God Heals Today
by Carol Atkins
I would like to share my thoughts on healing and describe the healing experiences that I have witnessed over the past several years. But before I begin, I'd like to share a few verses from the Bible. When times seemed uncertain and I wasn't sure what God had planned for my life, the words from Jeremiah 29:11-13 were a comfort to me - "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart". I realized that I had to learn to put my full trust in the Lord.
In the early years of my Christian walk I had believed in the power of prayer but I hadn't really considered asking God through His Son Jesus to heal someone I knew - I thought that this was something that a minister was supposed to do. However, my belief in healing prayer was strengthened through different events in my life. One of these was when my husband Dave suddenly suffered "sudden sensoneural deafness" and debilitating tinnitus in his left ear in July 1991.
In the healing services, people received these words of knowledge as a picture, a word, a sympathetic pain or impression. In many instances, these words of knowledge were for people present and they were prayed for by others for healing in the name of Jesus.
In October 1995, we attended a healing service and the evangelist prayed for the healing of Dave's ear condition He had temporary relief from the tinnitus but it returned afterwards. I started to ask God why Dave wasn't healed; I realized that we may not always be healed physically but our spirits receive inner healing. This was what Dave had experienced - he felt more at peace with his condition and so did I. We gradually realized that God's timing is perfect and that we must trust in His wisdom and goodness. Like Paul, the thorn in our flesh may not always be removed but the Lord gives us sufficient grace to bear it. (2Cor. 12:7). I also learned that we can approach the Lord continually in prayer to ask for His healing touch and to thank Him for what He has done and continues to do for us in His mercy and grace.
At a particularly difficult time in my life, the Lord gave me these verses from Philippians 4: 6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". I had to learn to rely entirely on the Lord and not on my own strength; as I did, I received a peace amidst the storms of life which surpassed all my expectations. The Lord also during this time of trial drew me closer to Him through the Alpha course. By reaching out to others in sharing my faith, my own faith became stronger and more alive.
My husband Dave and I have participated in a number of Alpha courses and have witnessed some healings (physical as well as spiritual). The Alpha healing evening consists of watching a video explaining healing; then there is a quiet time of prayerful listening where some people may receive a "Word of Knowledge" from the Lord. This word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation that would not be possible to know on our own.
In the healing services, people received these words of knowledge as a picture, a word, a sympathetic pain or impression. In many instances, these words of knowledge were for people present and they were prayed for by others for healing in the name of Jesus. I know personally of several people who were healed on these evenings - one woman was healed of a painful bone spur; another person was healed of a rotator cuff (shoulder) injury and another person received healing of a back problem.
I also experienced divine healing at an Alpha healing service (November 12, 1997). I had been suffering from TMJ (a painful jaw condition where it is very difficult to chew food) for about two weeks. I had been at the dentist earlier and she wanted to prescribe pain pills and send me for physiotherapy. A little voice told me to wait. During the healing service, a woman felt pain in her jaw and I admitted that this was probably my pain. She and several other people prayed for me and I suddenly felt a warmth in my face - the pain went away immediately. As soon as I arrived home, I chewed some gum to prove that I was healed. I went back to the dentist later and she was amazed at my healing-in fact, she wanted to know more about Alpha! I have returned several times to the dentist's office since then and they are still surprised that I have not had a reoccurrence of this problem!
I have learned that the Lord wants to heal us today - the healing may not always be in the way we ask or expect but He knows what is best for us. I learned from my own healing experience that He knows us intimately - He knows when we are hurting and He reaches down and touches us through the prayers of others and heals and blesses us. My own faith was strengthened through this experience and I realized that God knew me and cared for me. I hope and pray that you will also experience the Lord's healing touch and that you will be drawn closer to Him. Amen.
Nicky Gumbel in the Alpha video entitled "Does God Heal Today"? explains the typical healing service evening. Participants stay together after the video for the healing session. There is about ten minutes of quiet contemplation time where people will individually pray silently to the Lord and engage in prayerful listening for the voice of God. In some cases, some may receive a "Word of Knowledge" which indicates the ailment of the person(s) whom God want us to pray for this evening. These words can be received in a number of ways- some may get a mental picture of the part of the body which God wants to heal. Others get an impression and still others feel that they hear or see words. The most common way to receive a word of knowledge is to feel a "sympathy pain" - someone senses a pain, which isn't theirs.
Participants are given a piece of paper to record any words or impressions they may receive. At the end of ten minutes, they are asked if they had received a word of knowledge from the Lord. This word of knowledge will then be shared with the entire group. Someone can either identify publicly that this word or impression applies to him or her or alternatively, the person can approach the individual who received the word privately afterwards. Normally the person who received the word of knowledge first prays for this person in a small group setting. People are asked to form groups of three to four people who can pray for each other's concerns. It is explained that not everyone will receive a word of knowledge but it is still important that people pray for one another.
The pattern for healing prayer is quite simple. Ask the person if he or she has any specific prayer request (e.g., where does it hurt or does the person have a special need?). If appropriate, ask why he or she has this condition (e.g., sore knee due to arthritis). People should always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them; they can also ask for the Holy Spirit to come upon the person. The individual can lay hands upon the person and then pray for healing in the name of Jesus. They are always to pray with simplicity and Christian love for one another.
Dear Lord, we humbly come before You and ask that You quiet our spirits and minds so we may be able to listen to what it is You have to say. There are people here Lord who need Your healing touch and we ask that they may feel Your presence here. We ask Lord that You send Your Holy Spirit to be with us. We are willing servants to do Your work and we pray for the Spirit's guidance, wisdom and power. Speak Lord, Your servant is listening - incline our hearts to Your Words and let Your speech come upon us as the dew upon the grass. We ask this in Your precious Son Jesus' name. Amen.
Carol Atkins, April 1999
