Two Hundred Genuine Instances of Divine Healing

 

 I've read this book and it's chock full of testimonies of God's healing people of various diseases, illness and injuries (etc.). I ordered a hardback copy from some website years ago and I didn't regret it. However, I'm hesitant to recommend this book because it sometimes promotes an approach to healing that can be dangerous. Basically, it encourages that after receiving prayer for healing (or believing healing for one's self) to thereafter act in such a way as if one were already healed. In many instances this can be safe, but in some instance it can be dangerous. In the latter instances, I recommend not doing such things that risk one's life unless God clearly and unambiguously indicates you are to do such a thing. Even then, make sure it's really God and not our own (subconscious) self or demons telling you to do this. Otherwise, it might lead to a presumption that can be deadly. A modern example would be someone believing God has healed him of diabetes and then that person stopping and no longer testing his blood sugar levels and him stopping and no longer taking his medication. That can result in serious injury or death. I don't recommend that. Rather, I endore Roger Sapp's recommendation to go to the doctor and get a new diagnosis as soon as possible or even get a second opinion from a second doctor to confirm your healing. Sometimes a second opinion is necessary because your first doctor will be hesitant to confirm a healing. Sometimes because he doesn't want to get sued if someone stops taking treatment or medication (or whatever) and that person eventually gets worse or dies. Or because the health insurance requires the continuation of the treatment et cetera. Here's my main Roger Sapp blogpost. Here's Sapp's Christ Speaks Well of Doctors

Two Hundred Genuine Instances of Divine Healing
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Two_Hundred_Genuine_Instances_of_Divine/r8IPAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

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OR
 

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008621764

 

 

 

 

 

Why We Are Still Protesting Rome: Interview With Gavin Ortlund

 

 

Why We Are Still Protesting Rome: Interview With Gavin Ortlund
https://youtu.be/inIIadwXAUk

 

 

 

 

Does Sin Hinder Prayer?

Does Sin Hinder Prayer?

A friend on facebook asked me the following question:

Another question about sin and prayer. If sin hinders prayer then our prayers will always be hindered since we are not sinless. But perhaps there must be at least the desire that fight sin then our prayers will not be hindered. I am not sure how to biblically support that. What's your take on this matter????

Here was my simplified answer:

On the ONE HAND sin does hinder answers to prayer (verses could be multiplied but I'll quote one from the OT and two from the NT):

Ps. 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

James 5:16b The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

1 John 3:21    Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22    and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

On the OTHER HAND we now approach God not through our own merits, but the all sufficient merits of Christ. The OT saints didn't know that they also [ultimately] were accepted by God through the merits of Christ. But being under the Mosaic Covenant, what they were given and told was they approached by grace, yet their personal holiness was integral to the receiving the covenant promises. In one sense that was true because under the Old Covenant. Whereas New Testament believers now know and benefit more directly the blessings of the New Covenant. The emphasis is the merits of Christ and because of that knowledge, we have more boldness to approach God for grace.

Under the Mosaic Covenant the principle was:
- "Obey and God will bless you" or
-"Do X [i.e. the commandments] and you shall live."

Under the Messianic Covenant, the principle and emphasis is:
- "God will bless you, that you may obey [by God's empowerment]" because, as Paul says, God's goodness leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4).

Rather than "Do and Live," the New Covnenat teaches "It's DONE, so you can LIVE" (meaning Christ obeyed the law in our place for our justification and so fulfilled the positive requirements of the law via His active obedience; and fulfilled the negative requirements of the law via his passive obedience by paying the penalty of the law through the cross for our forgiveness).

Forgiveness and Justification in Christ grants us the Spirit of Adoption, which grants us Sonship, and thereby free access to the Father.

Access that blesses whereby it ultimately hinges on God's faithfulness, not ours. The weakness of the Old Covenant (as the book of Hebrews says by quoting Jeremiah on the New Covenant) was that of the unfaithfulness of those under the (Old) covenant. The strength of the New Covenant is that in God's faithfulness, He empowers believers to be believing, faithful, repentant etc. God blesses us so that we obey. And one of the blessings is empowerment to obey as well as provision for all our needs (material, spiritual, physical, etc.).

This why, for example, Jesus often (not always) healed irrespective of the repentance of the sick. He usually didn't require repentance and obedience first for healing. Whereas that was the principle of the Old Covenant (Ex. 15:26).

Exo. 15:26 saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer."

So, the emphasis and general principle is reversed.  Even Paul said:

Gal. 3:2    Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
3    Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4    Did you suffer so many things in vain---if indeed it was in vain?
5    Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith---
6    just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"?

So, plead the blood of Christ. Ask for God's blessings (financial, or what have you) for CHRIST'S SAKE and merits. Then also ask God for obedience empowering grace.

I suspect, the hindrance of answered prayer under the New Covenant is not so much the sins themselves, but how the sins affect our conscience so that we can't boldly enter God's presence for blessings (1 John 3:21-22). Yet, the crowds often received healing from Christ in their boldness irrespective of their lack of righteousness just by touching His garment.

This gives new or revived meaning to passages like:

Eph. 3:11    This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12    in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Heb. 4:16    Let us then with confidence/boldness draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is why I appreciate the healing ministry of Roger Sapp and Curry Blake as well as the writing ministry of Vincent Cheung (with stated qualifications). They are grace focused.

Christ Speaks Well of Doctors

 

The following is a Facebook post by Roger Sapp. I have some disagreements when it comes to Roger Sapp's theology of healing, but I generally recommend his materials on divine healing which encourage people to have faith for divine healing.

Here's my main Roger Sapp blogpost.

I believe it's not always God's intention to heal "all things CONSIDERED." But "all things BEING EQUAL" God's general will is to heal. It's always God's will that we have faith. That unless God gives a special revelation otherwise, it's always God's will that we exercise faith to strive for our healing by supernatural means, and that God is not opposed to doctors. Rather God affirms their crucial role in society. That it's a vocation and profession to be respected. Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts is called the "beloved physician" in Col. 4:14. There's no indication that Luke stopped being a doctor. The fact that he's called the "BELOVED physician" suggests he was beloved precisely because he was known to BE (even at that time still) a competent and caring doctor. I have more Roger Sapp Materials HERE.  Though some of the links are dead.

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This is a short excerpt from "Is There a Conflict Between Divine Healing and Medicine?"

Again, taking a Christ centered approach to this subject; we need to observe what Christ had to say about doctors. There is one statement from Christ about doctors that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). The context of the statement is the Pharisees condemning Christ for his ongoing eating of meals with sinful people. Christ says in response to them:

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick."  (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:31)

Hopefully, any honest reader can note that Christ is certainly not condemning physicians. This is a positive statement about medical care. Christ expects the Pharisees to acknowledge this common sense about doctors.

Christ is saying that "Sick people need a doctor." Christ does not expect His opponents to argue with this common sense about doctors as some unwise Christians will do today. The Holy Spirit seems to want to emphasize this statement by causing it to appear three times in the Gospels.

In saying this, Christ is identifying with doctors in a positive way. Christ is declaring Himself to be a physician to these people. There is not a hint of condemnation of doctors or medicine in this statement. It is an endorsement of both. Additionally, there is another positive statement by Christ about medicine or doctors. It only appears in the Gospel of Luke. Luke writes:

"And He (Christ) said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.'"" (Luke 4:23)

Again, Christ identifies with physicians in a positive way as He notes the sharp criticism of His ministry. Christ quotes an apparently well-known proverb among Jewish people of the First Century. The First Century Jews believed that physicians were involved in healing. (They did not believe that doctors were sorcerers.) Christ says that they will "no doubt" quote the proverb about Him.

While these people were challenging Christ to do in His hometown what He had done elsewhere, neither they nor Christ were being negative about physicians. Quite the contrary is true. Christ and His hearers believed that physicians were involved in healing people and should heal themselves as well.

Beyond this, Christ does list sins in some passages. He does not mention practicing medicine or using medicine as one of these sins. If it is wrong to go to a doctor, then Christ would address this as sin but He does not do this.

Christ - who is deeply committed to supernatural healing - does not condemn physicians. This should be convincing evidence. The fact of His validation of physicians by His statements should be enough to settle this matter with any reasonable person.

Occasionally, someone will innocently but ignorantly think that there were no Jewish doctors in the First Century. However, this is simply not true. In Christ’s statements, He certainly expects His hearers to understand exactly what a doctor does in healing. The New Testament does record doctors functioning among the Jewish people. For instance, the story of the woman with the issue of blood begins with this piece of information:

And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse, (Mark 5:25-26)

Mark does not indicate that going to a doctor was a sinful thing for her to do. The passage does not refer to these doctors as "sorcerers" when it could have done so.  Later, when she encounters Christ, He does not address her going to doctors as a sin either.

Despite the fact of their ineffectiveness in helping this woman, she had access to "many physicians."  In discussing this verse, the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible says:

"The Rabbis ordained that every town must have at least one physician, who was also to be qualified to practice surgery, or else a physician and a surgeon."

These physicians were not considered "sorcerers" in any way by the Jews. They were fully accepted as physicians by Christ Himself as He did supernatural healing ministry. 

 

ANOTHER POST BY ROGER SAPP ON FACEBOOK


The New Testament Greek Word for "Physician" Literally Means "Healer." It is the Same Positive Word that Often Describes Jesus.

This is another short excerpt from "Is There a Conflict Between Divine Healing and Medicine?"

There is no relationship between the Greek word for "sorcery" and the Greek word for "physician" in the New Testament. They do not appear together in any passage. The New Testament does not say anywhere that physicians are practicing sorcery.

The Greek word translated "physician" in the New Testament is "iatros."  It comes from the root word "iaomai" which means "to heal."  In other words, in the Greek New Testament, the word for "physician" literally means "healer."  

The root word "iaomai" is found 26 times in the New Testament. In most of these texts, this Greek word refers to Christ healing the sick. This Greek word - that means "to heal" - never refers to something evil. In other words, when the New Testament speaks about physicians, it uses a word that comes from the same root word that is used repeatedly in describing the supernatural healing in Christ ministry.

The writers of the New Testament could have used the Greek word for "sorcerers" but chose to use the always positive Greek word that means "healer" to describe those involved in medical practice. This is very significant. Those that teach or suggest that doctors are practicing sorcery are dangerously wrong.

ANOTHER POST BY ROGER SAPP ON FACEBOOK

Paul Writes of Luke the Physician in an Entirely Positive Way

Because we are Christ centered, we start with Christ as the foundation of what we believe and practice. Then we observe what the rest of the New Testament says. What does the rest of the New Testament reveal about doctors and medicine? The author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is Luke, the physician.

Some may not be aware that Luke was often a companion of the Apostle Paul as he traveled throughout the Roman Empire. Paul does identify Luke as a doctor. Luke was present and traveling with the Apostle Paul when Paul wrote this:

"Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings..." (Colossians 4:14)

Again, the absence of condemnation of the medical profession is certain here. Quite the contrary is apparent. Paul is supportive of Luke's profession as a doctor. Paul did not have to mention that Luke was a doctor. He would not have mentioned it if he had thought negatively of doctors and wanted Luke to cease being a doctor. Yet, the Apostle Paul makes it plain that he approves of Luke being a doctor.

Paul does not distinguish Luke as a different kind of physician who doesn't really use medicine because he believes in healing. That idea is certainly not present here. That idea cannot be added to support someone's negative view of doctors when that idea is absent from the New Testament..

By the fact of Luke continuing to be a physician and a strong believer in Christ, it does support our view that it is entirely possible to believe the Lord for supernatural healing while under the care of a doctor. It is also possible to be a doctor, like Luke, who believes both in natural and supernatural healing. I have personal relationships and acquaintances with a number of Christian doctors who both practice medicine and pray successfully for the sick to be healed. The idea that you can't do both is certainly erroneous and not found in the New Testament.

In order to continue to condemn doctors, you really have to disregard the fact that Paul does not condemn his companion Luke and does approve of him being a doctor.

ANOTHER POST BY ROGER SAPP ON FACEBOOK

 

The Greek Word for "Sorcery" in Greek is Similar to our Modern word "Pharmacy." Some have Mistakenly Thought that Modern Medicine therefore is Sorcery. It is not.

This is another short excerpt from "Is There a Conflict Between Divine Healing and Medicine?"

The Apostle Paul writes using the Greek word "pharmakeia" in Galatians Chapter 5. That passage says this:

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

The Greek word "pharmakeia" is translated as "sorcery" in the above verses.  Because this word "pharmakeia" meant at that time "the use of medicine, drugs and spells." Some have become fearful that any use of drugs, such as in modern medicine, is sorcery.

This would be pretty frightening if it meant that taking two aspirins for a migraine headache was enough to cause you to not inherit the Kingdom of God. It would hardly be consistent with the gracious God that Christ reveals for someone having a serious heart attack who receives medical help to survive would be excluded by God from inheriting the Kingdom. This negative view of God is very wrong.

We need to look a little deeper at this word. It appears in several places in the New Testament and is translated as "sorcery" or "sorcerer" in modern versions of the Bible but never as "medicine" or "physician."

Vine's Dictionary of New Testament Words says this about this Greek word:

"The use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeal to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer."

These "sorcerers" that Paul is describing were involved in pagan religious practices and calling on false gods for spiritual power. These sorcerers were creating intoxicating drugs with the purpose of entering the spirit world through visions and hallucinations. They provided these intoxicating drugs for others to do the same thing. This is, of course, similar to people taking drugs today to get "high."  

Since the passage lists "drunkenness" as a sin of the flesh, it fits that taking drugs to become intoxicated perhaps could be considered "sorcery." However, modern drugs – taken only for the purpose of intoxication - do not have the element of pagan worship attached. Likewise, the word "sorcery" follows the word "idolatry" in the verses above and they are certainly related. In this case, "pharmakeia" means the use of intoxicating drugs and spells to practice an idolatrous pagan religion.

It is fairly obvious that Paul drew a distinction between what Luke was doing as a physician and what sorcerers were doing.  It is also clear that Christ was making that distinction. The Jewish doctors in the First Century were not practicing sorcery. They were healers. Western doctors today are not practicing sorcery any more than Jewish doctors were in the First Century. Doctors today are healers in the same way as they were in the First Century.

The modern word "pharmacy" being “borrowed” from this ancient Greek word centuries later does not mean that modern creation of drugs and modern use of medicine is sorcery. People go to doctors today to get well or to stay well. The great majority of people do not go to doctors today to obtain intoxicating drugs to enter the spirit world. They go to doctors today to get well.

Medical doctors are not calling on false gods to heal people. Sorcery cannot be done accidently as God looks at the heart. In order to be a sorcerer, you must be calling on false gods intentionally. Most doctors in the West are secularists and are not spiritually oriented at all. Most doctors have little or no interest in the spiritual realm.

While the modern word "pharmacy" does come from the same Greek word, it is reasonably certain that you will have difficulty finding a modern pharmacy that has medications on hand that have the sole purpose of allowing you to enter the spirit world through hallucinations and visions. It is also reasonably certain that you will have trouble finding a physician that will write you a prescription for a drug so that you can enter the spiritual realm.

The idea that someone going to a doctor with a sinus infection - who receives an antibiotic to deal with the infection - is involved in sorcery and the doctor himself is a sorcerer is simply ludicrous. Just because someone “borrowed” this Greek word in more recent times to describe a place to obtain healing medications - a pharmacy - does not mean that it is the same idolatrous pagan thing that Paul was describing.

Words, over long periods of time, do obtain new meanings and new usages. Despite the same Greek word being the root, the meaning of the word has changed in modern times. A "pharmacy" is not involved in a practice of pagan worship of false gods. It exists to aid physicians in healing their patients. It does not exist to aid sorcerers in the practice of idolatry.

To illustrate, the Olympic Games were originally Greek athletic contests.  These contests were held to honor the false Greek gods such as Zeus. To say now that when an athlete participates in the Olympic games that they are involved in the worship of false gods simply because these contests originated that way would be simply unreasonable.

It is the present spiritual content of a practice (and not its origin) that makes it righteous or evil. The athletic contest remains but the honoring of false gods has completely disappeared over the centuries. Likewise, the use of medicine remains but its connection with pagan idolatry has long disappeared and was never a part of modern western medicine. Doctors are not sorcerers and pharmacies do not aid sorcerers today.

Quit being afraid. Your gracious Savior and Healer Jesus does not punish people for going to doctors. He still heals them.

 

 

 

 

Some Biblical Conditions for Getting Prayers Answered

 

The following is from chapter 6 of Charles G. Finney's book Power From On High

 

CHAPTER 6

PREVAILING PRAYER

Prevailing prayer is that which secures an answer. Saying prayers is not offering prevailing prayer. The prevalence of prayer does not depend so much on quantity as on quality. I do not know how better to approach this subject than by relating a fact of my own experience before I was converted. I relate it because I fear such experiences are but too common among unconverted men.

I do not recollect having ever attended a prayer-meeting until after I began the study of law. Then, for the first time, I lived in a neighbourhood where there was a prayer-meeting weekly. I had neither known, heard, nor seen much of religion; hence I had no settled opinions about it. Partly from curiosity and partly from an uneasiness of mind upon the subject, which I could not well define, I began to attend that prayer-meeting. About the same time I bought the first Bible that I ever owned, and began to read it. I listened to the prayers which I heard offered in those prayer-meetings with all the attention that I could give to prayers so cold and formal. In every prayer they prayed for the gift and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Both in their prayers and in their remarks, which were occasionally interspersed, they acknowledged that they did not prevail with God. This was most evident, and had almost made me a sceptic.

Seeing me so frequently in their prayer-meeting, the leader, on one occasion, asked me if I did not wish them to pray for me. I replied: "No." I said: "I suppose that I need to be prayed for, but your prayers are not answered. You confess it yourselves." I then expressed my astonishment at this fact, in view of what the Bible said about the prevalence of prayer. Indeed, for some time my mind was much perplexed and in doubt in view of Christ's teaching on the subject of prayer and the manifest facts before me, from week to week, in this prayer-meeting. Was Christ a divine teacher? Did He actually teach what the Gospels attributed to Him? Did He mean what He said? Did prayer really avail to secure blessings from God? If so, what was I to make of what I witnessed from week to week and month to month in that prayer-meeting? Were they real Christians? Was that which I heard real prayer, in the Bible sense? Was it such prayer as Christ had promised to answer? Here I found the solution.

I became convinced that they were under a delusion; that they did not prevail because they had no right to prevail. They did not comply with the conditions upon which God had promised to hear prayer. Their prayers were just such as God had promised not to answer. It was evident they were overlooking the fact that they were in danger of praying themselves into scepticism in regard to the value of prayer.

In reading my Bible I noticed such revealed conditions as the following:

(a) Faith in God as the answerer of prayer. This, it is plain, involves the expectation of receiving what we ask.

(b) Another revealed condition is the asking according to the revealed will of God. This plainly implies asking not only for such things as God is willing to grant, but also asking in such a state of mind as God can accept. I fear it is common for professed Christians to overlook the state of mind in which God requires them to be as a condition of answering their prayers.

For example: In offering the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come," it is plain that sincerity is a condition of prevailing with God. But sincerity in offering this petition implies the whole heart and life devotion of the petitioner to the building up of this kingdom. It implies the sincere and thorough consecration of all that we have and all that we are to this end. To utter this petition in any other state of mind involves hypocrisy, and is an abomination.

So in the next petition, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," God has not promised to hear this petition unless it be sincerely offered. But sincerity implies a state of mind that accepts the whole revealed will of God, so far as we understand it, as they accept it in heaven. It implies a loving, confiding, universal obedience to the whole known will of God, whether that will is revealed in His Word, by His Spirit, or in His providence. It implies that we hold ourselves and all that we have and are as absolutely and cordially at God's disposal as do the inhabitants of heaven. If we fall short of this, and withhold anything whatever from God, we "regard iniquity in our hearts," and God will not hear us.

Sincerity in offering this petition implies a state of entire and universal consecration to God. Anything short of this is withholding from God that which is His due. It is "turning away our ear from hearing the law." But what saith the Scriptures? "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." Do professed Christians understand this?

What is true of offering these two petitions is true of all prayer. Do Christians lay this to heart? Do they consider that all professed prayer is an abomination if it be not offered in a state of entire consecration of all that we have and are to God? If we do not offer ourselves with and in our prayers, with all that we have; if we are not in a state of mind that cordially accepts and, so far as we know, perfectly conforms to the whole will of God, our prayer is an abomination. How awfully profane is the use very frequently made of the Lord's Prayer, both in public and in private. To hear men and women chatter over the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," while their lives are anything but conformed to the known will of God is shocking and revolting. To hear men pray, "Thy kingdom come," while it is most evident that they are making little or no sacrifice or effort to promote this kingdom, forces the conviction of bare-faced hypocrisy. Such is not prevailing prayer.

(c) Unselfishness is a condition of prevailing prayer. "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James iv:3).

(d) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a conscience void of offense toward God and man. 1 John iii:20, 22: "If our heart (conscience) condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things; if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." Here two things are made plain: first, that to prevail with God we must keep a conscience void of offense; and, second, that we must keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

(e) A pure heart is also a condition of prevailing prayer. Psalm lxvi:18: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

(f) All due confession and restitution to God and man is another condition of prevailing prayer. Proverbs xxviii:13: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy."

(g) Clean hands is another condition. Psalm xxvi:6: "I will wash mine hands in innocence, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord." I Timothy 6:8: "I will that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."

(h) The settling of disputes and animosities among brethren is a condition. Matthew v:23,24: "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift."

(i) Humility is another condition of prevailing prayer. James iv:6: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."

(j) Taking up the stumbling-blocks is another condition. Ezekiel xiv:3: "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?"

(k) A forgiving spirit is a condition. Matthew vi:12: "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; 15: "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your trespasses."

(l) The exercise of a truthful spirit is a condition. Psalm li:6: "Behold, Thou desireth truth in the inward parts." If the heart be not in a truthful state, if it be not entirely sincere and unselfish, we regard iniquity in our hearts; and, therefore, the Lord will not hear us.

(m) Praying in the name of Christ is a condition of prevailing prayer.

(n) The inspiration of the Holy Spirit is another condition. All truly prevailing prayer is inspired by the Holy Ghost. Romans viii:26, 27: "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." This is the true spirit of prayer. This is being led by the Spirit in prayer. It is the only really prevailing prayer. Do professed Christians really understand this? Do they believe that unless they live and walk in the Spirit, unless they are taught how to pray by the intercession of the Spirit in them, they cannot prevail with God?

(o) Fervency is a condition. A prayer, to be prevailing, must be fervent. James v:16: "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

(p) Perseverance or persistence in prayer is often a condition of prevailing. See the case of Jacob, of Daniel, of Elijah, of the Syrophoenician woman, of the unjust judge, and the teaching of the Bible generally.

(q) Travail of soul is often a condition of prevailing prayer. "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." "My little children," said Paul, "for whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you." This implies that he had travailed in birth for them before they were converted. Indeed, travail of soul in prayer is the only real revival prayer. If anyone does not know what this is, he does not understand the spirit of prayer. He is not in a revival state. He does not understand the passage already quoted--Romans viii:26, 27. Until he understands this agonizing prayer he does not know the real secret of revival power.

(r) Another condition of prevailing prayer is the consistent use of means to secure the object prayed for, if means are within our reach, and are known by us to be necessary to the securing of the end. To pray for a revival of religion, and use no other means, is to tempt God. This, I could plainly see, was the case of those who offered prayer in the prayer-meeting of which I have spoken. They continued to offer prayer for a revival of religion, but out of meeting they were as silent as death on the subject, and opened not their mouths to those around them. They continued this inconsistency until a prominent impenitent man in the community administered to them in my presence a terrible rebuke. He expressed just what I deeply felt. He rose, and with the utmost solemnity and tearfulness said: "Christian people, what can you mean? You continue to pray in these meetings for a revival of religion. You often exhort each other here to wake up and use means to promote a revival. You assure each other, and assure us who are impenitent, that we are in the way to hell; and I believe it. You also insist that if you should wake up, and use the appropriate means, there would be a revival, and we should be converted. You tell us of our great danger, and that our souls are worth more than all worlds; and yet you keep about your comparatively trifling employments and use no such means. We have no revival and our souls are not saved." Here he broke down and fell, sobbing, back into his seat. This rebuke fell heavily upon that prayer-meeting, as I shall ever remember. It did them good; for it was not long before the members of that prayer-meeting broke down, and we had a revival. I was present in the first meeting in which the revival spirit was manifest. Oh! how changed was the tone of their prayers, confessions, and supplications. I remarked, in returning home, to a friend: "What a change has come over these Christians. This must be the beginning of a revival." Yes; a wonderful change comes over all the meetings whenever the Christian people are revived. Then their confessions mean something. They mean reformation and restitution. They mean work. They mean the use of means. They mean the opening of their pockets, their hearts and hands, and the devotion of all their powers to the promotion of the work.

(s) Prevailing prayer is specific. It is offered for a definite object. We cannot prevail for everything at once. In all the cases recorded in the Bible in which prayer was answered, it is noteworthy that the petitioner prayed for a definite object.

(t) Another condition of prevailing prayer is that we mean what we say in prayer; that we make no false pretenses; in short, that we are entirely childlike and sincere, speaking out of the heart, nothing more nor less than we mean, feel, and believe.

(u) Another condition of prevailing prayer is a state of mind that assumes the good faith of God in all His promises.

(v) Another condition is "watching unto prayer" as well as "praying in the Holy Ghost." By this I mean guarding against everything that can quench or grieve the Spirit of God in our hearts. Also watching for the answer, in a state of mind that will diligently use all necessary means, at any expense, and add entreaty to entreaty.

When the fallow ground is thoroughly broken up in the hearts of Christians, when they have confessed and made restitution--if the work be thorough and honest--they will naturally and inevitably fulfill the conditions, and will prevail in prayer. But it cannot be too distinctly understood that none others will. What we commonly hear in prayer and conference meetings is not prevailing prayer. It is often astonishing and lamentable to witness the delusions that prevail upon the subject. Who that has witnessed real revivals of religion has not been struck with the change that comes over the whole spirit and manner of the prayers of really revived Christians? I do not think I ever could have been converted if I had not discovered the solution of the question: "Why is it that so much that is called prayer is not answered?"

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The Second Blessing DEBATE: Two views of Spirit Baptism

 This debate is about the doctrine of subsequence which is the doctrine that teaches that baptism in the Spirit takes place subsequently to regeneration, either logically or temporally. Here's my BLOGPOST where I discuss my views on the topic. The debate below is between Todd  Barham who holds to the doctrine of subsequence and Michael Miller who denies subsequence.

At 1:06:26 Joshua Lewis incorrectly states that Gordon Fee held to the doctrine of subsequence. Fee specifically denies it in his article: "Baptism in the Holy Spirit: The Issue of Separability And Subsequence" from "PNEUMA: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies" 7:2 (Fall, 1985), 87-99   [also linked HERE]

 

The Second Blessing Debate: Two views of Spirit Baptism

 https://youtu.be/7BOsUjVMqQ8

 

 

 

 

Are You Open But Cautious About Divine Healing?

 

 

Are You Open But Cautious About Divine Healing?

 https://youtu.be/SaCdQgUQZEo

 

 

 

 

I asked ChatGPT To Preach A Sermon on God's Provision and A Sermon on Divine Healing

 

I asked artificial intelligence ChatGPT to preach two sermons. One on God's provision for finances and another on divine healing. I was pleasantly surprised at how good, Biblical and balanced they were.

Preach a Christian sermon on God's provision for finances.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, I want to speak to you about God's provision for finances. Many of us are worried about our financial well-being, especially during these uncertain times. We may be struggling to make ends meet, pay our bills, or save for the future. But I want to remind you that as Christians, we serve a God who is faithful and who promises to provide for all of our needs.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us not to worry about our lives, including what we will eat or drink or wear, because our heavenly Father knows that we need these things. He goes on to say, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). This means that if we prioritize our relationship with God and seek to live righteously, he will provide for our material needs as well.

We also see God's provision for finances throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, God provided manna from heaven to feed the Israelites during their time in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4). In the New Testament, we see Jesus miraculously feeding thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread and fish (Matthew 14:13-21). These examples show us that God is capable of providing for our physical needs in abundance.

However, we must also remember that God's provision for finances is not just about material wealth. In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul tells us that "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." This means that God's provision is not just about meeting our basic needs, but also about giving us the resources we need to do his work in the world.

So, how can we experience God's provision for finances in our own lives? First and foremost, we must trust in him and seek his guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This means that we should seek God's direction in all areas of our lives, including our finances.

We must also be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. In Luke 16:10, Jesus says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." This means that we should be responsible with our money, giving generously to others and managing our finances wisely.

Finally, we should be content with what God has given us. Hebrews 13:5 tells us to "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" We should not be consumed with the desire for more money or material possessions, but should trust in God's provision and be content with what he has given us.

In conclusion, I want to encourage you to trust in God's provision for finances. He promises to provide for our needs if we seek him first and trust in his guidance. Let us be good stewards of the resources he has given us, giving generously and managing our finances wisely. And let us be content with what we have, knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us. May God bless you and provide for all of your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Amen.

Preach a Christian sermon on God's provision for divine healing of sicknesses.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today, I want to speak to you about God's provision for divine healing of sicknesses. As Christians, we believe that our God is a God of healing, and that he has the power to heal us of any sickness or disease. We serve a God who is loving, merciful, and compassionate, and who wants us to be whole and healthy in body, mind, and spirit.

Throughout the Bible, we see countless examples of God's provision for divine healing. In the Old Testament, God healed Naaman of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-14), and Hezekiah of his sickness (Isaiah 38:1-8). In the New Testament, we see Jesus healing the sick and the lame, and even raising the dead (Matthew 8:16-17, Mark 5:35-43, John 11:1-44). These examples demonstrate that God is still in the business of healing today, and that he has not changed.

We also see the importance of prayer and faith in receiving God's provision for divine healing. In James 5:13-16, we are encouraged to pray for one another and to confess our sins to each other, so that we may be healed. We are also told that "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16), and that when we pray in faith, we can receive God's provision for divine healing.

However, we must also remember that God's provision for divine healing is not always immediate or miraculous. Sometimes, he may choose to heal us through the hands of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. Other times, he may choose to heal us through a process of recovery and restoration. And sometimes, he may choose not to heal us in this life, but to give us the grace and strength to endure our sickness and find hope in him.

So, how can we experience God's provision for divine healing in our own lives? First and foremost, we must trust in his power and his goodness. Psalm 103:2-3 tells us, "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." We must believe that God has the power to heal us, and that he wants to heal us.

We must also seek God's guidance and direction in our health decisions. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This means that we should seek God's wisdom and guidance in making decisions about our health, including seeking medical treatment if necessary.

Finally, we should pray in faith, believing that God can and will heal us. In Mark 11:24, Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." This means that we should pray with confidence and faith, trusting that God will answer our prayers according to his perfect will.

In conclusion, I want to encourage you to trust in God's provision for divine healing. He is a loving and merciful God who wants us to be whole and healthy in body, mind, and spirit. Let us seek his guidance and direction in our health decisions, and let us pray in faith, believing that he can and will heal us. May God bless you and heal you according to his perfect will. Amen.

"Abide in Christ" by Andrew Murray

Andrew Murray's book Abide in Christ is an all time Christian classic. It's one of the best books I've ever read. Fortunately it's freely available online at very websites and in different formats:

Abide in Christ Online HTML version

Abide in Christ Online HTML version

Abide in Christ  Online PDF version

Abide in Christ YouTube Audiobook

Abide in Christ  LibriVox MP3 download

 There are many dozens of other Andrew Murray books freely online. Use a search engine to find them.

Healing According to Faith

[Last updated 2024/10/5]

As a Calvinist, I believe people are divinely healed of sicknesses according to the sovereignty of God. However, at the same time the Bible teaches that we receive healing according to our faith. The Bible, and Jesus in particular, encourages people to have faith for healing. According to Calvinism, faith is ultimately the sovereign gift of God. But I believe we shouldn't use that fact (that faith is a divine gift) as an excuse not to strive to exercise faith for healing. The healing of ourselves and of others [James 5:14-16]. Jesus never (Himself) used or accepted (from others) the sovereignty of God as an excuse for why someone wasn't healed. In fact, Jesus criticized and rebuked His disciples for not having faith to heal sickness or exorcise demons. He blamed the disciples for failing to get people healed of severe demonic influence [Matt.17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-42]. Jesus and the New Testament teaches that with God, and faith in God, all things are possible [Matt. 17:20; 19:26; Mark 9:23; 10:27; 14:36; Luke 1:37].

 Many atheists point to two passages Mark 6:5 and Matt. 13:58 where it says Jesus couldn't do miracles because of the people's unbelief. Allegedly this shows that Jesus (or God through Jesus or anyone else) couldn't/can't heal everyone. That there's a limitation on God's power, or that God isn't omnipotent even according to the Bible's teaching. The passages don't teach or imply anything like that at all. Both passages record the same event of Jesus being rejected by the majority of people in His hometown of Nazareth. The point of both passages is that in their rejection of Jesus (i.e. unbelief) they didn't come to Jesus for healing, and so not many were healed. Both passages say Jesus did do some healings and miracles there. The truth is that God can heal with or without faith. I remember listening to an audio of Walter Martin, a well known pioneer of 20th century apologetics, recount how one time someone asked him to pray for their healing and he was hesitant to do so, but did so anyway and the person was healed to his great astonishment & amazement. He was surprised because he didn't have faith or confidence that the person would be healed. Then in the audio he immediately recounted another story that happened soon afterward (days or weeks later) when someone again asked for prayer and this time he had great confidence that the person would be healed because of his recent experience, and the person wasn't healed. He went on to explain what he believed happened. That it goes to show that God is sovereign enough to heal even in the absence of faith. As well as sovereign enough in His wisdom to withhold healing. I agree and I also think it goes to show that genuine faith for healing and miracles is not merely a psychological confidence, but a God given spiritual reality that goes beyond a mental idea or emotional feeling. God will sometimes heal in the absence of faith, but God's normative way to heal [as seen and taught in the Gospels] is in the presence of faith of the prayee and/or pray-er [usually both]. And from my Calvinist perspective, that faith is ultimately the gift of God. So, God's Sovereignty is not denied in my theology of healing. Nor is the will of humans ultimate in the final analysis. But from the human perspective or at least a practical perspective, the human will is important and often seemingly ultimate. See this blog here by Vincent Cheung on the will of man in healing with my qualifications of his theology here.

George Mueller made a distinction between the "grace of faith" and "gift of faith" that I agree with, but I define them differently than he did. Both are technically God's gifts, but bestowed differently. I believe the "gift of faith" described in the Bible is an immediate temporary supernatural endowment of faith that God can give someone for specific situations where God definitely wants to answer a prayer or perform a miracle or healing. This gift of faith comes upon a person in a way that he know is not something he already had or developed, but is an extraordinary sense of faith that encourages the person to know with certainty that God wants something supernatural done and that He's ready to do it. In contrast to that I believe the "grace of faith" is the ordinary faith we develop in the Christian life by doing those things that we are encouraged to do to increase faith. Things like prayer, Bible reading & study, church attendance, participating in communion (i.e. the Lord's Supper), Christian fellowship, et cetera. BOTH are the gift of God, but one is  immediate, sporadic and clearly extraordinary and supernaturally given. The other is gradual, fluctuates according to one's present state of sanctification, seemingly ordinary and not apparently supernaturally given since it's developed with human cooperation and effort.

Examine the following verses [ESV used]. Notice how often the Bible encourages faith, and teaches its limitless possibilities. Notice how often healing and miracles was tied to someone's faith. As well as how lack of healing was often (not always) tied to unbelief.

Matthew 8:5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant,[c] ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel[d] have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly[a] the woman was made well.

Matthew 9:29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

Matthew 13:57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Matthew 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”[e]

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 21:20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 5:34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Mark 6:4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Mark 7:28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

Mark 9:23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Mark 10:52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark 11: 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received[c] it, and it will be yours.

Mark 14:36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 8:25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Luke 8:48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Luke 17:19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 18:42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”

John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me[e] anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 16:23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. [[[Majority Text and TR have "full of faith and power". See the KJV, NKJV, YLT, EMTV, LITV]]]

Acts 14:9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,[b] 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.

1 Corinthians 13:1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

Gal. 3:5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

1 John 3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

 

Here's a final caveat. This approach to prayer for healing and all other blessings of God [for finances, wisdom, guidance,  protection, etc.], even if rightly understood, can lead to frustration and even doubt due to delays and seeming denials of prayer requests. But not because of the doctrine itself. The doctrine itself ought to support hope for the future and eventual answered prayer, rather than doubt if a positive answer doesn't arrive or is delayed. It also acknowledges the sovereignty of God without giving people no options or hope for improving their circumstances. Imagine for example being in chronic pain and only having the theology of God's sovereignty to uphold you and the usual Calvinistic applications [often misapplications] of that truth. That could lead to the hopeless conclusion that one may have to endure the pain for the remainder of one's life. See, for example, Dan Downey's testimony. He wasn't a Calvinist. He was more Arminian, but he suffered from chronic pain and his testimony exemplifies the suicidal despair people can enter when they have no hope of being healed of chronic pain. His testimony "How I Received My Healing." can be downloaded HERE.

Under the theology and approach of this blog a person can have hope that his situation may improve and he can have a hand in bringing it about. Instead of just enduring it with nothing to do, or to pray with little hope of an answer. Or with reasons to fear that one may pray presumptuously in violation of God's will. The fear of committing the "sin of presumption" is one of the main hindrances to answered prayer. Yes, [all things considered] God's will of Decree MIGHT not be to heal [or heal right now], but His will of Delight and will of Demand IS to heal [all thing being equal]. For example, for all you know God doesn't intend to heal you today, but next week in response to the faith you develop and receive from God in the next seven days. SEE my BLOG on SIX senses of God's Will.

 Distinctions in God's Will from a Calvinist Perspective

I Asked ChatGPT To Compose Prayers for Healing in Spurgeon's Style and Theology

 

I asked artificial intelligence ChatGPT to "pretend you were Charles Haddon Spurgeon and compose a prayer for healing in his style and theology of divine healing." Here's its response:

O Lord, our great Physician, we come before You in humility and faith, believing that You are able to heal us of all our afflictions. We acknowledge that every good and perfect gift comes from You, and that You are the source of all life, health, and healing.

We ask that You would pour out Your healing power upon us, according to Your perfect will. We believe that Your promises of healing in Your Word are true, and we trust in Your faithfulness to fulfill them. We ask that You would touch us with Your healing hand and bring wholeness and restoration to every part of our being.

We pray for those who are suffering from physical ailments, mental illnesses, emotional distress, and spiritual afflictions. We ask that You would bring comfort and healing to those who are in pain, and that You would strengthen and sustain them through their trials.

We also pray for those who are serving as doctors, nurses, caregivers, and other healthcare workers. We ask that You would give them wisdom, skill, compassion, and strength as they care for the sick and suffering. We pray that You would protect them from harm and bless them abundantly for their selfless service.

We thank You for Your mercy and grace, and for the assurance that You are with us always, even in our times of trial and suffering. We trust in Your sovereign will and pray that You would help us to surrender our lives to You completely, trusting in Your infinite wisdom and goodness.

We offer this prayer in the name of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins and rose again, that we might have eternal life and abundant healing. Amen.

Here's another request:

Do the same thing as if you were a human being praying for your own healing. Again, in Charles Haddon Spurgeon's style and theology of divine healing.

O Lord, my God and my Healer, I come before You with a humble and contrite heart, seeking Your mercy and grace. I acknowledge that I am unworthy of Your healing touch, but I trust in Your love and compassion towards me.

I ask that You would forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I know that sin can cause sickness and disease, and I confess any sin that may be hindering Your healing power in my life.

I also ask that You would strengthen my faith and help me to trust in Your promises of healing. I know that You are able to heal me of every affliction, and I believe that You will do so according to Your perfect will.

I pray for Your wisdom and guidance as I seek medical treatment and make decisions about my health. I ask that You would bless the doctors and healthcare professionals who are caring for me, and that You would guide their hands and minds as they seek to bring healing to my body.

Most of all, I pray that You would help me to surrender my life to You completely. I know that Your plans for me are good, and that You have a purpose for every trial and affliction that I face. Help me to trust in Your goodness and mercy, and to find joy and peace in Your presence, even in the midst of my suffering.

I offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and my Healer. Amen.

Here's what ChatGPT composed in answer to the same questions, but with Smith Wigglesworth:
https://charismatamatters.blogspot.com/2023/03/i-asked-chatgpt-to-compose-prayer-for.html

I Asked ChatGPT To Compose Prayers for Healing in Wigglesworth's Style and Theology

 

I asked artificial intelligence ChatGPT to "pretend you were smith wigglesworth and compose a prayer for healing in his style and theology of divine healing." Here's its response:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before you today in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the great healer and the source of all life. I believe that you are a God who still heals today, just as you did in the days of old, and I ask that you pour out your healing power upon this person who is in need.

I declare by faith that every sickness, every disease, every pain, and every infirmity must bow down to the name of Jesus. I command all forms of sickness and disease to leave this person's body right now, and I release the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through them, bringing health, wholeness, and restoration to every cell, every tissue, and every organ.

Lord, you have promised in your word that by your stripes, we are healed, and I claim that promise over this person's life. I pray that you would touch them in a special way today and fill them with your peace, your joy, and your love. I pray that you would strengthen their faith and help them to trust in your goodness and your mercy.

I rebuke every spirit of fear, doubt, and unbelief that may be hindering their healing, and I ask that you would surround them with your angels of healing, protection, and deliverance. I pray that you would give them a new testimony of your power and your love, and that they would be a living testimony of your healing grace to all who know them.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Here's another request:

Do the same thing as if you were a human being praying for your own healing. Again, in Smith Wigglesworth's style and theology of divine healing.

Heavenly Father,

I come before you today as your child, trusting in your love and your grace. I believe that you are a God who still heals today, and I ask that you would touch my body and bring healing and restoration to every part of me that is not in alignment with your perfect will.

I declare by faith that every sickness, every disease, and every pain must bow down to the name of Jesus. I release the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through me, bringing health, wholeness, and restoration to every cell, every tissue, and every organ.

Lord, I know that you have promised in your word that by your stripes, we are healed, and I claim that promise over my life. I pray that you would touch me in a special way today and fill me with your peace, your joy, and your love.

I rebuke every spirit of fear, doubt, and unbelief that may be hindering my healing, and I ask that you would surround me with your angels of healing, protection, and deliverance.

Lord, I choose to trust in your goodness and your mercy, and I ask that you would give me the strength to persevere in faith until I see the manifestation of your healing power in my life. I thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness, your love, and your mercy, and I believe that I will see the victory in my body that you have promised.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. 

 Here's what ChatGPT composed in answer to the same questions, but with Charles Haddon Spurgeon:
https://charismatamatters.blogspot.com/2023/03/i-asked-chatgpt-to-compose-prayers-for.html

Modern Testimonies of Miracles of Supernatural Multiplication

 

The Bible records miracles of multiplication. For example, Jesus multiplying a small amount of bread and fish to feed over five thousand people (Matt. 14:13ff.), and then another time when He multiplied bread and fish to feed over four thousand people (Matt. 15:32ff.). The Old Testament also records miracles of multiplication. There's the incident when Elijah declared that a widow's jar of flour and jug of oil would not go empty until the drought in the land ended, and it happened (1 Kings 17:8ff.). There's also the incident when Elisha declared a widow's debts would be paid by the multiplication of oil (2 Kings 4:1ff.), and it happened.

BUT DOES GOD STILL DO THESE TYPES OF MIRACLES? ARE THERE MODERN CASES WHERE GOD MIGHT HAVE DONE SIMILAR THINGS?

 The following are some claimed modern instances where God multiplied supplies. I don't claim that every instance listed below were real miracles rather than fabricated lies. But I suspect that at least some of the testimonies are instances of genuine miracles of multiplication.

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Probably the most famous modern instance is the case recounted by Corrie ten Boom in her book, The Hiding Place. It takes place during World War II (if I recall correctly, in a concentration camp).  Read the excerpt in the following link:

 Multiplication of Liquid Vitamins in a Bottle
https://triablogue.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-davitamon-bottle.html

 

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Missionary Heidi Baker is associated with miracles, including cases of divine healing [for more on this, see Candy Gunther Brown's videos and book titles HERE]. In the link below there is the claim that cookies were supernaturally multiplied by God to supply enough for all the children present.

The Miraculous Multiplication of Cookies: A Missionary’s Story About the Power of Prayer
https://www.churchpop.com/2018/11/26/the-miraculous-multiplication-of-cookies-a-missionarys-story-about-the-power-of-prayer/

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The following excerpt is from Pat Robertson's book Miracles Can Be Yours Today pages 125-126.

I love the childlike faith of some of the Italian immigrants who came to America, met Jesus Christ, and were then filled with God's Holy Spirit. To them, if it is in the Bible, it is true. To them, whatever God has promised in the Bible, He will do!

The mother of my friend, the late Frank Foglio, came to America without much money, but with a ton of faith. Frank wrote a wonderful book about his amazing mother entitled Hey God! (Bridge-Logos, 1972), and this is one story from it.

Italian people are very hospitable. The women are renowned cooks who delight in serving delicious food to their guests. Mama Foglio found herself one day with a crowd of guests at lunchtime. But what could she do? The family was poor, and her food supply had diminished to a half box of spaghetti. But Mama Foglio knew her Bible, and she knew the God of miracles.

So she got out her biggest pot, filled it with water, and then put it on the stove to boil. She took the tiny bit of uncooked spaghetti and put it near the pot. She then opened her Bible to a promise of God's provision and held it up in her right hand.

In a prayer that I am sure must have delighted the Lord, but which would have horrified most formal clergymen, Mama Foglio placed her finger on the promise in the Bible held in her uplifted hand and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Hey God! You promised right here to meet my needs. I need food for all these people. Do it, God, just like You promised!"

She took the handful of spaghetti and threw it in the pot of boiling water. Before her eyes, the spaghetti began to swell until it filled up the giant container. When it was cooked, she served plate after plate of steaming delicious spaghetti so that all of her guests were fed.

Mama Foglio's prayer wasn't fancy. It wasn't couched in the old English of the King James Bible. But to the Foglio family, "Hey God! Look! Right here You promised!" seemed prayer enough to please God and bring forth a miracle of multiplication and provision.

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The following excerpt is taken from Nine O'Clock in the Morning by Dennis J. Bennett, pages 122-123

...Andrew answered, "There's a youngster here with some bread and fish he's brought with him for lunch, but what is the good of that for a crowd like this?" And then Jesus proceeded to feed the five thousand from the little fellow's lunch-box!

I believe that happened because the Bible says it did, but I also believe it because Jesus did something similar in my own house! It was the day our daughter was married. Husbands can be thoughtless people, and I'm no different from the average. That day I brought sixteen people home to lunch without even warning my wife! She told me later what happened.

"I stood in the kitchen and said, 'Lord, Dennis has brought these folks home with him, and You know I don't have food for this many. This casserole is large enough to feed only five or six, and I haven't time to go to the store. I don't want to say anything about this, so I'm going to put the food on the table and trust You to do the rest!' "

She did just that, and said to me later, "You know, I just watched that food go round and round. They kept digging in and digging in, and everyone seemed to get enough to satisfy him, and there was enough left over to feed two more who arrived later in the afternoon!"

"My God shall fill up all your needs!"

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Pastor Mike Yeager testifies of how his vehicle was able to driven for three days longer than it should have. It was allegedly an empty gas tank miracle.

Driving Our TRUCK with no GAS!
https://youtu.be/ZLq3wIJB-I8

In this video, Mike Yeager claims God supernaturally multiplied paper money.

Miracle Of The Multiplication Of Money
https://youtu.be/cSZxAZ99Vj8

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As a convinced and ardent Evangelical Protestant I believe Roman Catholicism has many SERIOUS errors that dilute the truth of the Gospel. So much so that I encourage people to leave Catholicism for a more Biblically based Christianity. I recommend Evangelical apologetics against Catholicism's teachings and claims (for example, those of Gavin Ortland, James White, Jordan B. Cooper, William Webster, The Other Paul, and others).

Having said that I believe it's spiritually dangerous to be Roman Catholic, I have to balanced that with the admission that I also think there's enough truth in Catholicism for some people to be possibly saved, despite the official Catholic Gospel technically not being a saving conception of the Gospel. That's because, technically, Catholicism teaches the doctrine of the Trinity. Also, there's a long history in Catholicism whereby some strains of Catholicism teach Sola Gratia (salvation by grace alone). Ironically, while most Protestants affirm Sola Fide (justification through faith alone) and reject Sola Gratia, many Catholics do the opposite. Catholicism officially denies Sola Fide, yet many Catholics affirm and many historic Catholic theologians affirmed Sola Gratia.

Anyway, all that was to make it clear that I'm not endorsing Catholicism when I post the following video (already cued up) where a Catholic exorcist recounts a story of the multiplication of dessert for children.

Fr. Dan Reehil recounts the multiplication of pudding
[YouTube video already cued up]
https://youtu.be/cFIKpoIt4aE?t=1412

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The following account is by preacher Roger Sapp who is mostly known for his divine healing ministry. See my blogpost dedicated to his materials HERE. In the story below, Roger Sapp and his wife allegedly had an experience that could almost be categorized as similar to the multiplication of the liquid vitamins mentioned above. I'll post the story and then make a comment about the incident afterwards. The story is taken from Roger Sapp's book Spiritual Treasure: A Collection of 44 True Stories of the Supernatural Grace of God [2014], pages 8-9.

 Miracle in the Moonlight

In the first few months as a Christian, I experienced an amazing, miraculous event that was coupled with an inner knowing of what to do. I was a young soldier stationed in Wurzburg, Germany. I was saved by Jesus in a Christian coffeehouse that we attended regularly. In February, there was a Christian friend - who also attended this coffeehouse - who was leaving the Army and returning home. He needed a ride to the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airport. I volunteered to drive him there.

It was not a long trip. It took about an hour and a half to get to the airport from where we lived. He didn't need to be there until after 8 pm, so we left at about 6 pm. My wife Ann and our two young children - one was a baby - came along with us. We arrived at the airport about 7:30 pm. We said our goodbyes and he went into the terminal.

We left the terminal and got back on the Autobahn in a few minutes. In about a half hour, we had a noisy blowout of the front right tire. With some difficulties slowing down and steering the car, I got the car off the Autobahn to the shoulder. I got out of the car to examine the tire. I knelt down beside it to examine it carefully. The tire was very flat with the rim near the ground. Normally, this would not have been a problem, but I realized that I had taken the spare tire in for repairs a few days before because it was flat also. (At that time, I was a low-ranking soldier and we had a worn-out car with worn-out tires.) Absentmindedly, I had forgotten to pick up the repaired spare tire before leaving on this trip.

I got back into the car and explained the situation to my wife Ann. Whether or not this was accurate, we had been told that if your car broke down on the Autobahn, you could get a huge fine by the German police. We discussed not being able to afford a fine. It was also very cold and dark outside with only the light of a full moon to see. I was keeping the car engine running to keep my family warm. I didn't know how long I could do this and still have enough gasoline to drive us home. With all these unknowns in our minds, Ann and I started praying for Divine help.

We had prayed for 15 minutes or so and I began to feel strongly that I should drive on the flat tire. I knew that this would completely ruin the tire and might seriously damage the rim. However, the more that I prayed, the stronger I felt that I should drive on the flat tire. I told Ann that I felt that I should drive on the tire. She - seeing no other solution - reluctantly agreed.

I started driving slowly on the shoulder. There was a grinding noise that made me think that the metal rim was touching the ground at times. There was also a repeating "flabunk" sound happening. "Flabunk, flabunk, flabunk..." I was praying for this old car to hold up under the new strain that I was putting on it.

Fairly soon, there was no noise at all. I got going somewhat faster but was puzzled why I wasn't hearing any noise. Without any effort, I got back on the Autobahn and eventually was traveling at speeds in excess of 60 miles an hour with no evidence that anything was wrong with the tire. I drove 45 minutes on that tire and pulled into a parking space in front of the apartment building where we lived on the German economy. I got out of the car and walked over to the right side to look at the tire. It was no longer flat. I could not accept this. Thinking that I was tired, I walked completely around the car checking each of the tires to see if one of them was flat. All the tires were fine. I was dumbfounded and awed as I returned to the right front tire. We were hearing about the Second Coming of Christ in the coffeehouse during that season. I remembered hearing this verse: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:20-21) I looked up at the full moon and it did seem to be light red. I felt sure that the Lord was returning that night. I didn't sleep that night and made very sure that we were saved. We both prayed the sinner's prayer again. When the next morning arrived without Christ returning, I was both relieved and disappointed at the same time.

I got ready to go to work. When I went out to my car, I discovered that the front right tire was flat again and sitting on its rim. I was late to work that day but it was a great day. I experienced an awe of God's nearness all day. By the way, the rim was not damaged and the tire was not destroyed by me driving on it. We had it repaired.
[END QUOTE]

In a sense you could say that God multiplied air in the tire till it was no longer urgently needed. The tire went flat after they safely arrived home. Similar to how the miracle of the liquid vitamins ended when it was no longer urgently needed. Or similar to how Mike Yeager's vehicle would no longer run with little or no gas in the tank when they finally had money to pay for gas.

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I'll add more testimonies as I encounter them.

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Answering A Question on the Gift(s) of Healing

 

In one of my blogposts I've been having a discussion on healing with rgbrao. Read the entire discussion there. But I wanted to create a new blogpost for one of the questions rgbrao asked and my response to it. 

rgbrao wrote:

Ok. So a common line given by Cess's is that while healing does take place, there is no such thing as the gift of healing that inheres in a person.

My response w/ recourse to Sorites (aka the paradox of the heap) is that the gift of healing has to be possible. Sorites is similar to the Bald Man paradox. Let me post that here from Oxford Reference:

"Suppose a man has a full head of hair: if he loses one hair he will still have a full head of hair. But if he loses enough hairs he will become bald."

~ Likewise in reverse. If we add a single hair to a bald man, he is still bald. Add yet another and he is still bald. And another and another... we are still constrained to saying that the man is bald yet we know that he is no longer bald. There simply is a point where we have to say that the guy is not bald.

Like so if we say that the gift of healing does not exist and I point out to an event, say Joe's being healed upon prayer by Jane, and say Jane has the gift of healing, Cess's will say no. One healing does not a healer make. But what if Jane repeats the event with Joan and then later with Jeff and another, and another, etc.

Then can we say Jane has the gift of healing? I think so.

Ok. I picked up the Concentric Cessationist lingo from Daniel Wallace in this article. https://bible.org/article/uneasy-conscience-non-charismatic-evangelical

He does not go into it too deep however.

Thanks!

Raj

Here was my response: 

Yes, I've been aware of the sorites paradox for years. I've used it in various arguments. I disagree with you and agree with the cessationist. No matter how many times someone is healed by the prayers of person X, that, by itself, doesn't prove that X has the gift of healing. Since, it could be the pray-er's godliness that God is responding to [as per James 5:16b], or that person's "grace of faith" [as distinct from "the gift of faith"]. Or maybe the pray-er is exercising the gift of the working of miracles, or maybe the gift of faith, or maybe has cast out an evil spirit of infirmity.

So, I agree with the cessationist, that no amount of successive successful healing is proof anyone has the gift of healing (technically giftS [plural] of healing). Also, I don't think the gift of healing guarantees that everyone he prays for will be healed. Only that he has more extraordinary success in praying for healing than normal.

On the one hand, as a Calvinist, I think people are only healed if God decreed the person to be healed at that time. Yet, on the other hand, as an extreme continuationist, I believe that it's theoretically possible for someone to successfully heal anyone at any time given God's promise that all things are possible to him who believes [Mark 9:23]. As a Calvinist I believe that faith is always ultimately the gift of God [whether via the normally developed "grace of faith" or the extraordinary temporarily endowed/deposited "gift of faith"]. I believe God encourages Christians to always have faith for healing, even though God might not have decreed person Y be healed at time T. I believe we should leave God to work in His sovereignty as He pleases, but attempt to always have faith at all times for healing as God encourages and commands us to. There is an apparent contradiction in that, but not a real contradiction.

Having said all that, I think there might be times when God might supernaturally reveal that it's not His will to heal person S at time T maybe ever [e.g. it might be his time to die]. But unless God clearly and unambiguously reveals it's not His will to heal person S, then we have biblical warrant to do our best to exercise faith for S's healing. EVEN THEN, maybe faith might be able to "trump" God's revealed intention. Remember how God revealed to Hezekiah that he was about to die, yet God heard Hezekiah's prayers and granted the king 15 more years. Or think of how Jesus, speaking as God's messiah, told the Syro-Phoenician that He was sent to the House of Israel and basically implied that He wasn't going to heal her daughter. Yet, because of her persistence, Jesus healed her daughter anyway. In such cases, I would have to say that God ultimately intended to heal them. God's secret decree to heal, was hidden by His temporary revelation that it wasn't His intention (at least at time T1) to heal (thought it was at time T5).

Again, see this excellent article by Vincent Cheung. There is a sense in which, as he said, "Faith trumps everything."

Faith Override by Vincent Cheung: 

https://www.vincentcheung.com/2016/04/08/faith-override/