LESSON NINE: Things To Do When Praying For Healing

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you
with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Messiah,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
(Eph 3:16-19)

We are loved more than we can ever know.  As ministers and servants of Messiah, we are to minister love to others with gentleness, compassion and mercy.

At this point, formula needs to be discussed in more detail than has previously been done above.

For our purposes here, formula means a set of directions or procedures to make something happen.  Look again at the definition and related words for formula above.  With healing prayer it is possible to develop formulas and think of them as almost magical.  However, just because something seems to work a certain way two or three times is no guarantee that the same procedure will work again.  We do not want to depend upon a formula but, in all ways, depend on the Holy Spirit.  That is one reason it is good to pray as part of a team.  It is possible that if you begin to rely on a formula you may see positive results from your healing prayer decline.  God wants you to rely on Him and not on a formula.

Praying For The Opposite Sex

Praying for someone of the opposite sex was briefly covered in Lesson Six: Deliverance Ministry Part Two.  Ideally men pray for and lay hands on men and women pray for and lay hands on women.  The purpose of this is to eliminate any actual or perceived impropriety.  Sexual impropriety and impurity is something Satan and his demons love to use in their ongoing role to kill, steal, and destroy.  He is described as a thief and wants to steal the healing before it can take place and discredit God’s ministers.

John 10: 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

As said, it is ideal, and also wisdom, that men pray for and lay hands on men and women pray for and lay hands on women.  However, it is not always possible or practical.  You will find yourself in situations where you are called on to pray for someone of the opposite sex and there isn’t another person of the opposite sex that you can call on to pray with you.  Most of the time this should not present a problem, especially in public places where there are many other people around such as a church service.  You must use discernment, good judgment, and common sense.

Besides using actual impropriety to kill, steal, and destroy, Satan also goes to the opposite extreme.  He tries to put a fear of perceived impropriety or impurity upon us so that it becomes a stumbling block.  This stronghold of fear freezes us so we do nothing, and healing is stopped before it can even begin.

The following suggestions, ideas, and techniques have been used successfully.  Don’t get fixated on one idea or technique so as to turn it into a formula.  Use what is appropriate for the situation.

God’s Grace, Mercy, And Compassion 

First and foremost, when you minister to the sick or infirm, you are the representative of Jesus.  Always lift the person up, never put them down or make them feel uneasy.  Minister the grace of God with compassion.  To minister with compassion, you do not need to yell or shout.  This really doesn’t accomplish anything except to bring attention to you.  Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about God’s grace.

Let them know you have genuine concern for them, that they aren’t just another head you are putting your hands on and muttering a few word.  Let them know it is OK to receive prayer many times.  Sometimes it is a process.  Remember, healing often takes time.  Special Note:  Commitment is important.  In today’s busy world, it is often the case that you can’t really make a commitment.  Do not commit for long term ongoing prayer with the person if you are not positive you can follow through.  However, do encourage them to continue to receive prayer as long as they need to.

Encourage them to be committed to their healing.  They need to ask God and take an active role in their own healing, even if it only agreeing with you while you pray.  Be discerning, sometimes in the beginning it may be all a person can do to just ask for prayer in the first place.  Again, remember for many it can be a process and the person will need lots of encouragement in the days or weeks to come.

A word about grace:  The word “Grace” is used a lot.  It is important to know what it means.  Simply put, Biblical grace is the unearned, unwarranted, and undeserved blessing of God.  Healing through prayer is God’s grace.

Build Faith

You need to really listen and hear what the person is telling you.  Address any hindrances to healing the person may have.  It is difficult to have faith for your healing if you doubt in you heart healing is for you.  No matter how difficult the sickness or infirmity sounds, remember, Jesus is the healer and He can heal a terrible cancer just as easily as He can heal a headache.  Let them know this and set them at ease.  This will help to build faith.

Before praying for a person, share scriptures on healing.  This is especially appropriate in a hospital.  Have your Bible and healing scriptures ready.  It is always handy to have copies of healing scriptures in your Bible which can be referred to and handed out.

Don’t be in a hurry.  Each person is different.  Some may be healed with a word and some may take several sessions of prayer over a period of days or longer.  The first session may only be to help the person be comfortable and begin building up faith.  Be liberal in giving out sheets of healing scriptures.

Determine The Problem 

How often have you heard someone pray like this:  “O Lord, we know You love Michael.  Please heal him in the name of Jesus.  Amen.”  While probably not totally ineffective, specific prayer will more likely yield specific results.  “In the name of Jesus I take authority over pain and inflammation in Michael’s ankle and command pain and inflammation to leave him.  I speak to any and all injured tissue in Michael’s ankle and command it to be healed.  I also command all muscles, ligaments, and tissue in Michael’s ankle to be strengthened and in perfect health.  Thank you Jesus.  Amen.”

Before one can pray specifically, you need to know the specific problem.  Before asking the person what is wrong, ask the Lord.  See what He says.  Be discerning with any Word of Knowledge you may receive.  Remember, a Word of Knowledge may only be for your knowledge and not to be spoken to the person receiving prayer.

Ask what the problem is.  What does the doctor say is wrong?   What does the person you will pray for want the Lord to do?  We do not need to have all their medical details although it is helpful to have some.  Try to find out the problem itself, rather than the symptoms.  We don’t want to minister to the symptoms.

You must be able to listen carefully and really hear what the person is saying.  Don’t be in a rush to begin praying.  You must listen to the person being prayed for and also to the Holy Spirit.

Laying On Hands 

Lay hands on the sick when you pray. Ask if this is acceptable and give appropriate scripture references if needed. You can place your hands as close to the problem as possible, or practical.  If the problem is in a sensitive or private area of their body, it is appropriate to land a hand on the shoulder, head, or back.

Matthew 5:22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.
23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 

Luke 4:40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

Luke 13:13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Laying hands on a person while praying for healing is something Jesus did.  It is also something the apostles did, and not only for healing, but also to impart the Holy Spirit.  Clearly, the laying on of hands is an important part of healing.  We follow His example and do likewise.  In fact, Jesus told His followers, just before He ascended to Heaven, that:

Mark16:18  they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

On the other hand, it is not magic.  Remember, the Holy Spirit is all powerful and infinitely creative in doing things in a variety of ways.  There was a lady with crippling arthritis who went to a healing service being held at a church near where she lived.  When people were invited to come forward for healing prayer she had the following thought.  “There are so many people needing prayer and I don’t want to take away from their time of having hands laid on them.  If God can heal up in front of the church then He can heal me here.”  As she got up and started walking out of the church she was completely healed.

When ministering to someone who has a sore or an open cut or a discharge, do not place your hand on the affected area directly.  Instead have the person place their hand near or over the area, and then you place your hand on top of theirs to minister.  Remember it is also appropriate to just put your hand on their shoulder.

Before Finishing  

Once you have prayed for someone, have them check the problem area.  If its asthma and they feel healed, have them run or jump up and down.  For other infirmities have them stand or move around to check it.  Whatever it is, check it out.  If the person says something like, “It feels a little better,” it may be their way of saying nothing really happened but they don’t want to tell you that.  Just continue to pray. Use discernment.  Remember healing often takes time.  But, there are also times when a miracle healing can happen by pressing in, checking if healing has taken place, and continuing to pray.

Mark 8:22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

In the above story, Jesus prayed for a blind man to receive his sight, and then checked for results.  When he learned the man had only partial healing, He prayed again.  Many similar stories of healing taking a series of steps in modern times can be told.  Consider the following:  A young man was cooking meat in a frying pan.  There was a lot of grease which he poured from the frying pan into a coffee cup.  Then, without thinking, he mistakenly took the coffee cup and drank the hot grease severely burning his mouth and throat.  Immediately people gathered around him, sat him in a chair, laid their hands upon him, and began praying.  Several times during the prayer time he was asked if there was any improvement to which he replied in the negative.  Due to the seriousness of the injury, the prayer team was not going to take no for an answer and continued praying.  While it took about a half hour along with stopping several times to check if he was healed, he received a complete miracle healing.

Don’t be in a big hurry.  Check with the person and ask how they are doing.  Sometimes it takes awhile.  God is a God of complete healing, not partial healing.  It is also appropriate to pray for someone and then check back with them a little later and pray again.  This is especially appropriate when praying for several people, such as in a church service.

Teams

When praying with a team there should be a designated team leader.  The leader may or may not actively pray.  The leader may or may not lay hands on the person.  It is the leader’s job to be watchful, both physically and spiritually, to what is happening and to communicate with, and direct, the rest of the team.

When praying with a team, time should be taken prior to praying for others to pray together as a team, seek the presence of the Holy Spirit, and ask for insight into the problems you will encounter.  Just as important is a debriefing session following.  During the prayer session, if one of the team members gets a Word of Knowledge, it should be shared with the team leader away from the hearing of the person receiving prayer.  It is then the leader’s responsibility, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to decide what to do with the Word of Knowledge.  As previously stated, sometime a Word of Knowledge is only to help direct prayer and not to be spoken about.

Everyone should always pray with eyes open, especially the team leader.  By doing this you will be able to notice changes that occur in the person you are praying for or be able to communicate with one of the people on your prayer team.

Other Important Issues  

1. It is our job to pray, it is God’s job to heal.  Don’t take the burden of whether or not the person you are praying for is getting a miracle or healing.  Also remember healing takes time.
2. There is a difference between healing and a miracle.  A miracle happens immediately and healing happens over time.  Let those you pray for know this so they won’t be discouraged.
3. It’s OK to refer.  If it looks like they may need professional counseling, medical treatment, or major deliverance, refer to the appropriate people.
4. NEVER tall anyone to stop taking prescription medication without talking to their doctor.
5. If appropriate, lead them in a prayer of salvation but don’t turn them away if they are not interested.
6. Use the name of Jesus but be mindful of what you are actually saying.  Unfortunately this is all too often used as a mindless formula.
7. Don’t forget whose power it is and from whence comes the anointing.  Be thankful in all things.

A Word About Doctors And Modern Medicine    

When mixing healing prayer and ministry with modern medicine many strange ideas and beliefs are heard.  Some people say that going to a doctor means there is no faith.  They may even go so far as to say that continuing on medication after prayer is wrong.  Others say that doctors are bad and only God should be relied upon for healing.  These are completely misguided beliefs.  Doctors and modern medicine are completely legitimate paths to healing which God can, and does, use.  Prayer, faith, and modern medicine can coexist well together and complement each other.  Before discontinuing treatment or medication, the condition should be checked out by the doctor.  It’s pretty exciting when the tests or X-rays come back showing the condition to be gone.