Healing Ministry

HEALING MINISTRY
READ_ME
THIS IS THE README FILE FOR THE HEALING MINISTRY NOTES
These notes were used in the development of a healing ministry at our local church.
They are no substitute for a complete theology of healing but you may find them
helpful. Try "Power Healing" by John Wimber or "Sent To Heal" by the Order of St.
Luke The Physician for a more full treatment.
There should be eight files in the zip file. healmin.zip
READ_ME2.txt - This file
train_1.wpd - Jesus attitude to healing
train_2.wpd - 10 common questions on healing
train_3.wpd - A healing service procedure.
faith.wpd - Faith for healing
malachi4.wpd - The sun of righteousness will arise with healing in His wings.
healword.wpd - The place of the word of God in helaing
healvrs.wpd - Scripture memory cards with 40 Bible verses on healing
The main files are in WordPerfect 6.1 format.
All files are copyright John Edmiston 1996.
PERMISSION TO USE
You have permission to freely copy these studies for ministry purposes
provided that no commercial production is undertaken and the studies are
not substantially altered.
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the saints for the work of ministry - hence free Christian software,
Bible studies etc. Donations to this on-line ministry can be sent to:
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READ_ME
THIS IS THE README FILE FOR THE HEALING MINISTRY NOTES
PERMISSION TO USE
ETERNITY MAGAZINE (http://www.jed.org.au/eternity)
TRAIN_1:Jesus and Healing
Jesus always saw sickness as something to be healed
Jesus sometimes saw sickness as the direct work of the Devil
Jesus sometimes saw sickness as the direct result of sin.
Jesus often drew a direct connection between faith and healing.
Jesus saw healing as one of the signs of the Presence of the Kingdom
Jesus saw healing as a work that His disciples and His church could
also work
Jesus saw healing as a sovereign work of the Father not as an act of
Christian magic.
Jesus always healed what the person wanted healed
Jesus remembered the social context when He gave instructions after
healing.
Even though Jesus had a powerful healing ministry it was not His top
priority.
Jesus saw healing as a manifestation of Divine authority and power.
Train_2: Healing Service Training - Part Two - Common Questions
If what the Bible says about healing is true why dont we see more of
them?
2. What is the difference between the gift of healing and the normal
Christians ability to heal?
3. What is the role of the local church?
4. What about those who are not healed?
5. What about Pauls thorn in the flesh?
6. Should Christians use medicine?
7. Should Christians trust in doctors?
8. What about home remedies, vitamin pills, physiotherapy etc?
9. Can a Christian participate in the use of alternative medicine?
10. What about Christian use of psychologists, counsellors and
psychiatrists?
train_3: Healing Service Procedure
Mission:
Before The Service Warfare (45 mins) 6:15-7:00
Introduction 7:00-7:02
Worship 7:02-7:15
Communion 7:15-7:25
Sermon/Homily 7:25-7:45
Prayer Ministry 7:45-8:00
Supper 8:00-8:20
Faith For Healing
Introduction
The Believing Heart
Fact One: God is a healing God
Fact Two: Jesus wants you to be healed.
CONCLUSION
HEALING VERSES
Spirit of God + Word of God = Creative Power of God
The Sun of Righteousness

A Healing Touch
TRAIN_1:JESUS AND HEALING

Healing Ministry Training
The Healing Attitudes
Jesus always saw sickness as something to be healed
Whenever Jesus came across sickness His attitude was to heal it. (Matthew 4;23-25,
8:16,17, 9:35) Jesus had compassion on the sick. Just as we automatically have
compassion on our own children when they are ill. It would be a most cruel and unusual
parent that seeing one of their own children ill would think This child should suffer
some more in order to learn a lesson. These natural instincts we have are part of the
image of God in us and reflect the heart of God. All who came to Jesus for healing, were
healed. None were told to wait until ....... (put whatever you like in the gap).
Jesus sometimes saw sickness as the direct work of the Devil
Sickness can come from the Devil in two main ways - as a direct attack on the life of a
righteous person, permitted by God but not Gods will. Jobs sores (Job 2:4-7) and the
sickness of the woman bound in the spirit of infirmity (Luke 18:10-16) seem to be in this
category.
Jesus sometimes saw sickness as the direct result of sin.
Throughout the Old and New Testament there has always been a strong connection
between sin and sickness. Except for the book of Job and some cases of barren but
righteous women there was an almost universal causal connection between the
disruption of fellowship with God and bodily illness. This flows from the Bibles view of
the person as a whole being body-soul-spirit knitted into one with each part affecting the
other. Consequently spiritual health can also impart physical health and quicken our
mortal bodies. (Romans 8:11) There is no record of Jesus being ill, though He was
mortal and human and subject to the normal exigencies of human flesh. While Jesus
broadens the OT understanding so that not all sickness was due to sin he twice indicated
that a persons illness was based in prior sin. (Mark 2:5, John 5:14) Paul is more explicit
about it in his writings to the Corinthians who had a strong triumphalistic streak. He
indicated that sickness could be the result of Church discipline for gross immorality handing someone over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) .
The abuse of the Lords supper was also seen to result in physical illness (1 Corinthians
11: 28-32). In extreme cases sin may even result in physical death. ( 1 Corinthians 11:30,
Acts 5:5-10, Romans 1:26-28). The normal aim of such illness is repentance and the
soul being saved on the day of salvation.(1 Cor 5:1-5, 11:28-32). Thus it is wise for the
person seeking healing to confess any known sin and to get right with God before prayer
is administered. This naturally leads to the question Should we heal someone that
the Lord is chastening? The answer to this is simple. If they turn to God in their
illness and submit themselves to the elders of the church, confessing their sins and
asking for healing (as in James 5) then the chastening has done the work of leading
them to repentance and we should heal them. Thus there is no contradiction between
healing all who ASK for it and allowing the Lord to chasten people unto repentance.
The very act of asking is a sign of seeking God. Later we will cover how to help people
when repentance is needed prior to healing. While Jesus and the apostles acknowledged
a connection between sin and physical illness they never blamed anyone for being ill
(or even lacking faith in their healing) but rather always sought to heal them.
Jesus often drew a direct connection between faith and healing.
Healing is a manifestation of the kingdom of God in our mortal bodies and I think a
prefigurement of the resurrection. Like all Kingdom realities healing is received by faith.
Jesus explicitly acknowledges this in Matt 8:10, 9:28,29, 15:28; Mark 2:5; 9:24, 10:52
and the parallel passages.
Jesus saw healing as one of the signs of the Presence of the Kingdom
In Matt 4:23, 9:35, and Luke 9:11 healing and the preaching of the Kingdom are tied
together In Jesus ministry. The ministry of the disciples(the 12 and the 70) is to have
both aspects the Kingdom proclamation and the demonstration of Kingdom power
(Matt 10:7,8, Luke 9:2). Luke 10:9 is quite explicit (Luke 10:9 NKJV) "And heal the sick
there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' In Matt 12:28 Jesus
associates exorcism in His name with the Presence of the Kingdom (Matthew 12:28
NKJV) "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has
come upon you. This role of healing in demonstrating the validity of the gospel and the
Presence of the Kingdom is graphically demonstrated when the imprisoned John the
Baptist sends his disciples to Jesus....(Luke 7:19-23 NKJV){19} And John, calling two of
his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look
for another?" {20} When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has
sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'" {21} And
that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many
blind He gave sight. {22} Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things
you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. {23} "And
blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." Jesus saw healing as a demonstration
of the real Presence of the Kingdom that would encourage those who struggled to
believe.
Jesus saw healing as a work that His disciples and His church could also
work
This is partly covered above. Here are a few verses indicating the spread of healing from
the 12 to the 70 to the wider church:
(Matthew 10:1 NKJV) And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave
them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and
all kinds of disease. (Luke 10:1,9 NKJV) After these things the Lord appointed seventy
others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He
Himself was about to go..... "And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of
God has come near to you.'
(Acts 5:16 NKJV) Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem,
bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all
healed.
(James 5:13-15 NKJV) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone
cheerful? Let him sing psalms. {14} Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the
elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord. {15} And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
The theological mandate for this is found in the empowering Presence of God
experienced by Jesus at His baptism and experienced by the Church at Pentecost. With
this is mind Jesus could say to his disciples (John 14:10-12 NKJV) "Do you not believe
that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? ......{11} "Believe Me that I am in the
Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
{12} "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do
also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. The works
spoken of here are the works Jesus did between His baptism and the cross. It is
indicated that the Spirit-filled believer (discussed elsewhere in this chapter and very
much in mind) will do also some of these works and perhaps do greater works
because the Spirits power will be manifest in the believer and in the believing
community. We cannot do Jesuss works of creation or redemption but we can do the
works He did during his ministry -preaching the Kingdom , healing the sick, driving out
demons etc. Jesus seemed disappointed and in fact angry when His empowered and
called disciples failed to do these works (Luke 9:39-42) and doing them seemed to be an
integral part of his approach to training them for ministry (Luke 9 and 10).
Jesus saw healing as a demonstration of Gods mercy and compassion, it
was never earned.
Mercy is a somewhat neglected concept. It means that you have the right to punish or
destroy but do not do so. It was used technically when someone had lost a duel and
the victorious party had every right to kill them. The victor could lift his sword point
thus showing mercy. Gods mercy goes much further than not killing but even unto
restoring the person to wholeness. Jesus gladly responded to those who appealed for
healing on the basis of the mercy of God (Matthew 9:27, 15:22, 17:15, 20:30,31).
Jesus also frequently healed out of compassion (Matt 14:14, 20;34, Mark 1:41, 5;19,
9:22-24, Luke 7:13-15). Compassion is Christs practical response to human need. It
includes the practical action of the Good Samaritan and of Christ feeding the hungry
multitudes (Luke 10:33, Mark 8:2) it is never just an empty sentiment. The power of
God is linked to the compassion of God. However Gods mercy and compassion is His
to command and should never be taken for granted (Romans 9:15). The gospel record
though should lead us to believe that His compassion is readily available to all who
seek it. Remarkably it was this aspect, more than almost any other, that enraged the
religious leaders of His day. They often sternly opposed Jesus healings being angered
at the mercy He demonstrated.(Matt 9:9-13, 32-34, 12:10-15, Jn 9:13-34) The
Pharisaical mindset sees healings as rewards perhaps due to the saintly righteous
but certainly not due to sinners. I cannot recall a single Pharisee being healed. This
leads to three rough rules of thumb You will only receive as much grace as you think
you need. (Luke 18:9-14) and No grace comes to those who think they deserve
it.(Luke 18:9-14, Galatians 3:2-5, 5:1-11, Romans 11:6) and You receive more grace
than you give but you have to give it first. (Luke 6:35-38)
Jesus saw healing as a sovereign work of the Father not as an act of
Christian magic.
There is a fine line between the magical and the Christian uses of supernatural
power. Supernatural power becomes magical when it is seen to operate separately
from the will of the Father. For instance the bronze serpent that Moses held up in the
wilderness eventually had to be destroyed because its healing properties were
attributed to it separately from YHWH and it thus became an idol. (2 Kings 18:4). A
similar thing happened to the ark of the covenant in the days of Eli (1 Samuel 4:3,4)
when it, not the Lord, was credited with victory for Israel. Consequently it went into
captivity for a while. (1 Samuel 4&5). The temptations Satan used on Jesus were
temptations to achieve the purposes of God by means divorced from the will of God.
He was asked to turn stones into bread for his own gratification. He was asked to use
His new endowment of supernatural power for the purposes of showmanship and
jump from the Temple. Finally He was to conquer the world - but acknowledge Satan
as the source of his Kingdom. The word of God and fasting kept Jesus from these
temptations. It strikes me that these must be very powerful temptations to be able to
be used on Jesus and it does seem that certain Christians are in their grip - to their
very great spiritual peril (Matt 7:21-23). Jesus kept His integrity in ministry by only
doing that which He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19,20, 36 ; 10:32,37,38; 14:10-12).
Relationship with God and obedience were keys to His overcoming this most subtle of
temptations. Thus the safest way to minister is to minister in an attitude of holy fear,
reverence, praise and worship. Therefore preparatory worship is more than
emotionally satisfying it also draws us into the necessary state of humility and
obedience that can safeguard us from wrong desires. Paul Tournier treats this aspect
of the temptation to magic in healing well in his book A Doctors Casebook In The
Light Of The Bible pages 113-116 (written in 1954! ). He finishes up by saying There
are then two contrary errors: to refrain, for fear of magic, from every kind of bold and
sensational act, even when God requires it of us; this course has been all too common
in the Church, and is what has made us as poor as it is today in manifestations of

Gods power. And, on the other hand, through zeal to demonstrate that power, to run
after the sensational, even when God does not will it, and so fall into magic; certain
religious sects are guilty of this. In the Gospel, the sceptics sneered at the miracles in
Galilee and at the Cross: He saved others; let Him save Himself, if this is the Christ of
God, His chosen (Luke 23:35) . Neither the miracles nor the Cross can be taken out
of the gospel without distorting it.
Jesus always healed what the person wanted healed
There is a tendency to be wiser than the patient when one is in healing ministry and
doctors, counsellors and psychiatrists are particularly guilty of this and I am afraid
some Christians are getting in on the act. If a person wanted to be healed of leprosy
or blindness that was what got fixed. Even though Jesus knew the hearts of people He
did not say Your real problem is.... Jesus took peoples problems at face value and
healed them. He was not an arrogant know all and He left people with their dignity.
Jesus remembered the social context when He gave instructions after
healing.
Jesus treated the sick as part of a social structure that needed to accept that the
person had been healed. Lepers had to show themselves to the priest and be certified
as clean so they could resume their place in society. (Matthew 8:2-4, Luke 17:12-19)
Certain illnesses can relapse (particularly schizophrenia) if the family does not
incorporate the person as healed but still views them as sick. Jesus frequently
gives instructions to the family or the sick person that initiates a resumption of
normality. (Matt 8:14,15; 9:6; Mark 5:43; 10:52, John 11:44).
Even though Jesus had a powerful healing ministry it was not His top
priority.
His redemptive work on the cross, the training of the disciples and the proclamation
of the good news of the Kingdom were all given a higher priority than healing the
multitudes at various times. Healing was an integral part of the whole and a visual
and practical demonstration of His message but it was never of ultimate importance.
(Mark 6:12,13 then 30-32 ; Luke 4:40-43 ; 9:51).
Jesus saw healing as a manifestation of Divine authority and power.
The original commission to Adam was to subdue the earth to bring about Gods
order and perfection in Creation. As the last Adam Jesus subdued evil spirits and
even illness which represents a serious imperfection in Gods created order. To do
this He exercised spiritual authority which He also passed on to others.( Matthew
8:9-13, 9:6, 10:1; Mark 3:15, 6:17; Luke 5:17; 6:19, 9:1, 10:19). Healing requires power
and authority to flow from God. Sometimes evil spirits can strongly resist this power
and a power encounter may take place such as that with the Gadarene demoniac in
Mark 5. Healing is a miniature exertion of Gods restoring power and is a way of
doing His will on earth as it is done in Heaven - where there will be no more
sickness or crying or pain. (Rev 20:1-3)
TRAIN_2: HEALING SERVICE TRAINING - PART

TWO - COMMON QUESTIONS
If what the Bible says about healing is true why dont we see more of them?
Unbelief definitely pays a part (Matthew 13:54-58 NKJV) And when He had come to His own country, He
taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and
these mighty works?...Where then did this Man get all these things?" {57} So they were offended at Him. But
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house." {58} Now
He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Jesus baptism had so changed Him
and so endued Him with power that He could no longer fit into the mental boxes that people in His home town
had put Him in. They said Where then did this Man get all these things..?. they did not appreciate the equipping
he had received (perhaps just received - see the parallel passage in Luke 4) . I think wrong mental boxes are a
large reason why we see so few healings today. Here are a 12 common misconceptions put in lay language that I
think stand in the way of a powerful healing ministry today...
(I). The healings were due to Jesus divinity were a one off and are not repeatable by us today. (Covered in
last weeks notes)
(Ii) Jesus wandered around in a beard and sandals then vanished. His ministry in Heaven and the power He can
send from Heaven are forgotten.
(iii) The material world is solid and the spiritual world is sort of weak and fuzzy and not really real. Yet by a
word were the heavens and earth created and with a word they will be dissolved.
(iv) You have doctors for diseases and priests for the soul. Healing has been taken out of the province of religion
and is no longer expected from it. People have been mistakenly divided into separate spiritual and physical
compartments which do not interact. But God is Lord of all.
(v) Healing is something that saints do, it happens in the past and it leads to building shrines.
This is a bit like number 1 except that it involves bringing the magical element in and can lead to idolatry, relic
worship, etc. This leads to two opposite dangers 1) darkness and superstition 2) thoroughgoing scepticism about
the miraculous. Both cause damage to the manifestation of a genuine healing ministry by the laity.
(vi) Respectable Christians dont engage in a healing ministry. This is something that pressures me. Charlatans
and snake-oil salesman have given the area such a bad name that people need a lot of courage to enter it and
learn it.
(vii) The Bible stories make me feel good but Id be mad to take them too literally or to attempt to do them. Many
Christians treat the Bible as little better than motivational literature that picks them up. It is like reading an
inspiring biography that we can pick and choose the bits that we will align ourselves with. However it is a New
Contract that we have been given and it should be studied like any contract to see what compliance is expected
and what benefits can be gained. The Word activates the Spirit - but it must be the Word taken seriously and
believed.
(viii) I have to be in the right emotional state before God can use me and I am not there very often....We are to
preach the gospel in season and out of season and to heal even when we are tired, hungry, harassed and
exhausted just as Jesus and the disciples did. (Mark 6:31, 2 Timothy 4:2).
(Ix) Healing is a product of something within myself; my own power, piety, intelligence, emotional intensity,
fasting , rituals etc and if I do them at greater intensity then one day I will break through and see people
healed..... This is a terribly pervasive lie. It leads to enormous spiritual frustration and discouragement when the
results dont show. When you are tempted to believe it just remember Jesus before His baptism -perfect in every
respect in piety. Yet without miracle working power (at that time). Human perfection cannot work the works of
God until it receives the power that is from God. (Acts 3:12 NKJV) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the
people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or
godliness we had made this man walk?
(Galatians 3:3-5 NKJV) Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the
flesh? {4} Have you suffered so many things in vain; if indeed it was in vain? {5} Therefore He who supplies the
Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?;
Somehow believing, even naively, that our goodness merits Gods power kills the faith connection stone dead.
Hence Jesus warned about the leaven of the Scribes and the Pharisees and how even a little could ruin the whole
lump of dough. (Matthew 16:6-16, Luke 12:1, Galatians 5:9).
(x) The Good News has become just Good Advice. The gospel is something we live in not something we live up
to. It is Good News - the only thing you can do with news is accept it as true or untrue, to believe it or disbelieve
it. We can live in it and take advantage of it or we can choose to ignore it, but we do not live up to it. If you saw
an advertisement advertising free Christian music and you believed it then you might get enthusiastic, tell your
friends, then go out and get as much as you could. That is an appropriate response to good news. An
inappropriate response would be to try to open your own shop or to pay for the music. The good news is that
Jesus has made healing available. We need to accept this, believe it and live in it. The gospel is an accomplished
fact that you announce so that others can take advantage of the offer. (Hebrews 9:12, 26-28, 10:10, Col 1:23, 1
Thess 1:15)
(xi) This disease is too much for my faith. The size of your God, not the size of your faith is what matters. When
faced with cancer we forget that the Good News has been announced, that healing is available, that God is in
heaven and Almighty. Like the ten spies we look at the size of the problem relative to something in us (our faith,
resources , knowledge) rather than measuring the giants against the Lord. However Jesus said to his disciples
after they had failed to heal someone... (Matthew 17:20-21 NKJV) So Jesus said to them, "Because of your
unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from
here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. {21} "However, this kind does not go out
except by prayer and fasting." Mountains are bigger than disciples but smaller than God.
(xii) I cant see how God can do it.... Many people need a mechanism to be explained to them before they can
believe. Just believe is too nebulous an explanation. How God heals a cancer is important. For such people I
take them back to Genesis and Gods mighty Word activating the Spirit which created the Universe and
transformed and ordered matter. God can create matter, destroy matter and renew matter . (Psalms 104:29-30
NKJV) You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. {30}
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. (John 6:63 NKJV) "It is the
Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
He can give Creation its shape and form. The spoken Word of authority can impart life, strength, healing and in
combination with the Holy Spirit produce awesome transformations. (Genesis 1, 2 Peter 3:5-13, Colossians
1:16-17, John 1:1-3, Revelation 4:12)
2. What is the difference between the gift of healing and the normal Christians ability to
heal?
The gift of healing is a charism or gracelet as someone called it. All gifts are given as God wills (1 Cor
12:1-11) though they can also be sought (1 Cor 14:1). There seems to be two ways of gifts operating a) as
temporary bursts that are one offs like Marys prophesy.(Luke 2) B) As abiding gifts (like the prophetic gift
on Isaiah etc). This also seems to be true with regard to healing. Most Bible-believing Christians have a
burst when they pray for someones healing and it occurs, much to their amazement. For a few it becomes a
regular ministry and affects the whole way they view the church. There is no sharp dividing line between the
gracelet and the full-blown gift and it seems that one can sometimes grow into the other with time, practise
and an increase in faith. The gift is part of the Body and is to be used for its upbuilding in love (1 Cor 12-14).
All Christians should be able to exercise healing prayer, particularly the elders of a church.(James 5:14). All
Christians should be able to minister healing to some degree though not all are healers. We cannot leave all
healing up the healers any more than we should leave all evangelism up to the few evangelists among us.
3. What is the role of the local church?
There is also a healing ministry role for the church as a whole. The assembled body of Christ is a powerful army
and things happen in Bible study groups and in services that do not happen with just one on one ministry. One of
the aims of this training is to increase the general level of faith for healing in the church so that we may become a
community regularly ministering healing. Jesus wanted others in the community of faith to be also able to heal
and sought to empower them to do so. The person with the gift of healing should ideally operate within a faithfilled believing community that is also being trained to heal the sick. Even Jesus had little success when the
community around Him was filled with unbelief (Matthew 13:54-58). The church does not just provide a platform
for healing to take place, it provides a praying, believing community that exercises healing though its eldership,
its gifted members and through the Spirit working through it when it is gathered for worship. (James 5:14 ff, Acts
5:12-16, 1 Cor 12:4-11)
4. What about those who are not healed?
There were unhealed people in the Bible, Timothy had frequent ailments and Trophimus was left
ill/recovering at Miletus. Pauls response to the first was sanctified common-sense take a little wine for your
stomach and do not exclusively drink water... The second seems just to be acceptance of the fact (I Tim 5:23, 2
Tim 4:20). Some of the Corinthians were sick because of unrepented sin such as immorality and abuse of the
Lords supper. In such cases repentance was called for. If I may rephrase this question to be How can we love
those who are not healed.. I think the answer becomes easier. This shifts the emphasis from power to love and
brings us back to centre. ( 1 Corinthians 13). The still sick person needs (1) To be loved, supported and cared for.
(2) Have good common-sense applied including the use of appropriate medication . (3) Be able to confess any sin
privately and with dignity. (4) Be encouraged to grow in faith as part of a believing community that is also
growing and faith and praying for their healing. Jesus only blamed the disciples for lack of faith - never the sick
person.
5. What about Pauls thorn in the flesh?
The stake in the flesh was a Greek equivalent of a sharp pain in the neck.. a metaphor for real hindrance and
nuisance. It is disabling, painful and causes anguish of the soul and it brings the mighty low (as in the lion in
Aesopss fable that was brought low by a thorn in the flesh). The messenger of Satan seems to be an angelic
hindrance. Some recent commentators have speculated that the thorn was someone who went around rabblerousing inciting the Jews to kill Paul and hindering his ministry - perhaps Alexander the coppersmith. It could
be either (1) a malicious human/group of people banded together against Paul (2) a malicious spiritual entity that
aroused people against him. The opposition was so fierce and relentless that Paul was constantly thrown back on
God in weakness. The consequence of the thorn is persecution and distress not physical sickness. (1 Cor 12:1-10)
6. Should Christians use medicine?
Some couples in Australia and America have been charged with manslaughter and child neglect for refusing
medication to seriously ill children in faith. Such well publicised cases do not help the cause of the gospel. The
gospel has four main aspects wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30 NRSV)
He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption,. These four aspects of the gospel are not in competition but part of one seamless
Whole - which is Christ Himself. Healing is a part of our redemption - the buying back of our body from the
dominion of sickness. The wise faith-filled use of medicine can be Wisdom - which is also from God, in Christ.
Proverbs urges us to use wisdom and to acquire it - and Biblical wisdom was always practical and effective. Luke
is called the beloved physician and there are no injunctions in Scripture to put aside medicines. At least twice in
the NT household remedies are invoked, wine for Timothys stomach ailments and oil for wounds and bruises
(the Good Samaritan) which is seen as an appropriate act of compassion. There will even be medicine in heaven!
The leaves of the tree of life will be used for the healing of the nations. Who these nations are is a puzzle but the
fact remains that their healing is provided for - by a medicine. (Rev 22:2). Though medicines existed in Jesus day
He never exhorted the faithful to abandon them. He simply provided a more effective alternative. The refusal of
medicine to a child merely to prove a religious point is seriously wrong and I believe contrary to the faith. It
seems close to Pharisaism.
7. Should Christians trust in doctors?

Our first trust should always be in God. Many people seek the doctors first then, if they are in really big
trouble, they then go to their church for healing. May I tactfully suggest that it should perhaps be the
other way around with prayer being the first reflex when one is ill. ( 2 Chronicles 16:12.) Doctors can
be used and their advice heeded but they must not become the sole repositories of our faith.
8. What about home remedies, vitamin pills, physiotherapy etc?
The general attitude of Scripture is that of empowering people to live prudent, healthy, independent
lives. I believe that a good knowledge of safe folk remedies - cures for hiccups and bee stings etc makes
good Christian common sense and I would love to collect them and put them in a book one day. We
need a Christian challenge to alternative medicine. Part of the reason for the Sabbath and the OT
dietary restrictions was a physically and spiritually healthy lifestyle. A kosher diet is virtually free
from parasitic infections, disease and association with the more common occult practices of the time.
However Jesus made it clear that our diet does not make us clean or unclean before God. It may help
our health but it has nothing to do with our spiritual status. (Mark 7:14-23)
9. Can a Christian participate in the use of alternative medicine?
There was a great deal of alternative medicine around in Jesus day and in the Gnosticism that
pervaded Asia Minor. None of it was recommended for the Christian and some of it seems to have been
actively preached against particularly in Colossians 2. This is incredibly complex. If this is a real issue
for you or your family the best I have read is the chapter Christian Healing and Alternative Healing
Movements in Sent To Heal by Harold Taylor. My brief response is to divide alternative medicine
up into a few compartments (1) Folk remedies outside of conventional medicine but which do work (eg
aloe vera for stings). (2) Things like the Kambucha mushroom which claim to cure everything and
are highly suspect. (3) Cures that require subscribing to a non-Christian or anti-Christian philosophy
such as yoga . (4) Occult cures such as reiki, pendulum divination, use of divining rods for healing,
magic crystals, the use of spells, sorcery or white magic, channelling, witchcraft, colour therapy, use
of diagrams with special powers etc. Category one is OK, category two mainly damages your hip
pocket and your pride but can occasionally endanger your health,. Categories 3 and 4 are always wrong
for a Christian. If in doubt -dont, seems good advice here.
10. What about Christian use of psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists?
Gifts of wisdom and knowledge are given to the Church by Jesus to help the members edify each other.
Part of Jesus mission was (Luke 4:18-19 NIV) "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has
anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, {19} to proclaim the year of the Lord's
favour." Spirit-filled counselling can bring real help and release the oppressed. Bad counselling
oppresses people yet further. When seeing a counsellor ask yourself: Is the goal of their counselling
compatible with Christian sanctification? Is their philosophy reasonably Christian or does it draw
heavily on other religions? Do they explain their technique to you so that you can understand and
evaluate it? Are they open to questions? Are they competent, disciplined, on-time and properly
certified?
TRAIN_3: HEALING SERVICE PROCEDURE

Mission:
To minister healing, hope, love and comfort to the sick through faithfilled prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
Before The Service Warfare (45 mins) 6:15-7:00
The team meets for prayer, Bible study and personal encouragement. The team is
thus prayed up and ready before the service. Specific known needs can also be
prayed for at this time of pre-service warfare.
Introduction 7:00-7:02
Because of the unusual nature of the healing ministry a brief word of explanation at
the start of each service is in order. I would anticipate it going something like this:
Welcome to the Townsville Churches of Christ and our healing ministry. We want
you to feel at home here. We are just ordinary Christians who believe that God has
called us to pray for those who are ill. We just do the praying - Jesus does all the
healing. If you are a visitor we would like you to feel at ease. You wont have to
pray aloud, give money, or join the church. We will sing a few songs which you can
join in if you feel like it, then there will be a short sermon on healing and a time
when we pray for the sick. There is a medical doctor, a pastor and a professional
counsellor on hand plus a team of people who have received training on how to
pray for the sick. We will not ask you to do anything embarrassing, dangerous or
foolish. We want you to feel the love of God in this place and to be made whole.
Worship 7:02-7:15
Three songs plus a two minute personal testimony of healing. Songs should not just
be personal favourites but be deliberately chosen to connect people to God and make
them aware of the healing power that is in Jesus Christ. Songs that have good
Scriptural content and that faith can latch on to are very helpful. Avoid songs that
merely consist of a connection of unsubstantiated claims of power. They produce the
sensation of unreality and people feel they are being hyped up and start to distrust
the service and God.
Communion 7:15-7:25
A Baptist style.. communion - without a lengthy devotional just a reading of the
scriptures, brief comment and prayer. Focus on the wounds of Christ and their
healing power. Pray for those unable to be present but who want prayer for healing.
Sermon/Homily 7:25-7:45
A twenty minute factual presentation of Gods Word focusing on healing, forgiveness,
answered prayer etc. Should be a convincing presentation of what God can do for
those who call upon His Name. No rash promises just words you can believe in. Greg
or John mainly.
Prayer Ministry 7:45-8:00
People can either come to the front for prayer or just raise their hands where they
are. The prayer team moves around praying quietly and confidentially with each one
according to the healing method that Greg has outlined. Difficult cases can be taken
to a side room.
Supper 8:00-8:20
Just coffee and biscuits. Allows contacts to be made and follow up to occur.
FAITH FOR HEALING

Introduction
As we start our healing services it is with a real sense of dependence on the God who
heals. It is clear to us that God has put the idea for this healing service in many hearts
at once. It is an idea whose time has come. I feel confident that God wants to
demonstrate the reality of His Kingdom and the power of Jesus by healing the sick
throughout Townsville. I sense that this is going to be a ministry not so much of
healing individuals but of healing congregations where the love of God is shown by
the people of God to a hurting city.
The Believing Heart
Jesus pushed one concept nine times in Scripture.... The concept ... that nothing is
impossible with God. From the first verse of the Bible In the beginning God made
the heavens and the earth.. Right through to the end we get the idea that we have a
God for whom all things are possible and a God who can do what is impossible for
man. Here are 4 key Scripture verses.
(Jeremiah 32:27 NKJV) "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there
anything too hard for Me?
(Matthew 17:20 NKJV) So Jesus said to them, ".....for assuredly, I say to you, if you
have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,'
and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
(Matthew 19:26 NKJV) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible."
(Mark 9:23 NKJV) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to
him who believes."
We have strong convictions about what is possible and what is impossible. Those
convictions are built on what we have learned from our parents, our society and from
God. Our beliefs are like a building that we live in and are comfortable with. Lets
look at three types of people that the Bible mentions - the unbeliever, the doubter,
and the Spirit-filled believer.
Our unbeliever has a rock solid house built of their own ideas, the bricks in the
picture. God is remote and in the definitely impossible category. Scripture plays
little or no place in building their house of faith. Their faith is in their own minds,
their own reason and their own grasp of what they call the facts. Such a person is
unlikely to ask God to heal them.
The second person is the doubter. God has broken through in a few places and God is
in this persons life. But a lot of ideas remain that are not conducive to faith. Some
are very simple like dont count your chickens before they are hatched... Faith IS
counting your chickens before they hatch - see Hebrews 11:1. Others are quite
complex - such as God wont heal me because Im too unworthy and I keep on
sinning... If God wont heal sinners He wont ever get to heal anyone. Jesus healed
plenty of sinners and He can heal one more. Some are there just to guard us from
bitter disappointment such as God wont heal me, at least not today... Jesus healed
everyone, on the spot. Sickness was always something to be healed and always
something to be healed today. Some of you need to demolish your house of
doubts.Take a sledgehammer to it! Knock down the bricks of unbelief and build a
new house on the rock that is Christ. Be bold, be brave, believe! Lord renew our
minds!
The third person is the Spirit-filled believer - who still has a solid belief structure the Rock that is Christ. But these are the right beliefs, the empowering beliefs. There
is no ceiling in this house, there is no limit to what God can do. But there is a very
solid foundation. The Word of God, the blood of Christ and the testimony of the
Spirit of God. God is radiant in their life. And now nothing is impossible. They enjoy
a Universe of answered prayer and seeing a mighty God at work. These beliefs are the
Truth and the Truth sets us free - from sin and from sickness. When I worked as a
counsellor I specialised in treating depression. In three years full-time counseling
there was not one suicide or relapse into depression. Why - because I helped people
move from the untrue beliefs that crippled them emotionally to true sound beliefs
that set them free. Truth can set you free from emotional illness and even from
physical illness. It is Truth that make us strong and well and able to be healed. My
clients had to do lots and lots of homework to gradually work the truth into them so
it would claim their confused minds and bring release. But physical healing is not
induced by your mind but by the power of the name of Jesus. Jesus is full of - Grace
and Truth. The two go together. We exercise healing by the grace of Jesus according
to the Truth that is in Jesus - in the power of the name of Jesus.
During the rest of this short sermon I will try to provide you with some Scripture
bricks for the believers house of faith. Facts to build into the believers way of
seeing the world. As we proceed pray quietly in your heart and ask God to help you
believe and receive the Scriptures so that you may have faith for healing.
Lord renew my mind, build my faith, show me that You love

me and want to heal me. Amen.
Fact One: God is a healing God
God is a healing God. He did not make His Creation to be marred in any way and He
constantly longs to restore it and perfect it.
(Exodus 15:26 NKJV) and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your
God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all
His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the
Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."
(Psalms 103:2-4 NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
{3} Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, {4} Who redeems
your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
(Psalms 107:20 NKJV) He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from
their destructions.
(Psalms 147:2-4 NKJV) The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the
outcasts of Israel. {3} He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. {4} He
counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
From God healing Sarah of her barrenness to the healing ministry of Jesus and the
apostles God has been a healing God. If God cares for the Creation He has made, if he
truly is all-loving and all-powerful, if he truly wants to redeem this world from the
effects of sin, then he MUST be a healing God. Healing flows from the nature of God
as it is clearly stated in the Bible and when Jesus came He came as Gods perfect
likeness, His exact representation. So clearly did He represent the Father that he
could answer Phillip saying: (John 14:9 NKJV) {9} Jesus said to him, "Have I been
with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has
seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Therefore if Jesus, who is the exact precise image of the Father in every detail, is a
healer - then it follows by logic that - the Father is also a healer. Jesus practically said
as much when He said (John 5:19 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them,
"Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees
the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. Healing isnt
Jesus own initiative, it flows first of all from the Father heart of God, then Jesus does
it in like manner. God the Father is not just justice and wrath, in fact it is He who
wills and initiates every move of love, healing , and redemption. God the Father
wants you well.
Fact Two: Jesus wants you to be healed.
You cannot read the gospels and come to any other conclusion but that Jesus wanted
to heal people. And why did he want to heal people? Because it was His Fathers will.
Jesus wants to heal you because God the Father wants you well. Jesus always saw
sickness as something to be healed. He never said to anyone... suffer a little longer to
learn patience. No parent would say that to their child or doctor to their patient. So if
sinful humans are sufficiently compassionate to want healing for others - then how
much more compassionate is Jesus ?
OK - Jesus wants you well - but does He have the power to make you well ? Jesus
never failed to heal anyone. He healed all kinds of people of all kinds of sicknesses.
(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness
and all kinds of disease among the people.
(Matthew 8:16 NKJV) When evening had come, they brought to Him many who
were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who
were sick,
(Matthew 9:35 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness
and every disease among the people.
(Matthew 12:15 NKJV) But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great
multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.
(Luke 4:40 NKJV) When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick
with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of
them and healed them.
(Luke 6:19 NKJV) And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
There is no person so bad or sickness so severe that Jesus Christ cannot heal it. Many
of those who came to Jesus were not pious, many were not even Jews, many were
just ordinary Galilean peasants with a very mixed up understanding of God. You
dont have to be especially good, or especially nice or have the right disease to get
healed. Jesus is God, nothing is impossible for Him - and that includes whatever is
afflicting you. God can heal whatever you bring to Him
So we see that:
1. God wants to heal us.
2. Jesus gladly healed everyone who wanted to be healed..
3. Jesus healed all kinds of diseases - spiritual, emotional and physical.
4. That nothing is to difficult with God.
5. That everything is possible to him who believes.
Conclusion
If God is moving in you for healing you may experience a tingling sensation, or a
warmth, some people find that they have a new clarity about things. Others get a
calm solid certainty that God wants them healed and that now is the time. We would
love to pray with you for healing. The healing procedure we will use follows five
simple steps. First we will ask you what is wrong, then we will seek God about why
you are ill, sometimes He will give people special insight into the nature of the
illness. Then we will figure out how to pray for you, then pray, and follow it up with a
bit of homework for you to do. We would like to keep praying for your healing and if
you like we can give your prayer needs to our intercessory prayer team. We want you
to feel loved, cared for and supported. But most of all we want you to be healed.
The infallible Word of God says that healing is available for all who believe on the
name of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. The same
Jesus who healed the crowds is the same Jesus who is at the right hand of God
interceding for us. So pull apart those brick walls of unbelief and doubt and come to
Jesus for healing. Let Him in. Let Him heal you. Choose to believe in His healing
love.
Put your trust in God - you have nothing to lose except your sickness. We will not ask
you to throw away your pills, join our church or pay money. We just want you to trust
Jesus and be healed. God is trust-worthy. He is the one on the throne. He is the only
just and holy one. He is the one whose Word is Truth. He is the one whose mercies
endure forever. He is the one who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your
diseases. Give yourself to God and let Him take your illness away. For when Jesus
was ministering on earth it was said of Him...
(Matthew 8:17 NKJV) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the
prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."
As the music plays in the background feel free to just walk down the front or raise
your hand and a member of the healing team will come to pray with you.
HEALING VERSES
(Deuteronomy 32:39 NKJV) 'Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God
besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can
deliver from My hand.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV) "If My people who are called by My name will humble
themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will
hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
(Psalms 30:2 NKJV) O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
(Psalms 6:2 NKJV) Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me,
for my bones are troubled.
(Psalms 103:1 4 NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless
His holy name! {2} Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: {3}
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, {4} Who redeems your
life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
their destructions.
(Psalms 147:3 NKJV) He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
(Proverbs 3:7 8 NKJV) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart
from evil. {8} It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
(Proverbs 4:20 22 NKJV) My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my
sayings. {21} Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your
heart; {22} For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
(Isaiah 53:5 NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for
our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we
are healed.
(Isaiah 58:8 NKJV) Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing
shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of
the LORD shall be your rear guard.
(Isaiah 61:1 NKJV) "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has
anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to
those who are bound;
(Jeremiah 3:22 NKJV) "Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your
backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God.
(Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV) Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I
shall be saved, For You are my praise.
(Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV) For I will restore health to you And heal you of your
wounds,' says the LORD, 'Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion;
No one seeks her."'
(Jeremiah 33:6 NKJV) 'Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them
and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
(Hosea 6:1 NKJV) Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will
heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
(Hosea 14:4 NKJV) "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My
anger has turned away from him.
(Malachi 4:2 NKJV) But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall
arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall fed
calves.
(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness
and all kinds of disease among the people.
(Matthew 8:13 NKJV) Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you
have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.
were demon possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who
were sick,
(Matthew 9:35 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness
and every disease among the people.
(Matthew 10:1 NKJV) And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave
them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness
and all kinds of disease.
(Matthew 10:8 NKJV) "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
(Matthew 12:22 NKJV) Then one was brought to Him who was demon possessed,
blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and
saw.
(Matthew 14:14 NKJV) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He
was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
(Luke 6:19 NKJV) And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
(Luke 9:6 NKJV) So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the
gospel and healing everywhere.
(The twelve are sent out)
(Luke 10:8 9 NKJV) "Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things
as are set before you. {9} "And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of
God has come near to you.'

(The seventy are sent out)
(Luke 17:15 NKJV) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and
with a loud voice glorified God,
(The story of the ten lepers)
(Acts 3:12 NKJV) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel,
why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power
or godliness we had made this man walk?
(Healing of the lame man at the Gate Beautiful)
(Acts 4:29 31 NKJV) "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants
that with all boldness they may speak Your word, {30} "by stretching out Your hand
to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy
Servant Jesus." {31} And when they had prayed, the place where they were
assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and
they spoke the word of God with boldness.
(1 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of
healings by the same Spirit,
(James 5:14 16 NKJV) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the
church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
{15} And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if
he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. {16} Confess your trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent
prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(Revelation 22:2 NKJV) In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river,
was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.
The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
(Luke 8:47 NKJV) Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came
trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all
the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
(Luke 8:48 NKJV) And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has
made you well. Go in peace."
(Luke 5:17 NKJV) Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there
were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of
Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
SPIRIT OF GOD + WORD OF GOD = CREATIVE

POWER OF GOD
This article will examine the relationship between the Word of God, the Spirit of God
and healing power. The equation I will use is the Spirit of God plus the Word of
God equals the Creative Power of God.
Right at the start of the Bible the Spirit broods over the waters and then God speaks
bringing creation into being. This is the first revelation of how God acts and it is the
most fundamental revelation about how God acts. Under revival conditions when
the Spirit of God is powerfully present - as in Jesus ministry and during the heyday of
the early church then we have a condition into which all someone had to do was
speak the word of Christ and healing occurred. During a recent revival in South
America it was not uncommon for people to be spontaneously healed during
expository preaching - even if the topic was not healing at all. The preached word has
a tremendous power to unlock the brooding power of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some Bible verses that illustrate the connection between the Word of God
and healing:
.(2 Kings 2:22 NKJV) So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word
of Elisha which he spoke.
their destructions.
(Matthew 8:8 NKJV) The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that
You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be
healed.
were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who
were sick,
(Luke 7:7 NKJV) "Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But
say the word, and my servant will be healed.
(Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV) My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my
sayings. {21} Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your
heart; {22} For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
(Luke 9:6 NKJV) So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the
gospel and healing everywhere.
The connection seems quite plain - Gods word in the heart brings health and Gods
word spoken out in faith brings healing. I have prepared some sheets for you with 40
Bible verses on healing that you can use to encourage your own faith and so that the
Word of Christ may dwell richly in you for health and healing. The back sheet is
upside down ...I had a bad day on the photocopier.
Back to our equation... the Spirit of God plus the Word of God equals Gods Creative
Power unleashed. The first requirement is the Presence of the Spirit in power. If the
Spirit could be made to be powerfully present through prayer then we would have a
God who appeared on our command and that is just not so. We cannot control the
Spirits Presence in power. We need to recognise that. However we can request it,
and it is a prayer that God often answers.
Lukes gospel encourages us to ask for the Spirits Presence in power (Luke 11:13
NKJV) "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask Him!" So there is some good Biblical precedent for asking for
the Spirits Presence. However when the Spirit is tangibly present and clearly in our
midst we must do what He says. He is God and God is always the Boss - of every
service and situation. This is where I think we make our most common mistake. We
try to harness the Spirit. God is not a horse. If we invite the Holy Spirit in our midst it
is we who will be put into harness. Jesus Christ makes it quite clear that it is we who
wear His yoke - not the other way around. The second common mistake is that we
hesitate even when the Spirit has spoken clearly to us. We say something like That is
too difficult or too embarrassing.... what if it doesnt work..... Now if God has
spoken clearly it will work however sometimes it requires considerable persistence.
When God told Israel to go up against Gibeah in the civil war against the tribe of
Benjamin they were soundly defeated and suffered heavy casualties on the first two
days before succeeding on the third. Obedience may not mean immediate success, it
may mean immediate failure and loss, but when obedience is persisted in then
success will come. We need to stop hesitating ,start obeying and to keep on obeying
even when things look doubtful and dismal. The financing of the Bill Newman
Crusade is a case in point. The financing was a tremendous struggle and weighed the
Crusade Committee down heavily, it often threw doubts on the wisdom of having the
Crusade. In the natural they could not have gone ahead. Every projection of income
verses expenditure left us well short. However we believed it was Gods will and
despite many discouragements the Crusade went ahead. On the Thursday after the
Crusade we were only $900 short and a couple of churches chipped in and a
businessman on the committee picked up the tab for the rest. By the time that final
committee meeting was finished we had assurances that our finances were covered in
every detail. From memory about $22,000 was supplied by God. Unhesitating
obedience to the Spirits prompts plus persistence in faith led to spiritual victory and
a Crusade that saw 207 responses. The third and last reason that we fail to respond to
the manifest Presence of the Spirit is that we have failed to discipline the flesh and its
works. In Galatians 5:16 and 17 it is clearly stated that the flesh and the Spirit are
mutually opposed. To the extent that you allow the works of the flesh you diminish
the works and fruit of the Spirit. Churches that allow gossips to function and spread
hatred, discord and jealousy.. unchecked are allowing the Spirit to be opposed just
as effectively as if that let adultery or witchcraft go undisciplined. They are all listed
among the works of the flesh. The flesh can creep in in the way we regard the Holy
Spirit. Amongst the works of the flesh is sensuality (Jude 1:19) and when we treat the
Holy Spirit as a form of emotional entertainment, a feeling to be enjoyed or a
delicious experience to be had we are on the brink of sensuality - if not toppling right
over into it. I think that it is no coincidence that those movements that have had an
enduring revival in their midst have been characterised by much discipline of the
flesh on a personal level through prayer and fasting and on a corporate level through
firm church discipline of any and every work of the flesh.
To sum up the section on the Spirit. If we are to see Gods Holy Spirit manifest in
power amongst us we must cease trying to harness God but take His yoke upon us in
prompt and persistent obedience to His commands and prompts and discipline our
lives so that the works of the flesh are uprooted at both personal and corporate levels.
Then we need the word of God spoken in faith to the situation at hand. I will break
this into two halves 1) The speaking of the Scriptures into the situation 2) The
speaking of a rhema word into the situation. Personally I find speaking Scripture into
a situation the more powerful of the two since I can much more easily join my faith to
it with absolute confidence in what I am speaking. The Word of God in Scripture
spoken by the Spirit of God in the heart is a powerful tool for healing. Part of my
reason for supplying you with the 40 Scripture verses on healing is so that you will
have a word from God that you can speak in faith as part of your healing ministry.
What is the difference between speaking and reciting the word of God. Reciting
the Word of God seems to have little power. It is directionless, it is not spoken into a
situation or to a person. When the Word of God is spoken it is spoken to a person or
into a situation. During the Crusade we picked up a strange prayer from Zechariah
chapter 4 where a mountain is moved by shouting Grace! Grace! to it. So whenever
we had to move a mountain we quite literally shouted Grace! to it. Mountains dont
have ears but God does and He heard the word uttered in faith and addressing that
situation. In Marks gospel we see mountains moved by mere words... (Mark
11:22-24 NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in
God. {23} "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. {24} "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask
when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Notice how the mountain is spoken to... It is spoken to in faith, without doubt,
verbally, out loud and it the mountain is addressed - not God. Jesus did NOT tell us
tp pray dear God, please move this mountain.. We are not to speak to God but to
the mountain. Creation needs to hear Gods authority - through our lips. Lets go back
to mountain chucking Zechariah.... (Zechariah 4:6-7 NKJV) So he answered
and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by
might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. {7} 'Who
are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a
plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace,
grace to it!"' "
How is the capstone brought forth.. With shouts of Grace, grace to God? NO! With
shouts of Grace, grace to IT...the mountain . Lets apply this to healing. I cannot
think of a single example of New Testament healing where God is prayed to
(intercessory style) to effect the healing. The lame man at the Gate Beautiful is told
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk... The leper is told Be
healed. The dead girl is told tabitha kum..little girl arise.. , Lazarus is told Lazarus
come forth.. The word of God is Be healed and His authority to heal is applied to
Creation by the faith-filled people of God. There seems to be drastic change between
Old Testament and New on this point. Certainly people in the Old Testament cried
out to God for Him to heal. Generally they did not see that Gods authority was
vested in them to any significant degree . Perhaps the clue lies in the phrase the
Kingdom of God is at hand. In the kingdom Gods rulership is enforced and
manifested through His servants. Because of Christs work on the cross the authority
we carry is far greater than that experienced in the Old Testament. We are seated
with Christ in heavenly realms and on His behalf exercise all authority in heaven
and on earth... (Matthew 11:11 NKJV) "Assuredly, I say to you, among those
born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;
but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. By logical
implication the least NT believer is greater than any OT saint. Not better than, but
greater than, carrying more authority than. We can command healing to occur in the
name of Jesus. When the Spirit is manifestly present we can, in faith, speak to the
sick person using a Word from God and command healing to occur.
The authority to command healing does not work mechanically. It requires faith in
God and the manifest Presence of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God + the Word of
God = the Creative Power of God. How do we know that the Holy Spirit is present
and present to heal? This is watching for what the Father is doing. We need the
spiritual sensitivity to sense when God is at work to heal and the courage to join Him
in his healing work. (John 5:19-20 NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to
them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself,
but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does
in like manner. {20} "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all
things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than
these, that you may marvel.
However Scripture indicated that when Gods activity was healing - then all were
healed. Gods will is not who will get healed - no-one was ever refused healing by
Jesus. Gods will is that of the timing of the manifestation. There are times when God
is present to heal and there are times when His activity is something else. But when
his activity is to heal and His Spirit is present and we are there in faith we can speak
the word to all who need healing and they will be healed. At least that is what I see
Scripture indicating. (1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV) But one and the same
Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He
wills. When one reads 1 Cor 12-14 and looks a bit at the Greek you are struck by the
impression of flashes of giftings. One person gets one gift for the common good
then another gets something else and the Holy Spirit is activating first one ministry,
then another in the assembled body of Christ and all things are done decently and in
order.
(1 Corinthians 12:6-7 NKJV) And there are diversities of activities, but it
is the same God who works all in all. {7} But the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: The Old Testament has a
strong concept of the appropriate time a time to live, a time to die etc. Getting the
timing right was not a matter of using a watch but tuning the time you wanted to do
things with when God wanted it to happen.
Putting this all together if the Holy Spirit is saying to your heart I want you to be
healed tonight then that is Gods timing for you. Do not delay. When God speaks
that is the time. when He wants you to respond. Thats why he spoke then and not
some other time. If God says I am here and I wish to heal everyone who is present..
then we need to grab everyone and haul them in just as if Jesus had walked through
the door with power to heal.
As you sit there listen to what the Spirit is saying to you. Maybe you are sensing God
wants to do a particular work in your life just now, maybe it isnt healing, dont worry
about it if God has revealed that to you now then we will deal with it now. He is not
on our schedule - we are on His schedule. Ask yourself what does God want to do in
my life right now? When you have done that ask How can I apply Gods word
authoritatively to this situation? Write down waht God wants you to do and go and
put into action - right now!
On Your Own
What I sense God wants to do in my life.....................................
An authoritative Word from Scripture that applies to my situation.
Gods command for my condition
What I need to do right now!
THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

(Malachi 4 NIV) "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and
every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the
LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. {2} But for you who revere
my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out
and leap like calves released from the stall. {3} Then you will trample down the wicked;
they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the
LORD Almighty. {4} "Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave
him at Horeb for all Israel. {5} "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great
and dreadful day of the LORD comes. {6} He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their
children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the
land with a curse."
)
)
)
Gods plan for judgement.

Gods plan for healing
Gods plan for ethical restoration
There are only two fates for mankind, two races of people, two possible life paths. The first
fate is the fate of the wicked, the fate of those who live for themselves and use others.
There is no shalom for the wicked - says the Lord, there is no healing, no right
relationship, no long lasting blessing. The wicked are like a splash in a bucket that a few
minutes later show no sign of their existence. They are described as stubble, not shaving
stubble but grass left over from the mowing that is set on fire. They are at best temporary
nd their end is total destruction. Gods plan for these people is total destruction and
humiliation. Those who belong to God will trample down the wicked. The meek will
inherit the earth.
The second group of people are those who once were wicked but are being healed and
restored. For them the sun of righteousness will arise with healing in His wings. Have you
seen those pictures of a winged sun like the wings a pilot wears? The sun and the dawn
in particular was popularly portrayed as having wings. I used to go sailing just offshore in
Moreton Bay for a week or more at a time and you would wake up at dawn and the rising
sun would come over the horizon with the sea all pink like wings on either side of it. Jesus
came to us like that full of hope and beauty and full of healing. He has come to bring
spiritual, emotional and physical healing to all who wish to follow Him.
He has come that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He has demonstrated
this during His earthly ministry where He restored value to people by healing their bodies,
driving out demons that oppressed them, publicly honouring those that society rejected
such as Zaccheus, and converting those like Nicodemus who came perplexed but seeking
Him. He always left those who sought Him out better and more highly valued, than when
He found them. He also often gave people value and dignity at the precise point where it
had been most damaged. He allowed a prostitute to touch Him - so that she could find new
value from touching a man - the precise activity that had brought her to ruin. He called
Matthew when he was in his tax collectors office doing the thing that made him so
despised. He called Zaccheus when he was up a tree compensating for his short stature
that had embarrassed him and he went to lunch with a man that most would have refused
to eat with. The sun of righteousness came with healing in His wings for all who would
seek Him out.
The passage in Malachi which we read indicates two key requirements of the righteous.
Firstly the keeping of the Ten Commandments which God gave Moses at Horeb. Secondly
right relationships in the home -particularly between father and son. The New Testament
replaces the Old and the ten commandments are slightly changed. Nine of them are
retained and the command about the Sabbath is made a matter of conscience. A Sabbath
can only be realistically kept if the whole society around you keeps it and with the spread
of Christianity to the Roman Empire this had become impossible for many of the new
converts who were slaves. Those who wish to keep the Sabbath can do so, those who do not
want one special day can also do so - as long as they do so unto the Lord. We are still
expected to honour God in our use of time.
The ethical requirements for being among those being healed are thus substantially the
same as when Malachi wrote. You may, quite rightly say, that since none of us keep the
Ten Commandments then we are all condemned to perish like chaff and stubble on the day
of judgement and that healing should be far from us. Who has not lied, or stolen or been
disrespectful to parents, or used Gods name in vain or plotted greedy scheme sin their
heart ?Just one of these things is a breach of His law. Just one breach of the law is enough
to separate us from God and His healing. But Malachi is full of hope . He vividly portrays
the righteous as happy, blessed and triumphant and he expects them to make it. He
expects that there will be those who reverence the Lord and who remember His
commandments. God, in His grace, grants forgiveness to those who genuinely strive to
follow Him, who want, deeply to obey Him , who have His laws written on their hearts and
who respect Him and fear to displease Him.
Malachi specifically mentions a time when family relationships will be restored
particularly the relationship between children and their fathers. Never has this been more
needed than it is today. The trust between parents and children, particularly fathers and
their children is at an all time low. Not in recent memory has there been so much distrust
and disrespect in families. Never has there been so much longing for reliable father
figures. Men are pilloried and despised by the feminist movement, and are still legally
disadvantaged in family law. Adult males are seen as the dastardly perpetrators while
women and children are the innocent victims. Men have recoiled from these accusations
and withdrawn from their family responsibilities. Unable to disprove the taunts we feel
from society and hurt by the distrust that is all around us we have silently walked away
from hearth and home and pursued our own pleasures. More and more men are refusing
to get married or if married they are refusing to have children. Its just too risky.
Humanism, feminism and the government have created an aching hurting society that can
only be turned back by God. Unless this happens God will come and smite the land with a
curse. This curse is the opposite of the promise. - God has promised that if we honour our
father and our mother we will live in the land a long time. In lands such as China and
Japan where parents have been honoured they have remained in the land for a long time. I
believe that Australia is bringing itself steadily under Gods curse and we will become a
restless nation emotionally and eventually if we persist we will be ejected from this land.
Our disrespect has destroyed our families and cursed us.
Malachi indicates that shortly before the great and terrible day of the Lord that Elijah
will return. This will be a confrontational prophetic figure in the mould of Elijah, Elisha
and John the Baptist who were all figures in the spirit and power of Elijah. God will raise
up a particular prophet who will confront the deteriorating family relationships. If we
listen to him we will be blessed. If we dont God will finally and utterly curse us. I believe
that with movements such as Focus On The Family, Australian federation For The Family
and Promisekeepers we are starting to see a tidal wave of Christian restoration of family
values. The book Father Heart of God by Floyd McLung came out about 15 years ago and
started a wave of books on restoring childrens love of their fathers. Even on the Internet it
is one of the most discussed Christian issues this week. It is a deep chord in the human
heart. As hopeless as we may feel our family relationships are, and even though they may
have fallen a long way below Gods ideal and been badly damaged we can at least fix up our
side of the fence. My parents and I have never seen eye to eye. They are respectable,
formal, demanding and very afraid of any expression of emotion either positive or
negative. I on the other hand have always been idealistic, passionate ,anarchic and fairly
unafraid to say how I am feeling. At 16 I was a communist at 20 a Zen Buddhist and at 21 a
Christian. We have almost come to terms with our massive differences but not quite and
you cant wave a magic wand and fix up forty years of misunderstanding. But I can mend
my side of things and be more tolerant of their chosen lifestyle and not expect them to be
demonstrative in their affection for me. They in turn have learned not to scorn my
multitudinous crusades and tilting at windmills and various other eccentricities. It will
never be perfect, but it is better. If we are to see emotional healing of families I believe the
following six things need to occur:
(a) We need to value our children, teach them, invest in them and not see them as
nuisances.
(b) We need to financially support our aged parents and honour them with our love.
(c) We need to see marital faithfulness as fulfilling and forget the greener grass
syndrome.
(d) We need to marry Christians out of obedience to God and build Spirit-filled homes.
(e) We need to stop resenting the time and self-giving that families need.
(f) We need to stop seeking our main source of emotional fulfillment outside of the home even in church activities. It may sound harsh but what is the difference between going to
parties or down the pub five days a week or being involved in church activities five days a
week?. One is more constructive/respectable than the other but both take big chunks of
time away from the family. Our family should be where we are happy and they should
know that. They should know that they are precious , that we delight in them, that we love
being with them and that they are our main source of emotional fulfillment next to God.
After we have undergone Gods healing of body, mind and spirit we will skip about like
young calves. Now a young calf is not a particularly philosophical animal. This is not
some abstract delight in finally figuring out the Trinity. This is the delight of a young
strong animal in being a young strong animal. Its the delight of being all that we are meant
to be. Its the joy of functioning as we know we should function, unimpaired, strong whole
and full of life and joy. Its an abandonment and a delight in what God has made you to be.
It is not selfish narcissistic behaviour in fact self is almost forgotten in the delight in being
able to run, jump and carry on. Its the delight of a child on as wing or a young girl with a
skipping rope. The restoration of the righteous is never partial or half-hearted and it
carries no sorrow with it.
FINALE
So we see that Gods people are being healed by the sun of righteousness with healing in
His wings.
We also see that Gods people in the community of healing are participating in this healing
by obeying Gods commandments and restoring their family relationships.
We also acknowledge that Gods healing of body, mind, and spirit is needed if we as
broken people are ever to skip about like young calves.. The joy of the redeemed is the
joy of wholeness.
There is a sombre note as well. The wicked will not be healed but destroyed. They will be
trodden down as they trod others down for a while. It will not be good for them, they will
come to nothing, be burned up as valueless and be trodden underfoot by the very ones
they hurt. The healing of the righteous also means victory over evil. Victory over Satan,
over demons and over all who are wicked. In Romans we have another picture of evil
being trodden underfoot by Gods people when Paul writes (Romans 16:19-20 NIV)
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be
wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. {20} The God of peace will soon
crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
So lets build a victorious, healing community of believers who revere God, obey His
commandments and restore their family relationships in response to Gods call through
His prophets. As we do so the sun of righteousness will arise with healing in His wings,
heal us and restore us and make us so whole that we leap for joy at what God has made us
to be and the wholeness, strength and power that are ours. Gods plan for us is to be a
healed, strong and victorious people with happy families and whole bodies, minds and
spirits. If you want to be part of this plan for your life - enlist now and come forward for
prayer!
A HEALING TOUCH
Mention "faith healing" in most circles and cynicism descends. Images of quacks,
charlatans and "Leap of Faith" style religious entrepeneurs ripping off ever gullible
"believers" have hardened the arteries of the Aussie heart. However there is one
healing ministry in Australia that is totally different from Steve Martin's portrayal of
the religious shyster. The healing ministry of St. Andrews Anglican Cathedral has
been around in its very Anglican way for over 25 years now run by two gentlemanly
canons with a distinct absence of chorus lines, brass bands or travelling medicine
shows. The healing ministry run by Canons Jim Glennon and Jim Holbeck is
arguably one of the largest healing ministries anywhere in the world and currently
helps some 7000 people per year including many overseas and interstate visitors. I
was introduced to its ministry by a Townsville Christian Lyn Crossland who has
survived two bouts of "terminal' secondary bone cancer and who gives testimony to
the help the healing ministry of Jim Glennon has given her in fighting disease. I took
a 4 day visit to the Centre and came away extremely impressed with what seems to be
a sane, healthy and deeply spiritual ministry.
Living under the horrified nose of the arch-conservative Moore College the
delightfully charismatic healing ministry functions in a diocese noted for its
opposition to things Pentecostal, charismatic or miraculous. The theology behind the
healing ministry has had to be worked through very carefully and one senses the
soundness that has come from living within a healthy tension. On going to the
healing services or on staying at "Golden Grove" , the residential centre you are struck
by both the peacefulness and the thoughfulness of the place. It still uses the Anglican
prayer book and order of service and is possesed of the quiet dignity of tradition. The
fire of the spirit is in the fireplace of sound tradition. The central theological maxim
seems to be that in the cross of Christ there was made provision for every problem
and that it is up to the believer to take hold of God's provision through faith and
prayer. The ministry believes that Christ's death on the cross was a historical fact
along with his resurrection from the dead. It has no place for sceptics such as Bishop
John Spong or Barbara Thiering who "modernise" or deny the historical basis of
these events. The cross and the resurrection are central to the healing process
according to St. Andrews Cathedral.
In direct contradiction to the New Age movement healing is not just a matter of
attitude according to Canon Jim Glennon, the founder of the ministry and its chief
spokesperson. Attitude is important but healing is something God does for you - and
you receive through faith. Canon Glennon prefers the term "divine healing" to "faith
healing" because he says it puts the emphasis back on God - the Healer. Many
illnesses seem to have an attidunal component, particularly arthritis and cancer.
According to the Healing Centre cancer sufferers are ofetn people who internalise
their stresses until their body suffers at its weakest point. Much time is spent in
helping people overcome destructive attitudes and obstalces to thier faith. A cancer
support group meets each Wednesday to pray for, encourage and support people
being healed from cancer. At "Golden Grove" there is an office "prayer line" where
people can ring up to be prayed for as they undergo treatment or suffer a bad day.
Encouraging volunteer staff answer the phone and pray for the request. Most
healings take time thougha few have been instantaneous. The general result is that
people "do much better than the doctors ever expected". The rate of recovery of
people helped through the Cathedral seems to be considerably higher than average.
Ppeople are never told to "throw away their medication" or to disobey doctors orders
"by faith". The Centre advises full cooperation with the endeavours of the medical
professions. The Healing Centre believes all wisdom and all healing is from God. The
Healing Centre offers a very personal and supportive environment free of the bustle
of hospital life or the anonymity of a waiting room. The Healing Centre supports the
medical profession by helping people retain their inner peace and dignity as they pass
through sometimes humiliating medicalprocedures and times of great weakness and
pain. The loving, caring atmosphere helps people retain their inner resources so they
ahve strength to fight disease and purpose in life. This alone is an important
contributing factor in the accelerated rate of healing observed.
The Centre would be most irate if it was all put down to psychology or a placebo
effect. Canons Holbeck and Glennon believe that it is the God of the Bible who
actively and powerfully heals as He has promised to in the Scriptures. They point out
that Jesus is said to be "the same, yesterday, today and forever" and therefore His
healing ministry will continue through His church now He has "ascended into
heaven". It is also pointed out that Scripture says "through His stripes we are healed"
meaning that the sufferings of Jesus on the cross opened the way for physical healing
to all believers. Yet it is not only Bible-believing Christians that seek out the Healing
Centre. Many people who would not otherwise darken the doorway of a church attend
the Wednesday night healing service seeking a "healing touch" from God. Most
Wednesday evenings see anywhere between 200-500 people packing the Cathedral
precincts. There is a time of worship, a powerful Biblical sermon on some aspect of
healing or the Christian life and then communion is administered according to the
prayer book. During a special "ministry time" toward the end of the service all who
come and ask for prayer receive ministry. They are surrounded by small groups of
two or three Christians trained to pray for the sick - generally of the same gender as
the person being prayed for.. Hands arelaid on heads or on the part of the body
needing healing, Someone starts softly praying and the others follow "by the leading
of the Spirit". Each of those in the samll group pray once or maybe twice. Sometimes
there will be tears or a moment when God becomes very real to everyone concerned.
Emotions are present but kept at a thoroughly Anglican level. After ten minutes or so
everyone takes their seats again . God has briefly touched the lives of a hundred or so
people and healing is beginning for many. Each person who gives their name in is
prayed for by a special prayer group for six weeks afterwards.
For people coming from outside of Sydney there is "Golden Grove" a former stately
home come convent now the guest residence for the Healing Centre. Canon Jim
Holbeck lives in and provides spiritual leadership and counselling. Golden Grove is
operated mainly by voluntray staff and has been running for the last ten years as a
welcoming Christian environment for those in need of healing. Those interested in
knowing more about the Healing Centre can contact it on Sydney (02)

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HEALING MINISTRY

The Sun of Righteousness

TRAIN_1:JESUS AND HEALING

in the Church, and is what has made us as poor as it is today in manifestations of

TRAIN_2: HEALING SERVICE TRAINING - PART

7. Should Christians trust in doctors?

TRAIN_3: HEALING SERVICE PROCEDURE

FAITH FOR HEALING

Lord renew my mind, build my faith, show me that You love

God has come near to you.'

made you well. Go in peace."

SPIRIT OF GOD + WORD OF GOD = CREATIVE

THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Gods plan for judgement.

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