How to Receive Divine Healing

How to Receive Divine Healing

by Aimee Semple McPherson

“Thy faith hath made thee whole.” “According to thy faith be it done unto thee.” “Woman, great is thy faith, be it done unto thee even as thou wilt.” These were the words of the Master when He trod the shores of Galilee.

‘Twas faith that made the believer whole in Bible days and ‘tis faith that can reach up and touch the hem of the Master’s seamless dress that can make us whole today. For “verily if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed,” said Jesus, “ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed to yonder place and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be impossible to you.”

In order to get this living, active, mountainmoving faith in Jesus Christ, one must get on believing ground. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. To rightfully understand and feed upon the Word, the heart must be given to the Lord Jesus ; we must be washed in the precious Blood, be born again and be no longer children of darkness but children of light. “Well, if the Lord heals me I’ll believe and be converted” we hear someone say. But, dear one, this is not the attitude in which to come to the Great Physician Jesus. He did not heal the sick under those conditions when He was on earth. Healing was not received first and faith afterwards ; but faith first and then healing, for He said: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” But to a sinful nation who seek a sign, no sign shall be given; neither can one bargain with the Lord and exchange service for healing. Many forget their vows and promises to God after the answer has come.

Be Born Again

Positively, the first thing to do is to be genuinely born again not for the sake of being healed but because of real heart conviction for sin and the wooing, all-conquering love of Jesus Christ. Many have been not a little surprised and filled with questioning, when, in our meetings we have made a complete surrender to Jesus, a change of heart and a bright Salvation experience, among the

conditions under which we would ‘pray for the healing of the sick and afflicted. But, you see, it is Jesus and not ourselves unto whom the afflicted must look for healing. It is unto Him that they must pray.

Think for a moment how could a sinner pray to the Lord for healing? If he were really honest, he would have to pray something like this :Oh, Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I know you have long been knocking at my heart’s door, and that I have never been willing to let you in. Even now I am unwilling to deny myself or to take up my cross and follow Thee, but while I am not ready to live for Thee nor to repent of the coldness and sin that grieves Thy heart; and though I am rejecting Thee and unwilling to do aught for Thee, I would like you, please dear Lord, to do something for me. Please heal my broken body, so that I may go out to better enjoy the world; heal my eyes that I can the better see the moving pictures; open my deaf ears that I may enjoy the devil’s jokes and gossip; heal my crippled hands that I can play cards or work for my own selfish ends ; my feet that I might dance and run in worldly paths !

Oh, no, those might not be the exact words uttered by the petitioning sinner’s lips but ‘twould be the language of the heart, would ‘nt it? And, after all, it is upon the heart that the Lord looketh and it does not seem possible that the Lord could1 answer that prayer for the honor and glory of His own dear Name, does it? Make an Out and Out Surrender Give Him your heart freely and gladly ; drink deep from the joyous wells of His Salvation till your heart o’erflows with the rich fullness of His love. Then come crying : “Dear Jesus my Saviour and my Lord; Thy Name do I worship and adore. By Thy Blood have I been redeemed, my whole heart and life flows out to Thee in gladness and surrender for service great or small. Take me, and use me I pray. “But, Oh, dear Lord this body is sick and frail. I come to Thee for healing and strength that I may

serve Thee better and help lead souls from darkness unto light. Heal my eyes that I may read the blessed Book ; my ears that I may hear the preached Word ; my hands that I may minister in loving deeds to those in need; my feet that they may run to do Thy bidding, Saviour dear. Humbly, I ask in faith for Thine own glory. Dear Lord, I do believe and take Thy promise now.”

There is quite a difference in the heart language of those two prayers, is there not? And it does seem as though one could pray this latter prayer with much more assurance and confidence. Do not seek salvation for the sake of being healed ; but after seeking and finding the Saviour, then come for deliverance from sickness and pain that you may henceforth live for Him who died for you. Having read of the miracles of healing our Lord hath wrought, people often rush into the meetings from distant places, saying: “Pray for me quick, Sister, I’ve got to catch a train or leave for home tomorrow.’’ But they have not sat long under the preaching of the Gospel till, when asked if they feel that they are now ready to go to the altar for prayer, they almost invariably reply, “Oh, no, let me wait a day longer. I have a few more letters to write asking forgiveness, a few more things to make right, a couple more bills to pay, etc.” Bless the Lord, the Spirit has been working in their hearts

and instead of rushing pell-mell without thought or preparation into the most holy and righteous presence of the King of Kings, asking His pure nailpierced hands to be laid upon our sinful, selfish bodies, they are coming now with clean hands and a pure heart, entering humbly under the covering of the precious blood.

Do Not Come on Your Own Merits

“But I have been such a wicked sinner,” some other heart may cry. “My life has been wasted. Would He ever hear my cry ? Would He save, heal and baptise me with His precious Holy Spirit? Am I not too sinful, sick and broken of body and soul?” Indeed He will hear your cry, dear one. He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. You are just the one that He will hear. When Jesus walked this earth, none were too sinful for Him to save ; none too sick for Him to heal.

And it has been a noticeable fact that the new convert, filled with humility and a sense of his own unworthiness, often receives healing much more quickly than they who have been Christian workers - for many years, and who now come of their own merits, filled with a sense of their own goodness and importance.

“Why, I am Mrs. So and So. I’ve done this, that, and the other for the Lord for so many years, I am sure that He will heal me.” But Oh, it is not upon our own merits, righteousness or even service that we can claim the promise, for all that we have done, after all, is but our reasonable service. ‘Tis the merits and righteousness of Jesus that we must plead. Coming in humility, we find that indeed when we are weak, then are we strong, for He resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble. “Have you faith that Jesus will heal you now?” we often ask the sick who come for prayer. In dealing with old Christians, we frequently meet the following complacent, self-satisfied answer in a

tone that would indicate that they almost resented the fact that we felt the necessity of such a question :

“Oh, my, yes! Why, I have always had faith.”

“How long have you been ill, Sister, and crippled up in this wheel-chair ?”

“ About ten years”

“And yet you say, in an offhand, assured way, with a little wave of your hand, ‘Oh, yes, indeed, I have always had faith,’ why don’t you see, my dear, that if you really had faith that is, the instantaneous mountain-moving faith for the fraction of a second, the work would be done, and this captive body would be free? Get out of that selfsatisfied,

boastful complacency and in humility, heart searching and earnest prayer draw near with sincerity and unfeigned faith unto the Lord.”

The Difference Between “Passive” and “Active” Faith Having been converted, having made peace with the brother, who had aught against thee, as far as lieth in your power and having put your all upon the altar in sacrifice, you are now coming to Christ for healing.

Come with radiant, active faith; pray earnestly; pray believing, nothing doubting and you will feel His mighty hand upon your life. His power will thrill through your being and the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead will quicken your mortal body. “Just what do you mean by ‘active’ faith? Is there more than one kind of faith?” I hear someone ask. Yes, there is passive faith and active faith. There is an instantaneous faith that takes the promise now; there is a steady unwavering faith that can stand the test and though the vision tarry, wait for it, growing daily in strength as young trees grow in stature.

The one with “passive” faith says, “1 will be prayed for and IP it is His will to heal me, I will be restored to health,” but right there is an “if” small in itself but a most mighty stumbling block to faith. Had the woman with the issue of blood sat by the wayside saying, “Well, if it is His will to heal me, I am willing. I will just sit here at ease and

if He happens to come to me and heal me, all right ; if not, all right, but I will make no great effort until He does,” do you think she would ever have been made whole? It was her “active faith” that pressed through the throng and touched the Master’s robe that brought about her healing. “Passive” faith just stands there and lets some one else do all the praying ; hoping to be healed and willing for it if it comes, but making no real effort to reach out and take it by active faith. Hope, however, is not faith, though many mistake the one for the other.

An Example of the Difference Between the Two Let me tell you the true story of something which happened in one of our meetings which exemplifies the difference between “active” and “passive” faith. During the great revival campaign in The Memorial Hall, of Dayton, Ohio, the Lord had graciously poured His Spirit upon us in a most marvelous way.

Thousands were seeking the -Lord as their Saviour, Healer and Baptizer. The Auditorium was packed, almost to suffocation. The basement also was filled. Policemen and firemen were struggling with the multitudes who thronged the streets without* Well friends who carried the sick who had been crowded out had, in desperation, resorted to cutting out the basement windows and passing in their afflicted on beds to those within. From early morning until late at night the throngs had continued to stand. And now, within the building, on the great platform, prayer was still being offered for the sick. Many mighty healings were resulting. Deaf ears were unstopped and the lame had been made to leap for joy. As quickly as one row of supplicants was prayed for, another would take its place. We who were praying for the sick turned now to the new row. The first was a man with a stout walking stick in his hand, whose limb was held painfully and straight before him. The man appeared to have absolutely no burden of prayer but was sitting up straight in his chair, gazing about him with wide open eyes, watching the workers and the people as they came and went. I looked at him searchingly with the thought which is ever uppermost in the mind when praying for the sick. Has he faith, active, mountain-moving faith? . I was afraid that he had not.

Second in the line was a dear lady with a child who was perhaps three or four years of age, seated upon her lap. One arm was pressed tightly about the child, the other was raised to heaven. Her lips moved in audible prayer, tears flowed down her cheeks. Her face no doubt as to faith there ! Addressing first the elderly man with the inexpressive face and the open eyes, I asked: The Man with the Cane “Well, Brother, dear, have you faith that Jesus will heal you now?”

“Why, I certainly hope He will,” he made answer. “But, Brother, have you only a ‘hope so 7 faith? No assurance from the Lord?” “Why, why, I thought perhaps I could be healed; I certainly hope so.” “Just what is your greatest reason for desiring healing, Brother?” I asked, trying another track. “Why, to be rid of the pain, of course,” he answered testily.

“But isn’t it even just a little bit so that you could serve the Lord and work for Him with all your heart and strength?” I persisted. “W-w-ell, I suppose so,” he spoke hesitatingly, without conviction, as though the thought were

foreign. The man had a hard, selfish face, and we

could not help wondering whether he had ever made

a real sacrifice for the Lord Jesus in his life.

There was nothing to do but to offer a prayer for

the man, of course. But, Oh, that living, vital faith

one so covets when praying for the afflicted seemed

to have been sinking away down out of sight and

all we could do, after we had prayed, was to turn

to the man and say: “According to your faith be

it done unto you.”

“Now, brother,” we tried to smile bright encouragement,

“do you take the promise? Come !

rise to your feet in Jesus’ Name. If you but have

faith, you can walk from this platform straight and strong and every whit whole, leaving your cane

behind you.”

As I spoke I succeeded in getting him to his feet,

faith was springing up in my own heart and I had

the assurance that even now if he could but grasp

the promise he would be made whole.

“Come! Brother forget the cane, lean upon the

Lord, and walk in Jesus ‘ Name !

‘ ‘

“Oh-h-h! But I couldn’t walk without the cane,

Sister! My limb has been sore so long/’ he cried in

a startled voice, without even trying to walk, and

taking a tighter grasp upon his cane.

We groaned within our spirits, and the man clinging

to the stick hobbled away. Only a moment,

however, could be spared in following him with a

regretful gaze. Hundreds of others were waiting

for prayer hundreds who would have real active

faith.

The Mother and the Paralyzed Child

Next in line was the mother with the little daughter

who had been afflicted with infantile paralysis.

The mother’s lips were still moving in prayer as

with closed eyes and tear-stained cheeks she clasped

her child to her breast and rocked gently to and

fro with an intensity of emotion and faith that appeared

to be oblivious to all surroundings. Scarcely

the need to ask the question here

“Mother, dear, have you faith that Jesus will

heal the little darling now ? and make her walk and

run again?”

She opened eyes that were red with weeping but in which there glowed a light kindled by the taper

of faith and cried,

“Indeed, I have faith, Sister. I have prayed

through. I just know that it shall be done. This

paralysis must go. My child will walk in Jesus’

Name/’

Ah, what blessed faith had she ! Of such as she

it was that Jesus spake, saying, “I have not seen

such faith, no not in all Israel.” With every word

she had uttered we could feel our own faith mounting

; no long prayer needed here ! The praying had

been done in advance.

“According to thy faith be it done unto thee. In

the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be thou made

whole !”

“Put the little darling down on her feet, mother

dear. Dry you tears and take your little girl by the

hand she will walk And she did, too, only

Mama went too slow, and the pretty little darling let

go the mother’s hand and ran and danced across

the platform, perfectly whole. What a novelty it

was to have that paralyzed side paralyzed no longer !

How grand to use that little foot ! She would run

a little, then stop short, lift up the foot, look at it

inquiringly and approvingly, then skip some more,

like a litle lamb gamboling in the field, then stop

again and turn the foot in all directions, gazing at

it delightedly ere she ran and danced some more.

The delighted audience laughed and shouted and

wept all in the same breath. The happy mother lifted

up her clasped hands and cried :

“Oh, Jesus! I just knew you’d do it! I

just knew it ! And Oh, I thank vThee, Lord. I will give Thee my love, my strength, my all, and ever

bring her up in Thy paths, dear Saviour.”

Do you see the difference, dear one? Here was a

woman with active faith. She cried and the Lord

heard her and according to her faith did she receive.

Don’t Lose Faith if Healing not Instantaneous

Very often the Lord heals His children instantaneously

and yet there are some who are healed

gradually and begin to mend from that hour.

Active faith is more necessary than ever here.

This was exemplified by our dear Sister Fraga, of

Dayton, Ohio, whom so many have learned to know

and love. She came to the meeting on crutches, she

was frightfully deformed with dislocated hips which

had been out of their sockets for years. When

prayed for she reached out to Jesus in simple, childlike

faith and said that she could feel the hips

snapping back into place. She let the crutches fall

from under her arms and declaring that she was

healed walked away something which she had not

been able to do before.

But though the hips were gradually going back

into the sockets, the body was still far from straight,

and wt e used to catch our breath when Mrs. Fraga

rose to testify (as she was wont to do at each testimony

meeting), and declare that she was healed.

Then, gradually, day by day, as this precious sister

turned her house into a home of prayer, brought her

husband to Jesus, prayed with sinners at the altar,

went out for miles to pray for and bring others to

the meetings, her lameness began to disappear.

We saw this dear Sister one year after she had been prayed for and she was as trim and as straight

as a girl. She was still ministering to the sick and

afflicted, walking for miles with perfect ease, for,

as she said, Only they who have been in trouble,

bound with braces of steel and leather, tortured by

crutches and pain, could ever fully sympathize and

yearn with such a full heart to succor those who

walk in the path of affliction.

Here again was active faith that stepped out on

the promise, even as Peter stepped out on the water

and walked to meet the Lord. She had held fast

through sunshine and tempest, believing that he who

had begun the good work was also able to perfect it.

Have Faith in God

Remember that faith is not always accompanied

by feeling. Faith is the substance of things hoped

for, the evidence of things not seen. Whether you are

healed instantly or gradually, hold fast to the promise.

In the Bible we read of some who came to Jesus

that ‘ ‘ as they went they were healed. ‘ ‘ Just so today

there are some who see little visible indication of

healing at the moment they are prayed for. But

this is the very time to have faith and to hold fast.

If they should wait a moment or so, without feeling

any great surge of healing power and then walk

away with downcast face, saying

‘ ‘

Oh, I was prayed for a moment ago but I feel no

different I guess this is not for me” then, according

to their faith shall it be done. Remember,

faith is not feeling- and trust is not trace. Keep your

eyes on Jesus who is this very moment measuring

and testing the quantity and quality of your faith. Cling to the words of Isaiah “by His stripes we

are healed.” Lift your heart to Jesus and say, “By

thine own suffering at the whipping post, thou didst

bear my sickness and pain mine eyes are upon

Thee, dear Lord. By faith I lay hold upon the

promise. The work is completed in Thee complete

it now in me, Lord.”

Step Out Boldly upon the Promise

Pray through before you come to Christ for healing;

then come with perfect faith in Jesus and His

power to heal. When you lay aside that cane or

those crutches, after prayer, do not put one foot

out hesitatingly and say:

“Um now I wonder if I could take a step on

that foot (!)(!)(?) M I wonder if I could bear

my weight on it? It’s been a pretty sore foot!

Now let’s see I’m going to try (?)”

No ! no ! that is not faith !

Do you suppose that Peter would ever have been

able to walk on the water to meet his Lord had he

put one foot rather dubiously on the wave and

said:

“Let’s see now I wonder if that water will bear

my weight? I know that the Lord bade me come,

but this water is pretty soft and I’m pretty heavy

but I ‘11 try it and see (?) (?) ! !”

Why, no, he would have sunk iri a moment ; ‘twas

faith that kept Peter up faith in Jesus ; as soon as

he got his eyes off the Christ and fixed them fearfully

upon the tempestuous waves or circumstances

with which he was surrounded, he began to sink.

According to thy faith be it done unto thee. Do not fix your eyes upon your own condition or surroundings.

Fix your eyes on Jesus; have faith and

walk to meet Him in gladsome love and service, and

the answer will come.

Going Home to Heaven

“But supposing that it is not His -will to heal me?

Supposing He wants to take me home to heaven?”

Well Amen! that is a different matter: your

Coronation Day is at hand. Blessed are they that

die in the Lord.

Paul was in a strait between two as to whether

‘twere best to stay to serve and minister unto his

brethren or to depart, declaring that to be “absent

from the body is to be present with the Lord.” If

the Saviour has spoken to your heart and is calling

you home Hallelujah there is nothing to fear, if

your heart is washed in the blood of the Lamb. For

you death has lost its sting and the grave its victory.

When thou passest through the waters, the

Lord will be with thee, and the waters shall not

o ‘erflow.

But we do believe that the Lord’s little children

do not need to die screaming with convulsions and

pain. We read of our fathers that “they fell

asleep.”

‘ ‘ Safe in the arms of Jesus,

Safe on His gentle breast ;

There by His love protected,

Sweetly my soul shall rest.”

If you have the blessed assurance that the Lord

is calling you to that golden shore, you will, of

course, be longing and ready to go; but if, on the

other hand, you still have years to spend below, there is work to be done. Thousands are perishing

in sin on every hand. You can be quickened and

healed and made every whit whole through Jesus’

mighty power, and can then go forth into service,

great or small, be it at home or abroad. You may

become a soul winner for the Master, that when

He calls you, you will not be “empty-handed.”

In gazing upon the sinner who has just given his

heart to Jesus and in his illness is very near the

other shore, this verse always comes to my mind :

“Must I go and empty handed,

Thus my dear Redeemer meet?

Bring no soul with which to greet Him,

Lay no trophies at His feet?”

How I covet at least a few months of service for

them that when the last summons comes they, too,

shall “come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”

Oh, the multitude we have seen come to Jesus

for healing ! Our ears still ring with the glad shout

of the blind when they received their sight and

cried aloud: “Oh, I can see! I can see. Dear

people, dear Jesus, I can see again.” We still see

the overjoyed, almost rapt expression of those whose

deaf ears had been suddenly opened, so that they

have been liberated from a tomb of silence and

enabled to hear the songs of praise to Jesus and the

voices of their loved ones. Again we can see the

lame, leaping and fairly dancing for joy crutches,

braces and canes thrown away hear the testimonies

of those whose cancers and tumors have

melted away.

Step into Bethesda’s pool by faith today, dear

heart, and thy faith shall make thee whole.