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The Ministry of Health and Healing
ation. In many cases of prayer for healing of the sick, that which is
called faith is nothing less than presumption.
Abandon Unhealthful Practices
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Many persons bring disease upon themselves by self-indulgence.
They have not lived in accordance with natural law or the principles
of strict purity. Others have disregarded the laws of health in their
habits of eating and drinking, dressing, or working. Often some
form of vice is the cause of feebleness of mind or body. If these
persons were to gain the blessing of health, many of them would
continue to pursue the same course of heedless transgression of
God’s natural and spiritual laws. They would reason that if God
heals them in answer to prayer, they are at liberty to continue their
unhealthful practices and to indulge perverted appetite. If God were
to work a miracle in restoring these persons to health, He would be
encouraging sin.
It is labor lost to teach people to look to God as a healer of
their infirmities unless they are taught also to lay aside unhealthful
practices. In order to receive His blessing in answer to prayer, they
must cease to do evil and learn to do well. Their surroundings must
be sanitary, their habits of life correct. They must live in harmony
with the law of God, both natural and spiritual.
Confession of Sin
To those who desire prayer for restoration to health, it should be
made plain that the violation of God’s law, either natural or spiritual,
is sin, and that in order for them to receive His blessing, sin must be
confessed and forsaken.
The Scripture bids us, “Confess your trespasses to one another,
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
James 5:16
. To
the one asking for prayer, let thoughts like these be presented: “We
cannot read the heart or know the secrets of your life. These are
known only to yourself and to God. If you repent of your sins, it
is your duty to confess them.” Sin of a private character is to be
confessed to Christ, the only mediator between God and man. For
“if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ