Take up your bed and Walk!

Reading: 2 Kings 20:1-11

"Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another,

that you may be healed" (Js 5:16)

Praise God for the gifts of healings available in the Church today through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:9,10,28). Request the prayers of ministers who are endowed with these gifts, wherever possible. Attend meetings where the sick are ministered to. People took advantage of the healing ministries of Peter, Philip and Paul when these men visited their cities and towns (Acts 5:15, 16; 8:5-8; 28:8,9). But quite unfortunately several healing ministries these days are merchandised. In your desperation to receive healing, beware lest you are manipulated. The plain directive given to the sick is to "call for the elders of the Church" to offer the prayer of faith (Js 5:14,15). They need not be spectacularly gifted. Because it is the Holy Spirit who has appointed them as overseers to shepherd the flock, He honours their prayer and heals the sick (Acts 20:17,28).

Not only Church leaders but also believers can minister healing to the sick. The resurrected Christ unequivocally said, "These signs will follow those who believe: in My name... they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mk 16:17,18). Don't despise any believer. God used just an ordinary disciple to minister healing to the would-be great apostle! (Acts 9:10,17,18).

No doubt God listens to the prayers of others made on your behalf. But He ultimately expects "you" to reach out to Him in faith. Eventhough prophet Isaiah was there with him, King Hezekiah did not solely depend upon the prophet but cried out to God personally with tears. And God answered him (2 Ki 20:1-5).

Negative confession kills faith. Keep confessing the promises of God. Don't be thinking about the negative instances of the past, if any. So many preachers and people prayed for my mother to be cured of cancer. But she grew worse and died. My brother's two little daughters had observed all these. One day the elder one accidentally cut her finger with a pen-knife. She got scared of the bleeding and started to pray. Immediately the younger one told her, "Nita, don't pray. If you pray, you will also die like grandma!" Away with such childishness. Look to God afresh for your present need. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living!

Even if you are not able to believe enough, articulate your feelings like the boy's father: "Lord, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mk 9:24). God understands.

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Victory: NextJUNE 12