When
you present the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel must lay their
hands on them. Numbers 8:10
A
deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged
Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. Mark 7:32
In the Old
Testament it is recorded that the priests were to be prepared—purified—for their
service to the Lord. This included representatives from each tribe of Israel
laying their hands on the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn—just like
the firstborn were either protected or sacrificed in Egypt.
Jesus did heal
that deaf man—but He did it with more than just laying on of His hands as had
been requested. He put His fingers in the man’s ears and used His very spit and
prayer to revitalize the man’s hearing and speech. Later, right before He left
this earth for Heaven, Jesus told His disciples what He expected them to do.
His instructions included the powers that would be given to those who believed.
And then he told them, "Go into all the
world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized
will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These
miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in
my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle
snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They
will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."
Mark 16:15-18
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| The Holy Spirit came as flames of fire. The gifts of the Spirit burn brightest together...not alone. |
The power of Jesus here demonstrates healing,
yet not everyone has been given the gift of healing. There are many gifts of
the Spirit…and those gifts all work together through people to minister to
other believers. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are described in First
Corinthians Chapters 12 - 14. Those gifts are:
1.
Word of wisdom
2.
Word of knowledge
3.
Faith
4.
Gifts of healings
5.
Miracles
6.
Prophecy
7.
Distinguishing between spirits
8.
Tongues
9.
Interpretation of tongues
Laying on of hands isn’t
necessarily always associated with healing. It can be as it was used in Numbers
for purification and for special blessings—like when missionaries are sent out.
It is interesting that the laying on of hands was not just a New Testament
action since we note that it was used during ancient times. There is power in
touch—for physical, mental and spiritual healing. Pray about how God wants to
use you to touch other’s lives for Him. It takes faith—to believe in Jesus and
His power at work in your life…and in the lives of others around you.
Prayer ~ Lord, I hear You asking…Are any of
you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing
praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to
come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a
prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well.
And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to
each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest
prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
James 5:13-16.
Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1-5
© 2018 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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