HEALIN G

ON THE STREETS

TRAINING

INDEX

2) Healing on the Streets 3) Knowing your position in Christ 4) Healing the sick Gods love in action 5) How Healing Comes 6) Healing On The Streets Prayer Model 8) Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit 10) Releasing the Holy Spirit 11) Learning to keep our eyes on Jesus! 12) Faith for healing 16) Healing passages 37) Practical tips for healing on the streets 39) So how does this work? 41) Dos and donts 43) A guide for speakers 47) APPENDIX Sample Letter

(This manual for healing on the streets is an ongoing work and subject to change. We hope it will bless you and help you to reach the sick and hurting.out on the streets. Mark Marx 21/04/07) Text Mark Marx 2007 (mark.marx@btinternet.com)

HEALING ON THE STREETS

Jesus has commissioned us to heal the sick. Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

What did Jesus command his disciples to do? Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have skin diseases, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:7-9 As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Luke 9:2,6 And he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

First Jesus sends out the twelve with authority over every sickness, disease, and evil spirits. Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

Then Jesus sends the out seventy-two with the same authority. Luke 10:9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, The kingdom of God is near you. Luke 10:17-20 The seventy two returned with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. He replied, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

The authority that Jesus was given is the authority he now gives to us! Jesus has given us the go ahead GO AND HEAL THE SICK! 4

Knowing Your Position in Christ

When you know Gods will concerning healing, your position in Christ, and the authority he gives you over sickness, disease, and demons, you can pray with authority and assurance. We must learn to pray with authority from a place of rest.

Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father on a throne of power and authority. He is the King of all Kings! Everything is under his feet. Incomparably (nothing compares!) great power is available to those who believe. Thats power to heal any sickness or disease. Ephesians 1:17-23 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

We also have been raised with Jesus, and are seated with him on a throne of power and authority! Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Colossians 3:2-3 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Healing the Sick Gods love in action

Our motivation for going out on the streets should be the compelling love of Christ. Whether they are healed or not, people who come to the chairs for prayer should be left in no doubt afterwards that God loves them, and that here are a group of Christ passionate people who truly care and show love. Ministering healing is a wonderful opportunity to show Gods love and compassion. Remember that God loves the person who you are praying for, and sent His son to die for them also. Always treat the person you are praying for with respect, dignity, gentleness, kindness, and love. God wants to show His love through you! Love and Compassion Our motivation for healing the sick 2 Corinthians 5:14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. Jesus was full of love and compassion for people Matthew 14:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean! John 11:32-35 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Where have you laid him? he asked. Come and see, Lord, they replied. Jesus wept.

We must clothe ourselves with His compassion Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

We must be filled with His love Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6

Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His love and compassion. We need this on a daily basis and especially if we are praying for the sick.

How Healing Comes

We believe God can heal every sickness, pain, crippling disease, or deformity, and can bring life to the dead. We also know, and are not afraid to acknowledge that some are not healed. So how does healing come, and what do you say and do when there is no sign of healing? We never make promises of healing, or guarantee someone will be healed. We never tell someone they are healed until they have confirmed it. They will either be instantly healed, experience partial healing, or have no sign of healing. Its important to find out which of these three they have experienced. 1) Healing comes instantly When you have prayed, a person can be healed instantly. Always ask the person to test their healing out as soon as youve finished praying. Obviously for some it may mean a trip to the doctor for tests. When they have confirmed this you can say to them, God has healed you. 2) Partial Healing The person may experience various degrees of healing. You can say to them, God is in the process of healing you. Their complete healing can come in 15 minutes, a day, a week, a month. We explain how healing works and say to them Please come back and let us know how you are. We are here every week and if you need more prayer we would love to pray for you again. You can come back as many times as you need. You can visit us on Sunday and we can pray for you some more. We leave them in a place of faith. 3) No sign of Healing At least two things can happen. a) There is no sign they have been healed but as they go they are healed. They can discover a day or more later they have been healed. There is gradual healing after they leave. b) When you have prayed there is no sign of healing, and no change in their condition at all afterwards. This is what we say: If you havent been healed right now, its not a sign that God doesnt love you or theres anything wrong with your faith, or that youre not going to be healed. God loves you and is passionate about you We teach them that sometimes they can experience Gods healing later onit can be gradual or instant.

If they dont experience any change in their condition, again tell them to come back for more prayer. Some people are never healed physically but have been touched by Gods love and care. Remember this is happening in an environment of love and compassion.

Healing On The Streets Prayer Model

This gentle ministry works within a loving and compassionate environment, full of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It is marked by a true sense of peace. Its in this environment we pray for the sick. Two or three of the team will go to anyone taking a seat. Introduce yourself and those with you. We prefer men praying with men and women praying for women. Men can pray for a women, only if there are women present in the group, but be sensitive to the fact that the woman being prayed for may only want to share with other women. Ask the person for their name and remember to use their name when talking to them and throughout prayer. Rememberalways pray with respect, dignity, gentleness, kindness, and love.

1. Where Does It Hurt? Matthew 20:32 Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. Simply ask, What do you want me to pray for? What would you like Jesus to do for you? Listen carefully to what they are saying. Listen to the Holy Spirit, let Him guide you.

2. Explain How You Are Going To Pray. Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Mark 16: 17, 18 And these signs will accompany those who believe..they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Always ask permission to lay your hands on someone before you pray. Dont place your hands on inappropriate places.

3. Invite The Holy Spirit. Luke 5: 17 And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Keep your eyes open as you invite the Holy Spirits presence. The Holy Spirit may already be on the person. Watch for signs of his presence, shaking, trembling, tears, eyelids fluttering, sheen to the face, sense of peace, laughter, heat. 9

4. The Prayer of Authority. Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Take authority over the condition, and speak a word of command. I command this (name the condition) to go in the name of Jesus. i.e I command cancer to shrivel and die. We forbid this cancer life. We reverse the damage that cancer has caused. Be healed in the name of Jesus!

5. Prayer of Peace and the Knowledge of Gods Love Once you have prayed the prayer of command over a condition or situation, pray for Gods peace, and a knowledge of Gods love for that person. You now have an opportunity to pray and share whatever the Holy Spirit is saying to this person. Keep in eye contact with other team members as they may have something more to pray or share. 6. Exercise Faith Once you have finished praying get the person to test out their healing. Remember the teaching on How Healing Comes (p6) At this point you can pray for them some more if the Holy Spirit prompts you. If you have prayed and they are healed, tell them to thank God and share their story with someone. We dont encourage people to stop taking any medication if they feel they have been healed. Tell them to go to the doctors first to get checked up, and receive advice on coming off their medication.

7. How to Pursue God 10

When you have finished offer the A5 envelope as they go. Inside is a letter covering who we are, what we have done, why we did it and what they should do next (APPENDIX p47). We hand this to everyone we pray for. It encourages them to pursue God further and included in the A5 envelope with this letter is a copy of Why Jesus. Remember to invite them back.

Our Bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit!

Recognizing the Holy Spirit and learning to live in His presence. Jesus lives in us by His Spirit! Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Our Bodies have been likened to the temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

The Temple consisted of the Courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place was where Gods Presence dwelt. The Bible teaches the nature of God is three-fold, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created us in His image (Gen 1:27) and gave us a spirit, soul and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our spirit is the place the Holy Spirit comes to live when we become Christians, and becomes the Most Holy Place. The Holy Spirit lives intertwined with our spirit. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,

Our soul is our character, emotions and mind. with the physical world.

Our bodies interface

Jesus said he would send us another Counselor, that isanother like Jesus. 11

John 14:16-20 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

The Holy Spirit is the Counselor John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 16:13-14 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. John 15:26-27 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

The Holy Spirit empowers us Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His power, teach and lead you. He is our friend and partner in evangelism. Expect His gifts to flow. Expect words of knowledge, discernment, insight, promptings, and faith to be released. Expect the Holy Spirit to speak to you! Acts 8:29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

The Holy Spirit longs for our fellowship. It is possible to quench and grieve the Holy Spirit through disobedience and sin. Always keep short accounts with God. As we develop our relationship with Him and become aware of His presence, we will see more of an outpouring of supernatural power for healings, signs, and wonders. Our ongoing, growing relationship with 12

Him is vital. He will teach us, guide us, and lead us into amazing adventures with God.

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Releasing the Holy Spirit

There are areas of our life and character that can hinder the Holy Spirit from moving. Whenever the Holy Spirit highlights something in our life that is a hindrance to Him, allow God to deal with it. This process takes time and involves obedience, honesty, and pain, but ultimately means experiencing more freedom for us and the Holy Spirit. Life is in a grain of wheat, but there is a shell, a very hard shell on the outside. As long as that shell is not split open , the wheat cannot grow. The question is not whether there is life within, but whether the outside shell is cracked open. Watchman Nee John 12:24-24 I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Brokenness releases His Presence. 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. Mark 14:3 A woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Luke 7:37-38 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. John 12:3 And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Imagine the impact a pint of perfume poured out in a room can make. When we have allowed God to break us, we are the fragrance of Christ as the Holy Spirit is released. 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. Psalm 45:7-8 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of 14

joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad.

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Learning to keep our eyes on Jesus!

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When praying for the sick never take your eyes off Jesus. Dont focus on the problem! Matthew 14:25-31 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. It's a ghost, they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid. Lord, if it's you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water. Come, he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, Lord, save me! Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. You of little faith, he said, why did you doubt?

Peter was walking on water. He took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the problem...He saw big wind, big waves! That caused him to sink. Doubt paralyses faith. Dont panic! Many Christians begin to panic when nothing seems to be happening. A lot more is happening than you can see. Dont rush. Pray from the place of rest. Worship God silently in your spirit and allow the presence of The Holy Spirit to increase. Acknowledging and welcoming the Holy Spirit helps. Sometimes we just need to allow the person to soak in His presence first. God is always in control even if the situation looks messy just look to Jesus again. Should your faith continue to nose-dive while praying, just ask your partner to take over, dont dig a hole for yourself! Remember you are never alone!

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Faith for healing

Faith says : If the impossible is the only obstacleit can be done!

A Definition of Faith: Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

The Obstacle of Unbelief Unbelief can hinder Healing and a move of God, particularly in the church. Unbelief is the opposite of Faith, it is Faith in reverse. Pastors have to tackle doubt and unbelief in the church before we see healing, signs and wonders taking place on a daily basis. We have to push it back. Mark 6:5-6 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Jesus wasnt able to do any miracles in his own home town. He was amazed at their unbelief. Unbelief hinders God.

Mark 5:39-41 He went in and said to them, Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep. But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). Jesus told those who had no faith to go outside so that the healing could take place.

Active Faith or Dead Faith? Its one thing believing and saying that God can heal the sickits another thing to start laying hands on the sick to heal them. Put your faith into action and it will grow, and you will see more people healed. 17

James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But my faith is so small! Quality creates Quantity
Matthew 17:20 He replied, Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Quality of a Mustard seed

Mark 4:31-32 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade. Romans 12:3...In accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. God has given each of us a measure of faith. Its not what you have that matters.its what you do with it that makes the difference! Faith grows as you continually put it into action.

Anchor your Faith in Jesus and what he has already done! Our Faith for Healing is anchored in the fact that 2000 years ago Jesus died not only for our sins but every sickness and disease. Surely means Without doubt
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Matthew 8:14-17 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother in law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. When evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.

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The Ideal situation when praying for healing is when the one praying has faiththe one receiving has faith, and anyone present has faith.

Lets look at three exampleswho had faith for healing?

1) John 11:43-44 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, Take off the grave clothes and let him go. Obviously Jesus! If Jesus hadnt called Lazarus by name perhaps all the dead in the tombs would have come out!

2) Mark 10:46-52 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me! Jesus stopped and said, Call him. So they called to the blind man, Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you. Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him. The blind man said, Rabbi, I want to see. Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Bartimaeus had faith for healing. 1) He shouted all the more. 2) He threw his cloak aside (the cloak signified blindness). 3) He jumped to his feet and came to Jesus

3) Luke 5:17-2 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.

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The paralytics friends had faith. They overcame obstacles to getting their friend to Jesus. They made a big hole in someone elses roof! Faith can be visible! Acts 14:8-10 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, Stand up on your feet! At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

You can actually see faith on people as you talk to them. Its possible to see faith grow as you share with them. Paul didnt even have to pray...he just told the man to stand up!

Build faith in people before you minister to them. Build faith in those around you. Share healing stories, let people know what you believe and what God says. As you do, your faith is built as well as those around you. We are looking for the Holy Spirits presence. Create an atmosphere of faith where God can move. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Worship, praise and thank him. Dont be in a rush, pray from the place of rest. Acknowledge the Holy Spirit and what He is doing. Keep an eye on what he is doing and may want to do. Ask the Holy Spirit if theres anything He wants to say or do. He is your partner! Dont be distracted away from the Lord. Remembernever panic!Hes always in control.even if we feel were out of our depth. Call for help if you need it.

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Healing Passages
I thoroughly recommend you study these passages over and over again. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight. Underline every healing passage in your bible. Youll soon catch the heart of God! Take note of the different ways healing took place. Jesus was full of compassion when he ministered to peopleso must we be.
Matthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

Notice that Jesus healed every sick person. It is still His will to heal people today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Matthew 8:2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Matthew 8:3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Mark 1:40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Mark 1:42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Luke 5:12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Luke 5:13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.

Jesus was willing to heal the sick back then, and He is still willing to heal the sick today. Notice that He did the healing by laying hands on the man and commanding the man's body to be healed. Jesus did not pray for the healing (in the sense of asking God to heal the man), He commanded it. Healing works exactly the same way today.
Matthew 8:5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. Matthew 8:6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." Matthew 8:7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." Matthew 8:8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. Matthew 8:9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Matthew 8:11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

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Matthew 8:13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour. Luke 7:2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. Luke 7:3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. Luke 7:4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, Luke 7:5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." Luke 7:6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. Luke 7:7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. Luke 7:8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Luke 7:10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Healing requires faith today just as it did two thousand years ago.
Matthew 8:14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. Matthew 8:15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. Mark 1:30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. Mark 1:31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. Luke 4:38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. Luke 4:39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

Again we see Jesus healing someone by laying hands on the person. Notice that she got up and was healed. This is an important principle that we will see over and over in these Scripture passages. It is important for the sick person to put his or her faith into action. Many times the healings don't happen until people mix action with their faith. This is just as true today as it was in the first century. Also, notice that Jesus did not pray for the woman to be healed, He spoke to the fever and rebuked it, and it left her. Healing often works exactly the same way today.
Matthew 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. Matthew 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." Mark 1:32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. Mark 1:33 The whole town gathered at the door, Mark 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

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Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Luke 4:41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.

Over and over Jesus healed all of the sick people who were brought to Him. It is His will to heal, then and now. Notice that He did not pray for the demons to leave, He rebuked them and commanded them to come out, He drove them out with a word. Deliverance works just the same way today and is often just as easy as in this passage.
Matthew 8:28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. Matthew 8:29 "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" Matthew 8:30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. Matthew 8:31 The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." Matthew 8:32 He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Mark 5:1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. Mark 5:2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. Mark 5:3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. Mark 5:4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Mark 5:5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. Mark 5:6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. Mark 5:7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" Mark 5:8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" Mark 5:9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." Mark 5:10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. Mark 5:11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. Mark 5:12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." Mark 5:13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Luke 8:26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. Luke 8:27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. Luke 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" Luke 8:29 For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

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Luke 8:30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. Luke 8:31 And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. Luke 8:32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. Luke 8:33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Notice that Jesus first commanded the demon to come out, then he asked the man or the demon a question ("What is your name?") to get some more information, then He completed the deliverance. Healing and deliverance work the same way today. We should interview the sick person to get some information before doing the healing, then we should ask further questions after the healing to determine if there are any further needs. Notice in Luke 8:29 (above) that the demons did not immediately leave when Jesus commanded them to go. Sometimes we have to be persistent when doing deliverance.
Matthew 9:2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." Matthew 9:3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" Matthew 9:4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Matthew 9:5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? Matthew 9:6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." Matthew 9:7 And the man got up and went home. Matthew 9:8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. Mark 2:3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Mark 2:4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, Mark 2:7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Mark 2:8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Mark 2:9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? Mark 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, Mark 2:11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Mark 2:12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" Luke 5:17 One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Luke 5:18 Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.

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Luke 5:19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Luke 5:22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Luke 5:23 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? Luke 5:24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Luke 5:25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

Here again we see that healing requires faith. Also, we see Jesus commanding the man to be healed (not praying for God to heal the man), and we see the man putting his faith into action and then receiving his healing.
Matthew 9:18 While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live." Matthew 9:19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Matthew 9:23 When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, Matthew 9:24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. Matthew 9:25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. Mark 5:22 Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet Mark 5:23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." Mark 5:24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. Mark 5:35 While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Mark 5:36 Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Mark 5:37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. Mark 5:38 When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. Mark 5:39 He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." Mark 5:40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. Mark 5:41 He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Mark 5:42 Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. Luke 8:41 Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house Luke 8:42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was

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on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. Luke 8:49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." Luke 8:50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." Luke 8:51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. Luke 8:52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." Luke 8:53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. Luke 8:54 But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" Luke 8:55 Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

This is another example of Jesus healing someone by the laying-on of hands. Another point is demonstrated here as well. Jesus stressed that the father of the dead girl needed to have faith, and because healing requires faith it sometimes helps to have all those who are full of unbelief to leave the room. Even Jesus told those who had no faith to go outside so that the healing could take place.
Matthew 9:20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. Matthew 9:21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Matthew 9:22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Mark 5:25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. Mark 5:26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. Mark 5:27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, Mark 5:28 because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Mark 5:29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. Mark 5:30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" Mark 5:31 "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" Mark 5:32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Mark 5:33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. Mark 5:34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." Luke 8:43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. Luke 8:44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. Luke 8:45 "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." Luke 8:46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Luke 8:47 Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Luke 8:48 Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."

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This is another example of the laying-on of hands, but in reverse. The sick woman laid hands on Jesus' garment, and she was healed because she put her faith into action. This method of healing works today just as well as it did back then. Many people have been healed in this way because it releases the sick person's faith and allows the healing to take place. Notice that lots of people were pressing against Jesus, but the woman's faith drew healing power from Jesus. In fact, this healing took Jesus by surprise, because He didn't know who had been healed. Jesus did not "do" this healing, it was her faith that brought about the healing.
Matthew 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" Matthew 9:28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" "Yes, Lord," they replied. Matthew 9:29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; Matthew 9:30 and their sight was restored.

Another example of Jesus healing people by laying hands on them. We are specifically told that He laid hands on the problem area, the men's eyes. It is usually best to lay hands as close to the problem area as possible because this allows the healing power of the Holy Spirit to be applied as directly as possible to the sickness or injury. We will see Jesus doing this over and over. Notice that Jesus said the healing was based on their faith. This is just as true today as it was back then.
Matthew 9:32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. Matthew 9:33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." Matthew 9:34 But the Pharisees said, "It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons."

This passage demonstrates that physical afflictions are sometimes caused by demons. Cast out the demon and then either the affliction is gone or else it can easily be cured. This is just as true today as it was back then. Also, notice the reaction of the religious leaders (the Pharisees). They accused the things of God as being of the devil. Christians sometimes do the same thing today, so we need to expect a certain amount of persecution from our brothers and sisters when we step out in obedience to Christ by laying hands on the sick. Love them anyway!
Matthew 9:35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus had compassion on people, and He healed every sick person who came to Him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and He still has compassion on us and He still heals by the laying-on of hands. The only difference is that now He lives in us and He uses our hands for healing the sick. 27

Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Matthew 10:6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. Matthew 10:7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Mark 3:14 He appointed twelve--designating them apostles --that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach Mark 3:15 and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. Mark 6:12 They went out and preached that people should repent. Mark 6:13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, Luke 9:2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:6 So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.

Christ gave the twelve disciples the authority to heal every disease and sickness and He gave us the very same authority in the Great Commission
Matthew 11:2 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples Matthew 11:3 to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Matthew 11:4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: Matthew 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Luke 7:21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. Luke 7:22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

In addition to Jesus' compassion for the sick, one of the biggest purposes for healing was to prove that Jesus is the Son of God and to bring people into the Kingdom. We are part of the same New Testament Church that the apostles were a part of (there is no such thing as an "early Church" and a "modern Church," it is all the same Church!), and healing has the same purpose and the same importance today as it did back then.
Matthew 12:9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, Matthew 12:10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Matthew 12:11 He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? Matthew 12:12 How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Matthew 12:13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.

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Mark 3:1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Mark 3:2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Mark 3:3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." Mark 3:4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. Mark 3:5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Luke 6:6 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. Luke 6:7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. Luke 6:8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. Luke 6:9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" Luke 6:10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.

Jesus commanded the man to put his faith into action, and when the man stretched out his hand it was healed. This principle is just as true today.
Matthew 12:15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick

Jesus healed all the sick. It is His will to heal the sick. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Matthew 12:22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. Matthew 12:23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Luke 11:14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.

Again, casting out a demon is sometimes all it takes to get someone healed, both then and now.
Matthew 13:57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." Matthew 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Mark 6:4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." Mark 6:5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Mark 6:6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

When you step out in obedience to Christ and begin laying hands on the sick, people (often other Christians) will be offended, so expect it. Notice that Jesus could not do many miracles in His hometown because of their lack of faith. Faith is just as important today.
Matthew 14:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

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Jesus had compassion on people and He healed all the sick who came to Him, all throughout His ministry. His compassion and healing continue to this day.
Matthew 14:34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. Matthew 14:35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him Matthew 14:36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed. Mark 6:53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. Mark 6:54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. Mark 6:55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Mark 6:56 And wherever he went--into villages, towns or countryside--they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

This is another example of putting faith into action for healing, and it is also another example of the laying-on of hands in reverse (people were laying hands on Jesus' cloak as a point of contact for their faith). Both of these are just as true and valid today.
Matthew 15:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demonpossession." Matthew 15:23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." Matthew 15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." Matthew 15:25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. Matthew 15:26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Matthew 15:27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Mark 7:25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. Mark 7:26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. Mark 7:27 "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." Mark 7:28 "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Mark 7:29 Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." Mark 7:30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Bread was a staple of life in the first century, meaning that it was a standard part of meals in those days. This is why the word "bread" is used in so many illustrations in the Gospels. Notice that Jesus described healing and deliverance as the "bread" of the children of Israel (the children of the Old Covenant). In other words, Jesus considered healing to be as important for them as bread was important in their daily meals. As Christians, we are under the New Covenant, 30

which is founded upon better promises than the Old Covenant was (Hebrews 8:6). If healing and deliverance were "bread" to the children of the Old Covenant, how can we have "better" promises if healing and deliverance are not available to us today? That would be worse than the promises of the Old Covenant! Also, the principle of persistence is demonstrated here. We need to be persistent when ministering healing. We do not know everything there is to know about divine healing, so if one thing does not work then we need to keep trying other things and being persistent. If we are unable to minister healing to people, then they should allow other people to lay hands on them because their persistence will ultimately pay off. Only God knows why the healing is delayed, but He honours persistence.
Matthew 15:29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Matthew 15:30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. Matthew 17:14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. Matthew 17:15 "Lord, have mercy on my son," he said. "He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. Matthew 17:16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." Matthew 17:17 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Matthew 17:18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Matthew 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Mark 9:17 A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Mark 9:18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." Mark 9:19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." Mark 9:20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Mark 9:21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. Mark 9:22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Mark 9:23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." Mark 9:26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." Mark 9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. Mark 9:28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why

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couldn't we drive it out?" Mark 9:29 He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer." Luke 9:38 A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. Luke 9:39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. Luke 9:40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not." Luke 9:41 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." Luke 9:42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

The disciples, who had done many healings and deliverances by this time (see Mark 6:7-13), were unable to cast out this demon. Jesus explained that "This kind can come out only by prayer" (some manuscripts say, "by prayer and fasting"). Jesus said that prayer was needed for casting out this kind of spirit, but notice that He did not pray for the demon to go. He rebuked it and commanded it to go. In other words, Jesus led a lifestyle of prayer and fasting which put Him in the position to be able to cast this demon out. Another thing to note in this passage is that the disciples were unable to bring about the healing because they did not have adequate knowledge concerning how to cast this kind of demon out. This holds true even today. The more we learn about healing, the more knowledge and experience we acquire, the more people we will see being healed.
Matthew 19:1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Matthew 19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Matthew 20:29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Matthew 20:30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Matthew 20:31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Matthew 20:32 Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. Matthew 20:33 "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." Matthew 20:34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. Mark 10:49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Mark 10:50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. Mark 10:51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Luke 18:35 begging. Luke 18:36 Luke 18:37 Luke 18:38 Luke 18:39 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he

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shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Luke 18:40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, Luke 18:41 "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. Luke 18:42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Luke 18:43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Another important principle is being demonstrated here. Notice that Jesus interviewed the blind men in order to determine what healing they needed. This is equally important when we are ministering healing today. We need to determine what the physical problem is, what the medical diagnosis is, how the problem happened (car accident, etc.), where the pain or affliction is in the body, and so on. This information helps us to lay hands on or near the actual affliction and to command healing for the specific problem. Notice that Jesus laid hands on the specific area of the men's affliction, their eyes.
Matthew 21:14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. Mark 1:23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, Mark 1:24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Mark 1:25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" Mark 1:26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. Luke 4:33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, Luke 4:34 "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" Luke 4:35 "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. Mark 1:30-31 (see Matthew 8:14-15) Mark 1:32-34 (see Matthew 8:16-17) Mark 1:40-42 (see Matthew 8:2-3) Mark 2:3-12 (see Matthew 9:2-8) Mark 3:1-5 (see Matthew 12:9-13) Mark 3:9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. Mark 3:10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Mark 3:11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." Mark 3:14-15 (see Matthew 10:1-8) Mark 5:1-13 (see Matthew 8:28-32) Mark 5:22-42 (see Matthew 9:18-25) Mark 5:25-34 (see Matthew 9:20-22) Mark 6:4-5 (see Matthew 13:57-58) Mark 6:7-13 (see Matthew 10:1-8) Mark 6:53-56 (see Matthew 14:34-36) Mark 7:25-30 (see Matthew 15:21-28) Mark 7:32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. Mark 7:33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.

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Mark 7:34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). Mark 7:35 At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

The people knew that Jesus healed by the laying-on of hands, so they begged Him to place His hands on the deaf mute person. Jesus still heals by the laying-on of hands, only it is our hands that He uses, since we are His body here on earth. Notice that Jesus laid His hands on the specific areas which needed healing. Even today we find that healing often works best when hands are laid on or near the afflicted area of the body. Also note that Jesus did not pray for the healing to take place, He commanded the healing. Finally, notice that Jesus first took the man away from the crowd, away from any doubt and unbelief. These same principles of healing are just as valid today.
Mark 8:22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. Mark 8:23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" Mark 8:24 He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Mark 8:25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Many of the principles of healing which we have been seeing are demonstrated here. Removing the person from an atmosphere of possible doubt and unbelief, laying hands on the specific area of affliction, asking questions to determine if further healing is required, and laying hands again to complete the healing. This is another case where the person did not get healed or delivered the first time, even though it was Jesus doing the healing or deliverance. Persistence is important when ministering healing.
Mark 9:17-29 (see Matthew 17:14-20) Mark 10:49-52 (see Matthew 20:29-34) Luke 4:33 - 35 (see Mark 1:23-26) Luke 4:38-39 (see Matthew 8:14-15) Luke 4:40-41 (see Matthew 8:16-17) Luke 5:12-13 (see Matthew 8:2-3) Luke 5:15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Luke 5:17-25 (see Matthew 9:2-8) Luke 6:6-10 (see Matthew 12:9-13) Luke 6:18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, Luke 6:19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. Luke 7:2-10 (see Matthew 8:5-13) Luke 7:11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. Luke 7:12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."

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Luke 7:14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Luke 7:15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Luke 7:21-22 (see Matthew 11:2-5) Luke 8:26-33 (see Matthew 8:28-32) Luke 8:41-55 (see Matthew 9:18-25) Luke 8:43-48 (see Matthew 9:20-22) Luke 9:1-6 (see Matthew 10:1-8) Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, Luke 9:11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Luke 9:38-42 (see Matthew 17:14-20) Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Luke 10:9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." Luke 10:18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Earlier, Jesus had sent out the Twelve with the instruction to preach the Good News of the kingdom, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons (Luke 9:1-6). Now look whom Jesus is sending out: 72 ordinary believers! These average, ordinary believers were sent out to do exactly what the apostles had been sent out to do.
Luke 11:14 (see Matthew 12:22-23) Luke 13:10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, Luke 13:11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. Luke 13:12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Luke 13:13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Luke 13:14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

First of all, notice that demons can cause physical afflictions. Today we would probably diagnose this woman as having scoliosis or something and do surgery on her, when all that might really be needed is a simple deliverance. Notice the reaction of the religious leaders. They were indignant when Jesus did something which did not conform to their doctrines. When you step out in faith and claim that Jesus still heals today by the laying-on of hands, some people will be indignant, so expect such reactions. Love them anyway! 35

Luke 13:32 He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'

It is Jesus' will to heal people.

Luke 14:2 There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Luke 14:3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" Luke 14:4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.

Jesus constantly confronted people's narrow doctrinal boundaries! Wouldn't He do the same if He were on the earth today?

Luke 17:11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Luke 17:12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance Luke 17:13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Luke 17:14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17:15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. Luke 17:16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him--and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Luke 17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Luke 17:19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Notice that the ten lepers were not instantly healed by Jesus. They were healed "as they went." The same principle applies today, because some people are instantly healed while other people's healing takes a few minutes or days.
Luke 18:35-43 (see Matthew 20:29-34) Luke 22:49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" Luke 22:50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Luke 22:51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him. John 4:46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. John 4:47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. John 4:48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." John 4:49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." John 4:50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. John 4:51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. John 4:52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." John 4:53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

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The man "took Jesus at his word." We also need to take Jesus at His Word, because He cannot lie. In the Great Commission Jesus said that those who believe will lay hands on the sick, so we must take Him at His Word and obey Him.
John 5:2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. John 5:3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie--the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. John 5:5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" John 5:7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." John 5:8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." John 5:9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, John 6:1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), John 6:2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. John 7:21 Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. John 7:22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. John 7:23 Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." John 9:1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. John 9:2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. John 9:4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. John 9:7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:24 A second time they [the Pharisees] summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God, " they said. "We know this man is a sinner." John 9:25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

This example demonstrates that Jesus healed in many different ways, always being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We need to be just as sensitive to the Spirit when ministering healing today because God will sometimes tell us to do things which don't make much sense. If God tells you to do something, do it, and the person will be healed. Notice that the Pharisees (the religious leaders) accused Jesus of being a sinner. Even today people will accuse you of all kinds of things when you step out in faith and make the claim that Jesus still heals by the laying-on of hands. Love them anyway and don't let this deter you, 37

because blessed are you when people ridicule you for the obedient works that you are doing in His Name (Matthew 5:11).
John 11:39 "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." John 11:40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." John 11:43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" John 11:44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

Martha was a believer, but she had no faith in a "now" miracle. She believed that Jesus was the Christ, but she did not believe that He would do a miracle right then and there. Christians today believe that Jesus is the Christ, but they often do not believe that He will do a miracle right here and now. He will, if there is faith present.
Acts 3:2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. Acts 3:3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Acts 3:4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" Acts 3:5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Acts 3:7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. Acts 3:8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. Acts 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. When did the lame man's feet and ankles become strong? When he put his faith into action. How was he healed? By Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him. These principles are just as valid today. Acts 5:14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. Acts 5:15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Acts 5:16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. Acts 8:6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. Acts 8:7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. Acts 8:8 So there was great joy in that city. Acts 9:10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. Acts 9:11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

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Acts 9:12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." Acts 9:13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. Acts 9:14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. Acts 9:16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Acts 9:17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized Acts 22:11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. Acts 22:12 "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. Acts 22:13 He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.

Notice that a non-apostle laid hands on an apostle and healed him!

Acts 9:33 There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. Acts 9:34 "Aeneas," Peter said to him, "Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat." Immediately Aeneas got up. Acts 9:35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

This is exactly how Jesus healed the lame man by the pool in Bethesda ("Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."" - John 5:8). The only difference is that Peter did the healing in Jesus' Name. Healing works exactly the same for us as it did for the apostles. It is by faith and in the Name of Jesus.
Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor. Acts 9:37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Acts 9:38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, "Please come at once!" Acts 9:39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.

Notice that Peter sent everyone out of the room before raising the girl from the dead. An atmosphere of doubt and unbelief can hinder healing. Also notice that Peter prayed before raising her from the dead, but then he quit praying and commanded her to get up.
Acts 10:37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached-Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and

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power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

How did Jesus heal the sick? Was it by His own power? No, He healed the sick by the power of the Holy Spirit within Him. How did the apostles heal the sick? Was it by their own power? No, they healed the sick by the power of the Holy Spirit within them. Do we have access to the same Holy Spirit that Jesus and the apostles did? Absolutely!
Acts 14:8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. Acts 14:9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed Acts 14:10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. Acts 16:16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. Acts 16:17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." Acts 16:18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, Acts 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. Acts 20:9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Acts 20:10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Acts 22:11-13 (see Acts 9:10-18) Acts 28:3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. Acts 28:4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." Acts 28:5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Acts 28:6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. Acts 28:7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. Acts 28:8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. Acts 28:9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.

In this passage we see that Paul prayed, but he healed Publius' father by the laying-on of hands.

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Practical Tips for Healing on the Streets

Location Try to position yourself where you will get the most amount of Human traffic. In the few hours you have on the street you want to be able to contact as many passers-by/shoppers as possible. You will need space so that youre not causing an obstruction when a crowd gathers. Equipment Banner. A banner with just the word HEALING printed on both sides. The less religious the look the better. The 5.3m Wind Dancer Maxi banner is ideal. You can print a modern eye catching design on it. (Please feel free to use our designs. Call our office for info.) Portable PA. I recommend the Mipro MA101. Its a tiny portable wireless amplifier with a hand held mic (dont get the clip on mic). Its small, but its powerful enough to throw your voice, which is all you need. An mp3 player to connect to the amplifier, to play gentle worship music (soaking instrumentals are ideal). A Heavy-Duty mic stand (2+ metres minus the boom arm. This is not your standard mic stand but a thick, tall, heavy metal one with a wide tripod base.) to keep the pa off the ground, and above head height. We use a thick heavy metal stand that is stable and is not easily knocked over. (A clear waterproof plastic bag to cover the PA in the event of rain.

Six chairs. The chairs need to be sturdy enough taking health and safety into consideration. The chairs need a good straight back to allow a person to sit square in the chair. Six is a good number, only have less if there is no room. Invest in good quality chairs. A fold-up hardwood garden chair (longback, no armrests) looks so much better than a tacky plastic one. (Check out B&Q)

Umbrellas, Plastic storage containers, and Bad Weather. Make sure there are enough umbrellas for the team, and anyone who is coming for prayer. Paper kitchen towels to dry seats. Plastic storage containers with lids are excellent for keeping literature dry and in order (try Homebase). Always be prepared for bad weather and dont allow it to put you off! If the weather is cold make sure you are well insulated and dressed for warmth (thermals rule!). Flasks of hot coffee and tea really help!

Leaflets. Leaflets advertise who you are and what you are doing. It should contain a contact number and info on Sunday meetings and the next Healing Meeting. When doing a leaflet for Healing make it specific. Dont allow guesswork. As an example it might say Healing on one side and on the other something like this: 41

Need Healing? Do you suffer from Back pain? Cancer? Arthritis? Fibromyalgia? Depression? Allergies? Addiction? Crippling Disease? .or any other sickness? Wed love to pray for your healing right now! Were Christians from the Causeway Coast Vineyard church, who believe God loves you and can heal you today! Please take a seat. It wont cost you a thing, just a moment of your time. You have nothing to lose ...except your sickness! Follow-up Letter. This is a letter given to every person we pray for. The letter explains who we are, with details of the church and services, what we did, why we did it, and what they should now do (APPENDIX p49). The letter is in an A5 envelope with a Why Jesus enclosed Make sure you have spare Bibles and booklets for anyone who comes to Christ. Core Team The team consists of committed Christians regularly connecting with the life of the church. They must be part of a small group, and have the ok from their small group leader that they are of sound mind and character, i.e. theyre not flaky. There has to be accountability as this is a very visible ministry and we need to protect the church and the public. The team will be committed to regularly praying for the sick on the streets, every week, or at least twice a month. They are trained, equipped and released to go. We do not allow strangers or outsiders to minister with us. This will save you from a multitude of problems that can arise later on. Training Training is essential, thats what this manual is about. Anyone wanting to be part of the team must meet the above criteria (see Core Team), and every prospective team member must go through this training. This ensures this model for healing on the streets remains strong. When you have gone through this training, refresh yourselves with these notes from time to time. Record Significant Healings When there are significant healings take down the details in a loose leaf binder, while it is still fresh in your mind. Confer with your team to make sure you have all the details. Info should include the date of prayer, details of the person who was prayed for, what their condition was, and who prayed for them. What sickness or pain were they experiencing. Try to capture the spirit of the moment and include details which give a better understanding of the persons condition. What happened after prayer and generally anything that will honour God, and encourage everyone further. Recording ensures testimonies 42

dont become like Chinese whispers, where the story gets further away from the truth.

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So how does this work?

You have the location, the equipment and a committed team. So how do you actually do healing on the streets?
Our Goal is to create a compassionate, loving, non-religious environment, free of jargon; stepping stones where people can find Jesus and get healed along the way. The message is very simple: no matter your background or age, God loves you, cares for you and wants to heal you, no one is excluded. You may not go to church or follow Jesus, you may not have spoken to God in years and feel he is miles away; then you are the very person he want to show his love to. You are very special to God, and he wants to touch your life in a real, powerful, and meaningful way! You have your location. Make sure the chairs are spaced in a neat row so that at least two people kneeling on either side of the chair wont interfere with the chair next to it. Just imagine six chairs full of people needing prayer and three team members around each chair. Give yourself enough space, so dont bunch the chairs up. If youre in a location where this isnt possible cut down on the number of chairs. I have seen twelve chairs full of people being prayed for, and a queue of people waiting for their turn! Make sure the positioning of your chairs is right. Presentation is important. Place the banner in the centre and behind the chairs. Whoever is going to talk publicly is going to stand about twelve feet in front of the chairs. This is your central point. This is the place where the Speaker is going to invite people to come. P.A. Set up the p.a. so that the sound travels to where you want it to reach. Play gentle and appropriate worship music that invites the presence of God. The volume for the music should be at a lower level..not making it difficult for the speaker, or those ministering to be heard. Before you start, always gather the team together where you have set up, and kneel down to pray. Invite the Holy Spirit to come. Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint you. Ask the Holy Spirit to release His presence through you. Ask the Holy Spirit to put His words in your heart and mouth. Ask Him to anoint your lips to speak the way he desires, in words of power, authority, challenge, life, liberty, love and compassion. Pray for boldness, and for God to heal the sick and perform signs and wonders on the street. (note that when you gather close to pray, people will slow down and may stick their head in to see whats going on! A crowd gathers a crowd!) The following way of healing the sick on the street is only one way, not the only way! You can be creative! The key is getting the attention of the people and letting them know who you are, what you believe, and what you are going to do. Everyone works together as a team and knows what the goals are. We are creating stepping stones for people to come to Christ and get healed on the way. We do this in a non-religious way. We are not chasing people, but allowing people to come in their time as the Holy Spirit draws them. No striving, just resting and trusting his drawing presence. The speaker takes the mike and introduces himself and the team explaining who they are, what they believe, and what they are going to do without using Christian jargon. He/she invites everyone who is sick to take a seat where some of the team will pray for them to be healed. (There are situations because of location, where it is impractical to use a mike.in that case do whatever it takes to make known what you are doing, and invite people to the seats for healing.)

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The team meanwhile is close-by and never wanders off. They hand out leaflets to everyone passing. Whenever a passer-by stops or looks interested engage in conversation and ask them if they or anyone they know needs healing. If they are responsive invite them over to the chairs. Keep an eye on the seats so you can respond quickly to people who sit on them. The speaker continues to share that God loves them and wants to heal them. This is the heart of the message. We dont preachhowever tempting that might be. Share storiesif you dont have any to start with, then tell them what God can do. You may have to keep repeating yourself but the key is pressing in. The Holy Spirit will teach you what to say. God loves you and wants to heal you, God can heal you, if youre sick please come and take a seat. Start naming sicknesses, diseases, disabilitiespeoples ears will soon prick up. Keep lifting Jesus up. Dont shout. Be friendly but speak with conviction. It takes faith and boldness to keep pressing in. Pray for the person speaking. It just takes one or two people to start responding before there is a flood. The presence of the Holy Spirit is important in seeing this breakthrough so the team must be in continual prayer and engaged with God. The more people the team invites the quicker the response will be. If someone is healed ask for permission to share their story. Ask if the person would mind if you just shared what has happened. Also let the team share their stories. Leg lengthening. God uses this to increase faith and expectation in people. Many people are healed this way. If someone has a bad back, legs, hips, knees or any internal problem, ask them to sit square with their hips and bottom right back in the chair and bring their legs out. Gently raise their feet by holding the edge of their heels together with two or three fingers on each hand. Look at the heels and check the leg length. If a leg is an inch or more shorter, you have the opportunity of demonstrating Gods power publicly. Only do this though, if you feel it is right. It may not be the right thing to do, so be sensitive. Before praying always ask if the person is experiencing pain. If they are, be careful how you move their feet. Be gentle. Ask permission if they would allow family, friends, or members of the public to come and watch. Tell them God loves them and that you believe He wants to heal them. If they agree gently put their feet down, and invite people to come and watch God heal. Ask members of the public to come close behind you, close enough to see the difference in the persons legs. Make sure you are not too close and blocking the view with your own body. I always ask the person to keep their eyes open to see their own healing taking place. Thank God for the person and ask God to show the person His love. Take authority over the condition. Keep your eyes on Jesus, thank God, and wait patiently for healing to come. When the leg has grown, ask how the person is and get them to test their healing. Get them to stand up and test whatever was in pain. Make sure you give God the honour for every healing. This is a great time to invite more people for healing and to engage in conversations. You dont of course have to use the chairs when praying for people, you can pray for them while they stand, and you dont have to do the leg thing. Do whatever the Holy Spirit leads you to do. Same time, same location. To build relationships and to be increasingly effective it is important to commit to a regular time at a regular location. Come sun, rain, or snow you will be there without fail. God will respond to your faithfulness, more people will come, be healed, find Christ, and the good news will spread.

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Dos and Donts

We dont accept money, gifts or donations. We dont use religious jargon which may alienate the public. i.e. Asking someone if they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb does not go down well. Also dont use the ancient language of the KJV when speaking to people as this will only alienate further. For example instead of Christian use> someone who follows Jesus. Here are a few more: Testimony> story Have a burden> be concerned Found the Lord, get saved> accept Christ, make a decision to follow Christ Born again, converted> changed, transformed, made spiritually alive Believe> trust, accept Glorify God, bring Him glory> to honour God Gospel, gospel message> the good news about Jesus; the truth God wants us to know or teach; God's message to the world Sin> wrongdoing, when we have done wrong. Rather than talking about "sin," discuss the nature of broken relationships with God and the need for healing. Confess> admit Repent> to be sorry about wrongs and to turn from them Faith> reliance on God Grace, the grace of God > unmerited favour, unearned love; God giving us what we don't deserve There are others.can you think of alternative words to use?

We dont wear sunglasses or dress inappropriately (Meaning, dont stand out like a sore thumb. That includes wearing a suit!). We dont stand around chatting to each other unless its to encourage each other with what God has just done. It doesnt look good if we are chatting to each other, while people are left waiting alone on the chairs for a long period. Dont be distracted, be ready to welcome and pray for those taking a seat. We do pray for the Holy Spirit to touch lives, and for the increase of his presence through us. Be on the look out for the opportunities He brings. We dont get into arguments; we love the Pharisee and ask God to open their eyes.

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When praying: Praying for the spiritually lost on the streets is different to praying for a believer in a building! If all you have done in the past is pray for believers, then you have to learn to pray differently. Dont use jargon! Always introduce yourself first, and pray for the person by name. Remember that you are Gods representative. Whenever you pray for someones healing you have a wonderful opportunity to reveal Gods love for that person. Remember that God loves the person who you are praying for, and sent His son to die for them also. Always treat the person you are praying for with respect, dignity, gentleness, kindness, and love. God wants to show His love through you! Always ask for permission to pray and lay hands on a person. Always have others with you when you pray for someone, dont pray alone. Always keep your eyes open when you pray, and be aware of other team members who may have something to pray or share, or who may be struggling and looking to you for support. Men should never pray for a woman unless there are female team members present and visa versa. Ideally men should pray for men and women for women. A man should be extremely careful where he lays his hands when praying for a woman. Never lay your hands on a womans breast or stomach, even if is on top of another hand. You may lay hands on the head or shoulder or hold their hands. You should not pat, stroke or rub any body part when praying. Make sure your hand rests gently on the person. Again, always ask permission. Dont shout when you pray! Dont pray in tongues aloudpeople will think youre mad. If you want to pray in tongues, then pray quietly and unheard. Make sure if you are praying for someone who is standing, there is someone behind them to catch them should they fall under the power of the Spirit. Never go over to a group who are already praying for someone and start praying, unless you are called over and introduced, because its rude and intimidating. If you feel you have something to share for someone who is being prayed for in another group, talk to one of the team in that group, and let them introduce you first. If you pray for a person in a wheelchair never drag them out of the chair and declare theyre healed. If God has healed them He will give them power to get up and walk. When there is significant healing, take down the details of what happened as a record. 47

When handing out leaflets: You may only have a few seconds as someone passes by, but as they accept a leaflet you can say: Hi, if you need healing please take a seat thereits free! If they stop, you have the opportunity to explain more and engage in conversation. Remember to smile. :o)

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A Guide for Speakers

Fasting Matthew 6:16 "When you fast. Friday seems like a good day.. (If youre invited out to a meal, fast on Thursday!!!) Dont get hung up about this, fasting should stem from relationship.

Preparation Luke 4:32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. Isaiah 50:4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. Its not just what we say, but how we say it that can make a difference on the street. We need to speak with conviction and love in a non-religious way. Being abrasive, dogmatic and forceful will never win anyone to Jesus. We prepare ourselves by spending time everyday with God listening and learning from Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint you. Ask Him to saturate you in His presence so that you can speak with power, authority, and conviction. Ask the Holy Spirit to release His presence through you. Ask the Holy Spirit to put His words in your heart and mouth. Ask Him to anoint your lips to speak the way he desires, in words of power, authority, challenge, life, liberty, love and compassion. Develop your awareness of the Holy Spirit and learn to depend on Him. Without Him we can do nothing. What do we say? Remember our goal: to create a compassionate, loving, non-religious environment; stepping stones where people can find Jesus and get healed along the way. We want people to take a seat so that the team can pray for them. The very act of someone walking towards the chairs to sit is an act of faith on their part. 49

The message can be the same every time, and you will constantly have to repeat it because of passers-by. You must press in and not stop. Dont let the thought of sounding like a record stuck in a groove put you off! This also takes boldness and determination, especially if nothing seems to be happening in the beginning. Always have a friendly manner. We are not preaching a turn or burn message, or an exposition of the book of revelation. In a nutshell we want to tell people God loves and cares for them and wants to heal them, and if they respond Hell touch them. We create stepping stones towards Christ. Always depend on the Holy Spirit.

First say hello and introduce yourself and your team i.e.: Hello my name is Mark and Im with a group of friends from the Causeway Coast Vineyard Church, a church with a difference. We meet outside Coleraine town hall every Saturday from 11.00 am to 2.00pm. We also have two meetings every Sunday at the University of Ulster in Coleraine at 10am, and 11.30 am. You are very welcome to come along to any of our meetings. Come just as you are, wed love to see you! (Repeat this every 15 minutes or so, or only if its needed) Explain the reason you are there Were just a group of ordinary people who passionately love God and follow Jesus, and believe He has power to heal you today. Were here because we believe that God loves you and cares for you and has power to heal you of every sickness, disease and pain. Making the invitation If you are sick or in pain come and be healed right now. Take a seat here and the team will come to you. It wont cost you anything except a little of your time. You have nothing to lose except your sickness and pain. This healing is free. We dont accept money, gifts or donations for what we do, because it would remove the message that God wants to bring to you today. Do you know God is passionate about you? He loves you, cares for your well being and wants to heal you. Jesus said freely you have received, freely give. Hes already paid for you. Share what you believe and any stories you may have. God has power to heal you of every sickness and disease. He can remove your pain. God loves you and cares for you. You are special to God. He is interested in your life. You may be young or old, and it doesnt matter what background youre from, no one is excluded. You may not go to church or follow Jesus; you may feel far away from God right now. You may not have spoken to God in a very long time, but God wants you to know that he still loves you and wants you to come to him just as you are. Come and take a seat and be healed. 50

Last week a woman who was crippled with arthritis came and sat down here (points at chair!!!). She had pain in every joint in her body. Her hands were crippledshe couldnt straighten her fingers, and could hardly hold her walking stick. She had suffered like this for 6 years and was unable to do the things she loved to dolike gardening. A few of our team started to pray for herGods power went through her arms..her hands opened up and the pain disappeared. The woman was shocked. Then Jesus healed her entire body. She was amazed and told everyone that Jesus had healed her. When she eventually left she walked away swinging her stick like Charlie Chaplin! (Example true story btw. Thank you God!) Share more stories to build faith and exalt Jesus.

Make the invitation again If you are sick or in pain come and be healed right now. If you have some crippling disease come and take a seat. You may have a disease the doctors say is incurablecome and take a seat, Jesus can heal you. You may have cancer, and the doctors have told you theres nothing more they can do..then please come, Jesus can make that cancer shrivel and disappearif you have arthritis..please come.back pain, lumbar pain .some spinal condition prolapsed discs, arthritic spine, crumbling spine, split spinecometake a seat. You may be in unbearable pain, with fibromyalgiacomeGod loves you and wants to see you healed and free of pain If you have any sickness or disability at all then come and take a seat where the team will pray for your healing. It wont cost you anything except a little bit of your time. If you are blind or deaf comeif you suffer headaches or migraine come..if you have depression come Jesus can set you free. If you have any allergies comehay fever, psoriasis, eczema, coeliac, then come and take a seat. If you have any blood disorder or suffer stomach or internal problems then come. If you suffer with hip or knee problems then come. If you suffer with fears or phobiasJesus can set you freeuncontrollable anger and ragebitterness and unforgiveness Jesus can give you peace.deep hurts and emotional painIn the past you may have been abused and had hurtful words spoken into your life, God loves and cares for you and wants you to be free and healed. God has power to heal every sickness and disease, every pain and hurt. You may be in a struggling relationshipyour marriage about to disintegrateplease come we would love to pray for you. You may have damaged relationships with family, you may have hurt people you love and live in regret, please come. Your relationship with God may be broken and you dont know the way backGod is speaking to you; he wants to heal your relationships and get close to you. If you want to know how to get close to God then come. Cycle through the introduction, who we are, what we believe, stories, invitation to come, and it can be in any order. Keep it rolling, and speak with conviction, 51

be urgent, persuasive and loving always. Explain how healing works. They can be healed instantly, or over a period of time. Sometimes they need to be prayed for a number of times. Let the team share their stories but make sure the language is free of jargon, their story short, snappy and to the point! This is a simple example of what we sayand it can be just this simple! Add meat to it if you wish but dont stray off our objectives, dont preach, and dont get religious! When someone is healed Remember our teaching earlier. If someone is healed ask for permission to share the testimony. Ask if the person would mind if you just shared what has happened. (The team who has prayed for this person must get permission from the person first, then come and tell you bringing the person with them. You then interview the person. Address the public and tell them here is someone who has just been healed, and youre going to ask them some questions. Begin to interview the person. Remember...personal stories are powerful, remember to make another appeal after their story.) Always give an invitation for healing, especially after doing this. There may be someone ready to accept Christ into their life, but were not chasing them. Ask people to wait patiently for their turn if all the team are busy. Tell them some of team will come to them shortly. The meetings should always be marked with love, faith, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Keep it going and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you!

When handing out leaflets: You may only have a few seconds as someone passes by, but as they accept a leaflet you can say: Hi, if you need healing please take a seat thereits free! If they stop you have the opportunity to explain more and engage in conversation. Remember to smile. :o)

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APPENDIX Sample letter

This is the letter we include in the A5 envelope alongside a copy of Why Jesus? and a card invitation with directions to our church. We give this to everyone we pray with.

the vineyard centre

12-14 the diamond portstewart co. londonderry n. ireland bt55 7aa
(028) 7083 3335
office@causewaycoastvineyard.com www.causewaycoastvineyard.com

Dear Friend,
Thank you for allowing us, the team from the Causeway Coast Vineyard, to pray for you today, and demonstrate to you that God is alive, powerful and that he longs to have a loving relationship with you. We have put this letter together to further assist you in responding to what has happened.

If you were Healed

If you have been healed since we prayed, then we want to give God all the honour, because he is the one who has the power to do this, not any of us. This is why we do not accept any money or donations for what we do. There are a number of things you should do now. If you are on medication STAY on it, under NO circumstances should you stop doing anything a medical professional, or counsellor has advised. We are not medically trained, so please verify what has happened though them, and then TAKE THEIR advice. If you have been healed, their verification is a great endorsement to others of what God has done. If you are in a church already, please go and tell the leaders of the church the great news. Tell people what God has done, and bring any friends or family along with you again. We will happily pray for them too, no matter what their condition or sickness, because nothing is impossible for God! Also please let us know you have been healed. It would be a great encouragement to us if you could either come back to us, or telephone our office to let us know you have been healed.

If you were not aware of any change in your condition

Sometimes it is clear you have not been healed. If that is your situation, dont worry God still loves you! We do get many people who are not healed instantly, but recover over time; many people come back to us the following week to tell us they have been healed. We believe that

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whenever we pray to God, he always responds to our prayer. He is the one in control, so we wait patiently. If you have not yet been healed: Keep Seeking after God, and if you know how to, pray. If there is some improvement, but not a total improvement, (which even happened occasionally in the bible stories on healing), we would love to pray for you AGAIN, you can come as many times as you like. We wont give up if you dont. If there is no improvement AT ALL after a week or two, then we will pray again (and again) if you like. We do not have all the answers, but sometimes we need to persist and try again.

Why did we do this?

We prayed for you today, because God loves you, and he wants you to reorder your life around a new reality. That Jesus Christ came to Earth and through his death on the cross, showed his love for you. He also rose from the dead, proving he was God and has sent his power here to give you a chance to start again (Healing is one way he verifies this fact). Fulfilling your deepest needs, forgiving any wrong doing, healing your hurts and giving you a new and eternal purpose driven life. Through following him.

How do I find out more about God?

Our hope is that after this encounter with God, you respond by pursuing after him to learn and discover more of his great love for you. We have enclosed a booklet called Why Jesus? as a small gift, to help you on your journey of discovery. Being a Christian is about having a living relationship with a living God, There are a number of practical ways you can begin to do this. Join a Church: If you are already in a church, tell the leaders what has happened and inspire others. If you are not in a church, you really should visit one. The church is the mechanism God has chosen as a way of people moving on with him. You are very welcome to come along to the Vineyard. We meet every Sunday in Lecture Theatre 1, at the University of Ulster, Coleraine where yellow signs will lead you to where we meet. Our Family Service is from 10am-11am where we have Crche facilities (0-5s) and our AllStars Kids program for 5-11s (We have our Child Protection Policy in place so your children are safe). From 11am-11.30am we have muffins, tea and coffee served in the foyer until our second service starts at 11.30am. We would be delighted to see you at any of our meetings or just come for a friendly chat and a donut! Parking at the university is free on Sundays. If you prefer another denomination or are not local, we can advise you as to which Church would be best for you in your area. Read a Bible: There is a Christian Book shop (Wesley Owen) on Railway Road, or try the Internet, where you could buy a bible. Translations we would recommend are TNIV or The Message, as these are easy to read. Start with the New Testament, which will tell you about how Jesus heals people. We also have some free bibles to give away from time to time, so please ask us. Pray: Prayer is talking with God. If you have come to a place where you would like to know God better, there is a prayer on page 18 of the booklet Why Jesus? that will help you on your way of coming into relationship with God. Talk to Christians: Come back and ask us any questions you have, join a church, or start talking to some Christian friends you have. It is very important that you seek God and try to do these things IF you want to find out more. Knowing God is a journey, not a philosophy or idea. It does require effort on your part, now that God has taken the initiative to meet with you today.

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Who are the Causeway Coast Vineyard?

We are just a group of ordinary people, who follow Jesus. We meet with each other to worship God and live our lives aspiring to follow him with increasing effectiveness. For more details visit our website or visit us on Sunday. Thank you and God Bless you.

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