Healing the Sick and Casting Out Demons

 “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matt 9:35   “And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons . Freely you have received, freely give.” Matt 10:7-8

It is interesting how we imitate one another rather than paying strict attention to the Word of God as to how Jesus and the New Testament believers ministered to the sick. We tend to pray and ask God to heal the sick while the command and practice of Jesus was to heal the sick through a touch, a word, or an act.  When Jesus prayed to His Father in solitude, His focus was on Him, and when He ministered to people His focus was on them. 

For example, “The leper said, Lord, if You are willing, you can make me clean.  Then Jesus touched him, saying, I am willing, be cleansed, and immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”  The same principle was used in the illustration of “moving a mountain.”  Jesus said whoever says to the mountain “be removed and cast into the sea” and believes what he says will come to pass will have what he says.”

The disciples used the same method in healing the sick and casting out demons.  Peter said to the lame man “Rise and walk” and took him by the hand and immediately his ankle bones received strength.  Paul said to the lame man at Lystra, “Stand upright on your feet” and he was healed.  Paul didn’t pray for God to deliver the demon possessed girl at Philippi .  Paul turned to her and said to the demon “in the name of Jesus come out of her.”

I am not saying it is improper to pray for the sick, but our reason for just praying for God to heal them may be based on a lack of faith in His Word.  If I pray and one is not healed,  the sick one may feel that God has refused them instead of us accepting the responsibility for the anointing of God to rest on us and work through us.  If our walk with God is inconsistent, His anointing may not work through us, so we pray only hoping something will happen when we pray. 

In preaching or teaching the Word, prayer and preparation are done before not during the ministry of the Word. Why not when we minister to the sick?  It seems to me that when we are talking to God we are focused on Him, and when we minister to people we should focus on them.  Peter in raising Dorcus from the dead, first prayed, and after he had prayed, he turned to Dorcus and said “Tabitha Arise.” We should be prayed up before we minister to the sick, but once we are ministering to them we are to focus on them. 

Why is it important to minister to the sick instead of only praying for the sick to be healed?  It implies we are accurately following our Lord’s instructions and example.  It implies we have made preparation before we get into the healing service just as we prepare for the sermon. You will have time to reflect and ask God after the service if things need to be corrected.  Why not begin to take your place and be  ready to minister healing to the sick as the Holy Spirit leads you just as you would minister in teaching and preaching the Word?

I would be interested to hear from you to know if this is your pattern for ministering to the sick or if you sense that this may be something you want to consider or at least give further study. Be blessed in your service to and for Him!