CHAPTER 2. HOW TO COME TO GOD FOR HEALING.

We will consider the things that open the soul to God and prepare a person for healing. Remember, it is not a spiritual technique, it is meeting with Christ that brings healing, however, there are certain attitudes of heart that will bring us to a place where we can receive healing. While praying groups in a church, or a man in touch with God can bring the healing power of God upon those who are in need, it is coming to Christ that brings health of soul and body to the seeker. I want to consider the things that will cause us to receive and keep our healing form Christ.

1. Come to God in genuine repentance and contrition.
Confess to God any sin that needs cleansing, put anything right that needs to be put right. Let God search and reveal your heart. Accept Christ as your Saviour, if you do not know Him as Saviour. Healing of the soul is the most important thing that can happen to a person. It is true that God may sometimes heal an unbeliever just to appeal to them to accept Christ, however, generally speaking, a person who refuses to be saved by repenting of their sin and accepting Christ, can expect little from God. If you are not saved, get saved, and you can expect the children's bread of healing of the body. Healing for sin first, then healing of the body, is God's order of priorities. Make sure that your heart is clean, "for if our heart condemn us not, THEN, have we confidence, i.e. faith, towards God". 1Jn.3v21. Many Christians are so conformed to this world that they cannot believe God's word and receive healing. Rom.12v1,2. Have you shed any tears for your sins, or are you still in love with them and tied to them, remember Christians are intended to be saints, i.e. "holy ones", not "worldly ones".

Repentance for sin is essential, it is not sufficient to "only believe". John the Baptist, Christ and His apostles preached that repentance is the pre-requisite of a person receiving the blessing of God through faith in Christ.Mk.1v15. Lk.3v7,8. 13v3,5. Acts.3v19. 11v18. 17v30. 20v21. Repentance is a pre-requisite of faith, because sin and pride destroys faith. Heb.6v1. Jn.5v41,42,44. 12v42,43. Repentance is the soil of faith, you do not have to pump faith into a person who has put their life right with God, faith is born through a genuine repentance, and it is nourished through communion with God and His saints, and through meditation on God's word and promises. Faith in God carries with it the demands of obedience to God. Rom.16v26. Heb.11v6,8. Very often it the poor who have the greatest faith and the most obedient lives, James.2v5., faith is always destroyed by pride, "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only"? John the Baptist's and Christ's preaching of repentance, prepared peoples hearts for salvation and healing from Christ. John Baptist did no miracles, but he prepared the way for Christ's ministry and miracles by preaching repentance and so caused many to repent of their sins Mk.1v5.

If you have been to Spiritualist mediums for help, realise that this is wrong and ask God to forgive and cleanse you, and He will meet with you. God is gracious to those who have in ignorance sought healing from Spiritualist mediums, but those who stubbornly refuse to obey God's word on this issue can expect real trouble. God strictly forbade people to have any dealings with those who are Spiritualist mediums, as the following Scriptures show. Lev.19v31. 20v6. Deut.18v10,11. Is.8v19,20. 1Chron.10v13,14. 2Kings.21v6. Acts.16v16-18. 19v19. 2Thes.2v9-12. 1Tim.4v1-3. 1Jn.4v1-3. Don't go to Satan and evil spirits for healing, come to the lovely God of love, who really has your interests at heart. 1Cor.10v20,21.

Let God search your heart, repent of any sin, lack of love, resentment, suspicion, bitterness and hate, these will breed disease and delay your healing. Let the love of God replace the sin and bitterness in your heart, and come in genuine repentance to Christ for healing. Come to Christ in consecration, determined to obey God, and you will receive the answer to your prayer, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, BECAUSE we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight". 1John.3v22. cf. v23,24.

2. Come to God after diligent spiritual preparation.
Come for prayer after much reading of faith-inspiring Scriptures and real love and worship of God. Read God's will for you in His word. Read God's word for faith. You cannot have faith without a knowledge of the promises in God's word. Realise that no Bible promise of healing has been suspended. Spend much time in loving and worshipping God, He is worthy of your love and praise, He pours His goodness on the just and unjust alike in natural blessings. Mt.5v45. The heart that takes time to love and worship God will grow strong in faith and love, and health in the spirit will result in health in the body. John.4v21-24. We need to remember that love, faith and obedience are strongly related; love and serve Jesus and faith will automatically grow strong and healthy. 2Pet.1v2-11 N.B.v5,10.

3. Come to God with positive faith.

a. Time and time again Christ said to people that their faith had made them whole.
The faith of people brought them to Christ for healing, and then His healing power made them whole. It is not faith that heals, it is faith that brings a person to Christ, it is the power of Christ that heals, in response to a persons faith in Him. A little faith in Christ will bring deliverance, but no matter how much faith a person has in a wrong object of faith, God will not heal them. The multitudes who were healed by Christ said "I know that if He but touches me, or I touch Him, I shall be made whole". They had the certainty of a positive faith in Christ, not the uncertainty of a faithless hope. cf. Mk.5v25-34. N.B.v28. 6v56.

If you said to your mother, "I can't trust you to keep your word, I have no faith in you", how upset she would be if she was faithful and trustworthy. Christ is absolutely faithful and trustworthy, He is absolutely worthy of positive faith. Positive faith declares that god is not only able to heal, but that He is love and is willing to heal, and that He is faithful and will fulfil His promise. Positive faith in God declares "that we are convinced that we HAVE, what we do not see". Heb.11v1. Moffat. Be absolutely positive in your faith towards God, He is perfectly kind and loving, and absolutely trustworthy. Let your tensions, fears and worries go and relax in the presence of God and love Him with all your heart. If you are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, rejoice in your relationship with God, rejoice in the wonderful grace, love and truth of God and the reliability of His promises. Rejoice that Christ is the Lord and Master of sickness, sin and Satan.

b. Give glory and praise to God in anticipation of the sure fulfilment of His promise.
Come to God with great love and faith, thanking Him for His past blessings and His sure promises to you. Rejoice in His presence, dwell upon His beauty and love, let your faith and love reach out with all your being to the lovely God of love. Realise the power of confession of the name of Jesus in positive faith. Jn.14v12-14. 16v23,24. Realise and confess the power of the cleansing blood of Christ. Heb.9v24-26. 10v19,20. Realise that our great High Priest has all power and authority, He ever lives to make to make intercession for you and lives to meet your every need. Heb.4v14-16. 7v24 to 8v1. Realise and confess the power of the promises of God confessed in faith. The power of the promises when claimed in the name of Jesus in positive faith are irresistible, for Christ has all power to meet every need, His ability to help you is limitless. Mt.28v18-20. Heb.13v8. Christ never turned a needy one away, sometimes there was a delay, but we never read of a denial. He has given His Church authority to carry on His great work. No one questions the desire of the medical profession to heal the sick; Jesus Christ our great physician is infinitely more compassionate.

c. Come to God in faith, not unbelieving hope.
Don't come to Christ saying, "I don't expect anything, I am just hoping that there is something in it". This is hope not faith. Don't talk unbelief, confess only what the Scriptures say. Don't contradict the Scriptures with your confession and talk, it is your confession and talk that demonstrates and decides the reality of your faith. Don't talk failure, sickness and fear, talk of and confess your faith in Christ. It is our confession that brings salvation and healing to us. Rom.10v9. If you talk of fear, failure and sickness you will never know deliverance, but talk faith in Christ and your faith will grow and deliverance will be sure. If the Scriptures and your feelings and symptoms disagree, doubt your feelings and symptoms, not the Scriptures. Christ's promises are "Yea and Amen", not, "Yes and No", or "Sometimes". Let your words confess God's confession. Don't think sickness, fear and doubt, think and confess faith in God's promises. All things are possible to you. Mk.9v23. Are you imprisoned by your thinking? "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind", and don't be conformed to this world or you will be unable to believe God's word. Rom.12v1,2. Don't let your life and confession be worldly and unbelieving, God hastens to perform His Word to those who are faithful and believing. Jer.1v12. He is faithful that gives the promises, so we can hold the confession of our faith without wavering. Heb.10v23,35,36. Don't look at your sickness, unworthiness, and fear, look to your fairest Lord Jesus, who waits to meet your every need. Realise that Christ still says "come unto me and I will give you rest", if you are weary and heavy laden with sin and sickness, come to Christ in positive faith and He will give you rest. Mt.11v28-30.

4. Come to God believing in the victory of faith in God over circumstances and sickness.
Believe in what God says even if you have no visible evidence of answered prayer, for "Faith means that we are convinced that we have what we do not see". Heb.11v1. Moffat. Praise through victory. Heb.13v15. Ps.103v1. Mk.11v22-24. Praise is believing prayer. Ps.50v14,15. Doubt your doubts and the Father of lies, Satan, and believe the word of God. When Abraham was strengthened in faith he gave glory to God, you do the same. Rom.4v20. Give God the glory for what He has done for you and for what He is going to do for you, and don't give the glory to anybody else. Ps.34v1-22. N.B.v1-4. 1Cor.1v29-31. God IS faithful, not God WAS faithful, so believe God if nobody else does, and if nobody else is healed. The person who comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb.11v6. Though we cannot see God we believe in Him, and believe His Word when circumstances and sight seem to deny it. John.20v27-29. 2Cor.4v18. 5v7. Believe God for great things then you will see Him act. You will know God's ways before you see His acts, if you live close to Him and trust Him. Ps.103v7. Jn.11v40-44. Moses endured, because by faith he saw the God who was invisible. Heb.11v23-27. We are not healed by feelings anymore than we are saved by feelings, we are healed by positive faith in Christ. Healing is a gift from a gracious Saviour and heavenly Father, through the agency of God the Holy Spirit. No matter what the senses say, God is willing to save and heal us, so, "What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them". Mk.11v24. If we receive the witness of men e.g. doctors, the witness of God is greater, believe His Word. 1Jn.5v9.

You may have a trial of faith after a very definite healing, so if symptoms of sickness return, or come and go, continue to rest on God's Word. A trial of faith will always strengthen faith if you approach it in the right way. Don't wait for thrills, feelings or sight, believe God's Word and resist the attacks of Satan. 1Pet.5v6-11. James.4v7. Have faith to say whenever the floods of Satanic doubt come against you, "Whatever the pain in my body I will believe the Word of God". Let your confession be as positive as the Word of God. Don't fail to realise that Satan wants to keep you from Christ and healing and to take your healing from you after you have been healed. The battle is sure to come, we can expect an onslaught of evil power from Satan and his angels, their aim is to separate us from Christ and fill us with doubt and unbelief. Mt.4v1-12. Eph.6v10-20. God will make us more than conquerors through Christ, if we walk with Him. Rom.8v35-39. We can overcome the world, flesh and Devil through the grace of our dear Lord Jesus. 1Jn.2v13,14. 5v4,5. It was the active faith of the friends of the man sick with palsy that brought healing to him. When Christ saw their faith demonstrated, He healed the man sick of the palsy. Mk.2v3-5. Their actions proved their faith and brought victory over circumstances and sickness. Faith without corresponding action is dead faith. James.2v14-26. N.B. v17,20,26. Have an expectant active faith and demonstrate your faith by acting on God's Word, you can be more than a conqueror through the grace of our dear Lord Jesus Christ.

5. The wonderful grace of God to the sincere doubter.

a. There is a tremendous difference between genuine doubt and an evil heart of unbelief.
Unbelief is not ignorance or uncertainty over God's will, but rather a positive rejection of God's revealed Word. Unbelief is the inability to trust God in the light of His reliable power, Word and will, this is spoken of as evil heart of unbelief. John.15v22-25. Heb.3v12. Even Christ could do nothing for people who were bound by unbelief. Mt.13v58. Mk.6v5,6. Unbelief and hardness of heart go together. Unbelief is folly in the light of the wonderful character of God, for our God is the God who cannot lie. 1Jn.5v10. Titus.1v2. Heb.6v18. The reality of His promises can never be annulled by anything our senses or Satan may tell us. Unbelief causes misery and fear and destroys faith and spiritual vision, and causes people to live in bondage and defeat. Mt.17v19,20. Mk.4v40. 2Cor.3v15 Heb.3v19. 2Kings.13v18,19.

The world is full of unbelief and hatred of God, that it is sometimes very difficult to press out of this unbelief. Faith in some circumstances can be very difficult, as Abraham found out when he "against hope, believed in hope". Rom.4v18. Faith can be severely tried by circumstances, or by the attacks of the powers of darkness. Mt.4v1-12. Eph.6v10-20. Abraham's and Sarah's faith failed for a while under the tremendous pressures upon their faith and then they triumphed because of the wonderful grace of God. Gen.15v4-6. 17v4,5,15,16. 17v15-19. 18v1-14. Rom.4v17-20. Throughout the Scriptures we read of men and women being encouraged to come out of their doubts and fears by the grace and power of God. Divine grace brought positive faith in the place of doubt and fear. cf.Ex.3v3 to 4v31. Lk.24v25-29,44,45. Jn.20v1-31. 1Cor.15v3-8. etc.

b. Jesus is very kind to genuine doubters.
We need to remember that we never find Jesus being hard with people with genuine doubts and problems. Jesus showed kindness and grace to Nathanael, Jn.1v46-51.; Nicodemus, Jn.3v1-21.; Thomas, Jn.20v24-29.; the man with the demon possessed child. Mk.9v17-29. N.B. v24. Christ always met their need. However, He did get angry and disturbed over those who were full of evil scepticism and unbelief, after they had seen a multitude of signs and wonders. There is a tremendous difference between a person with genuine doubts and a person who has a spirit of scepticism and an evil heart of unbelief. Heb.3v12. A person who has a spirit of scepticism and an evil heart of unbelief, does not want to believe because of the responsibilities that faith will demand. The honest doubter may want to believe, but they may have real problems and difficulties that keep them from obtaining a clear and triumphant faith. Genuine doubts can give a person very real and deep distress, anguish and perplexity, for the very reason that real faith is earnestly desired and longed for. This faith distress can lead to positive and triumphant faith, if a person continues to seek God. A person can pray themselves through from doubt and fear, to a certainty of faith, from barrenness and defeat, to blessed experience and victory. Prayer can, and does, stop people dying in agony, who would normally suffer greatly because of the nature of their sickness.

c. We cannot help having battles of faith.
The doubts that we have on these occasions may not be our own fault. they can be the results of our background, circumstances, or even, as in the case of our Lord Jesus, the insinuations and lies of the evil one. What an atmosphere of unbelief there is in the world today! The spirit and unbelief of the world shouts at us from every side, and it takes real prayer and faith to get the victory over the evil atmosphere of the world. Jude.v18-21. 1Jn.5v4,5. The Christian will always find that there is an inevitable "fight of faith". 1Tim.6v12. However, that faith should grow 'from faith to faith', and should win greater and greater victories. Rom.1v17. This victory is only possible through the grace of God, and this grace encourages the faith of His people, and gives the unbeliever signs that testify that Christ is risen and that God is good, to give them the grounds for faith. Mk.16v17,20. 2Cor.12v12. 1Cor.2v4. Jn.5v36. 10v25,38. Christ did many miracles to help people believe in His claims and His mission. God will not give the sceptics the signs and miracles that they demand, but He will give signs to convince honest doubters, as Christ's gentleness to John Baptist doubts proves. Lk.7v19-29.

d. Faith distress can lead to triumphant faith through the grace of God.
Have you an impossible situation, or an incurable sickness? The grace of God can cause you to have a complete victory over them. God intends that praying for the sick should be accompanied by signs and wonders to help the faith of the sick. The combination of preaching the Scriptures and the manifestation of spiritual gifts that confirm those Scriptures, will give faith to the sincere doubter, and prove that Christ is alive. The revelation of God's Word and power will enable the person with faith distress and genuine doubt, to "ask in faith, nothing wavering". James.1v5-7. The one person we can trust is God, and He desires to demonstrate this fact to all. Rom.8v32. Heb.6v13-20. James.1v17. Come to Christ with positive faith in the Word of God, see the signs, wonders and miracles that God is doing today and believe God. If you are suffering from faith distress and genuine doubt, go to where you can find spiritual counsel, and where God is doing great things, so that your faith may grow and triumph over your sickness and circumstances. God, in His wonderful grace, desires to encourage and increase your faith and to bring you deliverance.

CHAPTER 3. WHY HEALING FROM GOD MAY BE DELAYED.
We need to remember that failure to receive healing is due to human weakness and not to failure on the part of God, we can not charge God with folly and failure. The question comes, "Why is there a denial, delay, or only a partial healing of the sick"? I pray the answers that we give to these questions may cause many to receive their healing from God. We shall of necessity, consider and expand some of the points that we have made under other headings, and have to repeat points several times under separate headings, but this will serve to imprint their truths more firmly upon our minds.

1. BECAUSE A PERSON'S ALLOTTED SPAN OF LIFE HAS BEEN REACHED.
We read in 2Kings.13v14,20,21., that Elisha was fallen sick of the sickness with which he died. Even though his body was so full of the power of God, that a dead man was raised to life by touching his bones, he himself was not healed, his time had come to die. We read in Ps.90v10,12., that we can normally expect to live 70 years, and Ex.23v24-26., tells us that by walking with God we can expect to fulfil the number of our days. However, we read in Is.52v1,2., that even a young person can be taken away from evil to come. 1Kings.14v11-13.

2. BECAUSE THE PERSON PRAYING FOR THE SICK HAS NEGLECTED PRAYER.
This is a major reason why there is lack of healing or delay in healing. Christ very often cannot find anyone that He can use to deliver the sick, there is very often no one who He can use to convey His tremendous compassion and almighty delivering power. The person ministering to the sick may not have sufficient communion with Christ to receive the power of God to deliver the very sick. And a person who has had great power with God may backslide and lose that power. How are the mighty fallen! 2,Sam.1v19,20. Judges.16v20. Ministering to the sick places great demands on the person praying for the sick, real communion with God and much prayer, sometimes with fasting. Obviously there has to be a growth and effectiveness of ministry with everyone, we read that Paul the teacher, became Paul the apostle in Acts.13v1-4.. A Christian should faithfully develop the ministry that God has given to them and be prepared for God to give them other ministries. One fears that the lack of people ministering to the sick, rises from the fact that many servants of God have no desire to do anything more than preach, in spite of the fact that God has promised so much more than this to them.

When praying for the sick, gifts of revelation may be needed to reveal sin, to encourage faith, or to deal with some great wound or hurt in the past, that our dear Lord Jesus needs to heal. A great sorrow or heartbreak, or bitterness of spirit, can and does produce sickness. The person who ministers to the sick, needs to be equipped by God to meet the needs of these people. The truth and power of God can enable us to deliver all the captives of sin, sickness and Satan.

N.B. If you expect people not to be healed when they are prayed for, then you will get what you expect.
If the sick in a church continually come for prayer and still keep going away sick, then, in the end, no one will have any faith for healing. Such a situation demands earnest prayer by the church leaders. God's will is perfect wholeness, He does not desire His children to suffer with some horrible disease. 3John.v2. God desires us to prosper and be in health as our soul prospers. It is the elders responsibility to bring the blessing of healing to those in the local church who are sick, or to know the reason why healing may be delayed. Delay in healing or gradual healing, may on occasions be the purpose of God and may not be due to human failure. Trophimus experienced a delay in healing, or a gradual healing, even though Paul had prayed for him, and Paul was certainly not lacking in spiritual power. 2Tim.4v20. Acts.19v11-20 20v4. 21v29. Lack of spiritual power in the person praying for the sick is certainly a major reason for a delay in healing, but it is not the only reason. We will consider further the lack of spiritual power in the church, and the spiritual equipment that Christians need when they are praying for the sick, under the headings, "Why is there sickness in the Church of Christ", and, "Christ's Challenge to His Church".

3. BECAUSE THOSE SEEKING HEALING MAY NOT BE SPIRITUALLY PREPARED.

1. A PERSON MAY NOT BE PREPARED TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD.

a. Jesus prepared people for healing by preaching on repentance, holiness, love, prayer and faith in God.
Christ's preaching often brought about a real heart preparation and genuine repentance in the people that listened to Him. Jesus had an even greater revival than John the Baptist, with an even greater number of genuine repentant converts. Jn.4v1. Mk.1v4-7,14,15. There is a vital need for repentance, forgiveness, and holiness. All some people want is a healing from God, so that they can continue living the old sinful life, but sin must be dealt with, and Christ must be accepted as Lord, as well as Saviour. God has no respect of persons, you have to meet God's conditions before He will save and heal you. Rom.2v11. In Exodus.23v25, God says, "And ye shall serve the Lord your God and He shall bless thy bread and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee". And in the healing of the palsied man in Mk.2v1-12., Christ emphasised the vital connection between forgiveness and healing. He stated that His power to heal, proved that He had the right to assure a person of forgiveness of sin, He linked forgiveness of sin and healing of disease inseparably together. Jesus said to the paralysed man, who He had healed after the man had suffered for 38 years, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee". John.5v1-9,14. Christ was greatly disturbed that some refused to repent in spite of the great signs, miracles and wonders that He had done, and He showed their awful end. Mt.11v20-24.

b. Divine sickness is a fact as well as Divine healing.
We read that many of the Corinthian Church were sick, and some had died, because they had not repented of sin in their lives. This was, doubtless, after prayer by the elders of the church. God does not treat sin in His Church lightly, He disciplines His children so that they might not be condemned with the world. 1Cor.11v27-32. We also read that people have to repent and confess to God any known sin if they are to be healed. Ps.66v18. Prov.28v13. Sometimes we need to confess our sins to others before we are prayed for by the elders for healing. James.5v13-18. N.B. v16. Whatever you do don't confess your sins to talkative busybodies. Sins of the spirit as well as sins of the flesh, must be repented of and confessed. Get rid of all the bitterness of spirit, back-biting, or an unforgiving spirit, these can cause many diseases and delay healing. Ps.24v12-22. Mt.6v14,15. 18v21-35. Col.3v12-16. James.3v1-18.

If you have had some great wound in the past that needs healing, take God through the garden of your memories and let Him remove every ugly and hurtful thing. Remember also, that lack of consecration, spiritual lukewarmness, and worldly-mindedness are sinful. Don't excuse your sin, repent of it and live for God. 1Jn.2v1. 3v6. Rom.8v6. Separate your self from the sin of the world, and any other things that don't edify. Surrender your will to God. Rom.12v1,2. Don't bargain with God, don't say, "If God heals me, I will live for Him". Give up bargaining with God, confess ALL your sin and get right with God and live for Him. Jn.5v14. 8v11. God asks for your unconditional surrender. If you have been covetous or immoral in thought or word, repent and confess it to God and He will forgive and cleanse you. Before some people are healed they need to put things right with someone else, if you have hurt someone, repent and ask their forgiveness. Some need to confess that they have had a lying or back-biting tongue. Prov.6v16,17. 12v22. Rev.22v15. Others need to make restitution and put right their dishonesty, stealing or unpaid bills. John Lake tells how when a man came to him for prayer, God revealed to him that this man had stolen 5,000 dollars. Lake challenged the man with this, and he confessed that it was so; when the man had made out a cheque for 5,000 dollars, plus the interest, to the person he had robbed, God met with him. Put things right with the people you have offended or defrauded. Sometimes people are very loath to get right with God because of the consequences.

c. Check your motive for seeking healing.
Are you seeking healing so that you can live a worldly life, or are you seeking healing so that you may serve God and mankind better. Many ask and receive not, because they ask amiss. James.4v1-17. Some people have very deliberately and consistently robbed God of time and service by living worldly lives and they expect God to deliver them, even though they are still determined to go their own way. Pay your vows to God and He will deliver you in the day of trouble. Ps.50v14,15.

d. God's promises of healing can be conditional.
The promises of healing often have a conditional "If." God asks for repentance, confession of sin, and obedience. Determine to obey God and He will quicken and heal your mortal body. Rom.8v11. If you go to a doctor you must accept his conditions and advice if you are to expect successful treatment, God will heal you if you accept His conditions and advice. Christ could do no great miracles at Nazareth, because they refused to accept Christ or His conditions of faith, they were full of chronic unbelief. Many people today suffer from the same disease of chronic unbelief, because they live in an unbelieving community, or have fellowship with unbelieving Christians, and they have caught this serious spiritual disease from them. Mt.11v20-24. Mk.6v5,6. God guarantees to heal you, but you must meet the terms of His guarantee. These terms are not self-righteousness, but a genuine repentance and an acceptance of Jesus as Saviour. It is the unrepentant and world-surfeited heart that finds it difficult to believe in the light of signs, wonders and miracles. Jn.5v44. 12v42,43. 15v22-25. Faith is automatically born in the repentant heart. You do not have to pump faith into a person who has genuinely repented of their sin. If you have been to Spiritualist mediums for help, realise that this was wrong and ask God to forgive you, and cleanse you through the blood of Jesus. Lev.19v31. 20v6. Deut.18v10,11. Is.8v19,20. 1Chron.10v13,14. 2Kings.21v6. etc. Don't go to evil spirits for healing, come to the Christ who died to save you. John Lake tells how on one occasion he prayed for 65 people and all but five were instantly healed. These five were interviewed privately after the meeting and God was sought for their need. One confessed to adultery and was instantly healed. A woman confessed to persistent stealing and was healed. Altogether, it took several hours to bring these five people to a place where they could receive healing, but in the end all five were healed. Don't experiment with God, or with His patience, seek God earnestly, lay aside every weight and get right with God Heb.12v1,2. Come to Christ in repentance, consecration, humility, and with diligence, and you will receive healing from Him. The love and compassion of God assures us that delay never means denial.

2. A PERSON MAY NOT BE PREPARED TO MAKE SPIRITUAL PREPARATION.

a. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him out." Heb.11v6. Acts.17v27.
"He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that DILIGENTLY seek Him". Heb.11v6. Some people are prepared, and quite rightly, to go to doctors and hospital for many hours and have endless preparation for an operation, or treatment for some illness, without any feeling of inconvenience or irritation. However, sometimes people are not prepared to seek God, read the Scriptures, or even listen to instruction before they are prayed for, and yet they expect an instantaneous miracle of healing. Coming into the presence of the King of Kings demands respect and spiritual preparation. "Thou art coming to a king", and so prepare prayerfully, thoughtfully and diligently. Don't be like those who want a display of spiritual power, or a magic formula, without any desire to meet with God. Some want unconditional healing, so that they can keep on living the same old worldly life. Some people don't want to prepare spiritually, or possess true faith because of the demands that this will place upon them, they want Divine healing without any conditions. James writes that a person should come to God for healing with repentance for sin, and after much prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. James.5v13-20. Some come to a Divine healing meeting after living a very worldly canal life, and quite unrepentant of their sin, and they expect God to heal them instantly, and sometimes God in mercy does so, but what is their end?

b. Some may ask, "Why does God heal the unconverted?"
God is so gracious that He will heal a sick person just to appeal to them to repent. Jesus healed thousands of people who were not repentant, as can be seen from His strong warning to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Mt.11v20-24. Lk.10v13-15. It is the greatest folly to trifle with God and to trade on His great grace. Jesus taught people for hours, and they were willing to miss their food, sometimes for days, to hear Him and see the miracles that He did. Multitudes were baptised showing their repentance and faith in Christ. This spiritual preparation brought about an expectant rise of faith, that resulted in a free full flow of the ministry of Jesus, and the healing of all who came to Him for healing. Mk.6v35-56. Most of Israel's religious leaders did not seek healing from Jesus, because they did not want to repent and get right with God. Jn.5v38-40. 6v36,37. 8v30-47. This could be one reason why the people at the Pool of Bethesda were not seeking the Saviour, they wanted their sins, and their traditional approach that made no spiritual demands. Jesus healed one man out of the multitude at Bethesda and then hurried away, and later gave a warning to the man about living in sin. The rest may have been warned to keep away from Jesus by their spiritual advisors, and had unfortunately heeded them and rejected His ministry. Jn.5v1-15.

c. The need of faith building instruction can be absolutely vital.
Some people need to come to many meetings to receive healing, for they need this kind of spiritual preparation. Many churches live on such a low level of faith and Christian experience, that the Christians in them need to have instruction and see miracles before they can really believe for themselves. Christ stated that the revelation and open manifestation of God's power in signs and wonders, was necessary before many people could believe. He said, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe". Jn.4v48. This is why most people need to go where God is doing great miracles so that they can have their faith encouraged and receive healing. John Lake, at the direction of the Holy Spirit, told a man to come to his meetings for 30 days and he would be healed, the mans healing was complete on the 29th. day. There is a real need of diligent spiritual effort and calm trust in the wonderful God of love. It is no good persuading an unbelieving or faithless sceptic to come for healing to prove God to them, you cannot prove God to unbelief.

It is absolutely essential to remember that the word of God is the food of faith, it tells us God's will for us and His promises to us, and faith will grow and increase as we read it and believe it. !Pet.2v2. Acts20v32. Rom.10v17. If we neglect the word of God we cannot expect our faith to be strong and virile. The Scriptures are written to enable us to believe that Jesus is the Christ. A realisation of who Christ is and what He promises to us, can only come through the Scriptures and the preaching and the demonstration by the power of God of those Scriptures. Christians cannot be "thoroughly furnished unto all good works" if they do not have a good knowledge of the Word of God. Jn.20v30,31. 2Tim.3v14-17. Meditation upon the promises of God will give us faith to receive them. 1Tim.4v13-16. Ignorance of the promises of God has kept many people from receiving the promises of God.

d. People need to be taught to set a time to meet with God.
Do not say that God will meet with you "sometime" or "when He wills". "Sometime" is very often "never". Set NOW as a time to seek Christ out and receive from Christ, for Christ has said, "What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them". Mk.11v24. This kind of positive faith in Christ will result in a person receiving the requests they ask for. However, don't limit God to an instantaneous miracle, healings can be gradual, or take place later, as in the case of the ten lepers and the blind man at the Pool of Siloam. Jn.4v46-54. 9v1-11. Mt.8v3,13,15. Mk.11v12-14,20,21. Lk.17v12-19. Even Christ prayed for one man twice. Mk.8v22-26. A partial healing, gradual healing, or a delay in healing demand more seeking of God. God does not wish to delay your healing, but he may do so because you need to learn some important spiritual truths. In a Christian, healing may be delayed or gradual healing take place. so that sympathy, humility, and compassion for others may be developed. Gradual healing may make more demands upon a person than an instantaneous healing, but don't be impatient with Jesus, people are not generally impatient with their doctors, so don't be impatient with Christ. Heb.6v12,15. Trophimus doubtless had the experience of delayed, or gradual healing, even though the apostle Paul prayed for him. 2Tim.4v20. Sometimes a healing is gradual or delayed, so that we should search our hearts and become more spiritually minded as a result, which brings us to our next point.

4. BECAUSE GOD MAY DESIRE TO TEST AND IMPROVE A CHRISTIAN'S CHARACTER.

a. A Christian's spiritual well-being is more important than their physical health.
We read in Heb.12v3-15., that God disciplines Christians because of His love for us. God may allow the normal sicknesses of man to come upon us, or allow Satan to afflict us, and He may allow a delay in healing to improve our characters. In the Corinthian church the sick were without doubt prayed for by the elders and they were still sick. Paul told them that this was due to Divine chastisement, things had to be put right. 1Cor.11v27-34. Delay in healing should cause us to examine our hearts and make sure that our lives are clean and our attitudes right. We can avoid discipline by sickness by self-examination.

God may delay healing to try the faith and character of the Christian. There may be nothing wrong with the person's life at all, as in the case of Job. Job.2v4-10. God allowed Satan to try Job's faith by sickness and a delay in healing. Job came through this trial with the commendation of God, the trial has proved and perfected patience and endurance, and tried, proved and purified faith, and glorified the great grace of God. This kind of trial of faith obviously only applies to the Christian, God cannot try the faith of an unbeliever in this way as they have no faith to try. The Devil put the sickness upon Job, Job.2v7., Before this God's power had been an hedge about Job, protecting him from sickness and Satanic attack. Job's obedience and faith had not failed, indeed, they were proved by this trial. Job's trial proved that God was right and that His grace was sufficient for anything, and that Satan was wrong and that his criticisms of Job were incorrect and completely evil. Christian, imitate Job and ask in faith nothing wavering, when God allows your faith to be tested by a delay in healing.

One reads again and again of great saints, who have had a great healing ministry to the sick, suffering a trial of physical sickness themselves, while they were seeing great numbers of people healed by God in their meetings. Is it that God has said that no flesh should glory in His presence? Is it that it is a trial of faith or spiritual discipline? Sometimes only God Himself knows. We must make sure that we do not mistake a spiritual discipline by God for a trial of our faith, let us examine our hearts. Blatant lack of repentance, flagrant sin, or wilful disobedience to God can cause sickness and death. Fighting God's voice through a servant of God, or a prophet of God, can bring sickness unto death. e.g. Ahaziah. 2Kings.1v1-17., Asa. 2Chron.14v2. 15v2. 16v12,13. The Corinthians. 1Cor.5v1-5. 10v1-14. 11v23,24., Hymenaeus, Philetus and Alexander. 1Tim.1v19,20. 2Tim.2v17,18. In Ps.105v15., we read, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm". "Mine anointed" and "My prophets", applies to a man of God, not to a spiritual backslider, and can refer to a member of a church as well as a leader of a church. We have to be careful how we live in the Church of Christ, and how we listen to God's voice.

b. Paul's thorn in the flesh was a conflict with an evil angel, not a physical sickness.
Some have stated that Paul's thorn in the flesh was a sickness, and some have confidently asserted that it was a disease of the eyes, in spite of the fact that the Scriptures state that God healed Paul of blindness. Acts.9v17,18. It is difficult to see how Paul could have accomplished his great missionary journeys if he was continually sick and ill. Paul himself makes it clear that his thorn in the flesh was "the messenger of Satan".

The word for "messenger" is "angelos", and means "messenger", but it is especially applied to angels. We can, therefore, state that this "messenger" was a wicked angel sent by Satan to trouble Paul. Paul tells us that God allowed this evil angel to buffet him because he was in danger of becoming spiritually proud as a result of the abundant amount of spiritual revelation he was enjoying. God's preventative medicine against spiritual pride in Paul's case was not sickness but persecution. "The angel of Satan" spoken of by Paul in 2Cor.12v7., stirred up tremendous persecutions against Paul. He suffered weariness and painfulness, perils of various kinds, necessities, persecutions, distresses, imprisonment, beatings, atoning and many other trials as a result of the hatred of men.

Paul certainly did suffer physically, for nobody can have a stoning and five awful beatings from the Jews like our Lord had, and three beatings from the Romans, without some serious physical after-effects. Paul said, "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus", and a thousand scars testified to the truth of this statement. Gal.6v17. cf. 2Cor.11v23 to 12v12. Thorns in the flesh in the Scripture are personalities or people that were used by God to discipline His children. Numb.33v55. Josh.23v12,13. The idea that Paul was continually sick from one disease after another, is quite without any Scriptural foundation. Paul had a ministry of healing and preached and experienced healing. Acts.9v17-19. 28v3-6. Rom.8v11. 2Cor.4v11. If Paul's thorn was sickness, the Corinthians had every reason to ask Paul why he was sick, they could have asked him if he had not been examining himself at the Lord's table. 1Cor.11v30. God may use various means to discipline His children, and temporary sickness was certainly used by God to discipline the Christians at Corinth.

Sometimes a delay in healing can take place, because sometimes it is necessary for us to prevail over the opposing powers of darkness. Realise that you wrestle against wicked angels, so pray through until you get the victory. Eph.6v10-20. A Christian may have to prevail in prayer like Daniel. Dan.10v13. Daniel continued to trust God in spite of the fact that for 21 days the answer to his prayer was delayed, the delay developed character and spiritual muscles in Daniel. If you are being disciplined by God, or experiencing a trial of faith, imitate the persistent faith and prayer of Daniel. Dan.10v1-21. Consistent and persistent prayer will bring health and healing, be filled with God's grace and healing will come. We will further consider sickness in the Church of Christ, at more length, under the heading, "Why is there sickness in the Church of Christ"? We will also consider the spiritual equipment and power that Christ desires His Church to enjoy, under the heading, "Christ's Challenge to His Church".

5. BECAUSE THE SICK PERSON IS LOOKING TO MAN INSTEAD OF LOOKING TO GOD.
Direct your gaze to God, you have come to meet with Him. By all means respect God's servant, but remember that God alone is the healer and the glory belongs to Him alone. Peter and John refused to say that it was their power or holiness that had wrought the miracle on the man at the gate of the Temple, they said that it was through the power of the risen Christ. Acts.3v12. It is not being prayed for by "a great evangelist" that brings healing, it is meeting with God that brings healing. We have to respect a person who God has entrusted with great spiritual gifts, otherwise the sick will receive nothing from them, but they are only manifesting God's gifts, love and compassion. It is the prayer of faith that heals the sick, but the object of that faith is God. God will not give His glory to another. Is.42v8. 48v11,12. 44v6. with Rev.1v8,17. 22v13. 1Cor.1v26-31. with Jer.9v24.

6. BECAUSE A PERSON BELIEVES IN MEN'S TRADITIONS INSTEAD OF GOD'S WORD.
Many preachers confidently assert that Divine healing and miracles are not for this day, when they have not a shred of Scriptural evidence to support what they say. However, their sceptical unscriptural dogmatic assertions keep many from receiving healing from Christ, and they can expect severe judgement for this. James.3v1. As one Christian man has well said, "Faith comes by hearing God's Word, and leaves by hearing men's traditions". The prayer of faith heals the sick, not an unbelieving, "If it be thy will"? Refuse to listen to unbelieving sermons, for wrong teaching destroys faith, go where you can hear God's truth preached faithfully and where God is doing great things. God is angry when unbelieving preachers tell sick people, that it is God's will for them to suffer terribly for years and that they must bear it patiently.

John tells us in 1Jn.5v14,15., that knowledge of the will of God as revealed in His Word and by His Spirit, is the grounds of faith, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him". "Confidence," is "parrhesia," freedom in speaking, free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance. Positive faith in the revealed will of God to heal will bring deliverance to the sick, the traditions of men will only add to the suffering of the sick. Do not think that you deserve healing, or can earn your healing by good works, healing is a gift flowing from God's great grace, and it is quite unmerited. Humble yourself before God like Naaman and God will heal you. Don't be proud of your prayers or works of charity, you are only saved and healed because Jesus died on the cross for you. 2Kings.5v1-19. Mt.6v1-18.

7. BECAUSE A PERSON IS SUFFERING FROM SICKNESS AS A RESULT OF OVERWORK.
God will not give us strength to break the laws of rest that He has laid down. Many Christians, like Epaphroditus, have found that they cannot overwork their bodies and escape the consequences. Phil.2v25-30. Christians who have prayed for the sick with great results, have been sick for long periods through placing too great a strain upon their bodies, for such people the need is care, love and sympathy and a rest for their mind, body and emotions. God had mercy upon Epaphroditus and restored and healed him. God does the same today, but He may heal us after we have used some common-sense, and learned not to put too great a strain upon our bodies. Some people are so busy that temporary sickness can be a blessing to them, it is an occasion when they have the time to experience spiritual refreshment.

8. SO THAT A GREATER MIRACLE CAN BRING GREATER GLORY TO GOD.
Because Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, He gave them the privilege of bringing great glory to God, by delaying the healing of Lazarus and then later raising him from the dead. A temporary delay resulted in a greater deliverance and brought great glory to God and resulted in many people being saved.Jn.11v1-43. The trial of faith in Mary and Martha proved much more precious than gold. 1Pet.1v6,7. They had a new and wonderful revelation of their Saviour's Divinity, power and authority. God may allow the same kind of thing to happen today so that people may realise that He is God, and realising it, may come to know the sweetness and beauty of fellowship with God.

9. WHAT TO DO WHEN HEALING IS DELAYED.
If there is a delay in the answer to your prayer, there must be a reason for it. Your reaction to a delay in healing is very important. Remember it is not just a question of saying a prayer, it is your attitude to God that counts. Also realise that God is desiring to work a change in you as well as desiring to heal your body. Above all remember that real faith never goes unrewarded, there may be a delay, but there will never be a denial if you truly believe. Mk.11v20-24. So imitate the persistent prayer and faith of the Syrophenician woman of Mt.15v21-28. and Mk.7v24-30. Christ seemed at first to ignore her prayer, and then He stated that His commission was only to the children of God. But with great earnest cries she confessed Him as Lord and Saviour Christ, she worshipped and humbled herself at His feet and in great faith pleaded the love and graciousness of God to those who had no real claim upon His blessings. The woman was obviously not saved at first, she could not claim "the children's bread" of healing, but by coming into a right relationship with Christ she could claim the children's bread of healing. Christ never refuses the kind of faith that this woman had and so He healed the woman's child, if you come to Christ with the same worship, earnest prayer and persistent faith, you will receive what you ask of Him. Remember the persistent faith of the Shunammite woman when she earnestly sought God and Elisha for the restoration to life of her dead son, and the persistent prayer of Elisha for the resurrection from the dead of the Shunammite's beloved child.. 2Kings.4v18-37. Remember and imitate the persistent faith of the blind men of Lk.18v35-43., and many others, and you will find that Christ will heal you as He healed them. Remember that the healing of Trophimus was delayed, even though the apostle Paul was present to pray for them. 2Tim.4v20. Phil.2v27. Your healing may be gradual, but if it be delayed, remember that delay never means denial, God desires to heal you, so examine your heart, and fulfil His conditions and be persistent in your faith and prayer, and He will meet with you and heal you.

Why is there sickness in the Church of Christ?
Chronic, severe, prolonged, and life threatening sickness is what we are considering here, for God often allows temporary minor sickness such as colds, etc, to be healed by the natural healing processes of the body. Simple sickness can be cured by common-sense and simple remedy, but severe sickness is another matter altogether, and it is this that I want to consider.

Obviously the Lord expects more of Christians than of the worldling. God may heal the worldling, just because He wants to appeal to them to get saved. However, even with the worldling, repentance and some measure of faith in Christ are the usual pre-requisites for healing. Christ also warned that a person who had received healing from Him, could get a worse disease if they persisted in serving the Devil, the devil has no mercy. The only real safeguard is to keep serving and following our dear Lord Jesus. We have considered why healing is delayed previously, but we will now consider sickness specifically in it's relationship to Christ's Church, and the responsibility of the local elders and the leaders of the Church to those who are sick.

As we have seen various things can hinder healing. Unrepentant sin in the sick person's life, or a sin like Achan's in the Church, or sin in the elders. Joshua.7v1-26. 8v1. The Christians can be at sixes and sevens and have a bitter spirit towards one another. Wrongs should not be allowed to fester, Christ commanded us to put them right. N.B. Mt.18v15-35. Mk.11v22-26. Jn.13v34,35. 15v12-14. 1Cor.3v1-3. Lack of healings in the church can be due to lack of faith in the elders or the sick person, and it is very often due to the fact that the church is too spiritually lazy, or to worldly to defeat Satan. However even if the poor spiritual condition of the elders, stops them from being a channel of salvation and healing and blessing, it is still God's will to heal, as we can clearly see from the healing of the demoniac in Mk.9v14-29.

Very often the premature and untimely death of a Christian is not "God's will" at all, it is more often due to the spiritual failure and weakness of Christ's Church. The phrase, "If it be thy will", is often quoted in direct contradiction to the clearly revealed will of God in the Scriptures. "If it be thy will", is very often quoted as a faith destroying statement and as an escape hatch of unbelief, it is God's will to heal us if we will put our lives right with God. The phrase, "If it be thy will" has its place in prayer, but let us make sure that we use it within the confines of the Word of God. Doubtless, when a Christian dies because of the spiritual failure of the elders, or there own lack of faith, it is always "gain" to them, when they go to be with the Saviour they love. Jn.17v24. 2Cor.5v6-10. Phil.1v20-25. Thank God for His wonderful grace, transcendent power, love and wisdom, and for the immortality brought to us by our dear Lord Jesus. 2Tim.1v10.

Can a Christian expect Divinely preserved health?
Can a Christian expect God to keep them from sickness and disease? God does certainly promise in His Word, that He will preserve His children from sickness, destructive force, accident and plague. Ps.91v1-16. However, this promise is, like all the promises of God, strongly conditional, and Divine strength and preservation of health is promised to those who live in the shadow of the Almighty, a life of deep communion with God, and obedience to His commands. Is.40v28-31. In Exod.15v26., God promises to preserve His people from all the diseases, or plagues, that He brought upon the Egyptians, if they obeyed Him and kept His laws. God said, "If thou wilt--, I will--, for I am--. The promise was strongly conditional. cf. Ps.34v12-15. 1Pet.3v10-13. Many of the Israelites did not receive the promise, they broke the commands of God and lost their lives by Divine judgement, however, others did receive the promise, "there was not one feeble person among their tribes". Ps.105v37. 106v10-48. We also have to remember that the laws that God gave them, were not only moral laws, but laws of health concerning, rest, correct diet, hygiene, sanitation, sterilisation and quarantine. The child of God has to keep God's health laws as well as God's moral laws, if they want to stay in good health. The Lord expects us to use our common-sense and to do our part in keeping our bodies strong and well, He will not preserve our health if we act foolishly and are intemperate in our living.

The deadly plagues and diseases spoken of in Exod.15v26. and Ps.91v6-10., are obviously quite different from simple temporary sickness. Paul does not point Timothy to these promises for deliverance, when Timothy was sick with minor ailments Paul tells him to use natural remedies, he says, "drink no longer water only, but use a little wine for thy stomachs sake and thy often infirmities". Some have said this wine was fruit juice, others have said that it was wine of the olive, i.e. olive oil, others have said that it was a weak alcoholic wine, which was certainly a lot better for the health than most of the water of Timothy's day, which was often badly polluted and infected by disease.

God can and does heal simple temporary disease, but He usually allows the natural healing processes of the body to heal simple temporary sickness. Compare the natural and spiritual healings of Ps.103v3 and 5. The promise of Ex.15v26. and Ps.91v1,6-10. are "yea and amen" in Christ, the Christian who walks with God can expect the Divine life and power of God to preserve and deliver them from severe sickness. 2Cor1v20. There was an hedge of protection around Job, God's power had preserved him from accident, oppression and illness, he had good health through Divine protection. God allowed Job to be sick, not because he had done anything wrong, even God said Job was "perfect". God allowed Job to be tested to prove that he was a "perfect" and wonderful man. Job.1v8-22. 2v1-10. Divine love allowed Job's perfection to be tested by poverty, war, oppression, bereavement, slander and sickness of a very severe nature. God may allow some of His saints to be tried in the same way today. It is worth noting, that after Job's healing the Hedge was restored and Job again enjoyed good health and prosperity through the protection and blessing of God. Job.42v10-17.

When Christ said to the man at Bethesda, "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee". He implied that the man could enjoy good health through walking with God. The Christian who walks with God can expect Divine preservation from severe sickness and the quickening of their mortal body by Divine life. God wants His children to be in good health. Rom.8v11. 3John.v2,3. However, the Christian may sometimes groan because of the many limitations and weaknesses of the human body, desiring their heavenly body, which is infinitely better than their earthly one. 2Cor.5v4. Phil.3v21. Thanks be to God that the law of the Spirit and life in Christ Jesus, makes us free from the law of sin and death. Rom.8v1,2.

10. THE SCRIPTURAL QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS WHO PRAY FOR THE SICK.
The qualifications for elders are found in Acts.20v17,28. 1Tim.3v1-7. Titus.1v5-9. 2Pet.5v1-8. These qualifications for elders include, integrity, honesty, self-discipline, wisdom, experience, ability, age, humility, and spirituality; not any busybody or ambitious person should be an elder. We read in James.5v13-20., that another necessary qualification of an elder is the ability to bring healing to the sick through a prayer of faith. In the Early Church the elder, "presbuteros", and the bishop, or better, the overseer, "episkopos," were holders of the same office. They were elder respected leaders of the local church, the word "overseer", describes their work.

1. Paul appointed elders in all the churches that he founded. Acts.14v23. Tit.1v5. Paul tells Titus to ordain elders and then proceeds to give the spiritual qualifications of overseers Titus.1v5-7. And when Paul writes to the leaders of the church at Philippi, he writes to the overseers and deacons. Paul would not have missed the elders out if they were not the same as bishops. Indeed the qualifications of elders and overseers are exactly the same. 1Tim.3v1-7. Tit.1v5-9.

2. The elders of Ephesus are called overseers. When Paul talks to the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, he tells them that God has made them overseers, "episkopoi", and their work is to feed the flock which God has entrusted to them. Acts.20v17,28.

3. Peter writes to the oversight of the churches, as an elder to elders. The word for oversight in 1Pet.5v2., is, "episkopein." There can be no doubt that both Paul and Peter looked upon the elders as bishops, or better, as overseers of the local church. The guidance of the local church should be left in the hands of the older and more experienced godly men, however, godly deacons can also have a place in the ruling of the local church. 1Tim.3v8-16. Acts.6v3. Someone has suggested that the age of 40 should be the lowest limit for an elder. See Acts.11v30 15v6,23. 16v4. 20v17. 21v18. 1Thes.5v12,13. 1Tim.5v17-19. Heb.13v7,8. The elders at Jerusalem held an honoured place in the guidance of the early Church, it was not just left to the young apostles of Christ, they welcomed the advice and guidance of older, wiser, spiritual men.

The work of an elder should not be taken on lightly, for to be a an elder with the correct Bible credentials is a very demanding thing. 1Pet.5v1-11. 1Tim.3v1-7. Tit.1v5-9. Heb13v7,8.17. In addition to Christ like qualities of character, there should be a deep spirituality. James 5v13-20. tells us that the elders who pray for the sick should be "prayed through" and full of the Holy Spirit like Elijah, having supernatural revelation gifts and spiritual power gifts in operation. It is not just the saying of a prayer by an elder that brings deliverance to the sick, it is having a powerful living communion with God, that brings deliverance and healing to the sick. Sometimes great faith and great patience are necessary when praying for the sick, on some occasions it may take prolonged prayer to get the victory for some sick one, as when Elijah prayed for rain. 1Kings.18v42-46. A prayer-less, worldly-minded elder or preacher, has no hope of praying a prayer for the sick, and this is why many people are not healed. Christ said that you had to bind the strong man, i.e. Satan, before you can spoil his goods. Mk.3v22-30. N.B. v27. You have to be on victory in your life, through living in communion with Christ, if you are to deliver the needy. Any worldly-minded elder or Christian leader will be in no spiritual condition to pray a prayer of faith. A worldly minded ambitious church can never pray a successful prayer of deliverance for the sick and sinful, repentance must come before this can take place. You cannot use the name of Jesus as a certain formula for deliverance, you have to have a loving, clean, obedient, prayerful, powerfully Spirit-filled life, through abiding in Christ Jesus, before you can claim the promise of John.15v7,16.

The challenge comes to every elder and preacher, "Are you prayed through" and full of the Holy spirit, having supernatural revelation and manifesting spiritual gifts? Do you as an elder qualify for praying for the sick? It is no good pretending to be an elder, or being called an elder, unless you are spiritually equipped and qualified to do the work of an elder. You can be called an elder by men, but if you are not an elder in the eyes of God, you are an impostor. Every N.T. elder and preacher was commissioned to bring deliverance to the sick and sinful. All the ministries of Eph.4v11. were and are intended to manifest God's saving and healing power Some ministries were obviously more specialised than others, but in the N.T. we read that they all brought deliverance to the sick and sinful. The Scriptures teach us that Christian preachers who give teaching about spiritual gifts should manifest the gifts that they are talking about, a pound of example is worth a ton of theory and talk. God is not "The great I was", He is "The great I am", and any failure can never be laid at His feet; any sin, unbelief, indifference or unfaithfulness in preachers and the elders that shepherd God's flock, will have to be answered for before the great throne of God. Jer.23v1-6. Ezek.34v1-34. Mt.23v13-39. 1Pet.5v1-4.

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