It is normative Christianity to minister to the sick, including praying for their healing.
Even so, some of us might not think of this as a corporate activity. That’s where we were as a congregation, until four years ago. Since then, each January we hold an annual healing prayer service.
At first, this service was attended with curiosity, mild suspicion and some concern. To be honest, every one of us was nervous to some degree. But the reasons we felt compelled to start were two: (1) We had recently been preaching through Exodus and had encountered Yahweh Rapha (“the God who heals”); and (2) we took note of just how many people were suffering with illness in our congregation.
So we simply decided that we should ask the Lord to extend His hand and heal.
What Does Our Healing Prayer Service Look Like?
We begin with an invocation and a time of congregational singing that focuses on God’s holiness and His presence. Then we usually turn to a time of confession. Sometimes we find previously written prayers and recite them as a congregation. Other times we use special music.
Often we will include an extended period of silence for private confession and repentance. This has always been a sweet time of humility before God, and a great way to prepare ourselves to seek His will and trust His goodness.
Throughout the entire service, which lasts one-and-a-half to two hours, the Holy Spirit confirms our desperate need for Christ’s full redemptive work on our behalf, and He ministers to us the full hope we have in Him.
We also spend significant time in prayer for one another. We set up circles of chairs on opposite ends of the sanctuary, with several elders at each. Everyone is encouraged to go forward for prayer, whatever their need, and our elders hear concerns, offer brief words of counsel, share Scripture, and then minister by anointing with oil, laying on of hands and prayer. This is all after the pattern of James 5:14-16.
It is a joyful privilege of the elders to then follow up with people, seeing the grace and mercy God has granted.
What Exactly Do We Teach About Healing?
The teaching time is important to bring clarity to this topic, to remove fears, to set the context for the evening, to teach how to pray and to manage expectations. Much of our teaching and approach is indebted to Wayne Grudem, former professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School—from class notes and from his Systematic Theology.
We talk about how a biblical theology of healing always points to the mercy of God in Christ now and the hope we have for ultimate healing in our resurrection. We warn people about wrong approaches, and we offer reasons why God might heal and His pleasure in doing so.
We mention three common mistakes: (1) not praying for healing; (2) creating an atmosphere of low expectations (God seldom, if ever, heals); and (3) creating an atmosphere of particular expectations (God always heals if . . . one has enough faith, sees the right healer man or stops sinning, etc.).
We discuss the wide range of healing: from God’s normal work through predictable means, to those times when He makes it more obvious that He is the Healer. We talk about miracles. We talk about death. We teach extensively on the value of suffering and weakness, and how significant they are for discipleship.
We review healings in the Bible and counsel against judging others in matters of seeking healing or not, and against presuming to know God’s will for others.
At times, the Holy Spirit moves people to seek healing, while at other times He gives them grace to rest, content without healing in the present. Regardless, the Holy Spirit guides us in our prayers and communicates all the graces of God in our souls.
He also gifts individuals with the gift of healing. Simply put, God chooses certain people through whom He answers prayers for healing more than through others. It is similar to any other spiritual gift in this regard, although we are not aware of anyone who has this gift in our body at this time.
How Have We Seen God Work?
Reports come in that evening about God’s work in healing, and they continue to come in over the next couple of weeks. We have experienced healing of what we might consider the normal illnesses of life and also the more significant physical ailments. We have seen Him answer doubts, lift depression, purge sin, restore relationships and revive souls.
Most recently, a woman asked for prayer for general weakness and shortness of breath, which was rapidly worsening and for which her doctors had no answers. Only days after the service, she was admitted to the hospital with severe anemia. After a transfusion and several tests, she returned to health.
Although it has been determined that she was bleeding internally, no real medical explanation has been offered as to the cause of the bleeding or to her continued good health now. We know without a doubt that God has healed her.
Although God is at work in amazing ways in our lives all the time, the healing service serves to focus our prayers and to cause us to see with greater clarity God’s hand at work in our congregation. Most people experience some kind of renewal. Even our children experience personal revival from a heightened sense of sin and the importance of an intimate relationship with God through Christ.
Everyone learns how to pray better—to pray openly, confidently and with faith that God will always glorify Himself in answer to our prayers. God is glorified both in His healing now and in His not healing now. Ultimately, all prayers for healing will be answered at the day of resurrection glory.
This annual service has become one of our church’s favorite times together. It is a time to grow in humility. It is a time to rejoice in all the benefits of our God. Our benediction for all is from our apostle John (3 John 1:2 ESV): “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
(This blog entry was originally published as an article, co-authored with Raymy Krumrei, in the Fall 2007 issue of EFCA Today, copyright Evangelical Free Church of America.)
Even so, some of us might not think of this as a corporate activity. That’s where we were as a congregation, until four years ago. Since then, each January we hold an annual healing prayer service.
At first, this service was attended with curiosity, mild suspicion and some concern. To be honest, every one of us was nervous to some degree. But the reasons we felt compelled to start were two: (1) We had recently been preaching through Exodus and had encountered Yahweh Rapha (“the God who heals”); and (2) we took note of just how many people were suffering with illness in our congregation.
So we simply decided that we should ask the Lord to extend His hand and heal.
What Does Our Healing Prayer Service Look Like?
We begin with an invocation and a time of congregational singing that focuses on God’s holiness and His presence. Then we usually turn to a time of confession. Sometimes we find previously written prayers and recite them as a congregation. Other times we use special music.
Often we will include an extended period of silence for private confession and repentance. This has always been a sweet time of humility before God, and a great way to prepare ourselves to seek His will and trust His goodness.
Throughout the entire service, which lasts one-and-a-half to two hours, the Holy Spirit confirms our desperate need for Christ’s full redemptive work on our behalf, and He ministers to us the full hope we have in Him.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5, ESV).After more singing, we listen to a brief message on healing and perhaps a few testimonies from those who have recently experienced God’s healing power or sustaining grace. The Holy Spirit uses this time to encourage a mood of thankfulness and expectation in us.
We also spend significant time in prayer for one another. We set up circles of chairs on opposite ends of the sanctuary, with several elders at each. Everyone is encouraged to go forward for prayer, whatever their need, and our elders hear concerns, offer brief words of counsel, share Scripture, and then minister by anointing with oil, laying on of hands and prayer. This is all after the pattern of James 5:14-16.
It is a joyful privilege of the elders to then follow up with people, seeing the grace and mercy God has granted.
What Exactly Do We Teach About Healing?
The teaching time is important to bring clarity to this topic, to remove fears, to set the context for the evening, to teach how to pray and to manage expectations. Much of our teaching and approach is indebted to Wayne Grudem, former professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School—from class notes and from his Systematic Theology.
We talk about how a biblical theology of healing always points to the mercy of God in Christ now and the hope we have for ultimate healing in our resurrection. We warn people about wrong approaches, and we offer reasons why God might heal and His pleasure in doing so.
We mention three common mistakes: (1) not praying for healing; (2) creating an atmosphere of low expectations (God seldom, if ever, heals); and (3) creating an atmosphere of particular expectations (God always heals if . . . one has enough faith, sees the right healer man or stops sinning, etc.).
We discuss the wide range of healing: from God’s normal work through predictable means, to those times when He makes it more obvious that He is the Healer. We talk about miracles. We talk about death. We teach extensively on the value of suffering and weakness, and how significant they are for discipleship.
We review healings in the Bible and counsel against judging others in matters of seeking healing or not, and against presuming to know God’s will for others.
At times, the Holy Spirit moves people to seek healing, while at other times He gives them grace to rest, content without healing in the present. Regardless, the Holy Spirit guides us in our prayers and communicates all the graces of God in our souls.
He also gifts individuals with the gift of healing. Simply put, God chooses certain people through whom He answers prayers for healing more than through others. It is similar to any other spiritual gift in this regard, although we are not aware of anyone who has this gift in our body at this time.
How Have We Seen God Work?
Reports come in that evening about God’s work in healing, and they continue to come in over the next couple of weeks. We have experienced healing of what we might consider the normal illnesses of life and also the more significant physical ailments. We have seen Him answer doubts, lift depression, purge sin, restore relationships and revive souls.
Most recently, a woman asked for prayer for general weakness and shortness of breath, which was rapidly worsening and for which her doctors had no answers. Only days after the service, she was admitted to the hospital with severe anemia. After a transfusion and several tests, she returned to health.
Although it has been determined that she was bleeding internally, no real medical explanation has been offered as to the cause of the bleeding or to her continued good health now. We know without a doubt that God has healed her.
Although God is at work in amazing ways in our lives all the time, the healing service serves to focus our prayers and to cause us to see with greater clarity God’s hand at work in our congregation. Most people experience some kind of renewal. Even our children experience personal revival from a heightened sense of sin and the importance of an intimate relationship with God through Christ.
Everyone learns how to pray better—to pray openly, confidently and with faith that God will always glorify Himself in answer to our prayers. God is glorified both in His healing now and in His not healing now. Ultimately, all prayers for healing will be answered at the day of resurrection glory.
This annual service has become one of our church’s favorite times together. It is a time to grow in humility. It is a time to rejoice in all the benefits of our God. Our benediction for all is from our apostle John (3 John 1:2 ESV): “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
(This blog entry was originally published as an article, co-authored with Raymy Krumrei, in the Fall 2007 issue of EFCA Today, copyright Evangelical Free Church of America.)
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