Dear Larry,The writer goes on but ends by saying, "Please let me know where you stand." And once again, there is no return address, so I'm responding here.
I've heard your program on KCVO a few times and have wondered where you stand on the subject of prayer. One time you made it sound like a lack of healing was a lack of faith. Do you really believe that or did something come across wrong?
Also, do you believe we have to know God's will before we pray? Is it not possible to pray for God to reveal His will to you?
I have experienced and know that God will give you what you ask for sometimes, even though He knows you don't need it. He taught me a lot by giving me material possessions that I never needed. He showed me that material things never bring true joy.
Dear Friend,
First of all, concerning the question, "Is faith required for healing?" The best answer I can give is out of the Word of God.
In the book of Acts chapter 15, it talks about a man who was listening to Paul teach. Verse 9 says, "This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, 'Stand up straight on your feet!' And he leaped and walked."
In Mark chapter 5, when the woman touched the hem of Jesus' robe, Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction." Then in James 5:15 the Bible talks about praying for a person who is sick and it says, "The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up."
All I can say is that to me it seems like faith plays an important part in healing, and if I was sick I would want all the faith I could get. Romans 10:17 says, "So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."
We must also remember this. In John 3:17 the Bible tells us that Jesus did not come into this world to condemn it but to save it. As Christians we must be like Jesus. If someone has prayed for healing and it looks like they are not healed, the last thing we should do is make them feel guilty or inadequate.
When little could be done by Jesus in Nazareth, the Bible says that He continued to teach. He didn't condemn the people. He taught them.
The next question was, "Do we have to know God's will before we pray?" We don't have to know His will if we pray in the spirit. Romans 8:26 says that the Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know how to pray. And, of course, the Holy Spirit knows the will of God, so, when we pray in the spirit we are automatically praying His will.
First John 5:14 says, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." It seems to me that we would get the best results from our prayers if we pray His will. And His will can be found in His Word.
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