Embracing Healing: Faith, Prayer, and Spiritual Gifts
Summary
### Summary
Welcome to One Church At Home! Today, we continue our Summer of Faith series by exploring how God wants to use us to impact the world through spiritual gifts, specifically the gift of healing. We often find ourselves skeptical about supernatural gifts like healing, tongues, and deliverance, especially if we didn't grow up in a tradition that practiced them. However, the power of God is real and greater than we can imagine. Healing is a supernatural occurrence where God moves through us to bring physical healing. It's like a first aid kit—our first response, not our last resort.
We see numerous examples of healing in the Bible, such as in Acts 3, where Peter and John heal a man lame from birth. This Holy Spirit power is available to us today. Healing often begins with prayer, as emphasized in James 5, where we are instructed to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil. This act of prayer is a meeting place between heaven and earth, where we engage with God and invite His healing power.
James also highlights the importance of confession in the healing process. Confessing our sins to one another can soften our hearts and remove barriers between us and God. This humility allows God's power to work more effectively in us. I shared a personal story about a healing service where a colleague, Kelly, was healed from a severe migraine after we prayed over her, demonstrating that it is God's power, not our own, that brings healing.
To effectively engage in healing ministry, we need to be aware of the needs around us, be bold in our actions, and remain humble, recognizing that it is God's power at work. Healing ministry is an exercise in faith, requiring us to believe fully in what God can do. Are you willing to take a step of faith and intercede for those who are broken in your life? Let's be bold and humble as we seek to bring God's healing power to those around us.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of Spiritual Gifts: Spiritual gifts, including healing, are given to us by God to impact and edify others. These gifts are not just for the apostles but are available to us today to build up the church and bless those around us. We must be open to the reality of these gifts and seek to understand and use them effectively. [08:39]
2. Healing Begins with Prayer: Healing often starts with prayer, which serves as a conduit for God's power. James 5 instructs us to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil, emphasizing that prayer is the first response, not the last resort. This act of prayer is where heaven meets earth, and we engage with God to bring about healing. [18:47]
3. The Role of Confession in Healing: Confession is a crucial part of the healing process. When we confess our sins to one another, it softens our hearts and removes barriers between us and God. This humility allows God's power to work more effectively in us, leading to both spiritual and physical healing. [25:29]
4. Faith and Submission in Healing: Healing prayer requires full faith and full submission. We must believe that God can and will heal, but also submit to His will, recognizing that ultimate healing may come in eternity. This balance of faith and submission allows us to trust in God's timing and methods. [36:08]
5. Being Aware, Bold, and Humble: To engage in healing ministry, we need to be aware of the needs around us, be bold in our actions, and remain humble, recognizing that it is God's power at work. This approach allows us to effectively intercede for others and witness God's miraculous power in our midst. [33:06]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[08:39] - The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
[10:05] - Skepticism and Tradition
[11:30] - The Power of God in Healing
[14:29] - Healing as a First Aid Kit
[15:52] - Biblical Examples of Healing
[18:47] - Healing Begins with Prayer
[20:08] - Prayer and Praise in All Situations
[21:01] - Calling the Elders and Anointing with Oil
[25:29] - The Role of Confession in Healing
[28:18] - Personal Story of Healing
[32:27] - The Three B's: Be Aware, Be Bold, Be Humble
[36:08] - Faith and Submission in Healing
[40:40] - Healing Ministry as an Exercise in Faith
[42:09] - Encouragement to Take a Step of Faith
[43:22] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Acts 3:1-10 - The healing of the lame man by Peter and John.
2. James 5:13-16 - Instructions on prayer and anointing for the sick.
3. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 - Spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.
### Observation Questions
1. What was the condition of the man Peter and John encountered in Acts 3, and how did they respond to his request? ([15:52])
2. According to James 5, what are the steps involved in praying for someone who is sick? ([21:01])
3. What does 1 Corinthians 12 say about the purpose of spiritual gifts? ([08:39])
4. In the sermon, what personal story did the pastor share to illustrate the power of healing prayer? ([28:18])
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the healing of the lame man in Acts 3 demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit working through believers? ([17:12])
2. Why does James emphasize the role of confession in the healing process? How might unconfessed sin act as a barrier to healing? ([25:29])
3. What does it mean to have full faith and full submission in the context of healing prayer, as discussed in the sermon? ([36:08])
4. How can being aware, bold, and humble impact our effectiveness in healing ministry? ([33:06])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you were skeptical about supernatural gifts like healing. How did that skepticism affect your faith and actions? ([10:05])
2. The sermon mentioned that healing should be our first response, not our last resort. How can you make prayer your first response in times of trouble or sickness? ([14:29])
3. Confession is highlighted as an important step in the healing process. Is there something you need to confess to someone in your life to remove barriers between you and God? ([25:29])
4. The pastor shared a story about a colleague being healed from a migraine. Have you ever experienced or witnessed a similar act of healing? How did it impact your faith? ([28:18])
5. How can you be more aware of the needs around you and take bold steps to pray for others? Think of a specific person in your life who might need healing prayer. ([33:06])
6. Discuss a situation where you had to balance faith and submission in your prayers. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome? ([36:08])
7. The sermon encourages us to be humble, recognizing that it is God's power at work. How can you practice humility in your daily life, especially when praying for others? ([39:09])
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts, including healing, are given to us by God to impact and edify others. These gifts are not just for the apostles but are available to us today to build up the church and bless those around us. We must be open to the reality of these gifts and seek to understand and use them effectively. The power of God is real and greater than we can imagine. Healing is a supernatural occurrence where God moves through us to bring physical healing. It's like a first aid kit—our first response, not our last resort. We see numerous examples of healing in the Bible, such as in Acts 3, where Peter and John heal a man lame from birth. This Holy Spirit power is available to us today. [08:39]
1 Corinthians 12:7-9 (ESV): "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit."
Reflection: What spiritual gifts do you believe God has given you? How can you use these gifts to bless and edify those around you today?
Day 2: Healing Begins with Prayer
Healing often starts with prayer, which serves as a conduit for God's power. James 5 instructs us to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil, emphasizing that prayer is the first response, not the last resort. This act of prayer is where heaven meets earth, and we engage with God to bring about healing. Healing often begins with prayer, as emphasized in James 5, where we are instructed to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil. This act of prayer is a meeting place between heaven and earth, where we engage with God and invite His healing power. [18:47]
James 5:14-15 (ESV): "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."
Reflection: Who in your life is in need of healing? Can you take a moment today to pray for them and invite God's healing power into their situation?
Day 3: The Role of Confession in Healing
Confession is a crucial part of the healing process. When we confess our sins to one another, it softens our hearts and removes barriers between us and God. This humility allows God's power to work more effectively in us, leading to both spiritual and physical healing. James also highlights the importance of confession in the healing process. Confessing our sins to one another can soften our hearts and remove barriers between us and God. This humility allows God's power to work more effectively in us. [25:29]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: Is there a sin or burden you need to confess to someone you trust? How can you take a step towards confession and healing today?
Day 4: Faith and Submission in Healing
Healing prayer requires full faith and full submission. We must believe that God can and will heal, but also submit to His will, recognizing that ultimate healing may come in eternity. This balance of faith and submission allows us to trust in God's timing and methods. Healing ministry is an exercise in faith, requiring us to believe fully in what God can do. Are you willing to take a step of faith and intercede for those who are broken in your life? Let's be bold and humble as we seek to bring God's healing power to those around us. [36:08]
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV): "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God's timing and methods? How can you practice full faith and submission in this area today?
Day 5: Being Aware, Bold, and Humble
To engage in healing ministry, we need to be aware of the needs around us, be bold in our actions, and remain humble, recognizing that it is God's power at work. This approach allows us to effectively intercede for others and witness God's miraculous power in our midst. Healing ministry is an exercise in faith, requiring us to believe fully in what God can do. Are you willing to take a step of faith and intercede for those who are broken in your life? Let's be bold and humble as we seek to bring God's healing power to those around us. [33:06]
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Reflection: How can you be more aware of the needs around you today? What bold step can you take to intercede for someone in need, while remaining humble and recognizing God's power at work?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "God has given us spiritual gifts so that we can impact others, so that we can edify, build up, bless the church, right? That's why we have these gifts." [08:39] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Healing is the supernatural occurrence of the ability through some action, word, or prayer to bring about or serve as a conduit for healing in a specific situation or situations, right? So understand, it is God himself moving supernaturally through us, through his people, right, through his children so that we can physically receive healing, right? What once was broken, what once was sick is now made well." [14:29] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Healing always seems to begin with prayer. It always seems to begin with prayer, at least from my experience and at least from what we're going to learn today from the book of James. It seems like it's the prime element, the first thing that we pull out of the first aid kit." [18:47] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When we don't confess our sins, our sins tend to linger, yeah? They tend to linger into our heart. And what it ultimately ends up doing is it puts a divider up between us and God, right? When we don't confess our sins, we can't repent of our sins. And repenting means we're turning away from our sins and turning back towards God." [27:00] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Healing ministry is an exercise in faith. It is unpredictable. It is unknowing. There's no formula or system to define it. But we have the outline in James as we confess and we forgive one another, right? But a ministry of healing requires this atmosphere of faith to believe fully in what God can do and will do and wants to do." [41:09] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "What if I told you that the power that we have in God Almighty is actually way stronger than you could ever possibly imagine, probably greater than you've ever possibly experienced even, right? That we get to it, that we can experience the power of God in real and tangible ways, like through the healing of the sick and the lame." [11:30] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So if someone is sick amongst you, right? You pray. Just like when you have trouble, you pray. That's the first thing you do. But in this case, when you're sick, when you're hurting. He says, you actually call the elders of the church to come and to pray over you, right? To pray over your loved one. You bring people to the church so that the elders of the church can gather around and pray." [21:01] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "What we need to know deep down, deep down in our hearts, anytime we engage in anything like this, what we need to really and truly realize deep down inside of us is that God is faithful. God is faithful to heal us when and how he chooses to. That is not for us to decide. It's not up for debate. God is the one who is faithful." [24:42] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Healing prayer requires full faith and full submission. Full faith and full submission. We've got to have full faith that God is going to supernaturally move in someone's body, that God is going to fully heal them, fully restore them, fully make them whole right then, right there, in that moment." [36:08] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We need to humbly exercise this gift with one another, seeing the needs, boldly approaching the needs, but humbly accepting that it is God's power and his alone at work. And this is never to be used in reverence and in awe at what God himself can do with an expectation that he's going to do it." [39:09] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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