There are some that talk and teach as if the Bible is a book of spells and hexes. There are teachers and professed healers that teach prayer and meditation as if there were spells to be chanted, in an almost endless circle, to break a curse. There are healers that would have us not lay hands on and pray for the sick, but have them chant daily, and even hourly, for their healing. But my Lord, the Great Healer said, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
If we are not to use chants, what do we do? Faith without works? When He (Jesus) saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?'” The work of Jesus was to forgive the sin. What work would that leave for us if we wish to be healed? “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Our Lord gave us many examples of healing. In the one quoted above the man was paralyzed. Jesus healed the man by forgiving his sin. We are told another place in the Bible that Jesus healed us by the stripes He received during His crucifixion. Does that differ from the example? Jesus took His stripes and died for our sins. By His stripes we are healed. In another example of healing, the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned, the blind man or his parents? Jesus answered that they had committed no sin, but the man had been blind from birth so that the works of God could be revealed in him.
Have we found a contradiction in the Word of God? One man paralyzed was forgiven of sin and healed but another man’s blindness was not the result of sin. Does the origin of the affliction make a contradiction? In either case were the men healed by a multitude of words or by chanting a prayer? Jesus put a mud paste on the blind man’s eyes and told him to go wash it in the pool Siloam and the man did. Following the words that Jesus had given him healed the blind man. What does Jesus say we must do? If we have sinned, we are told to forgive and we will be forgiven, but what if we are ill so that God may be revealed in us?
In the example of the blind man, he listened to Jesus, was touched by Jesus, and followed the instructions Jesus gave to him. If an affliction is on us so that God may be revealed, we must be where God sends us so that the healing may be an example and God revealed. In both examples of healing there must be faith in the Son of God and the Father that sent Him and in the Holy Spirit that gives understanding. But which person must have the faith? In one example Jesus saw that the crowd had faith and he forgave the man’s sins. In the other example the blind man had faith and demonstrated the faith by following the words. Peter healed a lame man because Peter had faith and wanted to share the talents God gave him. A woman was healed when she touched the garment of Jesus; she had faith that Jesus could heal. When she touched His garment the anointing passed from Jesus to her and she was healed.
It is a good thing to meditate on God’s Word, Jesus Christ. John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Praying for God’s grace and mercy and for the Lord Jesus to be our salvation, strength, truth, peace and wholeness is a good thing. But do it to God for the Love of God and not in repetitious memorized chanting. Reach into yourself, where God dwells, and pray a heart felt honest prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Ask faithful people to pray for you and with you. Go where the Holy Spirit leads you, to be where God may be glorified. Look towards the Word of God, Jesus Christ. Accept the forgiveness that is the grace and mercy of God and the stripes on the back of the Lord Jesus. Pass the forgiveness on by forgiving past, present and future harms done to you. Love God and love one another.