Basic HTML Version
Prayer for the Sick
153
restoring power for every infirmity. His disciples in this time are
to pray for the sick as verily as the disciples of old prayed. And
recoveries will follow, for “the prayer of faith will save the sick.”
We have the Holy Spirit’s power, the calm assurance of faith, that
can claim God’s promises.
The Lord’s promise, “‘They will lay hands on the sick, and they
will recover’” (
Mark 16:18
), is just as trustworthy now as in the days
of the apostles. It presents the privilege of God’s children, and our
faith should lay hold of all that it embraces. Christ’s servants are the
channel of His working, and through them He desires to exercise
His healing power. It is our work to present the sick and suffering to
God in the arms of our faith. We should teach them to believe in the
Great Healer.
The Savior would have us encourage the sick, the hopeless,
the afflicted, to take hold upon His strength. Through faith and
prayer the sickroom may be transformed into a Bethel. In word and
deed, physicians and nurses may say, so plainly that it cannot be
misunderstood, “God is in this place” to save, and not to destroy.
Christ desires to manifest His presence in the sickroom, filling the
hearts of physicians and nurses with the sweetness of His love.
If the life of those who attend the sick is such that Christ can go
with them to the bedside of the patient, there will come to the sick
the conviction that the compassionate Savior is present, and this
conviction will itself do much for the healing of both soul and body.
God hears prayer. Christ has said, “‘If you ask anything in My
name, I will do it.’” Again He says, “‘If anyone serves Me, him My
Father will honor.’”
John 14:14
;
12:26
. If we live according to His
Word, every precious promise He has given will be fulfilled to us.
We are undeserving of His mercy, but as we give ourselves to Him,
He receives us. He will work for and through those who follow Him.
But only as we live in obedience to His Word can we claim the
fulfillment of His promises. The psalmist says, “If I regard iniquity
in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”
Psalm 66:18
. If we render to
Him only a partial, halfhearted obedience, His promises will not be
fulfilled to us.
In the Word of God we have instruction relative to special prayer
for the recovery of the sick. The offering of such prayer is a most
solemn act and should not be entered upon without careful consider-