Many people ask God: ‘Why haven’t I been healed?’
They know that Jesus healed everyone who asked him, and wonder: ‘Why not me?’
Jesus treated everyone differently. He often put his finger on the cause of their illness, or on an issue that needed addressing.
So when we pray for people, we must ask the Holy Spirit to show us what to do.
We must also go back the scriptures, especially when helping people with long-standing conditions.
I have a problem when people’s stories go against scripture. They often give the impression that they are a special case, and that God’s promises don’t work for them.
Our job is to discover the blockage. Does the enemy have legal ground? Or is God refusing to answer prayer? If so, why?
It’s also important to ask people: ‘Have you asked your elders to pray for you and anoint you with oil?’
Their answer may be revealing.
James 5:14 makes it clear: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
‘And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.’
People need elders who will pray in faith, and who will anoint them with oil.
If their elders aren’t able or willing to do that, they need to find some that are.
Their lives could depend on it.