God so longs for His children to receive the healing Jesus purchased for them that He has provided seven different methods healing can be received. We make the mistake of limiting God to only one method of healing.
The Spirit will guide us into which method is best at the time for ourselves and for others. Always look to His leading. The Spirit will lead us based on our measure of faith or the measure of faith of another. What can they believe for? Then hook on there.
Because people are at all different levels and stages of spiritual development, everyone can hook onto one of these methods of healing.
Method #1 — Use the Name of Jesus
Demand in that Name of Jesus that the disease and sickness leave. This method can be used for others or for yourself. This method doesn’t involve the laying on of hands.
We see this method used in Acts 3:4-8 when Peter and John ministered to the lame man at the Gate Beautiful. “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”
In Acts 3:16, Peter declared to the people present, “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”
Philippians 2:9-11 tells us, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Every sickness and disease must bow to that Name. When we understand all the power and authority that Name holds, we will exercise it BOLDLY, expecting things to change. They didn’t lay hands on the man. They didn’t pray for him. They demanded in that Name that he rise up and walk. They didn’t even mention the devil. They just knew that Name was above every sickness and disease, and they put a demand on the power in that Name.
Method #2 — Pray for healing to the Father in the Name of Jesus
John 16:23 & 24 reads, “And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
The disciples couldn’t pray in the Name of Jesus while Jesus was still with them on the earth. Jesus had to spoil principalities and powers. Jesus had to enter into Heaven with His own blood.
Jesus was changing the divine order. In the Old Testament, they used to go to the priest; now they were to come to the Father in the Name of Jesus.
Method #3 — Prayer of agreement
Matthew 18:19 — “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
We don’t need to run around trying to get everyone to agree with us in prayer — more agreement doesn’t bring greater results. It’s the faith of just two that gets the answer.
Both must be in faith. One can’t be just hoping it works. Then one can’t be changing their mind on what they’re believing for. Once you agree, faith doesn’t come out of that agreement with the passing of time. The two stay in faith over that until it manifests, no matter how long it takes.
Method #4 — Anointing with oil
James 5:14-16 reads, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed….”
It’s not the oil that heals. It’s the prayer of faith that saves the sick, but when the oil is applied, that’s a point of contact when the one being prayed for is to release their faith.
Verse 15 says, “...IF he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” This shows that sin can open the door to sickness. If we sin, we get on the devil’s territory, and when we are on his territory, then he has a right to attack us. So if we sin, we need to confess it and repent as quickly as we can so that we get off his territory and stay out of sickness. If the sickness is caused by sin, then that will need to be repented of so healing can come. God will not only forgive the sin, but He will heal the sickness.
Method #5 — Receive healing through the laying on of hands
Mark 16:18 — “...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Every believer should use this in praying for others. When hands are laid on you, that’s the point of contact when you are to release your faith. When hands are laid on you in faith, healing ALWAYS begins. Believe that! Keep believing that till the manifestation is complete. The one who lays hands on you must release faith, but the one being prayed for must also release faith.
Method #6 — Receive healing through a gift of the Spirit
First Corinthians 12:8-10 lists the nine manifestations of the Spirit. We don’t control the operation of these gifts. These are initiated by the Spirit of God. Man cannot turn these on and off.
These seem to operate mostly for spiritual babies or for those who have not been taught about faith and healing. Once we are older spiritually, God expects more of us — He expects us to use our faith.
Method #7 — Know that healing belongs to you
Matthew 8:17 — “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
This is the best method. This is when the believer sees his rights in Christ and takes his place in Christ, refusing to be sick.
Thank God for all of these methods. They are demonstrations of God’s love and mercy toward humanity. Through any one of these, those who are sick can receive healing.