So maybe I am overdramatising this slightly – but you get my point yeah? I think that as Christs body we really need to be able to pray effectively into the situations we see around us. Whether that be stuff that we are involved in or stuff that we are simply just ‘standing in the gap’ for. I believe that praying effectively means that we don’t say stuff like “If you want to God, do it – but if you don’t, well then don’t” – as that doesn’t really say much at all. But there are times when we pray for things and they don’t happen – yet months later we look back and agree that it was better that God did not answer our prayers directly and that it was better that we waited.
So when we see someone who is sick – what should we pray? If we pray for direct healing and it happens then maybe we will get complacent as the Isralites did when they wandered the desert and simply took for granted that bread fell out of the sky everyday. If we pray for direct healing and it doesn’t happen we could get discouraged and never pray for it again – as we don’t want to feel silly. The thing is that this didn’t seem to happen to Jesus – and when it happened to His disciples, he rebuked their lack of faith.
I guess the conclusion I am coming too is that often we will pray and ask for things that God has other ideas about. Sometimes, we can actually change God’s mind, just as Moses did. Sometimes I think God really does know best – and it is worth waiting for His plan to come to fulfilment. I wonder if it is like when a child asks something from their parents – they wouldn’t be good parents if they let their children have everything they asked for. I think that God is the same. So as for what we should ask for when we pray? Well I guess we should aim at the top – pray for healing and always keep listening to what God is saying about the situation we are praying in to.
The problem i have with this Gaz, is that when Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith, it comes across as slightly unfair because how do you measure faith? How do you compare an unseen virtue with a solid object? I do understand of course that Jesus knew what was required and how to approach God to see the healing through to completion.
I have no doubt whatsoever that God is capable and can do great and amazing things that i do not understand. I have heard testimonies from overseas of mass healings, men healed of paralysis and crippledness and able to walk. These things, these MIRACLES, are happening in our generation….i guess the challenge is to want to see God doing His will for His Glory and not ours. There are so many people who have Gods will as an absolute priority in their lives…but not all. Maybe i’m speaking out of turn, but i believe that if i truly did put God first in every area of my life, rather than ‘lots of them’, i would see God’s works in new eyes.
Lord, will you remove the scales and let me see anew…
I was talking about this same topic in my home group last week, and one of the main conclusions i came to is that praying for healing for someone is risk of faith. We don’t know what Gods plan is and we do not no for sure if that person will be healed. But i think making the decision to pray for healing also comes along with being able to accept that if it doesn’t happen thats ok too and that God is in control dispite our feelings of disappointed / confusion etc.. God knows our heart and if we have the faith to see healing.
Another point is that when people where being healed when Jesus was on Earth, a lot of the time people just tried to touch his clothes and where healed (mark 5:27), it was their faith that made a differece. If we are praying for others, we don’t know whats going on with them. I just think its important to remember that God knows whats going on, good job really!
One interesting thing I think I heard somewhere and at sometime (!) was that if you are in a group of people praying for someone and you don’t believe by faith that they can be healed then you should stop praying and let others pray as you can restrict what the Holy Spirit wants to do… is that right or am I being all mad and heretical?!
I was at a very intresting talk by an american – what he said was intresting that when we pray for healing its just that, healing – healing is a timley process – and may take many times of prayer, but then he used another word for instant “healings” i cant quite remeber what he said but it made sense i will try to find a copy of the talk on our podcast and let you know the links soon
A difference between healing over time and instant healing?
I’d like to see the Biblical evidence for that one. I’m not saying healing doesn’t happen over time but I can’t think of an occasion when it happened to Jesus or the Apostles. Neither did they have to stop a pray and fast for weeks before healing could occur.
It sounds harsh but sometimes I wonder if we are just looking for excuses to cover up lack of faith. As mentioned above, Jesus always referred to faith when healing happened.
Of course on the other hand sometimes people just don’t get well. Praying for an elderly relative who is ill must just be futile because at some point we all die.
Maybe the trick is to do what Jesus did in John 5 “…only what He sees the Father is already doing…”
Random thoughts. Not much help, sorry….