Our loving Father is perfectly precise in his timings and knows exactly the right moment to instruct or correct us as we mature as his sons.

Very early in my Christian experience Abba taught me a simple, yet profound, lesson as one of his “young” sons who needed some guidance in the basics of Christian life and ministry. I knew that he had provided all that we needed for both these aspects of sonship [see, for example, 2 Peter 1:3], but what I didn’t realize is that there are some miracles he expects us to do instead of asking him to do them. 

The lesson came forth when I was fervently praying on my knees at home for God to heal a woman in the community who was very ill and near death.  In the midst of crying out to him for her healing, I heard Abba interrupt me with a very kind, but firm, question:

“Son, why are you asking me to do what I’ve commanded you to do?”

I immediately thought of Jesus’ command to his disciples (in agreement with the Father’s will, of course) as recorded by Matthew:

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.  Freely you have received; freely give.”  [Matthew 10:8]

Here I was on my knees, asking Abba to do what I had been commanded to do by Jesus (who is one with the Father)! I had no good answer for Abba and apologized for my disobedience and repented of abdicating my responsibility as a disciple of Jesus. I commanded the healing “at a distance” and the miracle was accomplished!

From that day onward I have been very careful to make the distinction between praying for the healing of the sick and actually healing the sick! We need the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of Christ to carry out this command to heal, and we have both! [See, for example, Ephesians 1:17-21 and Matthew 10:1].  

At issue, perhaps, for many maturing disciples is whether we do indeed believe that we can carry out the command to heal the sick. Once we believe, then we have the activation of many of Jesus’ promises.  Here are just two:

“Everything is possible for one who believes.”  [Mark 9:23]

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, ….” [John 14:12]

Now, when someone offers to pray for me if I have an ailment of some sort, I am thankful for the gesture, but because of the “teacher” in me I say to them, “Please don’t just pray for my healing; heal me!”

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