Introduction
The Scriptures
Most of the Scriptures in this
book are directly related to healing. Some are included because they demonstrate
God’s continuing desire to bless His people in every way. Others are included
because they relate to the operation of faith-an important factor in receiving
healing.
Begin reading these healing Scriptures out loud, so that
your eyes see them, your mouth speaks them, your ears hear them, your body feels
the rhythm of the words, and your mind perceives them. More importantly, keep
reading them and let the words penetrate into your heart and into your
spirit.
The Bible says that "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the Word of God" (Romans 10.17). This happens by an action of the Holy Spirit,
so ask the Holy Spirit to make these Scriptures come alive inside you. Then
begin to speak them out in faith. Jesus said that the mouth speaks out of the
abundance of the heart.
The Word of God reveals the will of God,
and so enables us to pray effectively. "Now this is the confidence that we have
in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we
know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we have asked of Him" (1 John 5.14,15). Healing is the will of God for His
people, as these Scriptures show, so pray confidently, knowing that He hears
you, and that you will receive your healing.
The Prayers
As you
welcome the Word of God and meditate on it, and faith begins to stir in your
heart, start praying the Word back to Him. This honor’s God because His Word
reveals His heart, and when you pray it back to Him, your heart begins to line
up with His. Remember that you are not just seeking the healing, you are seeking
the Healer.
The prayers in this book are designed to help you
exercise your faith and pray the healing Scriptures back to God. Faith comes by
hearing, but it is exercised by what you say, and by what you pray. Jesus said
that faith is like a mustard seed-it is not the size that is important, its what
you do with it. A seed must be planted, and prayer is one way to do
that.
These prayers do not include, "if it be Thy will." This is
because the will of God concerning healing has been made known, as the healing
Scriptures in this book attest. "If it be Thy will" is appropriate for prayers
of dedication or consecration, but not for prayers of healing, where the will of
God has already been revealed.
Don’t feel limited by these
prayers. They are merely examples to give you a place to begin. They are a
framework to lend you support, not a structure to confine you. So feel free to
alter, expand or discard them as you will. The important thing is to respond
with faith to the healing Word of God. If you would like to use these prayers to
pray for healing for someone else, simply insert his or her name wherever
appropriate.
When you begin praying, don’t be in a hurry. Take your
time and pray slowly. As you do, you may find that you feel an inward desire to
expand upon some particular point. That is the Holy Spirit prompting you, and if
you listen carefully, He will give you words to pray back to the Father. Go with
this as far as the Spirit leads you. When you come to the end, sit quietly and
contemplate what the Spirit has given you. If you wish, you can pick up the
prayer where you left off, and continue until the Spirit gives you more. When
you come to the end of your prayer time, simply give thanks and praise to God
and welcome His healing power at work in your
life.
* Take these Scriptures
like medicine. Read them regularly and meditate on them as much as you can. The
more you let them fill your heart, the more your faith will grow, and the more
effective (and joyful) your prayers will be.
* Prayer is not magical and it is not
mechanical. It is a vital and ongoing relationship with the Lord. Faith is not
positive thinking. Positive thinking is about what we can do. Faith is about
believing God and what He has said.
*
Pray these prayers by faith, not by sight. What you experience with your senses
must eventually line up with the truth of God’s
Word.
* These prayers are not intended to
replace your current treatment. If you are on medication, do not quit taking it
until you have seen your doctor and he has confirmed your
healing.
* Pray in expectation. Watch for
your healing, not for the symptoms of sickness. Begin to do things you could not
do before.
* If there is any unconfessed
sin in your life, it may be an obstacle to your healing, so bring it to the
Lord. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1.9). Repentance is a
wonderful thing because it is an opportunity to begin
again.
* Forgive others. Lack of
forgiveness can hinder your prayers, and so hinder your healing. Jesus said,
"Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him,
that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses" (Mark
11.25).
* In the healing ministry of
Jesus, sometimes there were demonic forces at work behind various sicknesses and
conditions, and Jesus had to expel these in order to bring about healing. If you
have reason to suspect that such forces may be involved in your illness, you may
need to seek out help from someone who is experienced in deliverance
ministry.
One final word
This book assumes that the reader has
received the Lord Jesus Christ and is born again by the Spirit of God. This is
important because the ministry of Jesus on the Cross is the basis for all
healing. The Bible says, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God to salvation, for everyone who believes" (Romans 1.16). The
Greek word for "salvation" is sozo and means to save, heal, deliver, make whole
and preserve.
The Bible says, "If you confess with your mouth the
Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you
will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10.9,10). With the heart we
believe, with the mouth we confess. That is how faith works.
If you
have never received the Lord Jesus Christ and experienced new life in Him, you
can do it right now. Let this simple prayer be a guide:
Dear
Lord,
I confess that I am a sinner and that I have come short of your glory.
But I believe that You love me and that Jesus died on the Cross for my sins. I
confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in my heart that You have
raised Him from the dead. I now receive Your wonderful gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ my Lord, and I ask you to fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
In
Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer and meant it in your
heart, you have just entered into a new and wonderful relationship with God. All
the blessings and promises of God, and the saving benefits of the Lord Jesus
Christ belong now to you. Receive your healing now-in Jesus’
name.
