Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
—James 5:16
In the past, God’s healing power was demonstrated through the Levitical priesthood. During this early period of God’s covenant with Abraham and the children of Israel, if a person were sick, in pain, or had leprosy or any other type of ailment, he would have to travel to the priest of the day at the temple of God. There, he would make the appropriate sacrifice for his sin and the priest would take him through a ceremony in which healing would be released.
Later, God selected certain men known as prophets. Many of these men were highly anointed by God and they walked very closely with Him. Men and women of their day sought healing through these men of God. They would come and state their case, sometimes offering a token to the prophet, and he would release healing on the behalf of God.
Then came Jesus. He, being in nature God Himself, was able to express God’s desire, ability and willingness to heal. The Word of God says that Jesus healed all who came to Him. These men and women didn’t bring a sacrifice. They didn’t offer payments or tokens in order to get Jesus to pray. They only came with one thing—an expectancy that He would heal them. It was God’s willingness to heal that was perfectly expressed through the life of Jesus and it is something we should always remember.
Today, Jesus is still able and willing to heal all. In this day and age, He has chosen the body of Christ as His number one vessel of healing. That means He desires to heal through the Church and, if you’ve received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, that means you. God desires to heal people through us!
When Jesus told us to go into all the world and carry His message of love and compassion, He sent us forth in the same healing power that He carried during His earthly ministry. As a matter of fact, He hasn’t ever changed His methods. He sent His priests with the power to heal in the old covenant. He sent out His disciples and the 72 the same way when He told them to share the good news and heal the sick. He has sent us in this manner as well.
It may be a new day and we may be new messengers, but God’s method of delivering His love and healing power is still through the hands of men. But now it’s not just a preacher or a priest whom He has empowered—it’s you! Go and share the love of Christ with somebody and, when you do, realize that He has given you the power to cast out devils and to heal the sick. Stop waiting for your pastor or somebody who seems more anointed to do it. You do it! It’s a new day and you’re the one God has empowered to heal the sick.
Scriptural Context
James 5:13-16
Concept Reinforcement
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy's body grew warm.
—2 Kings 4:32-34
He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
—Matthew 10:1
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 4:40
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