HEALTH & HEALING
INSPIRATIONAL SCRIPTURES
...including barriers to healing
Step 11
USE THE POWER OF PRAYER
Throughout our daily life, and through all our trials we must use the power of prayer. But, the power of prayer is NOT automatic. We must line up with Gods Kingdom. That’s very, very important!
First of all, when asked how to pray, Jesus answered the following...
Matthew 6:5-13
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And thank you for forgiving us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those that have sinned against us).
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom (of which you are pleased to give us) and the power (of which you give us the authority of) and the glory (of which we tell all and announce to others) forever. Amen.’]
As part of our prayer journey, here are verses in the Bible that tell us How to pray (from Harvestime International Network):
HOW TO PRAY:
You can look up each of the following references in your Bible to learn how you should pray:
- Prayer is to be made to God: Psalms 5:2
- Empty repetition is forbidden, but earnest repetition is not: Matthew 6:7; Daniel 6:10; Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8
- You sin by neglecting to pray for others: I Samuel 12:23
- Pray with understanding (in a known tongue): Ephesians 6:18
- Pray in the Spirit: Romans 8:26; Jude 20
- Pray according to the will of God: I John 5:14-15
- Pray in secret: Matthew 6:6
- Quality rather than quantity is stressed. Prayer is not successful because of "much speaking": Matthew 6:7
- Pray always: Luke 21:36; Ephesians 6:18
- Pray continually: Romans 12:12
- Pray without ceasing: I Thessalonians 5:17
- Pray to the Father in the name of Jesus: John 15:16
- With a watchful attitude: I Peter 4:7
- Pray according to the example of the model prayer: Matthew 6:9-13 (known as the Lord's Prayer)
- Pray with a forgiving spirit: Mark 11:25
- Pray with humility: Matthew 6:7
- Sometimes accompany prayer with fasting: Matthew 17:21
- Pray fervently: James 5:16; Colossians 4:12
- Pray with submission to God: Luke 22:42
- Believe that you have what you pray for: Matthew 21:22
There can be reasons that our prayers are not being answered, and it can also be why we are not receiving an answer to our healing (from Harvestime International Network):
HINDRANCES TO PRAYER:
- Sin of any kind: Isaiah 59:1-2; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 1:15; Proverbs 28:9
- Idols in the heart: Ezekiel 14:1-3
- An unforgiving spirit: Mark 11:25; Matthew 5:23
- Selfishness, wrong motives: Proverbs 21:13; James 4:3
- Power hungry, manipulative prayers: James 4:2-3
- Wrong treatment of marriage partner: 1 Peter 3:7
- Self-righteousness: Luke 18:10-14
- Unbelief: James 1:6-7
- Not abiding in Christ and His Word: John 15:7
- Lack of compassion: Proverbs 21:13
- Hypocrisy, pride, meaningless repetition: Matthew 6:5; Job 35:12-13
- Not asking according to the will of God: James 4:2-3
- Not asking in Jesus' name: John 16:24
- Satanic demonic hindrances: Daniel 10:10-13; Ephesians 6:12
- Not seeking first, the Kingdom: It is only when you seek first the Kingdom of God that you are promised the "other things": Matthew 6:33
- God has a higher purpose in denying your request: II Corinthians 12:8-9
- When you do not know how to pray as you should, prayer is hindered. This is why it is important to let the Holy Spirit pray through you: Romans 8:26
There’s good news about prayer even if you don’t know how to pray as we should…
Romans 8:26-30
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
No Surprise, but Righteousness is key...
James 5:13-18
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders (men meeting the definition in the Bible, that is, of holiness and righteousness before God) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith (conviction and belief) will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective (to be operative, be at work, put forth power and mighty) prayer of a righteous (upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God man) can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours (righteous that is), and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
The most important point and most overlooked by Christians and the Church as a whole is revealed in the above passage in James. I’ve added in parenthesis the appropriate definitions in order to clarify. The first clue is that elders were called to heal. Elders were carefully selected by the Church and were required to be holy and righteous before God. This is what made the prayer for healing effective!
In like manner, verse 16 calls for us to pray for one another. For the prayer to be effective and accomplish much (for yourself and/or others), that is, to carry with it the power of God, it must be done by one that is righteous as defined as upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God. One might expect then that prayer goes unanswered because the one praying does not meet the righteous standard. All that needs to be done, then, to meet the standard is to seek God first in everything, praying always and receive the help of His grace, grace defined as “of merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues, in order to conform us to His son Jesus. As we conform it must follow that prayers (or access to God’s power) are more and more powerful. You might say it is the secret to power.
In summary, if prayer goes unanswered, even though done with the heart and a measure of faith, one’s righteousness must be increased, then power will be increased. This will require giving of oneself to Gods Word, studying it, spending more time in it and spending less time pursuing things of the world. It becomes a choice of what’s more important, pursuing self-interest and things of the world or pursuing health and healing of oneself and others and the things of God. It’s our choice…but our fallen nature will disagree and fight against our very soul. That’s why we must pray for Gods help and grace, and He will answer and “kindle” us toward His ways.
In this age of prosperity, or any age of prosperity, it becomes increasingly difficult to pursue faith, righteousness and more effective prayer as the free flow of money encourages our fallen nature to pursue every desire that the world offers. God needs followers of zeal for Him that are willing to forego the supposed exciting things of the world and to recognize that the things of the world, as King Solomon said, are “chasing the wind” and are “temporal” in nature, not giving any value to the soul or eternity.
Here are some more verses about prayer to help…
Isaiah 59:2 ESV
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
John 9:31 ESV
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
Psalm 66:18 ESV
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Proverbs 15:29 ESV
The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
James 1:6-7 ESV
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Colossians 4:2 ESV
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Matthew 21:22 ESV
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
1 John 5:14-15 ESV
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 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.
1 John 3:21-22 NLT
21 Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.
Matthew 21:22
And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
1 Peter 3:12
12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,
BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”
Always pray to God the Father only and pray it “in Jesus name” or to Jesus as our advocate with the Father…
John 16:23-24 The Way
At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask Him, and He will give you what you ask for because you use my name…Ask, using my name and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow.
Pray with someone if you like…
Matthew 18:19-20 ESV
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Pray for others, not just for yourself…
Numbers 11:1-2
1 Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out.
Numbers 12:9-16 NLT
9 The LORD was very angry with them, and he departed. 10 As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy. When Aaron saw what had happened to her, 11 he cried out to Moses, “Oh, my master! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, already decayed at birth.” 13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, I beg you, please heal her I pray!” 14 But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had done nothing more than spit in her face, wouldn’t she be defiled for seven days? So keep her outside the camp for seven days, and after that she may be accepted back.” 15 So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they traveled again. 16 Then they left Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
The Power of Prayer…
James 5:17-18
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
James 5:16
The effective (to be operative, be at work, put forth power and mighty) prayer of a righteous (upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God man) can accomplish much.
Genesis 20:17
Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children.
Job 42:8
…My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve…
A heart of love, a heart of love even for your enemies, a heart devoid of bitterness, devoid of envy, devoid of un-forgiveness and full of mercy… that is a heart where prayer will avail for much and show its power from God!
One final note: When you get a healing in any area of your life, you may need to hold onto it. You may still have lingering beliefs that you are not really healed and the enemy, who will not be happy, may argue with you. Go back to the Spiritual Warfare section for help.
Take hold of your healing, do not be moved...
The bottom line, after hearing and hearing (or reading) God’s word in these pages, we must come to a conclusion of who we are as followers and believers of Jesus:
Satan, in the Garden of Eden, caused sin to enter the world, but Jesus came to redeem us from it. According to Isaiah 53:4-5, we are redeemed, if we believe in Him, from all our sickness, anxiety, disease, physical and mental pain. Further, we are healed and made whole by what He did at the cross. It doesn’t matter what sins we have done.