Pastor Lionel started with a quick recap about last Sunday’s sermon when we learn how to reconcile the mandate we have to go forth to heal the sick and to recognise that there will still be people who remain sick despite our persistent prayer for healing. Therefore, if not all sick people are healed physically today, why then does God still command us to pray for them? (Luke 9:1-2, 10:9 and James 5:14-15)*
Firstly, we need to understand what ‘Biblical Wholeness’ is. The triune nature of Man – Man has 3 parts, i.e., body, soul and spirit (1 Thess 5:23). It is only when these parts are healthy that the person will enjoy wholeness (Psalm 32:3-5). According to Jewish culture, the understanding of Shalom is that it encompasses more than just its equivalent meaning in English - ‘peace’ especially in Numbers 6:24-26. It refers to completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. It means, most significantly, in i) peace between man and God, ii) peace between man and fellow men, and iii) peace with his own soul (inner peace). Not only is our relationship with God important, our relationships with others is vital for a person’s well-being too.
Jesus’ ministry was a holistic one. In Luke 19:1-9, Jesus identified Zacchaeus from the on-looking crowd when he was least conspicuous in the crowd. Being a tax collector, he was despised by people. However, as he sought Jesus sincerely, salvation came to his house as his soul, spirit and relationship was healed. Leo Thomas says ‘In our healing ministry, the yardstick of success is not measured by how much a person becomes well physically, but by how much closer he is drawn towards God.’ We focus on the whole person – body, soul, spirit and relationship, not just the physical bodily healing alone. Jesus’ desire for his disciples is in their destinies with Him (John 14:1-4). God’s ultimate yearning is for us (Rev 21:3-4 and Phil 1:21-24). Going home to the Lord should not be a setback in our Healing Ministry as death is not a defeat for those in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
A healthy approach to praying for the sick is first to obey the Lord’s command to pray for the sick (see * above). When we pray, we minister to the whole person with God’s compassion (Matthew 14:14, Luke 7:13) and we pray with faith, expectation and perseverance (Mark 11:24, 2 Samuel 12:16). Most importantly, it is not about how hard we have prayed, but that we rest in God’s sovereignty and leave the outcome to our God. Upon occasions when the sick becomes terminally ill, do not despair but know God is sovereign and gravitate towards his or her and loved ones’ spiritual, emotional and relational needs. When finality comes, we play an important role to prepare them to boldly embrace his or her eternal destiny (2 Timothy 4:6-8) and for the loved ones to let him ‘return home’ to be with our Lord.
In conclusion, Pastor Lionel taught on three reasons why God want us to pray for the sick and he encouraged us to continue to do so unceasingly: (i) to show His compassion (Matthew 14:14, Luke 7:13), (ii) to bring holistic restoration (Luke 5:18-25), and (iii) to testify that God’s Kingdom is here on earth and advancing (Mark 16:17-18).
Discussion Questions
1. Pastor shared about how we should reconcile God’s mandate to pray for the sick and His sovereignty over the life and death of individuals. What must we first understand about healing? [10 mins]
2. Read Matthew 17:20. This is a verse commonly used when praying for the sick. What does faith do when it comes to the ministry of healing with regards to God’s sovereignty? [10 mins]
3. How have you ever struggled with praying for the sick with dwindling faith as you witness the sick weakening physically as time passes? [10 mins]
