No Eye Hath Seen

from Kevin and Julie ... "Our friend had back surgery and we went to go see him in the hospital the next day.  When we arrived it was 15 minutes till visiting hours were over.  Naturally, we talked about the operation and the medicines that he was on.  He mentioned that he still had this numbness in his right thigh from before the operation and he was concerned about it.  I shared with him what I had learned about "speaking to the mountain" and about the authority that Jesus had given us as believers.  Before we left we all Prayed for him. The next morning he called me and told me that at 5:30 that morning he woke up and the numbness was gone!!  Praise God!"

This is an excellent example of why we should not doubt if there is not immediate, complete healing.  Sometimes the evidence is hours, days, weeks later. Sometimes it is immediate, but we're just not there to know about it!  Keeping this in mind will help both you and the person being prayed for to stay in faith and rest in Christ's finished work, trusting that the healing has begun because we've done what He told us to do...pray in faith and speak life.  "When you pray, believe you have received, and you shall have it." (Mark 11:23)

Here is another good tool to use when there is a measurable problem:

You can ask the person to rate the pain or problem on a scale of 1 to 10 before the prayer and then again afterward.  Sometimes there is a slight change, but the person may not acknowledge their healing because it's not 100%.  If there is a slight change, for example pain decreasing from 9 to 7, then that gives both the pray-er and the one being prayed for something to increase their faith and encouragement that healing has begun.  Thank Jesus for the healing thus far, then pray for more.  This is the way that I've seen the most healing.

If the problem you're praying for is not measurable, then ask if the person sensed anything (in their mind, body, spirit...).   You also are paying attention to anything that you sense also (in your mind, body, spirit...).   What we're doing is cooperating with the Holy Spirit.  We do what we see the Father doing.  For instance, if a person starts tingling in an area, we focus our prayers on that area until He leads us to focus on something else. Prayer is always about being led...paying attention in everyway to what He wants us to speak.  Jesus said, "I do not speak on My own accord." and "I only do what I see My Father doing." (John 5) and "Anyone who believes in Me will do what I've been doing."  John 14:12

Yesterday one of my study hall students came in from the doctor with a splint on her finger.  Apparently she thought she'd jammed it for several months but it hadn't completely healed so she had it checked.  The tip had shattered and they told her to wear the splint for 4 to 6 weeks.  I asked if she had pain and could move it.  There was no pain, and she could move it.  I asked if she were to be healed immediately, would there be any way to know it.  She said, well I guess the swelling might go down a little and the splint would be looser.  I asked if I could pray for her and she let me.  I couldn't tell by sight that there was swelling, so I asked her if anything changed or if she sensed something while I prayed.  She said that her finger started tingling!  I asked if it tingled when I touched it, and she said, 'No, just when you prayed.'  I told her that sometimes when we can't measure healing, He gives us little tingles so we'll know that healing has begun.  Later on she was telling another teacher about her finger, saying that the doctor said it will never be 100% healed and that she would have arthritis as an adult.  I took that thought captive right there at recess!  Lord, your Word is weightier than man's, and that finger is healed in Jesus' name!!!

This past weekend I prayed for a woman named Tamara who had leukemia...it was a quick prayer on the way out of Space Center Houston, and nothing observable happened.  I have no idea what has happened since.  Last night Johnny and I prayed for a little boy who is almost completely deaf.  Based on observable evidence, nothing happened.  However, his mother has seen many many healed and has a word from God that he will be healed and that his healing will benefit many who witness it.  There's was no 'when' to this, so everyday she just excitedly expects that this could be the day!  And so there is peace in God's personal word to her. 

I definitely don't understand the 'why's' to all this, but I have heard so many testimonies of people who'd been prayed for over and over again, and one day during a prayer, the healing came.  Don't ever be discouraged...just believe every word of Jesus like you are a child hearing it for the first time, with no pre-conceived notions.  Go to him privately and let Him reveal His word to you in the way He intended it, and then just DO what He told us to do out of faith, out of confidence in the One you were just with. 

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phil 4:8

Above all, love deeply.  Faith works by love.