Healing Prayer Series

Healing prayer James 5:13-18 WBC 23/11/03am

Chance to come & bring your testimony in a minute.

- plus PLEASE interrupt me (and say something. Agree. Disagree)

Not presenting a formula

- all bear hurts/scars of

o reality

o lost ones

o false promise… hopes

- all look with caution on a lot of the ‘dubious’ stuff around. Gurus promises

But Jesus I trust

No formula as- when try and nail this down- fails

- Illustr: Dorothy Kerin’s healing from ‘The Living Touch’ p7 & 10 onwards

o Given a healing ministry. Founded burrswood

o 1in 1956 C of E spent 2 years debating the issue of healing

o at end of it all, Dorothy asked her opinion. Expressed in letter to the Times:

MT 11:25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

- Illustr: Everyman on healing prayer. Investigation undertaken because whereas 30 expected to die with Angioplasty- only 3 did. Observed they were Christians being prayed for

o But when tried to nail it down. ‘statistice it’, reproduce it ‘in controlled environment’ > statistically insignificant

o (prayer is not a power- it is petition to a person with THE power)

- When you try and nail this down- it evades you

- Like Moses trying to Nail the Lord down:

o “who are you” “Give me your name, a handle”

o “I AM!.... that I AM’

But He is also Yahweh Rophe (Ex 15:26) “I AM the Lord who heals”

Healing IS part of the gospel. Good news

- in the name of God

- in Jesus’ ministry (big time!)

- in Is 53 – long before Jesus, but looking forward to Him

ISA 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

- Yes- talking of peace brought with God, but also healing in the cross

- In church history (past & present)

- In Bible- in all contexts: evangelistic & congregational (here)

In fact- there are countless testimonies

- bring one?

- Jean Gamgee

REALITY

There’s no lack of reality, here:

- happy? In trouble?

o The whole spectrum’s covered. Every eventuality

o Weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice

 Don’t squash anyone’s expression of grief or faith

o … and praying for those unwell

Is healing promised?

- let’s not ‘cop out’ from what this passage says:

o ‘the prayer offered in faith will make him well’

 interpret that as you may but it certainly shows SOMETHING will happen and God is ABLE

COMPLEXITY

But need to realise – it may not be

- what you expect

- where you expect

o may be in a more important area first

o what YOU want prayer for may just be a symptom

A good/broad (rather than selective) reading of the Bible produces this- balance… this understanding that this not a simple slot machine

May need to deal with

- sin

- unforgiveness, FIRST

As it states here- to confess your anger/bitterness/unforgiveness

- to confess that you forgive- speak it out!

- MT 6:14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

- Forgiveness is a process- but WORDS can help you

o Process it

o Forgive

Mt 12:37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

Anyone testify to this?

Let the LORD put His finger on what – issue is… root is

- because;

- JER 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things

and beyond cure.

Who can understand it?

JER 17:10 "I the LORD search the heart

and examine the mind,

Paul – 1 Cor 4: 3 ‘ I do not even judge myself- I leave that to God’

1 Jn 3:20 . For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

HUMILITY

In all of this- there is the recurring (recent!) theme of James:

- humility

o that He knows best

o even in accepting the end result

 there’s peace in that

• even death = peace & healing?

 Dorothy kerin taught you have to be humble and flexible in accepting the way God might want to work in your life. It may not be healing as YOU expected

- Humbling yourself before the Lord

o 4:10 ‘humbling yourselves before the Lord (that he may lift you up in due time)

I wonder if we’re not humble enough. Desperate enough. On our knees enough