The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

149
Kinds of Approaches to Healing
1. PRAYER (Acts 9:40; 28:8; Jas: 5:14-16). It is only natural that prayer should be a means
of bringing healing since prayer is usually God’s method of obtaining any of His benefits
and of releasing His power. In prayer we are simply coming as God’s children to our great
Physician and asking that He would touch one of His children with His healing hands.
2. PRAYER & ANOINTING (Jas. 5:14-16). It is significant that in this passage in James
that the word for “oil” (aleispsantes) is not the usual word for sacramental or ritualistic
anointing (chrio). The word used here was considered to have medicinal value (Isa. 1:6;
Lk. 10:34). The implication of this is that God is not against medicine. God can use
medicine as a means of bringing healing to a person. It should also be kept in mind that
prayer is to be coupled to the application of medicine since it is God who heals.
3. WORD OF COMMAND (Mt. 8:16; Mk. 1:41; 5:41; Acts 3:6; 14:9-10). This word of
command was used very often by Jesus and the disciples. This is not primarily a prayer but
a simple (though authoritative) word of command (i.e. “Be healed!” or “In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”).
4. TOUCH (Mk. 1:41; 6:5; 16:18; Lk. 4:40; Acts 28:8). This is also called “Laying on of
Hands.” Touch is important because it communicates caring, compassion and warmth for
the person.
5. TOUCH & WORD OF COMMAND (Mt.8:1-3; Mk. 7:32-35; Lk. 4:38-39; Lk. 7:12-15;
Acts 3:1-5; 20:7-12). This combination was often used by Jesus and the disciples
communicating both compassion and authority.
From these examples we see that there is no one way to pray for the sick. God uses various
methods to accomplish His purpose. We need to seek Him as to what method He wants us to use
in any given situation since all situations are different. However, we also must guard against
focusing on the method since it is God Himself who heals, who is the Healer.
Attitude toward Our Role in the Healing Process
With the following advice Frederick Buechner helps us to keep the proper perspective in
healing. While praying for the sick, he says,
“If you feel like a fool as you are doing this, don’t let it throw you. You are a fool
of course . . . . Don’t try too hard to feel religious, to generate some healing power
of your own. Think of yourself rather (if you have to think of yourself at all) as a