Kingdom of God – Healing II

12-15 mins read

In my last blog, we looked at the Biblical basis for healing. In this one, we’ll look at a blueprint for healing. Hopefully, the last blog convinced you that praying for healing is a normal part of the Christian life. It was, if you like, the ‘why’ of healing. This is now the ‘how’ – this is where it gets more practical.

The ‘Now’ and the ‘Not Yet’

But first, let me address this question. Does everyone get healed? You won’t be at all surprised to hear that the answer is ‘no’. You might know of people who have been prayed for but who have not been healed. Perhaps you have been prayed for and not experienced healing.

We live in the tension of the ‘now’ and the ‘not yet’. As we pray the Lord’s prayer, ‘Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven‘, we see evidence of His Kingdom breaking through – particularly when the spiritually lost are saved (by our Saviour Jesus), the sick are healed from illness or disease and the oppressed and tormented are set free from oppression and torment. But sometimes, we are left perplexed or disappointed as little or nothing appears to happen.

The reality is that only when Jesus comes again (His second coming) in all His glory (not as a baby) will we live completely free of sin, sickness, oppression, etc. D day in June 1944 (the Normandy landings) was the decisive phase of WW2. D day laid the foundations for the allied victory over Germany. After this successful campaign, it was generally felt that total victory was only a matter of time. The tide had turned. VE day (‘Victory in Europe’ day), when Germany completely surrendered, was eleven months later in May 1945. Between June 1944 and May 1945, the allies fought more battles and suffered more casualties, even while they lived in anticipation of complete victory.

Living as a Christian today is a bit like living between D day and VE day. Our D day was the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. It was the decisive battle in the spiritual realm where satan was defeated. Jesus triumphed over sin and death by rising to new life. Yet, our VE day (total victory) isn’t until Jesus returns. In the meantime, we continue to share the earth with satan and his demon followers. While the war is won, there will be plenty of battles – and we won’t win them all.

In our Christian lives, we have a choice. We can emphasise the ‘not yet’ (and many do, believing that healing is not available now and push it off until Christ’s return); or we can emphasise the ‘now’ by relentlessly pursuing what might be available to us NOW in terms of God’s Kingdom coming. After all, God has not placed limits anywhere on what He is prepared to release to His followers now.

There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace.

Isaiah 9.7 (Amplified Bible)

Obedience, Perspective & Mystery

A few other points before we move on to the ‘how’:

• Obedience. We are called to be obedient, not successful. If we are truly being obedient to God, we will go after healing (as I explained in my last blog). The outcomes of our healing prayers are up to God, not us! It is also true that the more people we pray for, the more people we will see healed.

• Perspective. Consider how many people were healed and how many were not healed in the encounter recorded by the Apostle John in his gospel (John 5.1-15). How do you think the media today would have presented that story? It’s so important to keep looking at what God is doing, not at what He isn’t doing. Otherwise, we risk being offended by God or, worse still, we risk unbelief. The danger then is that, in our thinking, we put God on trial. But He’s not on trial – we are! Will we live the life of faith? God has nothing to prove, and He’s very secure in Himself.

• Mystery. I’m not saying you should simply ignore your doubts or questions. But I would encourage you to make the deliberate choice of not letting them overshadow you or diminish you. Surrender your right to understand everything. We need to recapture the sense of spiritual mystery. Christianity is called ‘the faith’, not ‘the understanding’. We won’t always understand God’s acts or timing. If we only obey when we understand, we effectively diminish God to someone in our own image. But no one made in our image is worthy of our worship! 

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In April 2019, we had an Airbnb guest staying with us called Terry who was part of the dredging team at the canal in Gloucester. He was a big, burly, ‘no nonsense’ Yorkshireman! In January 2019, he had had an operation on his back to relieve pain from sciatica. However, during the operation, Terry thinks they may have damaged nerves or tendons because his left leg had become numb and regularly gave way. He could not move his left big toe as he said he could not get the message from his brain to his toe! Apparently his wife kept saying to him, “Stop staring at your bloody foot!” He laughed out loud as he told me how he tried to get his toe to move.

I told him that God heals today; would he like me to pray for him. He said, “You can if you like. Just like me mam!” Like so many, he went to church as a kid, but left it behind as he got older. After praying for him, he tried out his foot. He started moving his left big toe! He came back to us after work today, having done a lot of walking. He said his leg had not given way as usual. He demonstrated again that he could still wiggle his toes! He said he’d told his sons back home what had happened!

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Five Step Prayer Model

There isn’t just one model for praying for the sick that Jesus used. Sometimes He commanded their healing, sometimes He touched people, sometimes He involved the recipient in the process by asking them to do something (eg. the leper going to show himself to the priest). Sometimes, He did strange things like spitting on his hand and touching their tongues or making mud and putting it on their eyes.

At the wedding in Cana, Galilee, Jesus’ mother Mary said to His disciples, ‘Do whatever He tells you’. That is the best principle to follow! But, if it is out of the ordinary, be absolutely sure! Remember, we are co-labouring with Him in the ‘Great Co-mission’ to usher in His Kingdom.

When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

Luke 18.8, Jesus speaking

The five step prayer model was first introduced by John Wimber who founded the global Vineyard church movement and who brought back to the western church an appreciation of the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit. Dr Randy Clark has also written extensively (and very helpfully) on it.

1. Interview

In Mark 9.21 Jesus interviewed the father of a boy who needed healing. The purpose of asking questions is to make the ministry more loving and effective. Questions like…

• What’s your name?
• How can I pray for you?
• How long have you had this condition?
• Do you know the cause?

You also want to try and understand the root cause of someone’s sickness. It could be:

• An afflicting spirit.
• Genetic causes – generational curses which come down a family line.
• Sickness rooted in the soul (mind, will and emotions). Psychoneuroimmunology describes the interactions between the emotional state, nervous system function and the immune system. Investigations have shown that the mind and attitude play a significant role in the functioning of the immune system. In Textbook of Natural Medicine (5th edition) by Murray & Nowicki, they say: “Many clinical and experimental studies have clearly demonstrated that stress, personality, attitude and emotion are…contributory in suppressing the immune system as well as leading to the development of many diseases.” See https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/ psychoneuroimmunology). If you google “Can forgiveness help arthritis?”, you might be surprised at how much the link is made between the emotional (mental) and the physiological (physical). Here is a good testimony – https://globalawakening.com/trips /trip-testimonies/sept-2017-brazil/forgiveness-leads-to-healing-of-arthritis.
• Sickness from natural causes such as accident or injury.
• Lifestyle issues, eg lack of rest, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress.

So, you might ask questions like:

• Do you have a doctor’s diagnosis?
• Did someone cause this condition?
• Have you forgiven them? (unforgiveness can be a hindrance to healing; see below).
• Did any significant or traumatic event happen in your life in the 12 months before your condition started?

As you ask questions, try to be attentive to what the Holy Spirit might say to you or show you. He may give you a word of knowledge (see my last blog) or prophetic word that takes you straight to the root cause of the illness.

However, healing of the condition is not dependent on your understanding the cause of it. God can heal it anyway, however ignorant you are.

Explain to the prayee what might happen as you pray in terms of physical sensations (eg heat or cold in affected area, tingling, a sense of peace) and ask them to tell you what they feel as it happens – not to wait politely until the end of the prayer! Explain that healing might come totally or partially, immediately or subsequently.

Remember: be sensitive, loving and gentle in addressing the prayee. Feel free to be bold and authoritative in addressing the sickness!

2. Diagnosis & Prayer Selection

As I have shown in previous blogs in this series, Jesus and His disciples did not pray petitionary prayers. They commanded healing every time. And their commanding prayers were not directed at God but at people’s conditions. Some examples…

“…Jesus bent over [Simon’s mother in law] and rebuked the fever and it left her” (Luke 4.39).

“[Jesus] said to the paralytic ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home’” (Mark 2.10).

[Jesus] took her by the hand and said to her ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’

Mark 5.41

“Turning towards the dead woman, Peter said to Tabitha, ‘Get up!’ She opened her eyes and sat up” (Acts 9.40).

The power is in the word. How did God create? He spoke things into being; He didn’t fashion them with His hands from mud! Words that have their origin in the heart of the Father are powerful – they release life. So, use your God given authority and command healing – always in the name of Jesus our Saviour. It is only through Jesus that healing comes.

A petitioning prayer is something like this: “Father, I ask you to heal Fred’s ankle and remove the swelling and pain. In Jesus’ name”. A commanding prayer is, “Ankle, be healed. All swelling and pain leave now, in the name of Jesus”. For healing deafness or impaired hearing, you might pray “I command a new eardrum to be formed in Jesus’ name”.

If unforgiveness is an issue, lead the person in a prayer of forgiveness before continuing to pray for healing.

If pain increases or simply moves to another part of the body, Randy Clark says that is usually a sign of an afflicting spirit. If you think it’s an afflicting spirit, command the spirit to leave in the name of Jesus. You may have to repeat the command a few times.

3. Prayer for Healing

Posture. I would normally pray standing, unless the person seeking prayer is not able to stand. Give the prayee space, as far as this is possible. Arms around shoulders and hugging are not appropriate during ministry. This is best left until after the ministry time (if at all). You might want to stand to the side of the prayee, so that you can see their face.

Ask the prayee to close his/her eyes and to put their hands forward as though they were going to receive something (this gesture is more symbolic than a requirement). You should keep your eyes open and watch for signs of the Holy Spirits presence (see below). Ask the prayee not to pray; it’s for them to receive. If they appear weak or unsteady on their feet, get some chairs and pray sitting down.

Laying on Hands. Jesus laid his hands on people (see Matthew 8.3 and 19.15). If it is appropriate, ask the prayee for permission to place your hand on the affected area. When the problem is in a sensitive area, simply ask to lay your hand on their shoulder or outstretched hands. People are often particular about their hair (eg ladies with expensive ‘hair dos’ or men with gelled hair!), so it is inappropriate to place hands fully on the head without prior permission. It could be a distraction or an irritation for the prayee.

Waiting. Wait, watch, listen and pray for discernment. Waiting is important. Pray for words or pictures. Try and discern what the Holy Spirit is saying/doing and allow this to inform your praying. Encourage the prayee to receive from the Holy Spirit and to stay engaged with Him. Wait for Him; bless and honour what the Lord is doing. This can be a scary time, because we are relying not on ourselves, but totally on the Holy Spirit to come. The good news is that the Holy Spirit always comes. He may not always do what we ask or expect but He always comes.

Watching. Keep your eyes open and watch for signs of the Holy Spirit’s presence, for example shaking, fluttering of eyelids, perspiration, swaying. Sometimes their skin may colour up. As you pray, the prayee might appear anxious or troubled. If you keep your eyes closed, you will miss these signs. The prayee will often feel something long before you notice anything, which is why it is important to ask them to tell you immediately they experience anything.

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In late May 2019, Alice says: “I had been suffering from migraines on and off for nine years now. Every few months, I would get a cluster of three or four, making me bedbound for about four days. They tended to occur when I was stressed. I found them really debilitating, leaving me unable to leave my bed for a few days due to the intense pain. I could not get it under control, no matter how hard I tried or pretended it wasn’t there. Once the pain did eventually leave, I would be left with visual disturbances for a couple of weeks and be extremely tired. I went to doctors and opticians to try and get it under control. I was prescribed different medications, pain relief and glasses but nothing seemed to work.

“The migraines had been getting more frequent due to increased stress levels and I mentioned it to a friend as I was leaving church on 21 April, about five weeks ago. She prayed for me, that my vision would return to normal and for the migraines to subside. I did not notice anything immediately, but then soon realised my vision had returned to normal. Also, I haven’t had any migraines or symptoms since I was prayed for! I am currently finishing my nursing degree at university and about to move to London to start work, so I think if there ever was a time to be stressed and to get migraines, it would be now!

“In the week after I was prayed for (about four weeks ago), I had a follow up appointment about my migraines with a doctor. She started me on a new medication. I have not needed to use the newly prescribed medication!“

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4. Stop and Re-interview

If after a while the way you are praying is making no difference, take stock. Perhaps revisit the diagnosis – it might be a different root cause you need to address.

Jesus had to pray for a blind man twice before his sight was fully restored (Mark 8.22-25).

Ask the person ‘What’s going on?’ Other questions you might ask…

• Would you try to remember any significant event?
• Have any other members of your family ever had this condition?
• Do you have a strong fear of anything?
• Is anyone angry with you or your family (maybe a curse)?
• Has anyone ever pronounced a curse over you or your family that you know of?
• Have you ever participated in any kind of occultic activity?

You should stop praying:

• When the person is healed.
• When they want you to stop.
• When you sense the Holy Spirit wants you to stop.
• When you aren’t gaining any more ground.

Remember, you are working with the comforter and counsellor, so use encouraging words only. Satan is the accuser, bringing shame and condemnation, eg ‘you don’t have enough faith’.

5. Post Prayer Suggestions

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13.13

Something always happens. We might not see or observe anything, but something always happens.

Possible Obstacles to Healing

We can’t be prescriptive about what might hinder healing. We need to ask God for insight. But some common obstacles are…

• Denial. If you deny forgiveness to someone who has wronged you, this can be a hindrance to your healing. After telling the parable of Unmerciful Servant, Jesus said: “This is how my Heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive your brother from the heart” (Matthew 18.21-35). But unforgiveness is not always a hindrance to healing because God is loving and gracious, not legalistic. I heard the testimony of someone with arthritis who came forward for prayer. After several unsuccessful prayers, it turned out she had not forgiven someone from her past. She felt unable to do so, despite being advised it might hinder her healing from arthritis. Subsequently, God healed her anyway and she was so overwhelmed by His kindness and love that she fell to her knees and forgave the person that a few moments earlier she felt unable to forgive.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6.38 (Jesus speaking)

• Delay. It’s not because God doesn’t want you to be healed. But I think sometimes He delays healing while He deals with other issues in you that He considers more important. His priorities don’t necessarily match yours!

• Doubt. You don’t ask for healing prayer because you doubt whether God wants to or is able to heal you. Don’t allow your experience (or lack of experience of healing) to determine your theology; rather, allow your theology (see my last blog) to determine your experience. This will lead you to say: “There is more to go after than I have experienced in my Christian life so far.”

• Deception. You might tell yourself that your prayer need is too trivial: “There are people with greater needs than me”. That’s the enemy whispering in your ear! God can heal your hurting knee as well as their broken leg. He has huge capacity!

• Dignity. You are too proud to ask; it’s beneath your dignity. In James 4.6 (NIV) it says: “God opposes the proud, but shows favour to [or ‘gives grace to’] the humble.”

• Disappointment. “I’ve had prayer before and nothing happened”. Disappointment can lead to doubt and unbelief. I would encourage you not to give up. Persist in seeking healing. I would encourage you to read Luke 18.1-8 in the Message paraphrase on the theme of persistence in prayer!

Finally…

Go for it! You have little to lose and so much to gain! Partner with our Heavenly Father to demonstrate to a hurting world just how powerful and loving and kind our God is. Do send me any stories of your encounters. I’d love to hear how you get on.

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In September 2019 Liz says: “In July at a Christian summer festival, on the last day, I was at the healing prayer ministry teaching. I was standing at the back, perching on an upturned plastic dustbin. I was in so much pain with my back that I couldn’t sit on a chair and I couldn’t stand for long either, so perching on something like a bar stool or an upturned dust bin was the only way I could sit for long periods. Even then, I was shuffling about and having to get up and walk around. At the end of the teaching, the leader asked if anyone wanted prayer for a physical condition to please put their hands up. Many hands, including mine went up.

“The person next to me offered to pray for me. The words he came out with were perfect for me and he encouraged me to speak out about all my healing (I didn’t even tell him I’d been healed before of a broken back, a broken sternum and a broken wrist) and to pray for others to be healed. Although I felt no different physically, I felt a whole lot better mentally and felt really encouraged to tell people about the way I have been healed in the past. I then made my way over to the big top and found others from my church. I started worshipping my heart out. After the worship, without thinking, I sat down.

“The previous days I had gone outside the Big top and laid down on the grass so I could still listen to the talk. After about ten minutes, a friend said, “Liz you are sitting down; are you ok? “Oh, my goodness yes; I have no pain at all, I’ve just had prayer! Praise the Lord! He’s done it again!” In the last Big top celebration that day, they asked for anyone who would like to give testimony to go to the front. Without any hesitation I ran to the front, wanting to give my testimony to the several thousand people in the tent. There were too many for us all to share and I didn’t get my chance. However, being willing and unphased to go up there in the first place gave me even more courage to share with others when I got home.”

“Two weeks later, my back was still good. I could sit and stand with no pain. I was on my way to a weekend Christian conference. It was a gloriously sunny day and I was looking forward to cooling off in the outdoor swimming pool when I got there after my 4 hour journey. Yes, 4 hours non-stop driving and no back pain! I love swimming and used to be a competitive swimmer in my teems and late 20s and would regularly swim 2000-3000 meters in a training session. Since breaking my back in 2015, although I had been healed through prayer at church, I could not swim more than 2 lengths before the pain kicked in. I arrived at the conference, unpacked my bag and got changed for swimming. I got in and swam – and just kept swimming and swimming and swimming. 20 lengths later, I was still swimming and still had no pain! Hallelujah, praise the Lord! He’s done it again!

“I was so happy and thankful I could swim that, on my return home, I arranged to “try out” for a Masters Swimming club. First, the leader put me in with some ladies a little older than me and we had to swim 200m eight times with 10 seconds rest between. After the first 200, he put me up to the quicker lane to swim with the men, saying “You will make them work harder!” The session was an hour and 15 minutes and in total I swam 3200m! Although my arms were tired and sore, I still had no pain in my back! The club has asked me to join and would like me to compete for them next year. I have already started a conversation with one member and shared about my healing. I don’t think she quite got it, as she said “You should be careful.” I replied, “No need; I’m fully healed.”

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Further Reading

• The Essential Guide to Healing – Johnson & Clark
• Sustainable Power – Simon Holley