What's Prayer Got to Do With Healing?
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. Ps. 91:15, NIV.
People are receiving the best medical care money can buy. It is a good thing, because they are seriously ill. They used to believe in prayer—before they got sick. But now, what does prayer have to do with the possibility of restoration to health? Many reason, in light of medical technology and the breakthroughs in health care, why pray?
We may group people's attitudes toward prayer and healing in at least four broad categories. First are prayer resisters. This group rejects the idea of prayer and spirituality in general. They may not deny God's existence, but they don't see the connection between the spiritual and secular. To them prayer is a placebo, a spiritual opiate that has little real value except as a feel-good.
Second are prayer enlisters. Here the attitude is "if prayer works or might work, use it—in my condition, I'll try anything." Individuals in this category don't necessarily believe in the power of prayer, but they will seize any opportunity to achieve healing.
The third group can be called prayer insisters. They must pray because "there is no other way." People with this attitude reject any medical advice or treatment. They hold the opinion that to do anything else but pray would show a lack of faith.
The fourth group we can call prayer persisters. They persist in prayer not as an end in itself, but as a means to recognize, invite, and free God to do what He desires—the accomplishment of His will. Prayer is not a crutch, a quick fix, or a cure-all. They believe that God is able, willing, and dependable to heal, and see prayer as a means by which God can bless, heal, and accomplish His sovereign will.
Your beliefs about prayer and healing make a difference in your whole outlook on life—and death. What you believe will affect what you do and think. Which category do you fall in? A prayer resister, a prayer enlister, a prayer insister, or a prayer persister?
Thank You, God, for answered prayer. Like the father of the boy who was convulsing and foaming at the mouth, my prayer for healing is "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24, NKJV). Amen.
People are receiving the best medical care money can buy. It is a good thing, because they are seriously ill. They used to believe in prayer—before they got sick. But now, what does prayer have to do with the possibility of restoration to health? Many reason, in light of medical technology and the breakthroughs in health care, why pray?
We may group people's attitudes toward prayer and healing in at least four broad categories. First are prayer resisters. This group rejects the idea of prayer and spirituality in general. They may not deny God's existence, but they don't see the connection between the spiritual and secular. To them prayer is a placebo, a spiritual opiate that has little real value except as a feel-good.
Second are prayer enlisters. Here the attitude is "if prayer works or might work, use it—in my condition, I'll try anything." Individuals in this category don't necessarily believe in the power of prayer, but they will seize any opportunity to achieve healing.
The third group can be called prayer insisters. They must pray because "there is no other way." People with this attitude reject any medical advice or treatment. They hold the opinion that to do anything else but pray would show a lack of faith.
The fourth group we can call prayer persisters. They persist in prayer not as an end in itself, but as a means to recognize, invite, and free God to do what He desires—the accomplishment of His will. Prayer is not a crutch, a quick fix, or a cure-all. They believe that God is able, willing, and dependable to heal, and see prayer as a means by which God can bless, heal, and accomplish His sovereign will.
Your beliefs about prayer and healing make a difference in your whole outlook on life—and death. What you believe will affect what you do and think. Which category do you fall in? A prayer resister, a prayer enlister, a prayer insister, or a prayer persister?
Thank You, God, for answered prayer. Like the father of the boy who was convulsing and foaming at the mouth, my prayer for healing is "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24, NKJV). Amen.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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