Divine healing and the local church
By John Chopores
James 5: 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.
God gave elders to the
Church. Cf. Titus 1:5 ¶ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should
set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I
commanded you----
We know from the Bible, that praying for the
sick is part of the work that Jesus gave to the Church! Cf. Luke 10:1 ¶ 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. Luke 10:9 "And heal the sick there, and say
to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' Luke 10:17 ¶ Then the
seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to
us in Your name." [It must
be done in the name of Jesus. So that God gets all the glory!].
Mark 16:18
"they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it
will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they
will recover."
It is part of the work of
believers! Cf. John 14:12 ¶ "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.
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.
Please note that it is the “Lord” who does the healing, not
men!
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.
The Bible is very clear that sins must be dealt with. Cf.
Matthew 9: 2 Then behold, they brought
to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the
paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
5 "For which is
easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, `Arise and
walk'?
6 "But that you
may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" ----then
He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your
house."
The sick person
should “confess” his/her sins. Cf. Psalms 32:5
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said,
"I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," And You forgave the
iniquity of my sin. Selah
And be forgiven. Cf.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
1 Cor. 12:9 to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
Spirit,
Someone can even be healed during a church service. Another
Christian who the Spirit gives a gift of healing to, can give that gift to a
sick person and that sick person can be healed!
I believe that most healing of sick church members needs to
take place in the local church itself!
Or, (if the person is too sick to be moved) in the home of the sick
person.
Please notice; that healing is given: for our good. Cf. 1Co
12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit
of all:
Divine healing has at least eighteen main reasons for being:
- To get
the attention of the unsaved. The secular person is always on the lookout
for something to meet his/her needs. And because the person is secular:
that person will tend to be more concerned about physical than spiritual
needs. Cf. Mt 4:24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they
brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases
and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and
paralytics; and He healed them.
- To
help maintain the smooth operation of the ministries of the church. By
this I mean; that a healthy Christian is going to be able to do more work for
the Lord; than an unhealthy or dead one.
- To act
as proof of the power and love of God! Cf. Ac 10:38 "how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went
about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with Him. Ro 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with
power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead. Mt 14:14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and
He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their
sick.
- Because
divine healing is part of the good news: of the gospel of Jesus
Christ!
- Because
divine healing can help make a person humble: before the Lord.
- As
another way for us to be like the Lord. Cf. Mt 10:1 ¶ 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.
- Divine
healing is something that we can really give: because we have really
received it. Cf. Mt 10:8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise
the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely
give.
- It
shows that the Lord God is Lord over all. Cf. Mt 12:10 And behold, there
was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it
lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" --that they might accuse Him. Mt
12:12 "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore
it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
- Because
divine healing can help build up a person’s faith. Cf. Mt 15:28 Then Jesus
answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to
you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very
hour.
- Many
people that would not normally company gospel preached: would come if
people were being healed there. Cf. Lu 5:15 However, the report went
around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together
to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. Lu 6:17
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His
disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem,
and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and
be healed of their diseases,
- Many
people who would not normally talk about the gospel: would talk about it,
when divine healing is part of it. Cf. Lu 8:36 They also who had seen it told
them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.
- God
sends people out to preach the gospel and heal the sick. Cf. Lu 9:1 ¶ Then
He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority
over all demons, and to cure diseases.
2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal
the sick.
- Divine
healing is one of the signs: that the kingdom of God is near. Cf. Lu 10:9
"And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of
God has come near to you.'
- Divine healing gives Glory to God! Cf. Lu
17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with
a loud voice glorified God,
- It
helps demonstrate the forgiveness of God. Cf. Lu 22:47 ¶ And while He was
still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of
the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. Lu 22:51
But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched
his ear and healed him.
- It
helps a preacher to be bold in his proclamation of the gospel of Jesus
Christ! Cf. Ac 4:29 "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."
- Divine
healing is to be a normal part of the church. Cf. 1Co 12:28 And God has
appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
administrations, varieties of tongues. Jas 5:16 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.
- It
gives us: another reason to deal would sin. Cf. Jas 5:16 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.