Sermons

Prayer Ministry Sunday

Let’s turn to Luke 4.  If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and one of the ushers will bring one to you.  Luke 4 is on page 860 in the Bibles we are passing out.

This morning we are going to have what we call a “Prayer Ministry Sunday.”  In a moment I’m going to have us break into groups of 8 to 10 people.  We’ll introduce ourselves, then someone with a need will share the need with the group, and the group will lay hands on you and pray for you and ask Jesus to come and do something powerful in you right here and now.

But what I want to do first is give you biblical background on the practice of the laying-on of hands.  I want to briefly look at most of the places where this is talked about in the New Testament – in order to show us two truths:

One – that the laying-on of hands is part of normal Church life.  And two – that when we lay hands on someone and pray for them we are asking God to do something supernatural for them right here and now.

To see this, let’s start with Luke 4:40 --

Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

Here Jesus lays his hands on sick people and miraculously heals them.  The laying-on-of hands is not just a symbolic gesture – there’s an expectation that as we pray for this person God’s power will do something supernatural.

Look also at Luke 13:10-13 (page 872) –

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." ¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.

Notice again that the laying on of hands involves prayer for God to come and do something supernatural right here and now.  Jesus laid hands on her – and right then and there God delivered her from this oppressive demon.

But you might think that it’s just Jesus who lays hands on people.  But that’s not the case.  Look at what happens in Acts 8:14-17 (page 916) –

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, ¹⁵ who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

So it’s not just Jesus who lays his hands on people; it’s also the apostles.  And notice that when they lay hands on these Samaritan believers, Jesus does something supernatural for them – he gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit – which means that they received the heart-satisfying presence of Jesus.

But it’s not just apostles who lay hands on people; it’s also everyday, ordinary believers.  You can see this in Acts 9:17 (page 917).  Here’s the background: Paul had been traveling on a road, and the risen Jesus, who had ascended to heaven, came down and blinded Paul with His glory – and the result was that Paul repented of his sins and trusted Jesus – but he was left blind.

So Jesus calls Ananias to go to Paul and look at what happens in v.17 --

So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

So here’s ordinary Ananias who lays his hands on Paul and Paul’s sight is supernaturally restored by Jesus’ power. 

Now there’s other Scriptures which teach the same truth – that we are all called to lay hands on each other and pray for each other in Jesus’ name and that when we do that Jesus will come and do some supernatural work.

And that’s what I would like us to do this morning.  So in a moment, I’m going to ask you all to stand up and rearrange your chairs into circles of 8 to 10 people.  You might want to briefly go around the circle and introduce yourselves.  Then one person needs to bite the bullet and share a need.  Don’t go into a lot of details, but share what your need is.  Then the group will lay hands on you and pray.

Now this is crucial: as you pray, go ahead and pray for their need and ask God to work supernaturally right here and now.  Focus your prayer on things that the Holy Spirit could do in them right here and now.  For example, if they are unemployed, there will be a time to pray for a new job.  But this morning, as you lay hands on them, focus your prayer on asking the Holy Spirit to comfort them, give them peace, give them wisdom.

And as you pray for God to do supernatural things right here and now – be listening to see if God brings a thought into your mind to pray over them, or a verse to speak to them, or gives you a picture to share with them.

And as you pray, watch to see what God is doing.  Keep your eyes open.  Sometimes you can tell God is doing something powerful because of the way they respond.  Sometimes you can see God’s power touching them physically or emotionally.

And give it time.  Our goal is not to pray for everyone in the group.  We will pray for one, maybe two or three.  So don’t rush.  Give it time.

And as you pray, don’t be afraid of silence.  Use silent time to ask God if there’s any special way He wants to lead or guide the prayer time.

And after you have prayed for a while, you can stop and ask them what God did as you prayed.  It’s good to hear what the Holy Spirit is doing in them.

And then you can either stop praying for them, and move on to someone else, or you can pray again for them.  Whatever you sense is best.

Then when we are finished, I will have a spokesperson from each group come up and share what God did.

So let’s have the leaders stand – and then let’s break into groups – introduce yourselves, share a need, and start praying.