If Jesus gets to pray for a person twice how many goes do we get? If it took Jesus two attempts to heal to heal a blind man how many attempts do we get?
I believe that every incident and event, every parable and sermon illustration in the gospels – and today we’ve heard from Mark’s Gospel – every paragraph is included for a purpose. That purpose may not always be clear but I believe that this incident has a very clear purpose. Most of the time Jesus prays for someone for healing and they get healed; but on this occasion Jesus prays and there is an improvement, and he then prays again and there is full healing. The first time he places his hands upon the blind man and asks, “Do you see anything?” (8:23) to which the man replies, “I see people; they look like trees walking around” (8:24). Once more Jesus places his hands on the man’s eyes and his eyes were opened, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (8:25).
Before we go any further we must remember that there are no formulas for prayer, no slot-machine methods in prayer for healing, and no pat answers. As we study the scriptures I believe that is clear. On the one hand there are four examples of faithful Christian believers who were fighting long-term sickness or adversity of some kind. They were St Paul: “To keep me from becoming conceited …there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7); Timothy. Paul wrote to him saying, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” (1 Timothy 5:23); Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30) and Trophimus (2 Timothy 4:20). For whatever reason healing was not universal even in the very early church; but on the other hand Jesus heals everyone he prays for, for healing – and sends out his disciples in teams of two telling them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2 and Luke 10:9). He also says we will do greater things (John 14:12).
On the face of it this is a dilemma. It is one of the reasons why many churches and Christian communities have given up praying for healing because if we pray for someone and there appears to be no change, or if we pray and the person deteriorates and die it can be disheartening. To this I would say that for the time being until Jesus returns as he promised he would, death is very much part of life, and death is the way that God releases some people from bondage and sickness.
However, and this is a massive however and a wake-up call to the command of Jesus; I believe we must recover the ministry of healing in the British church. Friends, as we’ve been practising prayer for healing at the end of our services we’ve seen some lovely healings. Thank you Lord! That’s wonderful, and He is sovereign; but what we cannot do and what we must not do is keep it within these four walls. Why? Because Jesus said, “Go and heal (Luke 10: 3 & 9).
This was a major part of Jesus’ agenda, his mission, his sending-out instructions and vision for the church; and this is not something for wacky TV evangelists. This is meant to be basic ministry for you and me as we go and do the things that Jesus did, and as we go and do the things that he sent out his disciples to do.
I’ve had my view of the Christian healing ministry challenged, rocked and shaken as I’ve spent time at conferences, leaders’ events and training with Robby Dawkins who is a Pastor at the Aurora Vineyard Church in Illinois. On Tuesday I spent the day with 200 other leaders from the New Wine network with Robby at All Saints’ Woodford Wells where Paul Harcourt is the Vicar. Robby taught and demonstrated, and he demonstrated and he taught; and I came away saying, “Lord, here I am. Send me!” In this last year my approach to healing prayer has changed, and as I read through Robby’s book entitled Do What Jesus Did there are more changes to come.
In today’s Bible reading there is no record of long flowery prayers for healing and there are two principles to take on board. One is that ‘some people brought [the] man and begged Jesus to touch him’ (8:22); and the principle is that of touch. Perhaps in the past I’ve just had too much British reserve because just as a child needs the touch of a parent, and a husband and a wife need the touch of one another, touch is important in healing prayer. Not essential but important. Jesus occasionally healed from a distance but mostly he used touch. On this occasion using spittle on the man’s eyes he touched him, and it is the touch that is most important because this runs through his ministry, whereas using spit was only occasional. Why use spit? This was because spit was symbolic of healing. At other times Jesus often took people by the hand (1:31, 5:41 & 9:27), or reached out to touch (1:41), put his fingers upon ears (7:33), or used his hands to bless (10:16); and on one occasion a woman touched his robe in faith (5:27).
As the early Church began to Do What Jesus Did after the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out, we find Peter taking a man by the hand (Acts 3:7), a believer called Ananias placing his hands on Saul (Acts 9:17), and James the half-brother of Jesus teaching the church to anoint the sick with oil (James 5:14).
Touch is important. God wants to touch and reach people, to demonstrate to people He loves them and that he desires to be in a relationship with them; and the second principle is that even Jesus had to pray for healing more than once on occasion. It wasn’t the norm for him but I’m convinced this event is included in Mark’s gospel partly for our encouragement. After praying Jesus asked, “Do you see anything” (8:23)? (Whatever you do, don’t say, “You should’ve gone to Specsavers!”). As we pray with someone it is usually right to ask, “How do you feel? Is there any change? How is the pain?” And if appropriate, pray again, and pray again - because healing is often gradual.
If someone believes they have been healed of a serious condition we must encourage them to go and see their Doctor and I just love it when people come back and say, “It’s completely gone and my Doctor cannot explain it.”
I say this as someone who continues to experience long term illness in my family, but also as someone who wants to do what Jesus did, not for my glory but for His glory, and because Jesus himself said, “You will do what I have been doing” (John 14:12).
A few weeks ago I encouraged us to make this our daily prayer: “Lord, please grant me an opportunity today to ask someone, ‘Can I pray for you?’” Some of you have told me wonderful stories of the ways in which you have seen God answer this prayer, and the opportunities he has given you. At 11 p.m. on Friday outside a pub in Billericay God gave me and fellow Street Pastor Jane Robb such an opportunity.
It wasn’t prayer for physical healing but Jane prayed for this person and it was just lovely to see the Lord at work. Lord, please grant opportunities today.
Does anyone want to share a story of an opportunity that the Lord has given you to pray with someone?
On my recent retreat I read several books including two by Steve Addison, one of which is entitled Movements that Change the World. In his book he refers to new churches that have sprung up and grown dramatically as believers have moved into a new neighbourhood, built genuine relationships with people, and asked a question: “If God could do a miracle in your life what would it be?” Try asking that question of someone this week, preferably someone who is not yet a Christian, but try it on someone: “If God could do a miracle in your life what would it be?” Listen carefully to the answer because your friend may be expressing their deepest felt need.
There are friends and other people in our community right now who are desperate for a miracle, desperate for change in their circumstances, their health, their family, their relationship that has gone sour. Could we ask such a question of people we meet this week?
“If God could do a miracle in your life what would it be?” And if we’re given an answer that fills us with love and compassion from the Lord Jesus what will we then ask? Can I pray for you? Is it OK if I pray for you now? If the miracle they need is physical healing, ask if it is OK to place a hand gently on their shoulder.
Jesus said to his disciples, “Go …heal the sick!” In other words, “Go out. Go to where people are and bring the healing of the Kingdom.” The UK Church has tended to either do nothing at all, or to reserve attempts at healing prayer for inside a church building, and mainly only for familiar Christians. Nowhere does Jesus say, “Keep this for the Church!”
Bishop David Pytches says, “The meeting place is the training place for the market place.” So we learn together here to then go and do the stuff out there; and I believe that as a church we have already entered into a time when that is happening – but there is much more to come.
Touch is important but not essential and it needs to be appropriate. When praying for healing, ask if there has been any change. Pray again if need-be.
“If God could do a miracle in your life what would it be?” “Can I pray for you?”
Let’s stand to pray.
