A PERSONAL VIEW OF THE CHRISTIAN
HEALING MINISTRY.
Pauline Jens
Praise the Lord, O
my soul, all my inmost being praise his holy name, Praise the Lord
O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases.
(Ps.103.v.1-3. NIV)
Wonderful words from the Old Testament; and from the New
Testament:
“And these signs
will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they
will speak in new tongues: they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when
they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their
hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
(Mark16.v17-18. NIV)
But it’s personal
experience that makes me even more excited.
I have been healed of sciatica through prayer, and seen many healed of
more severe conditions, - some instantly, some after more persistent prayer -
Jesus still heals - the same yesterday, today and forever!
It wasn’t always so
for me. Healing was something
that might happen through doctors, hospitals, medicines, depending on the
condition. Prayers for the
sick were sometimes said in church and prayer meetings, and people were not
really surprised if they were
unsuccessful. After all
‘Suffering is character-building’, ‘God has a reason for it’, ‘We all have a cross to bear’; or, in the event of death
- ‘God needed more angels in the heavenly host’, and so on.
Then in 1999 everything
changed for me. I went to Flames
of Fire.
There I heard an
address by Bishop Graham Dow. I
don’t remember much about it, only the effect it had on me. At the end he asked us to stand in various areas of the
hall, according to how we felt called to serve, and I was drawn to the one for
the healing ministry. I was
given a form of application for a course on this led by him, and went off to the
coffee bar with it, where I sat in amazement - is this me? A few minutes later my Vicar joined me, and before I
could say anything asked me to join a healing ministry team he wished to set up!
With his blessing I went to Willesden (one of 72) for Bishop Graham’s
course.
So
began my journey of discovery in the healing ministry, first in a church in
Willesden, then in my own and local parishes, and later at Flames of Fire.
I
found how immense is the need for healing, how immeasurably damaged people can
be by the words
and actions
of others,
the bitterness,
fragility, anger,
unforgiveness and hurt people can carry in their minds and hearts;
and also inflict on those around them through both words and actions.
This drew me to
Jacob’s Well Ministry of Healing and Wholeness and I was eventually licensed
into the Order about 15 months ago.
Through ministry both
with my Vicar, and when ministering within Jacob’s Well, I have seen God’s
Healing Grace in many ways - tears of joy from people on their release from, for
example, the bondage of bitterness or unforgiveness.
Others equally moved by discovering God actually loves them personally
and heals.
Meanwhile wonderful
things were happening - people were being physically healed, and I have seen
many instances of this; joy on the faces of those released from the immobility
of frozen shoulders, arthritic knees and hips, instantaneous healing of severe
asthma (verified by a doctor), and many other wonderful instances of
healing.
I not only believe from
the Bible that God still heals today, I KNOW. Like Thomas, I’ve experienced it, seen it.
“Don’t wait for God, He’s waiting for us!”
It’s exciting, wonderful, awesome, humbling.
I also believe that God wants to do infinitely more than we can
ever ask or imagine; that he is always ready, waiting for us to come to Him in
expectancy and humility.
There are many
instances in the New Testament of Jesus healing - none of Him withholding it.
Think of the woman with the issue of blood - she approached Him with
persistence, humility and expectancy – she received
healing - we can too.
“Although I am less than the least of
God’s people, this grace was given to me; to preach to the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration
of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all
things. His intent was that now, through in
the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in
Christ Jesus our Lord. In
him and through faith in him we may approach God in freedom and confidence.”
(Eph3.v.8-12)