In early 2006, I booked flights for my daughter Amy and I to visit my parents in Clarkston, Washington, USA. Our itinerary would take us through Spokane, Washington.

The Hunk and I, being revivalists at heart, have always loved hearing about the healing evangelist John G Lake, who had lived there during his latter years. During his ministry, Spokane was pronounced ‘the healthiest city in the United States’, with over 100,000 healings reported in 5 years from 1915 to 1920.

I researched the subject, deciding to visit both the re-opened Healing Rooms and John G Lake’s grave while I was there.

At the time my trip took place, staff members of our church who were travelling overseas would take other team member’s ‘desk buddies’ with them. It was a standing joke that our church’s staff visited places all around the world by proxy.

I feigned non-intention of transporting the growing number of assorted desk buddies, but kidnapped them shortly before takeoff. My daughter and I spent amusing hours taking photos of them in places such as Hollywood Boulevard.

Before leaving Washington, I visited the Spokane Healing Rooms, where I asked for healing prayer on behalf of one of our pastors. I also visited John G Lake’s gravesite, and took a photo of my senior pastors’ desk buddies there.

Little did I know that my trip would hold prophetic significance for the future of our church—or that it would set in motion a chain of events that would help bring Jesus’ healing power to our city.

The Power of Prophetic Actions.

Prophetic people love symbolic acts. Symbolism is a language that we relate to; it is the way we are ‘wired,’ in our spiritual DNA. I recently described a prophetic act that helped take me through a difficult time.

Prophetic actions are prolific in the Bible. Some Old Testament prophets are renowned for their strange prophetic acts. Isaiah went naked (Is 20), Hosea married a prostitute (Hosea 1:2), Ezekiel lay on one side for 390 days (Ezek 4:5).

Prophetic actions can be seen in the New Testament, too. Agabus tied his own hands and feet with the Apostle Paul’s belt as the Spirit warned him of his upcoming arrest and imprisonment (Acts 21:10-12).

A prophetic act has significance in a number of Biblical contexts. These include:

-         Intercession (1 Kings 18:42-44)

-         Healing (2 Kings 5:9-14)

-         Warfare (Ex 17:10-13)

-         Warning (Ezek 4-5)

-         Foretelling (Acts 21:10-12)

-         Calling to ministry (1 Kings 19:19)

A prophetic act can hold spiritual power for fulfilment or breakthrough when the Holy Spirit directs it (2 Kings 13: 14-20).

Jesus used symbolic action when He put clay on a blind man’s eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7). He also taught His disciples the practice of anointing with oil for healing (Mark 6:13), symbolic of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

A prophetic action can be deliberate, or we can be led of the Holy Spirit and only realise the significance later, as with my visit to Spokane.

Using Prophetic Symbolism Wisely

‘You did what? Why would you want to take photos by a dead guy’s grave? That’s weird!’

Not everyone understood the significance of my visit to John G Lake’s gravesite, so for a long time I kept the event, and the desire it represented, hidden in my heart.

Not every church has a culture that encourages prophetic symbolism. Some prophetic or revival churches favour it. Others are more conservative in their approach to prophetic ministry and prefer ‘plain speech’ to the mystery of symbolism.

At times, we need to use wisdom and submit our own preferred styles, terminology and methods for the greater good of our church. Unless a prophetic culture is overtly embraced, I recommend using ‘translation’ when it comes to prophetic ministry. This means speaking and acting in the language our leaders and church family are familiar with.

This does not mean that we are quenching the Holy Spirit; it simply means that we are expressing love—His highest law—and honouring those we serve.

The Chain Reaction

Some 3 years after my visit to Spokane, a ministry mentor—unaware of my journey—hesitantly showed me an application to Healing Rooms training which was taking place in Frankston, some 45 mins drive from where we live.

It was not something I would normally be interested in. However, because of my trip to Spokane, I my interest was piqued. I took the brochure and asked one of my trusted leaders, Sandi Bonavita, if she would like to attend with me and check out the training. We could then decide whether it would be suitable for our whole team to undergo the training at a later date.

During the first morning session, my excitement grew as our presenter showed slides that included the very Healing Rooms I had visited in Spokane, and discussed John G Lake’s ministry.

After the final session of the day, Sandi and I were anointed and prayed for by the Healing Rooms team. A heavy burden of intercession fell upon me—and the power of God hit me. I tell the story in my post, ‘When God Shows Up, How Will You Respond?’

Sandi Bonavita, who accompanied me that day, caught the vision of the Healing Rooms. Sandi and another team member, gifted in healing, began ministering regularly at the Frankston Healing Rooms.

Sandi’s vision and my four-year prophetic journey are bearing fruit. Our Senior Pastor is launching the first Healing Rooms ministry in the City of Casey, in Melbourne, Australia. This will be based out of our own church premises.

In August our church will be hosting the first Healing Rooms training in our area. Sandi has a burning vision to see more Healing Rooms set up in our City and locality. As a result, many Christians will be trained and released to pray for healing. Countless people will receive prayer and learn of Jesus’ love and healing power.

The birth of our own Healing Rooms has another, more personal significance for me. I was just beginning my term as Prayer Leader for our church in 2006 when I visited Spokane. Now, I have passed on the leadership baton to Sandi just as the Healing Rooms is becoming a reality.

The two events have served as ‘bookends’ marking the beginning and end of a significant term of service for me in the prayer ministry of my church.

PS I have asked Sandi to share what is happening in the comments section below. If the comments box is not visible, click here or on the post title and scroll down. If you are in our locality, feel free to make contact with us for further information.

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For further information about Healing Rooms:

In Australia:  http://www.healingrooms.com.au/

USA & International: http://healingrooms.com/

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Related Posts:

When God Shows Up: How Will You Respond?

Discover Your Unique Healing Gift

How Your Prophetic Song Can Release The Power of God

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

• Have you ever wondered why you feel more comfortable with some styles of prayer than with others?
• Do you desire for people to be healed when you pray for them?
• Have you ever been intimidated by another person’s healing gift or ministry?

Did you know that God has given you a unique gift of healing?

During my years of leading people in the ministry of prayer, I have come to recognise that every person expresses his or her spiritual gift in a unique way.

For example, an intercessor can have a bent towards warfare, or worship, or identification, or prophetic intercession. Another may simply be a faithful, task-focused intercessor. Sometimes surprisingly, no two people with the gift of intercession operate effectively in exactly the same manner [1].

It is the same with the gift of healing.

When we study the way Jesus healed people, we can observe many different ways that it happened: He pronounced healing (Mark 5:34), gave a word of command (Matt 12:13), laid on hands (Luke 4:40), used unusual means such as spitting (John 9:6-7), and even repeated praying (Mark 8:22-26)

However, I noticed in studying the book of Acts, that God used Paul to heal predominantly through physical impartation—touch and laying on of hands [2]. Peter healed primarily through speaking a word of faith or command [3].

Like Peter and Paul, we are all wired differently. Our personal combination of spiritual gifts, along with our God-given personalities will impact the way we best pray for and minister Jesus’ healing and love to people.

We need to be comfortable with our own unique expression of the gift God has given us, and allow others the room, and grace, to operate differently.

I have discovered that I have a gift of impartation—when I lay hands on someone and pray, the Holy Spirit flows through me to minister infilling or healing.

For example, one time at an altar call I prayed for a woman, soaking her in prayer for an extended time. She said afterwards that as I prayed it felt as though she was placed into a warm bath. Physical pain that had been a part of her life for a long time disappeared.

One of our team members has a gentle approach in praying for healing, and God has used her prayers to effect some dramatic miracles. Another has a very bold approach using words of command, and has also seen physical healing.

I love the gift of team. One person may have insight into a demonic cause of affliction and be able to break its power. Another’s soft approach may bring healing to both body and soul. Yet another team member’s bold word of command or word of knowledge might be what is needed for a miracle.

How can you discover your unique healing gift and style?

1. When you are starting out, learn a variety of methods for praying for healing [4]. I liken this to adding tools to our healing toolkit. Gradually, we become aware of which ‘tools’ suit us best.

2. Feel free to practice, and to try out different methods. Find a safe environment to have a go, with other Christians who are on the same journey.

3. Be aware of all your spiritual gifts, and explore how these may work together and impact the way you best minister healing.

3. Don’t limit yourself to one style of prayer, even after you discover a preferred means of praying for healing.

Always listen to the Holy Spirit. He may lead you to take an approach that is outside of your comfort zone in order to bring a healing miracle to someone’s life.

4. Do not feel intimidated or made to feel inferior by another person’s style or gift, or feel that you have to be like them.

On the other hand, take care to remain grounded and be wary of others being impressed or intimidated by your gift—especially if you have a bold expression.

5. Be sensitive to people—sometimes you will need to modify your preferred approach if the situation requires it or it is not appropriate. The Holy Spirit will still move, and love is His way.

6. We should never criticise or look down on someone who does not operate in his or her healing ministry the same way that we do.

7. If you lead or teach others, be wise in your approach to mentoring and training. It is vital that we encourage the gifts of others and do not try to recreate people ‘in our own image.’

Healing and Honour

Having said all this, we need to honour the leadership of organisations, ministries, or churches that prescribe set methods, or lead a distinctive culture for operating in gifts of healing and miracles. God can and does use these powerfully.

If, like me, you are privileged to lead and release people into their ministries, consider the joy of helping them identify and discover their unique spiritual gifts and style.

I believe that in our generation we are going to see His healing power break out in an even greater measure than ever before.

Let’s honour each other and release each other to do and be all that Jesus has called us to be—and not settle for anything less.

1 Cor 12:4-6
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Notes:

[1]. A great resource on this topic is FEMRITE, T; ALVES, E; KAUFMAN, K.  Intercessors Discover Your Prayer Power.  2000.  Ventura : Regal.
[2]. Acts 20:10, 19:11-12, 28:8
[3]. Acts 3:6, 9:34, 9:40
[4]. E.g., laying on hands, anointing with oil, words of command or pronouncement, caring and pastoral prayer, praying scripture.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing