This teaching extrapolates lessons from the Bible on the subject of healing and deliverance.
Authority
While it is always Jesus who heals He most often heals when a brother or a sister steps into the place of authority bestowed on all believers to administer grace to others. Jesus left us, all of us not just pastors and elders, with authority and mandate to pray and heal.
Luke 10:8-9
"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'
Luke 10:17-20
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 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.
These were 72 common believers and Jesus gave them the same mandate He gave to the 12 Apostles back in chapter 9. He told them, "Freely you have received, freely give."
Lesson 1: Healing comes through the Holy Spirit when a believer invokes the authority of Christ.
Case Histories
John 5:1-9
5:1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 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. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie-the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?"
Lesson 2: Ask questions- dig for the root problem. After introductions ask probing questions and assure them you only want to help and will keep the session confidential.
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."
Lesson 3: Look past shallow answers. The person may hide the real issue or not even realize what it is themselves.
8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
John 5:14
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Lesson 4: Heal the whole person. Notice there is no sharp distinction made between this man's sin which Jesus implies was the cause and the need for general healing. There are several reasons why a person may need healing and they overlap (See Chart on last page). A person's primary need may be for salvation and forgiveness of sin and repentance (lifestyle repentance can be called sanctification) as one circle in this chart shows but that may overlap with the need for physical healing. In the case of the man blind from birth Jesus said it had nothing to do with sin and was entirely a case of physical and spiritual need:
John 9:1-7
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
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.
The first circle to heal is sin/salvation. Ask questions to determine if the person has accepted Christ. If not, share the Gospel and lead them to Christ. Once they know Christ insure they are not sick and/or demonized because of on-going sin in spite of being a Christian. Be bold and direct, "Are there any sins you know of that God could be using this oppression to get your attention for repentance?"
In the next case the circles on the chart affected are demonization and illness. Again notice there is not a sharp distinction made rather it is assumed the illness was caused by demonization.
Luke 13:10-13
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 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. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Lesson 4: Heal the whole person.
Lesson 5: Wait on the Holy Spirit. How do when know when the problem is sickness, sin, or demonization? We don't. Each person is special and unique. We are totally inadequate to know how to minister and so we must wait on the Holy Spirit to reveal how to proceed.
Teams of at least three and no more than five that include cross gender for accountability are best. This allows for different gifts of the Spirit to be employed. Appoint one leader and work as a team. Get to know each other's gifts. Lay hands on the patient's head or shoulder or on top of their hands over area of pain. For cross gender ask the patient to place their hands on the affected area then you can place your hand (if appropriate) on their hand so as to avoid touching their body. Also cross gender can just hold their hand out in the air aimed at the site of affliction.
After the question and initial discussion secession, pray and worship then invite the Holy Spirit to show you how to move. Wait in silence, even for a long time if necessary. Do not operate on your own wisdom and strength. Let the Spirit show someone on the team through a vision, impression, scripture, question, etc. Keep your eyes open and be alert for even small things. Listen with all your heart to the Holy Spirit.
Once led by the Spirit proceed to administer grace via prayer. Adapt your prayers to how the Spirit is indicating. Jesus used different methods for healing:
Pharmaceuticals
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. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 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.
Mud was a common eye treatment in the time of Jesus. He was using conventional medicine empowered by prayer. The Spirit may tell you to pray for the doctors and/or medications to heal.
Touch
Matt 8:14-15
When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
Sometime touching someone (use caution in cross gender situations) or raising someone up is called for by the Spirit.
By Remote
In some cases you may be praying for a situation or a person not present. Jesus modeled this:
John 4:50-53
50 Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 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."
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.
Endurance
Jesus did not heal everyone at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:7) only the man who was an invalid for 38 years. Not everyone is to be healed yet. Hardship is used of the Spirit as the greatest teacher of faith (Jms 1:2-4). Be sure the Spirit is leading you to ask for healing and not for comfort and perseverance.
Anointing with Oil
James 5:14-16
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 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.
Lesson 6: Use oil to anoint for all kinds of healing. Tell them it is symbolic and represents the Holy Spirit:
Demons
Mark 9:14-27
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.
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. 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."
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."
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.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. 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."
- 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Lesson 7: Have faith.
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
- When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit.
Lesson 8: Do not sensationalize demons or casting them out.
"You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
Pray for someone on the team to have the gift of discernment of spirits. If a demon is the problem take authority in Jesus name and if possible first impart the gospel. Silence the demon as necessary. Get the person to acknowledge Jesus as the only true God and Savior and renounce anything that led to demonization. Followers of Christ can be demonized (Mat 16:23, 2 Cor 12:7). There are different kinds of demons and some leave more easily (Mat 9:29) however they all eventually submit to Jesus' name. It may take hours or days of prayer and ministry. Be bold and confident in the authority of Jesus and command them out or better, get the patient to command them out.
Often it is enough have the person accept the Gospel and renounce all connection and worship of demons (such as burn charms, idols, etc.) and be baptized. The demon(s) will leave without further commands.
Teach the patient how to defend themselves from return attacks using Jesus' name and the Christian disciplines of prayer, Bible mediation/memorization, fellowship, worship, fasting, accountability, and daily repentance. Show them what is likely to happen if they fail in this follow up:
Matt 12:43-45
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."
Lesson 9: Teach ongoing spiritual warfare.
Conclusion
Heal, forgive, cast out demons, all in the power of the Holy Spirit through the prayers of a righteous man.
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