Practical Pastoring Book Four Praying for the Sick

Praying for the sick is a wonderful piece of pastoral ministry. The challenge is to know how to pray for each need that is presented. Do you remember how Jesus would slip away from the crowds in order to spend time with His Father before doing ministry? Do the same as Jesus. When someone requests prayer, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart so that a river of living water will flow through you.

Each ministry opportunity will be different. As humans we make poor life choices and then expect a miraculous healing to override the bad choices. In our country people seem to be more concerned about receiving a healing rather than learning how to be in health. One New Testament prayer for us is that we might prosper and be in health. We should discipline our bodies as pastors and ministers so that we might finish the race we have begun and have strength for the journey.

Many pastors struggle with health issues. There are ways we can give the appearance of health to those we minister. I exercise religiously and attempt to eat in moderation. In addition, I monitor my weight, go to the doctor for physicals and take a multi-vitamin and a baby aspirin each day. I am attempting to get the proper amount of rest but, admittedly, that is an area yet to be conquered as life does interrupt. I also go to the dentist and optometrist on a regular basis. I may not be the perfect picture of health, but perhaps my preventative approach to health inspires others to live healthier lives. If you adopt some of my habits, perhaps you will also encourage others to live healthier lives.

Praying for the sick can take a toll on your body. Sometimes you will be required to travel long distances just to pray for a brief period of time. When I taught Industrial Arts in Shepherd, Montana, I traveled roughly 230 miles to Great Falls and prayed for my brother for just a few minutes. He had leukemia and was hospitalized. Roger later told me that when I laid my hand on his stomach he could feel something happen. He was the only survivor of those he knew suffering from cancer at that time.

I did not fast and pray for days prior to praying for my brother. I prayed in faith and then left. I did not stay and visit for hours. He was tired; I was ready to get back home. You do not have to make a major production out of praying for someone.

Carry a small vial of oil with you and put a small amount of the oil on your thumb. I make a small cross on the forehead of the ailing person. If I am praying with the elders, I have them anoint the person requesting prayer. We pray for the person. Our eldership utilizes the plurality of leadership model when praying for the sick. If one of us has a word for the person, we have liberty in the Spirit to share the word. We often have a word of encouragement for the person during the prayer.

The Holy Spirit may require that you pray with another person for someone who is not present. I often have the other person lead the prayer. I add whatever the Spirit leads me to share toward the end of the prayer time. People may not be concerned with how much you know about the Bible; they are definitely interested in obtaining a healing.

Someone you pray with may have a vision while you are praying for the sick. Years ago in a hospital room, I was praying with some people for the healing of their sick mother. The son had a wonderful vision that brought him to tears. He has spoken of that vision for many years since. The son saw a light all around the bed. He saw his mother’s face aglow by the light. Two years later his mother passed away. We had a wonderful memorial service for her. Death is the ultimate healing.

People may have unrealistic expectations of you. There are those you could visit every day at the nursing home. Still they would be upset because you do not do all they ask of you. Make many short visits to people in nursing homes rather than one long visit.

I am learning that perhaps the ministry you perform is more than praying for the sick. The family of the sick may need support and encouragement more than the ailing person. The caregivers working with the ailing person may need prayer for personal or professional issues.

People who work in care facilities often suffer from compassion fatigue or job burnout. I build genuine relationships with the owner, nurses, aides and maintenance staff. All of these workers are important for the care of the sick person. Some of these people may request you to pray for their loved ones or for their business. Allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in your visiting of the sick. Give God the glory for what He chooses to do through you.

When you pray, believe. One of my flock at the Ark church calls my prayers “Power Prayers.” I believe what I say. I speak to the mountain and cast it into the sea. I typically ask the person I am praying for what they are “believing for” so that we can be in agreement.

There are some people who believe that healings are only for others. This belief system can be frustrating for pastors. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you the faith level of the people for whom you pray. Meet people where they are. If God uses you to help others obtain healing, you may have to teach them to resist the devil if he comes to steal their healing.

When you pray for people, have them do something they have not done since their illness began. For example, if someone has a shoulder injury, ask he or she to perform a movement of the shoulder or arm that they have been unable to do since the injury. The action stimulates the healing. People need to receive their healing. The Bible teaches us that by His stripes we are healed. I teach that we were healed over two thousand years ago; we now need to see the manifestation of the healing in our lives.

Continue to pray for the sick. Allow the Holy Spirit the liberty to guide your prayers. It is possible the Holy Spirit desires to address a major sin in someone’s life. He may use you for this purpose.

God has interesting ways of obtaining our attention. When a person becomes ill, he may be tired and need to slow down. Additionally, the illness may have a root issue that needs to be dealt with in order for the person to be set free.

Often a sick person struggles with forgiveness. Refusing to forgive is like taking poison and hoping it kills the other person. People refuse to forgive others and in turn feed the illness. You may attempt to persuade the bitter person to forgive but you cannot make them forgive. Be patient with others who are having difficulty forgiving. If they want their prayers answered, they have to learn forgiveness.

Praying for the sick and ministering to the sick is challenging and exciting. Continue to allow the Holy Spirit to flow rivers of living water through you to bless both God and others.

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Kevin Barsotti of the Ark Church

This article is part of Practical Pastoring: Mentoring Growth Letters from a Senior Pastor to a New Pastor, Book Four. The author responds to his pastor’s letters to him from twenty years ago when he began his pastoral journey.