A. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HEALING
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one nother, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain” (James 5:13-17b).
B. WHY NO HEALING?
1. Because we haven’t kept the conditions found in James 5.
a. God is more likely to heal when elders are involved. Because they likely know the sick person’s spiritual condition.
b. When the sick has spiritual accountability to the one praying for him, both the elder and the patient will probably pray more sincerely.
2. Because the intercessor of the sick has not dealt with the spiritual problems.
3. Because the sickness may be a judgment of God.
4. Because the sickness is God’s will and God has other plans than healing the patient. Paul prayed three times, but God didn’t answer. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in
weakness” (II Cor. 12:9).
5. Because the intercessor doesn’t have enough faith. Didn’t Jesus say, “O you of little faith” (Matt. 14:31).
6. Because the sick person is not anointed with oil, breaking the symbolism. “Pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). Obviously, healing is not in the oil; the oil stands for the healing ministry of the Holy Spirit.
C. STEPS IN HEALING
1. Healing promised to those in the church. “Among you” (5:13).
2. Pray for guidance. “Is any sick, let him pray” (5:13).
3. Call for the church leaders. “Let him call for the elders of the church” (5:14).
4. Lay hands on the sick. “Pray over him” (5:14).
5. Anointing with oil (5:14) is yielding to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
6. Deal openly with sin. “Confess your sins” (5:16).
7. Pray for spiritual healing. “That you may be healed” (5:16).
8. Believe God has heard and will answer (5:15).
a. Healing is within God’s will.
b. Not everyone will be healed.
9. One prayer may not be enough. “The vow in prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (5:16).
D. OBSERVATION ABOUT HEALING
1. God may not heal the way you ask, or expect.
2. A healing prayer does not have to be an involved petition, nor is it a long drawn-out petition, but rather it is a profoundly simple prayer.
3. Sometimes the sickness is psychosomatic, meaning people really don’t have the disease they fear; they only think they are sick.
4. Sometimes healing is related to God’s timing. “He calls those things that are not as though they are” (Rom. 4:19, KJV).
5. You must have the strength of faith to match the strength of the disease. The exercise of small faith in small matters actually strengthens our faith so that we can trust God for bigger matters.
6. The laying on of hands is an important outward symbol. Jesus touched the sick when He healed them (Mark 6:5; 8:22-25). Paul did the same thing (Acts 28:7-10).
7. Learn to ask questions before you pray. If you are quick to pray, you might pray the wrong way, for the wrong thing, or even you may pray at the wrong time. “We ask amiss” (James 4:2).
8. Practice listening to the sick person before you pray. Didn’t Jesus ask, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6).
9. Strengthen your faith before exercising your faith. “Pray for one another” (James 5:6). The word for pray is euchç, a prayer or vow that is made to God. We are saying to God what we want Him to do.
10. Don’t be too vague when you pray. “Lord, bless this sick person.”
When you ask for healing, you have exercised the “prayer of faith.”
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Please contact me at http://home.trbc.org/ and tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
