"We've SEEN HEALINGS INCREASE"
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
recent trip to Switzerland and France. It was one of the most
enjoyable ministry trips I have ever been on. -Truly anointed and
wonderful. Thanks again to all who prayed. Below is an excellent
article on the keys to seeing more healings in our midst:
"MISSING INGREDIENTS for MIRACLES in the CHURCH"
-by Terry Somerville.
On Wednesday night I was blessed to be part of another remarkable
healing. Five of us had just finished a meeting in a local restaurant
and continued talking on the sidewalk out side. One of the men
had been crippled up with degenerated hips for ten years and had
endured surgeries as well. We asked if we could pray for him, and
as we did he dropped his cane, stood straight up and said his pain
was gone. We told him to walk and he did without difficulty, then
ran, with tears running down his face! He eagerly gave his life to
Christ! In the last few years we've seen so many miracles! But one
question I've been asked by pastors and parishioners alike is "why
isn't this happening in our church? Here are ten "missing
ingredients" for miracles in the modern church:
Missing Ingredients For Miracles In The Modern Church
1. Commanding instead of praying.
Often healing happens when we stop asking God to do it,
and just heal them as He commanded us to do. This was quite a
challenge to me until one day the Holy Spirit asked me " Terry,
How do you praise me?" I said " I open my mouth and speak
wonderful things about you." Then He said " How do you cast out
a demon?" I said " I tell it to leave and it has to go." Then He said,
"So how do you heal the sick?" I said "Tell the sickness to go and
the body to be well???" I began to do this and the results went
sky high. Jesus said to us "...Cast out demons, heal the sick...."
We do it, we don't ask God to do it. Yes, there are times to pray
as well, but we need to understand that authority to heal is like
the centurion Jesus commended. He says to his servant "go" and
he goes so Jesus says "be healed" and the servant is healed.
We are under Jesus commission, and sin, sickness and disease
is under us! See the next section ..
2. Faith to use our Kingdom authority.
Healing ministry requires two things. a) Authority - the legal right
to heal in Jesus name. b) Power - the spiritual dynamite to destroy
the works of the devil. Jesus commissioned the twelve, the seventy,
and then every believers with authority (the legal right) over all
demons and sickness. The first Christians began using this
authority to heal the sick even before they received the power of
the Holy Spirit! Amazing. IT WAS NOT THE ANOINTING THAT
HEALED, BUT THE AUTHORITY! But after Jesus rose He told
them to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit as well. Think of it
like Canada's border guards. They have authority because they
are commissioned to enforce Canada's immigration laws. Soon
they will have the increased power of firearms. It's the commission
that counts, the power just backs it up.
Today Christians often interpret a lack of power to be a lack of
authority. If they fail to see healing they conclude God does not
want the healing and they give up, rather than increasing the power
(through fasting and prayer for instance) The truth is we ALWAYS
have authority (the right to) heal. Christians are commanded to
heal. It's our commission, our mandate and our privilege But we
are breaking in against the gates of hell, and the last enemy is
death. So contend for healing! Complete victory awaits till He returns.
3. A proper understanding of grace.
Miracles are released when we focus on God's grace rather than
man's failings. I can't count how many times believers have said
"God won't heal me, I'm not worthy. " They think theres some kind
of judgement or cleansing going on. But Jesus never refused to
heal anyone, no matter how bad. Our righteousness does not
move God's hand of healing. It's all a free gift of God's love. Jesus
died for sinners, and He heals sinners today. In India we've seen
many Hindu's healed, in spite of the fact they worshiped other
gods that very day! It's just because He loves them and the
kingdom was near! Judgement day is coming, but it's not here yet!
He loves people and hates the darkness and devils that enslave them!
4. The motivation of God's love.
Likewise, if our motive is to build our church or ministry, rather
than flow in God's love, we will probably not see many miracles.
God is into people, not buildings, organizations or ministries. He is
not obligated to fulfill our mission, only His. If our motivation is
compassion, the great commission and the Kingdom of God we
will see many miracles. Jesus promised!
5. Persistence.
Isaiah 53 tells us Jesus took our sins AND our sickness. Yet we
often give up after one prayer and say "I guess God doesn't want
to heal." What nonsense! Healing was purchased on the same
cross as forgiveness! If someone said they didn't feel all their sins
could be forgiven we would insist that they were all paid for at
calvary. We need the same persistence for healing that we have for
forgiveness. We understand that we struggle against sin, likewise
we should struggle against sickness with that same grace. Many
times we've seen healings increase through persistence. After
ministry a person says their condition improved slightly. Often if we
try again it improves, and again and again! In some meetings I
have done this five times in a row and people are completely
restored. Persistence may take days and weeks, or years, but
never give up! My own daughter Megan is handicapped. She has
had many miracles and she needs more. We never give up. Jesus
will reign completely one day.
6. Do what you can't do! NOW!
People need to take their healing quickly and not pray themselves
right out of it. Jesus often told people just to do what they couldn't
do. "Stretch out your hand, get up and walk" Many time healings
happen as people take that step of faith. No prayer, just a
command and a do! Many times in my ministry "get up and walk"
has resulted in wonderous healings! I guarantee increased results
in Jesus name!
7. Rebuking demons that cause infirmity.
In his autobiography, Smith Wigglesworth said that if he could do
his years of ministry again he would always rebuke the devil,
because demons were involved 80% of the time. Often there's
more to healing ministry than simply healing. Many times I've seen
deaf ears open only after I rebuked a deaf and dumb spirit. In
most of those cases I had no special revelation (except Smith
Wigglesworth's autobiography! )
8. Boldness.
Every time faith is involved we step past our comfort zone. Healing
ministry takes boldness. You are a servant and steward of God
grace. You must not listen to that "inner pharisee" evaluating
everything you do. Self consciousnesss must go! (It shuts down
healing) In meetings I often put God on the spot, "... way out there."
What do I mean? I will speak so highly of His love and wondrous
grace, that it's like He wants to show everyone it's true! Then I
stand a difficult need in front of everyone and ask Him to
demonstrate His love and power. Jesus is so wonderful!
9. Leadership that gives opportunities for healing ministry.
The Holy Spirit distributes His gifts throughout the Body of Christ.
In the modern church many that the Lord would use are given no
opportunity to minister. I can't count the number of times I've laid
my hands on someone and they were not healed, and then called
others to do it and the gift of healing manifested through one of
them. Pastors need to KNOW they are equipping the saints for
ministry and let them do it.
10. Just do it!
Anytime the opportunity arises! Believe it or not, the major
missing ingredient is simply to take action. Most of the saints in
the west never even try laying hands on people or praying for
healing. No wonder nothing is happening. To put it another way,
more people are healed when you pray then when you don't. Guaranteed.
~Terry Somerville
http://www.totalchange.org
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