Praying for Healing Through Failure and Disappointment

There is no exact formula for healing

There is no exact formula or magic words.

We are not in control. God is.

Three Blind Men.

NIV

Mark 10:51–52 NIV

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Bartimaeus had the cleanest, easiest healing. Perhaps he had the most faith.

John 9:6–7 NIV

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Messiest. Mud spit and washing. This man didn’t even ask for this.

Mark 8:22–25 NIV

22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

No mud, just spit this time. Not fully healed. Only partial healing. Lay on hands again, then fully healed, no washing.

It is important to be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit in each healing

Be sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in each healing

Limitations to Healing

2 Corinthians 12:7–9 NIV

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Mark 6:5–6 NIV

5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

Luke 5:17 NIV

17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.

Matthew 17:19–20 NIV

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mark 9:28–29 NIV

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Divine healing works with human faith

Pray for healing until your petition can become declaration

Declare the reality of God’s divine healing over sickness

If you want to see people healed, you must be willing to fail

Compassion means to suffer with another

Compassion means to suffer with another

If you are not ready to take up emotional pain, you are not ready to pray for the sick. It will hurt you when people do not get healed, but this pain is a cross we must bear if we are going to pray for the sick. You will have times that you see great victories followed by great acts of defeat, as though you are being tested, but faith is continuing and not giving up. (Clark, Randy. Finding Victory When Healing Doesn't Happen: Breaking Through With Healing Prayer)