MORNING DEVOTION- "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee..." (Psalm 63:1)
Scripture Reading: Acts 9:32-43
When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples He gave them authority "to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness" (Matthew 10:1). This was part of Jesus' ministry while He walked the earth. "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people" (Matthew 4:23). The news of His ability to heal drew large crowds, and when He would see the crowds "He had compassion on them and healed their sick" (vv. 14:14). Jesus came to dwell with man, not only to meet mankinds' deepest spiritual need, but also, to meet his everyneed. Jesus took every opportunity to meet the practical needs of the people - He fed them (reference Matthew 14:16-21; 15:35-38), and He healed them. "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Luke 7:22).
Throughout the book of Acts we find many recorded instances of the disciples carrying on Jesus' ministry of healing as they also brought the good news of the resurrection of Christ to the people (reference Acts 3:6; 5:;16; 8:7; 9:34; 14:9; 16:18; 19:11-12; 20:18-19; 28:8); confirming the commission He had given to them before His ascension to the right hand of the Father. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues: they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16:15-18),
When Peter met the paralytic Aeneas, he said to him, "Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed" (Acts 9:34). The Holy Spirit empowered Peter to heal in the same manner that he had seen the Lord heal during His ministry. Many times when Jesus would heal He would require the recipient to show their faith and receive their healing either by "taking up their mat" or standing to their feet and walking. After miraculously raising Jarius' daughter from the dead He told her family to give her something to eat (reference Mark 5:43). Likewise, Peter was called to Joppa to raise Tabitha from the dead; after sending everyone from the room, he knelt down on his knees and prayed and said to her, "Tabitha, get up"; he then walked her out to the waiting group of people. In both instances of Peter's miraculous healings we read that the news spread and many people believed in the Lord as a result. The physical healings led to many spiritual healings; they revealed to the people the power of God in the resurrected Christ and His ability to heal them in ways they never thought possible. The people were drawn to Jesus by what they saw and heard, and as a result many were saved. "Go to this people and say, 'You will be every hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.' For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them" (Acts 28:26-27).
Heavenly Father,
You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Lord Jesus, You "bore our sins in Your body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by Your wounds we have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)
You, who healed the multitudes while
You walked this earth, have given Your people the
power to heal in Your name. May we live our
lives fully surrendered and empty of self, so that
we can receive Your
power as we come before Your
throne each day; and exercise that power on behalf
of the many we know who are
facing illness, pain, and death,
that they may not only receive physical healing,
but more importantly find the spiritual healing they desperately need.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
We have the power to bring healing into people's lives every time we go before the throne of grace on their behalf and pray in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. He paid the highest price to bring the ultimate healing to mankind - that all men might be saved. "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not His benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases" (Psalm 103:3). This morning as we pray for healing for our friends and family who are afflicted may we sincerely take the time to labor on their behalf, feeling their pain, struggling over the length of time they have been waiting for an answer, and believing God for them where they have lost hope. Healing is often delayed until it has the opportunity to touch the lives of the greatest number of people. Though we may not understand it, sometimes healing comes through death; although painful for those who are left behind, it opens a door for many others to be saved. "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24).
Pain is God's way of letting us know that something is wrong. Unless we have personally experienced pain and weakness we have no way of understanding or empathizing with the suffering of others. The human body has been "wasting away" (2 Corinthians 4:16) since the fall of man in the garden of Eden. The effects of sin touches our lives physically, as well as spiritually, as we have to face daily the reality of our temporal human condition. Our human weakness alerts us to our need for God; who alone has the power to heal us and save us (reference Exodus 15:26b). "But this has happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead" (2 Corinthians 1:9b).
When the news of Jesus' miraculous healings spread the people began to crowd Him and press in to Him, if only to touch the hem of His garment and be healed (reference Matthew 9:21). Even with all the people pressing in against Him, Jesus could tell when He was touched by faith. "At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched My clothes?" (Mark 5:30). This is the kind of faith He is looking for when we pray and seek healing for ourselves and for others. When we pray we are reaching out to Jesus and grabbing His power to transform our lives for the good. The prayer that captures His attention and receives His power is believing prayer, the prayer of faith. This is what was exhibited by the friends of the paralytic, who carried their friend on a mat and let him down through the roof to get Jesus' attention and receive healing for their suffering friend (Mark 2:3-5). "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven' " (v. 5). What power we have available at our fingertips if we will only carry our family and friends to the feet of Jesus in persevering and believing prayer. "Love always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:7b). We have the power not only to claim healing for their physical body, but also to achieve the ultimate healing of a transformed life - all through the power of prayer!
Heavenly Father,
"Praise be to the LORD, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens" (Psalm 68:19);
who understands our sufferings,
and who saves us from sin and death.
Thank You for the
ever-present Comforter who walks
with us through our own times of
tribulation and suffering and sickness
and enables and equips us through those times with a
greater sensitivity to the pain and suffering
of others, so we can be a comfort to them.
May we join together in united prayer
for our suffering brothers and sisters,
as they wait upon You and trust You
for their healing and deliverance,
and then join together in a concert of
praise so that "many thanks may
be given by many persons" for
Your goodness and love.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.
We live in an age were there are endless aisles of medications available to help reduce, mask, prevent, stop, and minimize the pain that we feel. Anyone who has had to endure long and painful suffering is grateful for any opportunity to alleviate their pain, if only for a moment. As praying friends we know the path to helping our friends find the release they need, but we must realize that God has a purpose for our pain, and as we pray for healing, we need to also pray for strength, peace, and endurance for our friends to wait on God to bring the answer that will achieve His higher purposes for their lives and the lives of those their suffering, and subsequent healing, will impact. This afternoon let us not allow anything to get in the way of our persevering in prayer for our friends, who in their pain may have little strength (or desire) to pray for themselves; God will work through our prevailing prayers to help them in their time of weakness. Let us not forget to reach out to them and let them know they are not alone in this difficult season. "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up" (Romans 15:1-2). For those of you dear praying friends who God has called to intercede for others while waiting for your own healing, know that He has made you spiritually strong for such a time as this. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2)
EVENING MEDITATION -"...and on His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2)
Prayer Focus: The Sick
The universal remedy for sickness, pain, and sin is prayer! God is the source of all power to cure all our diseases, to bind all our wounds, and to heal all our sicknesses (reference Job 5:18). When we pray we access that power and unleash it to accomplish God's purposes in the lives of our family, friends, and the world - for their good and for God's glory! When Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth, "He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. And He was amazed at their lack of faith" (Mark 6:5-6). The people exhibited such unbelief that Jesus chose not to heal. We cannot receive the healing we need until we are willing to exercise our faith and labor in persevering prayer until the answer comes. God has given us the remedy, but it's up to us to take action and take our medicine (reference 2 Chronicles 7:14). "Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise" (Jeremiah 17:14).
This evening, as we lift up those who we know who are suffering and sick, let us pray fervently for their healing, but also for their strength and assurance so they will have the faith to believe God (or come to believe in God) for the healing He has purposed for them. Let us pray for mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for the many people in our lives who suffer daily. From minor illnesses to major diseases, we must take all our concerns to the throne. The Lord wants us to trust Him in all things; and if we are faithful in the little things, He will trust us with greater things (reference Matthew 24:21, 23). Pray for protection from the enemy who wants to rob us of our faith so that we will doubt God's ability to heal; pray this especially for those who are enduring years of debilitating pain and sickness that they will not grow weary, but will instead will experience God's strength in their weakness. "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me...For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10b). Pray for wisdom and discernment for those who are faced with making medical decisions for themselves, their children, or the elderly. Pray for good health, and the safety and protection for your family daily (reference 3 John 2). Pray for comfort for those who face the difficult decisions of life support and who are facing the reality of death with their loved ones. Pray for their understanding of God's answer. Pray also for those families affected by suicide, and for those who are dealing with depression. Pray that in all things - the trials, sufferings, and pain associated with illness and unexpected injury and medical diagnosis will draw those who are affected into an abiding relationship with the Lord and lead all those around them to the knowledge of the love of God. Pray for a greater sensitivity to those who are suffering with pain and illness, that we as the children of God would extend the love, grace, and mercy of God to those in need.
Practical things you can do as you commit to praying for those who are suffering with illness, disease, injury or death: Join your church prayer team and request weekly updates of the prayer needs in your congregation. Offer to help watch small children or provide a meal for families who are undergoing medical care or treatment or are recovering. Pray for wisdom for those who are faced with making medical decisions for their families. Pray for families who don't have medical insurance or the funds necessary to receive the care they need for their families. Pray for our medical facilities - hospitals, urgent care centers, and local medical offices and for all medical professionals - doctors, nurses, technicians, hospital administrators and personnel, first responders, paramedics, counselors, psychologists, dentists, chiropractors, dermatologists, optometrists, and every other position in the medical field - pray for professionalism, wisdom and understanding in their diagnosis and treatment of each individual patient, and for God's guiding hand in surgery. Pray also for their own personal needs as they face impossible situations, troubled people, and the harsh reality of death on a daily basis. Pray for our health care system. Pray for the success, perseverance, funding, and additional support for those organizations and ministries who are on the frontline fighting to preserve our freedom in making our own health care choices, fighting against violating our conscience in those choices, and protecting the lives of the unborn. Pray for lawsuits and legislation against the HHS Mandates to be successful (i.e. "No Taxpayer Funding of Abortion Act"; Conscience Protection for health care professionals and organizations). Pray for ethical advances in science, medicine and technology; and awareness and support for treatments such as "Adult Stem Cell" therapies. Pray for ministries and missionaries who provide important and necessary medical care in remote places around the globe to receive the funding, equipment, supplies, and personnel they need to offer good health care to the people they have been called by God to reach. Pray for the Church to awaken to the rising tide of immorality, corruption and sin that is making our nation sick and in desperate need of the healing of Jesus Christ. He is our only hope! Let us do our part in prayer and in the ministry of the Word to bring health and wholeness to the Body of Christ with greater dependence upon the Lord, so we can be unified, strong, and equipped with greater love toward the perishing all around us to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, so that "everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life" (John 3:14b).
Heavenly Father,
You alone are Yahweh Rophe - the God Who heals.
You took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4a).
You forgive our sins and heal our diseases (Psalm 103:3).
You will sustain those who are on their sickbed
and restore them from their bed of illness (Psalm 41:3).
Those who revere Your name the sun of righteousness
will rise with healing on its wings (Malachi 4:2).
We give You all the glory, honor and praise,
for touching our hearts with Your great love and healing our lives
with Your salvation, forgiveness of sin, and promise of eternal life.
We pray that we might touch Your heart with our believing prayers
on behalf of all those around us who need a touch from Your healing hand.
