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
This week, The Hunk had to carry me out of a church service. I could not walk, because I was utterly overcome physically by the presence and power of God (I can only recall one other instance of a similar thing happening, around twelve years ago).
We have been blessed to have our sister and brother-in-law, Stuart and Lynley Allan here in Melbourne during this past week. We attended a couple of meetings at which they, along with John and Carol Arnott, from Toronto, Canada, were ministering.
‘Do What it Takes to Get Filled’
Only four months ago, I was sitting overlooking a local reservoir that has been affected by our State’s drought. It was around 30% full.
The emptiness of the reservoir echoed the devastated state of my soul. 
I had spent most of the year **not** recovering from ministry burnout. I mistakenly thought that taking extended time out and reducing my ministry responsibilities would help me get better. It didn’t.
A wise pastor who had himself been through burnout said to me, ‘Time doesn’t heal the problem. You need to intentionally do whatever it takes to get refilled again.’ As he spoke, I realised that one of those things, for me personally, was taking time outdoors to meet with God.
Being intentional about doing what it took to get refilled, spiritually and emotionally, proved a turning point for me.
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How Am I Going–Really?
Jesus called His disciples firstly to be with Him, and then to serve Him (Mark 3:14). When we get the order of that around the wrong way, we get into trouble. I have learned this the hard way.
As we begin a new year, let’s reflect on this very important question:
- Am I filled, or depleted in my spiritual life?
A similar question that is also vitally important, is:
- Am I filled, or depleted in my emotional life?
It can be difficult to tell how used up the tank of your emotional and spiritual reserve is, until it is too late. This is where looking for external clues to your condition become important—a subject I may cover another time. (If you have questions or ideas about this, feel free to comment on this post or email me).
As Christians we can receive the gift of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to empower us to be all we can be, and change our world (Acts 1:8).
However, we continually need a fresh impartation of the Holy Spirit if we are going to minister out of fullness (John 7:37-39). We also need to be acquainted with the Spirit if we are going to hear His voice and receive prophetic revelation that will break open situations and lead people to Jesus (John 14:26).
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the word ‘impart’ means ‘to give, convey, or grant from or as if from a store.’
Impartation implies a source. When that source is God, and our need is for His Spirit, we know He has an unlimited heavenly abundance that we can draw from. (John 3:34)
3 Ways the New Testament Church received an Impartation of the Holy Spirit are:
1. Directly from Jesus
Matt 10:1, John 20:22-23.
We can also receive directly from Jesus when we spend time with Him by having a healthy devotional life.
2. From God as they prayed
Acts 2:1-4
The Church received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. However, this kind of praying and waiting on God should not just be a one-off experience. We see the church praying and receiving an infilling of the Holy Spirit again in Acts 4:24-31
3. Through the Ministry of Laying on of Hands
Acts 6:6, Acts 8:17, Acts 19:6
As effective as ministry with ‘laying on of hands’ can be, it should never become a replacement of our receiving personally and directly from God.
Also, it is our own responsibility to maintain the gift from God that this kind of impartation gives us. The Apostle Paul said to Timothy,
‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ 2 Tim 1:6-7
How to Receive a Fresh Infilling of the Holy Spirit
The Apostle Paul’s present continuous use of the verb, ‘Be filled with the Spirit’ in Eph 5:18-20, indicates that being filled with the Holy Spirit should be our ongoing experience.
Here are some things that I have found useful to receive a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit in my life over the past four months:
1. Doing what it took to be renewed in my devotional life
2. Being intentional about doing the things that connect me personally with God
(in my case, this included spending time in prayer and reflection outdoors, however it will be different for every person)
3. ‘Soaking.’
(Dictionary definition: To be immersed until thoroughly saturated.)
For me, this means taking time in God’s presence with no other agenda but to connect with and receive from Him. I find that intimate worship music is a great facilitator of this.
4. Receiving prayer from others (laying on hands) for a refilling of the Spirit
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Has this worked?
Recently, I was again visiting the reservoir, when I noticed the difference: the emptiness of the dam no longer reflected my inner state. I knew I had been refilled. (Thank You Jesus). My response to God’s Presence in the meetings held here in Melbourne this week demonstrated the overflow.
What are the ways that you can be filled with God’s Holy Spirit, and refreshed, spiritually and emotionally?
For related posts, review the Spiritual Renewal Category
Check back on this blog over the next couple of weeks as I will be discussing ‘Prophetic Activation through Journaling‘
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Related Posts:
How To Discover Your Spiritual Pathway
The River Returns: How To Be Refilled With The Holy Spirit When You Are Dry
© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing
