There's Something About Healing Prayer

After leaving his Protestant roots and embracing agnosticism via the university he attended, medical doctor Larry Dossey found, to his surprise, a scientific study proving that prayer heals.

He assumed it was a fluke. But when he investigated further, what he found amazed him:

"Because I'd never heard of controlled experiments affirming prayer, I assumed this study stood alone... I began to probe the scientific literature for further proof of prayer's efficacy. I found an enormous body of evidence: over one hundred experiments exhibiting the criteria of 'good science,' many conducted under stringent laboratory conditions, over half of which showed that prayer brings about significant changes in a variety of living beings." (See the preface to Healing Words by Larry Dossey, M.D. published by Harper San Francisco in 1993.)

If you read Dr. Dossey's book, you may be disappointed to find that the "prayer" in these experiments isn't confined to Judeo-Christian praying. All kinds of prayer and meditation were included in these studies.

And some readers will be skeptical of any book or experiment that tries to "prove" that prayer makes a difference. We walk by faith, not by sight.

But still, there's something about healing prayer. It seems, even according to scientific studies, that just the act of praying for someone can heal them.

The Bible, of course, is full of healing prayers. In fact, I suppose almost every religion has some sort of belief in prayer that heals.

So how do we sort out the chaff and keep the wheat? Well, one of the most powerful concepts attached to prayer, and to prayers that heal, is covenant.

When King Hezekiah of Judah fell ill, he got bad news. Jehovah instructed the prophet Isaiah to tell the king, "Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover." (Isaiah 38:1 NIV).

Now, this wasn't some kindly old doctor in a white coat saying compassionately, "I think you may be terminal, but we'll keep trying."

This was Isaiah the prophet, a man who heard directly from Jehovah God. And his message came right from the throne of the Most High; "you will die".

Despite that, Hezekiah "turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 'Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.'" (Isaiah 38:2-3 NIV).

That prayer worked before Isaiah the prophet made it out of the building. God stopped him and sent him back to Hezekiah with the news that he would live fifteen more years!

Why? Why did that prayer for healing work so quickly? Mainly because Hezekiah was a covenant-keeper.

If you read his story in 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings, you'll find that Hezekiah brought reform to Judah immediately upon becoming king. Although his morals slipped at times, he worked hard to reestablish the covenant and bring God's people back to keeping it.

So healing prayer that's truly effective gets its energy from one's covenant with God. If Hezekiah hadn't prayed, he would have died. He changed God's mind by his prayers... because he was in covenant with Jehovah.

Although the Old Covenant is no longer in effect, we as believers on Christ have a New Covenant that's far better.

Check it out in the Book of Hebrews (especially chapter eight) and you'll find new energy for healing prayer.

The Power of Past Tense Praying

While preaching in Springfield, Missouri, John Bisagno encountered a woman who asked him to pray for the salvation of her husband.

That sounded like a reasonable request; Bisagno asked if she had already been praying for her husband. She replied that she had - for thirty-five years!

A little confused over why there was no answer after all these years, he asked if she prayed this way - "If it be thy will, save my husband." She admitted that's exactly how she prayed.

Bisagno saw what needed to happen. He reminded her of the Scriptures. He pointed out that the core of God's heart drives him to save people... all people. It was already God's will to save her husband.

Then he instructed her to go home and spend an hour thanking God that he was going to save her husband.

When the woman returned that night, her husband came with her... and became a Christian that evening.

Bisagno wrote, "One hour of praying in faith, believing, had done more good than thirty-five years of endless repetition and doubting hesitation!" (See his book, The Power of Positive Praying)

The power of positive praying reminds me of the power of past tense praying. What's past tense praying?

Well, it's based on this concept: Since God lives outside time & space, he can speak of tomorrow as if it's already happened. The classic example is God's prediction, through the prophet Isaiah, of Christ's crucifixion several centuries before it happened - and he predicted it in past tense.

"He took up our infirmities... he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities... the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all... he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah chapter 53 NIV.)

Note all the past tense phrases in that quote. And note how God taught his people to think, and pray, in past tense.

When he revealed to King David that he intended to build David a lineage of kings sitting on the kingdom throne forever, David reacted by praying, "For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant." (2 Samuel 7:21 NIV).

Actually, God hadn't done anything yet. He had merely spoken it. But for David that meant he could think, and speak, in past tense in his prayer.

This phenomenon of past tense praying glows in Paul's discussion of Abraham's covenant with God as reported in Romans 4:17-18: "As it is written: 'I have made you the father of many nations...' Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations."

Note how Abraham "became" what God had already "made" him!

This awesome principle is why Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have already received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24 NIV - emphasis mine.)

Since faith comes by hearing, I'm digging into God's word to make sure my faith is up to the challenge of praying in past tense.

Do Not Enter?

Old-school comedian Groucho Marx once tried to join a country club but was refused because he was Jewish.

He reportedly said, "That's OK... I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member anyway!"

Restricted places. I come across them often. I can't get into certain places in the local court house, in the police station, in the hospital, in the television news room, in the doctor's parking garage, in... well, you get the point.

Since we bounce off of restricted places every day, some of us assume God's heavenly throne room must be the same. Only the super-religious are welcome. Or only the very, very spiritual. Or only martyrs who've died for the faith.

I guess we got those feelings honestly. In the Old Testament, only the ordained High Priest could enter God's sanctuary. And he could only enter once a year with specially prepared blood sacrifices and uniquely formulated incense. If he made a mistake in the divine ritual, he died.

Besides that, most of us feel guilty and inadequate when thinking about approaching God - the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe, the One who knows everything about us.

So, is God's throne room a restricted place, or can normal, flawed people visit Him when they wish?

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest... Jesus the Son of God... Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV).

Amazing! Did you catch that? As disciples of Jesus, we can "approach the throne of grace with confidence." We can find a welcome in the most intimate room in the headquarters of the whole universe.

In fact our Father has "raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:6 NIV).

And that allows us to "have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..." (Hebrews 10:19 NIV).

How amazing! The Most Holy Place has no "Do Not Enter" sign.

I plan to spend more time in there.

Why so little fruit?

Years ago I couldn't understand why my work produced so little fruit. Then I came across a book that explained it all.

I happened to see it in a discount store with the interesting title, The Power of Prayer: and the Prayer of Power.

The writer, R. A. Torrey, grabbed my attention with this question: "'Why is it,' many a minister is asking, 'that I see so little fruit from my ministry?'"

I was hooked. I wanted to find out why my work seemed so futile... no salvations, few restorations, little interest in seeking God's face in the small church I served.

Torrey continued, "Why are there so few conversions? Why does my church grow so slowly? Why are the members of my church so little helped by my ministry, and built up so little in Christian knowledge and life?"

His answer? "And again God replies: 'Neglect of prayer. You have not, because you ask not.'" (Emphasis his. See chapter one of Torrey's book.)

Torrey went on to tell of Scottish preacher John Welch who interceded for revival by praying, "Give me Scotland or I die!" Welch considered any day wasted if he didn't spend seven or eight hours of it in prayer.

Torrey's book woke me up to the power and privilege of prayer. I read other great writers on the subject: E.M. Bounds, Andrew Murray, Alexander Whyte, Ole Hallesby, S.D. Gordon, George Muller... too many to mention.

I discovered that reading great books on prayer breathed life into my prayer time. They made me hunger to know God, to pray more and more, and to be effective in prayer... therefore, being more effective at kingdom work.

And that drove me into the Scriptures. I read the entire Bible, marking verses that mentioned prayer, or verses that were themselves prayers. I discovered that the Bible mentions prayer more than 850 times.

And when I read All The Prayers Of The Bible by Dr. Herbert Lockyer, I found out that the Bible contains 650 prayers and records 450 definite answers to those prayers.

All of this reading propelled me into a lifelong quest to pray more and to help others do the same. It all happened because of reading good books, and the Great Book, on prayer.

Has that brought the fruit I was missing? Yes, many times over. The next church we served doubled in size in just under three years. But other fruit has been even more remarkable. Lives changed, bodies healed, marriages repaired... all the events we associate with answered prayer.

But there's been more. Knowing Him has surpassed it all. The great power in prayer isn't just the answers we get to life's issues. It's the constant upward trek toward knowing Him better.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." (Ephesians 3:16-17 NIV.)

When God has no choice

Sometimes God has no choice. Really? You mean the Creator of all things, the Mind behind all the universes, the Alpha and Omega sometimes has no choice?

For one thing, God has no choice about telling the truth. The writer of Hebrews says God swore an oath to Abraham, so it was "impossible for God to lie." (Hebrews 6:13-20). He didn't say God would avoid lying, he said God can't do it. He has no choice.

And another thing... God can't break a promise. He has no choice. His word brims over with promises, but most "believers" keep waiting for God to act. If God has promised, he has already acted.

God acted when he promised physical healing. He told Israel, "I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." (Exodus 15:26 NIV).

And later he said, "I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." (Exodus 23:25-26 NIV).

The promise of healing continued in the prophets: "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows (or diseases)... the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV).

Inspiring promises. Yet, why were so many in Israel sick anyway? The circumstances of life didn't seem to agree with God's heady promises. And they still don't. Why?

Because God has already made his choice. He has healed us. But we haven't made the choice to believe it.

It's clear in Jesus' ministry that he arrived to heal Israel, not just spiritually but physically. When Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law, and then healed "all the sick", Matthew's account says the event "was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'" (8:17 NIV).

But many in Israel didn't receive the promised healing. That's why Jesus often said, "your faith has saved you" or "your faith has healed you" or even, "according to your faith will it be done to you."

Jesus knew that the Father had no choice. He had to honor faith in his own promises.

And he still does today. He has no choice.