Yesterday I went to a new pharmacy in town to open an account. The Pharmacist, Dr. Matt Frazier, is an active 2BC musician and member in our church, and I wanted to support him by being one of his first new customers. This pharmacy is so new that construction workers were busily finishing construction on the shelves while I was there. Someone who knew I was a pastor asked me to pray for one of the workers whose daughter is the hospital because of a heart issue. Honestly, I can’t describe the problem because Mario barely knew enough English to describe it. I did make out that her name was Selena and I was eager to pray for her healing. I believe that God heard our prayers yesterday and will heal Selena if that is in His perfect plan for her life.
In my last post, I gave you two reasons why I believe that God still heals people today: His sovereignty and His power. I don’t think He has lost a step on either attribute. Here are a couple of other reasons that I believe that Jesus’ healing ministry is still in high gear:
JESUS’ HEART FOR THE POOR, SICK AND OPPRESSED HAS NEVER CHANGED
In John 5:1-15, we see Jesus taking the initiative with a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. He was among “a large number” of “sick, blind, lame & paralyzed” around the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. This unofficial belief regarding a healing angel’s visit led to many people’s desperate attempts to be the first one in. Their hope may have been misdirected somewhat, but at least they had not given up hope!
The compassion of the Father was lived out in the life of the Son who touched the untouchables, lifted up the fallen & treated the down-and-out with dignity and respect. The fact that He is sovereign means He is greater than any need you shall ever experience. The fact that God is also kind means that He wants to help you with your problems.
Jesus asked, “What father among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:9-11).
THE CHURCH IS STILL A HOSPITAL
Selena was not the first little girl I have prayed for, but she was the first person I have prayed for in a pharmacy! I think that God still heals through prayer, but He also sometimes uses medical professionals like Matt to heal. Our church sends out medical teams each year to heal in His name. Dr. Luke was a critical part of Paul’s missionary team and modern day medical professionals are an important extension of God’s healing ministry today too.
During Jesus ministry on earth, He chose a total of eighty-four individuals—twelve disciples and the seventy-two who were empowered to heal the sick and cast out demons. Then in the book of Acts we find four more who were thus empowered—Stephen, Barnabas, Philip, and Paul. Now, it is our turn.
James instructed that the ministry of healing was and should be an integral part of the life of the church. It is not an optional adjunct to it, and it is certainly not something that would only be addressed by “faith healers.”
“Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:13-15)
You don’t have to be a preacher, a pharmacist or a physician to join Jesus’ healing ministry. You just need to know how to ask – like a son asking for food, or a parent asking for a child…like Mario did.
