THE
HEALING TOUCH OF GOD Agnes Sanford (Abstract by lastri). This book is about
prayer-healing, basically an intercessory prayer done in
faith, petitioning God for the healing of the sick. It was common practice among early Christians but, somehow, waned over the centuries. Yet the Lord hasn’t changed. The same privilege is still pretty much available to us today. Explaining the nuances of the craft, the author attempts to encourage spiritual growth and recruit others to serve the living God in like manner. She foresees
spirit-filled churches promoting the healing of individuals, relationships, nations and the world as a whole. God’s fatherly attitude towards us, His children, is real. He is able, willing, ready and “eager” to help us. However, it is our lot to first earn the right to ask, and then learn how to pray for help. Being baptized into Christ’s Church and memorizing the lessons of Sunday school are not enough. One has to have experiential knowledge of those lessons, continually receive new insights from the Spirit of Truth, through a life of emulating Christ Himself. Habitual cleansing of thoughts, emotions, motives, and memories through mindfulness, repentance, penance and God’s forgiveness is crucial to this discipline. No matter how small, unresolved differences or unfulfilled obligations that make other people suffer unnecessarily can be hindrances to one’s prayer life. Also, prior to and during prayer, the mind has to be free of any distractions, sensory or otherwise, because contacting God is a seriously focused activity. Faith is an essential ingredient of prayer, faith in God’s
ability to hear and help us, faith in the fulfillment of the favor asked for. We must also have faith in Christ and the promises He made. Christ opened a closed
channel between God and Man. He became our patron,
intercessor or advocate in the presence of the Highest. He won over Darkness, enough for us to do likewise in and by His name. For these reasons, Christian prayers of petition or command (as in exorcism) always add the phrase “in Jesus’ name” or “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”. Sickness, as with other seeming imperfections in God’s perfect Creation, was sown by the enemy, the devil. It affects even the innocent simply because of the sinfulness that weakens this world. When incurred as a consequence of one’s action or inaction, it becomes remedial suffering, allowed by God not necessarily to punish but to set one straight spiritually. Prayer to alleviate suffering or cure the sick is a form of spiritual warfare where a soldier of Christ becomes the intercessor for or channel of God’s healing power, a power so real that some say it can be felt on close contact. Praying for others in secret is an act of charity. But don’t attempt to do too much too soon. It is best to first try praying modestly for small favors. Add positive thinking. In time, perhaps, the Holy Spirit might upgrade one’s ability for bigger tasks.
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