gifts Archives - Spiritual Gifts Today

Activating the Gift of Healing. Did you know that not only your minister or your Pastor can pray for the sick? If you have any faith at all, God will use you to pray for the sick. If you noticed, I did not say, "heal the sick," because God alone is the healer. Praying for the sick is a very natural thing. Mark 16:18 says of the believer that they have the authority to pray for the sick. If you have been given the gifts of healing, you will find that when you pray for the sick, they get well often. God told us to go Heal the Sick As a believer can pray by faith, but when you are operating in the gifts of healing, people get healed, all the time! These gifts should be exercised regularly, so be open to opportunities to help others. As a young Christian, I often went to the hospital to pray for others. I began to see people recovering, relieved from pain and being healed. I knew that the Bible said, we should lay hands on the sick, and they will recover, and I had a burden and compassion for those who were ill. Your gift should always be motivated by love for others. As you step out in faith, you will see the suffering of others relieved. The Key to Praying for the Sick I have heard people say about praying for the sick, "What if they don't get healed?" It is not your responsibility to heal the sick. It is God's job. When I finally accepted that I had no ability to heal the sick. I was able to pray without pressure or fear. I am merely the vessel that the holy spirit flows through. Years ago when I use to visit the hospital to minister to the patients, I noticed the easiest thing to see success when praying was those who were in pain. I would lay hands and pray, and then start a conversion with the person. After five or ten minutes, I would ask how was the pain and it was gone! Don't be anxious. Give God's power a chance to work. Activating the Gift of Healing Activating the gift of healing means action. It also means practicing the gifts of healing by faith. Step out in Faith: Hebrews 11:6, Praying for the sick takes simple faith. Faith is believing something without any evidence at all. The Bible also says faith without works is dead. The only way we can show faith is by actions. If you are a believing Christian, you have the authority and the anointing to pray for others. When I am ministering healing to someone, I start by sharing a few healing scriptures, like Psalm 103:2-5, Isaiah 53:4,5, I Peter 2:24. This raises the faith of the person receiving prayer. Be Thoughtful of Others: When going to the hospital to minister to the sick, be mindful of where you are and respect others space and religious affiliation. Keep your voice at a quiet, but audible tone. When paying for friends or family, just be yourself, they already know you and usually will accept prayers for any reason. Minister with the love of God, remembering that faith works by love. Get Permission to Pray: Always ask," May I pray with you?" If they are in agreement, touch them gently land pray by faith. Always acknowledge God and give Him thanks for His love and presence. When you pray, don't pray the problem, but pray for the answer. e.g "Thank you, Father, for touching and healing my mom. I thank you that you are faithful and loving." Pray God's Word: Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. e.g. "God we know you are faithful because your Word said that by your stripes we are healed." Command the spirit of infirmity to leave their body and ask God to heal them by His Spirit. You do not have to pray fancy, just pray in faith from your heart. There is power in the Word of God and as you speak it out loud it brings faith to the hearer. Thank God in Advance: After you have prayed for the person, end with giving God thanks, for what he has done. Remember, it is not your responsibility to heal the person, merely to offer the prayer by faith. The healing must be done by God. There are different ways that God heals. God can heal gradually. With this type of healing the person will begin to recover slowly. Offer the Pray of Salvation: If the person you are praying for does not know the Lord, this is a wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel and give them an opportunity to pray to receive Jesus into their life. If they do not recover, you will have the comfort of knowing, they have received the greatest gift, which is Salvation.