And the prayer offered in faith will make the person well: the Lord will raise him up. (James 5:15a)
The following is the second of a three-post installment about how to go about praying for someone who is sick:
As I wrote in my previous post, it is important to ask the person for whom you have gathered to pray to state specifically what it is they would like prayer for. This is an important step for several reasons. First, it clarifies the reason for prayer and will bring to light any misunderstandings those who have gathered to pray may have. Second, it often reveals something important in the way the person talks about their illness and any specific concerns they have. Their facial expressions or body language can tell you things that their words cannot. So make note not only of what they say, but how they say it.
Also, if you have been requested to pray for a physical condition which is accompanied by pain, ask the person to identify, before you begin praying about it, the level of pain they are currently experiencing, on a scale of one to ten. Later, when you pause in prayer so that you can ask the person whether they’ve experienced any improvement, they can quantify it for you.
Whether you know the person for whom you are praying well or not, it is also helpful to inquire about their family background. Take nothing for granted. Ask about whether there is a history of Continue reading
Years ago when I would pray for someone who was sick I did not expect the Lord to heal him or her outright. I thought such “faith” healings were rare and assumed that if science could not offer a cure, then the Lord’s answer would be to help the person bear their infirmity. As I look back, I realize my prayers for healing were shaped by my lack of faith. I assumed prayer could be effective in managing an illness, but it seemed presumptuous to expect that someone would be cured. After all, how was I to know what God’s will was for that person?
The abundant life Jesus refers to in the verse above can begin now, on this side of the resurrection when we place our faith in him as Lord and Savior. There is no sin that Jesus cannot redeem, no disaster that he cannot overcome, no evil that he cannot triumph over – and no sickness that he cannot heal – as we live our lives on this earth. When we come into our full inheritance in heaven, as God’s adopted daughters and sons, there will be no sin, disaster, evil or sickness to afflict us – and death will be no more. However, the fullness of life in heaven can begin now, on this side of the resurrection. While we must still live in a fallen world, as fallen creatures who will eventually die, we can begin to experience some of the benefits of heaven, now, such as forgiveness, restoration, renewal and healing.
Careful For Nothing 