface somehow eventually. Sometimes it is lack of forgiveness, as mentioned above, but sometimes deep inner healing of memories or generational ties needs to occur. Praying for this kind of sickness generally takes longer and is done gradually over a period of sessions preferably with a prayer team.
This is where all of us can minister. There is no prerequisite except love
and caring and no age limit either, as children are sometimes even more capable
of praying and expecting healing than any adult.
An important point to remember is that if you are praying for anyone you know
is on medication that you make sure that they understand that healing prayer
works, but, if they have been prescribed medication, they do not “go
off” the medication until they have been checked out and advised to
do so by their doctor or mental health professional.
The Healing Ministry has begun to find a place in the church and society once more. Not too long ago the thought of asking the church to pray for someone who was sick was either never an option, or was only thought of if the person was dying. Thankfully, most churches and indeed the medical profession are embracing the Healing Ministry as an integral part of the healing of the whole person. Many in the medical profession encourage their patients to seek out spiritual counsellors as part of the ongoing treatment, and have seen quicker recovery from surgery or illness through prayer and counselling.
Our prayers are important. They do not have to be long or grammatically correct, or even eloquent. What is important is that they be sincere, said in love and concern for the person in need. A simple prayer said with a loving, caring heart goes straight to God’s ears. As an example I have written a short prayer; please feel free to use it and insert the name of the person you wish to pray for.
Father, I thank you for the opportunity to come to you with (name). You know our needs before we ask, but you entreat us to reach out to you, trusting and believing that you love us so much and want us to be whole in body, mind and spirit. (name) needs you, Father, to restore him/her to health, please touch (name) with your healing love restoring him/her to wholeness and strength once more. In Jesus’ most precious name. Amen.
We are so blessed in this diocese to have a number of ordained ministers and lay people involved in the Healing Ministry. Some belong to the Order of St. Luke; others just believe that prayer works.
Any person wishing further information on the Healing Ministry should contact either your local clergy person or a member of the Order of St. Luke. There are chapters of the Order in Brandon, Dauphin, Minnedosa, and Flin Flon.
There are also books on healing many of which can be found at the Resource Centre in Brandon and local bookstores.