PRAYING FOR OTHERS

                                                            PRAYING FOR OTHERS

Again, Jesus, setting the example for all of us shows us through His actions how to pray for others. 

Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute

 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

 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.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you” and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”  Matthew 9:27-30 (NIV)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Matthew 8:1-3 (NIV)

 Jesus Heals a Man with a Withered Hand

 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.   Matthew 12:13 (NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm

 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.  Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”  Matthew 8:23-27 (NIV)

Jesus Heals the Woman With The Issue of Blood

 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.  She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.  Matthew 9:20-22 (NIV)     

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.  “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.  I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

 “You 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.”  Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, 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.”   Matthew 17:14-20 (NIV)

We can also do the works that Jesus did when He prayed for people.  He said in John 14:12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”  (NIV)

 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.”  Acts 1:8 (NIV)

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”  Luke 24:49 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)

The Apostles received the power of the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus.  Before Pentecost, Jesus and the Holy Spirit had been with them but now the Holy Spirit was within them with a special power.  Yes, we do have the Holy Spirit within us when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior and when we are Baptized but this is a special power that they had received.  This was the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  These men, who had been hiding in fear, were now boldly proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and also were performing miracles in Jesus’ Name.

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.  Now a man who was lame 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.  When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.  Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”  So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  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 3:1-8 (NIV)

Ananias Heals Saul (who became Paul)

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.”  Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, Acts 9:17-18 (NIV)

Peter Heals The Paralyzed Man

There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.  “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.  Acts 9:33-34 (NIV)

RELEASING THE HEALING ANOINTING OF JESUS IN PRAYER (“How to Release God’s Healing Power Through Prayer” by Mark Virkler, Gary S. Greig, Frank Gaydos)

1.      Focus on Jesus, forget about everything else.  When someone is praying for you don’t pray for yourself.  Keep your focus on Jesus and praise Him for His sacrifice on the cross and for His love and power.  Keep your attention on Jesus.  Listen to what Jesus may be saying to you.

2.      When you are praying for someone, ask for the Holy Spirit’s healing power to be released into the person.  Ex. “Jesus, please release the healing power and light of Your Holy Spirit on this person.  Come Holy Spirit, release Your healing power and light on this person.”  Thank the Lord for His mercy and healing power.

3.      Engage prayer as the Holy Spirit leads.  Ask the person what they want prayers for.  Also ask the Holy Spirit for any words of knowledge about the person as needed. 

4.      The command prayer can be used.  For example if you are praying for pain to be gone you can say, “Pain, you leave this person’s body (say the name of the person).  Indicate what part of the body (arm, leg, heart, etc.) now!  Obey the body and blood of Jesus!  It is written, ‘By His wounds we are healed’ and we proclaim that by Jesus’ wounds this person’s body is healed in Jesus’ name.”  Don’t be afraid to command pain to leave more than once.

5.      Command the underlying disease (cancer, arthritis, etc.) to leave the person.---treat it like an intruder and tell it to leave and never return in Jesus’ name.  Notice, Jesus rebuked the fever in Luke 4:39 like He rebuked demons elsewhere.  He rebuked the evil spirit.  “You deaf and blind spirit----I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!”

6.      Remove any inner blocks to healing.  Ask question, “How are you feeling:  Better? Worse?  Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any blocks to your healing (unforgiveness, worry, anxiety, fear, or sin.

7.      Keep praying as the Lord leads you.  See yourself/the person whole and healed.  Thank Jesus to whatever measure of healing you have received.

We must always remember that we need to have faith in order to be healed.  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.  Matthew 13:58 (NIV) “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.  Mark 10:52 (NIV)

The Key components for praying for others is:

1.       Faith

2.      Command prayer

3.      Rebuking (to reprove or take authority over) i.e. demon or fever, etc.

4.      Use “in the Name of Jesus.”

More than a “formula” for praying for others, it is following the examples of how Jesus, Himself, prayed.  Jesus prays invoking His Father’s name.

 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  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.”

 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. John 11:41-44 (NIV)

Just as Jesus prayed to His Father in heaven.  Some people pray, “Father, in the name of Jesus,….”  Jesus sits at the right hand of God and is always interceding for us before His Father.

Praying for others is very special.  I think Jesus prayed for others because He had so much compassion for people.  He could feel their pain and their anguish.  He feels our pain and anguish as we cry out to Him.  He suffered and died for us and He was scourged to take away our pain and suffering and heal us.

Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.  Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV)

My next topic will be about The Baptism of The Holy Spirit and praying in the Spirit.