Wednesday, January 24, 2007

What Really Happens In a Healing Service

Still recovering from the Benny Hinn clone mentioned in the last post, I feel compelled to relate what really happens in a true healing service (for those who've never been involved in one). First and foremost, the sacrament of Holy Communion is a prerequisite to inviting the presence of the Holy Spirit. Once sins are confessed and Christ has shared His meal with all present, that is when calling upon the Holy Spirit is best done.

It is with authority that the one with the gift of healing calls upon The Lord to intervene in the life of the afflicted. An anointing with oil takes place (I tend to reserve this for an elder to do) followed by specific prayer for the afflicted. The prayer said is as follows:

"Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who gave authority to His disciples to lay hands upon the afflicted that they may recover...have mercy on you. Give you strength of mind, spirit, soul and body, but most of all, give you faith in His power to heal. By His authority commended unto me, I lay my hands upon you in the name of Jesus Christ, our lord and savior...amen."

I cannot tell all the healings that have taken place in these services, primarily, because I don't know. I've shared some here on this blog...but not all. Perhaps, 10% of the healings are in these pages. God is so very great, so very merciful, so very generous with His grace.'

If someone, anyone, who professes to have this gift ever asks for a donation, I would consider the gift not to be genuine. It's a sign of a charlatan. Frankly, I try to avoid doing the services because people tend to focus on the one with the gift, rather than the giver of the gift. A gift is just that...not asked for and usually unexpected. But failing to acknowledge that it has been given is an insult to the giver.

My prayer is that if someone needs the intervention of our most holy Father, and they seek me for the intervention, I pray that I'm pure enough for our Almighty Father to work through me. If you think that is easy...try it sometime.

Most in the healing ministry are literally dumbfounded by why it is they are called. I fit in that camp. Fit very, very well.

But you know, when called for whatever our part may be in the Body of Christ, if we don't heed that call, it is not good. I ask, what does one do when the call doesn't fit neatly into one's plans, goals, and objectives. I yield. Sometimes, ever so reluctantly, I yield. Do we all yield as we're prompted to do. In all sincerity, I hope so.

I'm ever-so-grateful for the teacher in our Sunday school class, one who is called to teach. I'm ever-so-humbled by our pastor who is called to minister, and does it so very well. And, finally, I'm ever-so-humbled by the Holy Spirit, who chooses who it is to do whatever It desires, in the interest of making the body complete. Praise God!

2 comments:

Art said...

Hi Marty. I've been lucky enough to participate several services of healing and wholeness. The misconception that many have about these services is that they are some kind of Benny Hinn, head-slappin' fiasco. My experience has been that they are very solemn, serious and inspiring services which reach people on a variety of levels. Sure, it's possible that God will physically heal a believer's ailment (or even a non-believer's for that matter) but just as often God heals ailments of the heart or mind or spirit. These kinds of services and the work that folks like you do are just one avenue by which we come to understand and benefit from God's unlimited healing power and love.

And, hey, I meant for this to be a very brief comment saying, Nice Post! and Amen! I guess I let my words get away from me sometimes :)

Brother Marty said...

Art,
Thanks for the input. I would add that I've not yet participated in a healing service where everyone wasn't moved to tears by the genuine supplication to Our Lord. It's unavoidable when the very presence of the Holy Spirit presents itself in the hearts of those ministering as well as those coming for the healing. I think you expressed that perfectly with your observation that it is a "very solemn, serious and inspiring service".

I experience a healing in my own personal walk with Christ every time I'm called to participate in a service. We serve an awesome God!