Kingdom Healing: Spirit-led Prayer FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT A MATTER OF TALK BUT OF POWER. - 1 Corinthians 4:20 A3
Kingdom Healing: Spirit-led Prayer Student s Manual Published by The Vineyard Church 1500 N. Lincoln Ave. Urbana, IL 61801 217.384.3070 www.thevineyardchurch.us 2010 by The Vineyard Church All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. A4
Acknowledgements This resource gratefully acknowledges the authors of many preceding materials that played a part in its development, either directly or indirectly: Bob Shimmin, Laura Eichelberger, and James Lewis, who wrote Learning to Minister Like Jesus for the Urbana Vineyard in 2008; Brenda Gatlin, who wrote Power Healing 1: Discovering the Ministry of Jesus for the Duluth Vineyard in 2001; Alexander Venter, who wrote Doing Healing: How to Minister God s Kingdom in the Power of the Spirit (Vineyard International Publishing, Cape Town, South Africa, 2009); Brad Jersak, who wrote Can you hear me? Tuning in to the God who speaks, published by Fresh Wind Press in 2003; and John Wimber, who wrote the original Healing Seminar, Volume 1 in 1985, which helped to spawn The Vineyard s healing ministry. In addition, thanks go to Dianne Leman, Ben Hoerr, Pam Larson, Carla Green, and Rob Putty Putman of the Urbana Vineyard. This group provided direction and feedback to Tom Hanlon and Putty' Putman, who wrote this resource. A5
Session 1: Healing Prayer in The Vineyard Introduction The need for a healing prayer ministry Activation 1.1 What The Vineyard believes about healing Examples of healing from our church Who can be used in this ministry Session 2: Hearing God Introduction Activation 2.1 Ways we hear God Activation 2.2 Activation 2.3 Session 3: Our Healing Prayer Model Introduction Brief recap from the first two sessions The Vineyard five-step prayer model Activation 3.1 Activation 3.2 Session 4: Healing Prayer Practice Activation 4.1 Activation 4.2 Activation 4.3 Activation 4.4 Session 5: Ministry Matters Introduction Ministry etiquette Questions and answers Next steps to join the team Commissioning Evaluation References Evaluation Form Approximate length: 30 min. Approximate length: 90 min. Approximate length: 60 min. Approximate length: 60 min. Approximate length: 30 min. Contents Page 1 Page 4 Page 6 Page 12 Page 13 A6
Session 1: Healing Prayer at the Vineyard For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the Lord. Jeremiah 30:17 Purpose: To provide people with a clear understanding of how the Vineyard views healing prayer and how those views are played out in ministry Key Points: The world is a physical, emotional, and spiritual battle zone. Learning to be effective prayer warriors is vital to the health of the church. The Vineyard believes that God is fully capable of healing, wants to heal, does heal, and uses his children to bring healing to others. We should be bolstered by the numerous healings that have taken place in our local church. God will gladly use anyone who has the desire to bring healing to others in this ministry. The Need for a Healing Prayer Ministry Some people that you will pray for will have little faith that God cares about their problems. Some that you pray for will feel hurt, alone, abandoned, and unloved. O LORD, don t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak. Heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart. How long, O LORD, until you restore me? Ps.6:1-3 Many you pray for will feel confused, and perhaps angry about their wounds. Others will have strong faith that they can be healed. Jesus can heal with or without the person having faith that he can heal. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 1 A7
Activation 1.1 Breaking the ice What do you hope to get from this training? What are your beliefs about divine healing? Have you had any experiences with healing? What the Vineyard Believes About Healing 1. God wants to heal us. If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn t wander away! Matt. 18:11-13 But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. Ps. 18:6, 16 2. Jesus gives us his authority to heal. 3. When we partner with the Holy Spirit, we can become conduits of God s healing power. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 1 Cor. 12:7-9 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. 1 Cor. 12:29-31 Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 2 A8
4. Healing brings glory to God. 5. Healing encourages all involved. Examples of Healing from our Church Jesus came and told his disciples, I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matt. 28:18-20 I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:12-14 Who can be used in this Ministry In a word: You. You can be used in our healing prayer ministry. This ministry does not depend on you. It depends on God. Period. Jesus did not go round up twelve holy men for his disciples. He rounded up a bunch of middle-class, blue-collar working guys. All you have to do is be willing to let him work with you and teach you. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 3 A9
Session 2: Hearing God Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:3-4, 6 Purpose: To understand what ministry prayer is and the importance of hearing God to effective ministry prayer. To reveal some of the ways God speaks to us and to help people sharpen their abilities to hear him Key Points: Defining Ministry Prayer We can all hear God s voice. God speaks to us in many ways. When we hear God more clearly, we can more effectively partner with the Holy Spirit in praying for others. Introduction When we pray for someone, we are not just praying to God; we are praying with him. Ministry prayer is facilitating an encounter with God. We need to learn how to hear God s voice. Activation 2.1 Experiencing the Presence of God Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 4 A10
Gifts of Revelation Words of knowledge Seeing Feeling Reading Knowing Speaking Words of wisdom Discerning of spirits Gifts of Revelation Words of Knowledge Seeing Feeling Reading Knowing Speaking Words of Wisdom Direc9on Solu9ons Discerning of Spirits Highlighted Feeling drawn Looking repeatedly Physical signals Activations 2.2 & 2.3 Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 5 A11
Section 3: Our Healing Prayer Model I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! John 14:12-14 Purpose: To introduce people to six realms of healing that we pray for and to describe the Vineyard five-step healing prayer model Key Points: God is still in the healing business and uses ordinary people to be conduits of his healing power. We are better able to be conduits of his grace and power when we practice the keys to effective prayer ministry. We recognize six realms where God heals: the spirit, the emotions, the body, relationships, the dying and the dead, and deliverance from demons. We use a simple, five-step prayer model in acting as conduits of healing. Brief Recap from the First Two Sessions The Vineyard Five-Step Prayer Model The power is not in the method; the power is in God. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 6 A12
Step 1: Interview: What is the problem? Make a connection with the person. Introduce yourself and get the name of the person you re praying for. Listen to the person and to the Holy Spirit. A few pointers during the interview process: Develop trust Don t jump to conclusions Don t keep probing for every last detail Get enough information Last but far from least ask the person if she knows Jesus. Questions you might ask during this step include: What would you like prayer for? What would you like God to do? Do you know Jesus? If you don t know Jesus, would you like to ask him into your life right now? If the person says yes, there are three main points you want to hit: making Jesus Savior and Lord, and filling the person with the Holy Spirit. Making Jesus Savior Have the person repent of the sins they ve committed and ask Jesus to forgive them through the price he paid on the cross. Making Jesus Lord Have the person ask Jesus to be in charge of their life & turn control of their life over to him. Filling with the Holy Spirit Ask the Holy Spirit to come and fill the person with His presence. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 7 A13
Step 2: Diagnosis: What is causing that problem? Tune into the Holy Spirit as you ask the person some clarifying questions to determine the cause of the problem. Do a bit of probing, and as you do you listen intently to the Holy Spirit. You re not there to counsel, to offer advice, or to be a sounding board for their problems; you re there to learn what they need prayer for, and to pray. Step 3: Prayer selection: What prayer addresses that cause? Once you have that information, ask the Holy Spirit what type of prayer would be most appropriate. Different types of prayer here might include: A prayer of blessing A prayer of petition A prayer of command A prayer of rebuke A repeat-after-me-prayer Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 8 A14
Step 4: Prayer: Working with God 1. Ask people if you can lay hands on them while you pray. 2. As you begin to pray, invite the Holy Spirit to come. So invite him in, and wait for his presence. Wimber used to say The power is in the presence.' It may be awkward for you, but wait longer than you re inclined to. 3. As you pray, keep your eyes open. Possible signs of the Holy Spirit at work: Recipient crying eyelids flubering trembling/spasms glow heat/cold in specific areas sensa9ons of power/electricity trembling or shaking s9ffness or contor9ons heaviness, loss of balance peace, wooziness drunkenness trances exhilira9on, joy, laughter Minister heat, cold, or 9ngling in hands sensa9ons of power sensa9ons in our skin disembodied detachment aggressive engagement overwhelming compassion rising confidence in God heaviness or sluggishness If you do see these signs, or if you simply feel the presence of the Spirit, just bless that, and ask for more. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 9 A15
Activation 3.1 Signs that the Holy Spirit is at work Activation 3.2 Inviting the Holy Spirit 4. Don t be in a rush. Give the Holy Spirit space and time to operate in. What we are doing is creating that space for him to work. We are acknowledging that he is our healer and that we need his healing power. 5. Ask the person for feedback during the process. 6. Be willing to take risks. 7. It ain t over till it s over. Most of the time you ll want to loop back through the steps at least one more time, if not more, as God continues to reveal things and direct the ministry time. A significant percentage of healings happen after more than one pass through the model! So keep praying as long as God is doing something. Don t quit before God does. Step 5: Post-prayer: Wrapping it up Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 10 A16
Five-Step Prayer Model Interview Diagnosis Prayer Selec9on Prayer Post Prayer Connect with Person Iden9fy Root Cause Decide how to Pray Wait on Holy Spirit Refer to any Resources Determine Problem Watch for Signs of His Presence Follow Holy Spirit's Lead Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 11 A17
Session 4: Healing Prayer Practice Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:7-8 Purpose: To allow people to practice the five-step prayer model Key Points: The power is not in the prayer model; the power is in God. God can use anyone to heal others. It s okay to make mistakes and to feel uncomfortable as you practice. Practice won t make you perfect. But it will make you more accessible to be a conduit of God s healing power. Everyone you pray for should feel God s love and compassion. Activation 4.1 Getting words for ministry time Activation 4.2 Prayer ministry modeled Activation 4.3 Prayer ministry practice #1 Activation 4.4 Prayer ministry practice #2 Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 12 A18
Session 5: Ministry Matters Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:10 Purpose: To guide people in ministry etiquette issues, encourage them, and commission them for ministry Key Points: As prayer ministers, we need to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of those we are praying for. Those who want to join the prayer ministry team are welcome to do so! We are commissioned to continue the works of Jesus, and we are continuing some of that work through this ministry. Ministry Etiquette Be sensitive to gender issues. Ask permission before you lay hands on people. Use disclaimer language. Keep all prayer matters completely confidential. In everything you do, respect the people you pray for. Pray in teams whenever possible. Be sensitive to space and noise issues. Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 13 A19
Pay attention to practical and social needs. Questions and Answers Commissioning Evaluation Kingdom Healing: Spirit Led Prayer Page 14 A20
Spirit Led Prayer: References Gatlin, Brenda. Power Healing 1: Discovering the Ministry of Jesus. Duluth Vineyard Church, 2001. Jersak, Brad. Can you hear me? Tuning in to the God who speaks. Abbotsford, British Columbia: Fresh Wind Press, 2003. Shimmin, Bob, Laura Eichelberger, and James Lewis. Learning to Minister Like Jesus. Urbana Vineyard. 2008. Venter, Alexander. Doing Healing: How to Minister God s Kingdom in the Power of the Spirit. Cape Town: Vineyard International Publishing, 2009. Wimber, John. Healing Seminar, Volume 1. Anaheim: Vineyard Ministries International, 1985. Wimber, John, and Kevin Springer. Power Healing. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1987. A21
Spirit Led Prayer: Evaluation Form 1. What grade would you give this Spirit-led Prayer course? A B C D F 2. What did God teach you through Spirit-led Prayer? 3. What did you find most helpful about Spirit-led Prayer? 4. In what ways could we improve Spirit-led Prayer? 5. What specific suggestions do you have for the presenters that might improve their presentation or remarks? A22