This came from a
journal entry last night/today…
I’m trying to figure this out because I’m kind of confused:
should we be anointing the sick with oil when we pray for them? I’ve wondered this for a few weeks now, but
really, should we? James 5.14 says that
if anyone is sick that they should call on the elders of the church to pray
over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the LORD. But then the gospels never say that Jesus or
the disciples anointed anyone with oil.
Heck, in several cases they didn’t even touch the sick to make them
well, which makes me think it has more to do with faith than a process.
I realize that healing prayer doesn’t come up in normal
conversation back home. I’ve been wondering
this because Becky came up to me last night to ask for prayer – she was
throwing up. So a group of us prayed
over her and it was awesome. I totally
felt the Spirit on us, especially pulsating from Terri’s hand and into mine,
yet I couldn’t help but think about what the effect would have been on Becky
had we anointed her with oil. This
thought plagued my head as we were in sitting there. Curiosity was killing me. I never did anything about it and that’s okay
because I’m still free to wonder. And I
realize there’s no formula to healing prayer.
But then there are other times that I believe persistence is
key above anything else and I think that we still give up too easily, even here
on the World Race. We finish a prayer
for someone, ask them if they feel better, they respond with “maybe a little”,
and then we pass it off as the LORD working or needing more time to heal. We’ve stopped expecting miracles. Instead we say, “you’ll be better by morning”
and then often times they’re not.
I’m guilty of it.
I’m having trouble as to why we don’t immediately turn back
to prayer – then and there – until the ‘sick’ feel better.
This has gotten me to think a lot about myself. I feel that right now, I’m like a warrior
that’s only good for one round on the battlefield. Any more effort might take too much out of
me, might cut into my beauty sleep (because often times prayer’s needed late at
night), might take away from that ‘thing’ I consider more important than my wounded
brother or sister straight off the front lines.
I’m like the passive 7th grader who is always bullied and
after a shove or two quietly submits.
But now I’m tired of retreating to my personal safe haven.
I want to throw myself in front of my brothers and sisters
on the front lines. Sons and daughters
of GOD are getting jabbed,
shot at, bruised, wounded, and we’ve been merely kneeling down to tell them
that “it’s going to be okay” before we move on and leave them there, all alone,
as we mosey on back home. I think the
enemy laughs at us while the angels throw their hands up at our immaturity and
marvel at how much we’ve still to learn as God’s chosen.
And I write these words with the full knowledge that I’m the
very embodiment of them. Lord willing, I’m
going to be broken of that. He’s going
to create in me the courage, the strength, the brawn, the power, and wisdom to
kick and scream and wield my sword in the devil’s face. I’m ready to be soaked in the blood of
darkness and clothed in the Light that overpowers all that’s against us. I’m ready to start killing the sickness –
punching it in the face. I’m ready to
hunch over these principalities of death and destruction and forcibly lay upon
their wicked desires the foundation of my Father’s everlasting Kingdom.
I can’t help but think of how much the Lord has moved in my
own life, how He’s grown me and made me into this new man, this person that He
wants me to be for Him. I’ve gotten
really close with some of these girls on my team, especially our gang within
the squad: team Zemia. I wish that I
could fathom into words how pissed off I get when one of my girls goes
down. I care deeply for Sarah, Becky,
Caroline, and Terri. I truly feel like
the older brother and when someone or something messes with them, it takes all
my restraint not to lash out. I’ve never
felt the ‘protector’ rise out of me like it has been. The devil has no idea what he’s doing. He has no idea what he’s gotten himself
into. If a brother has this much passion
and love for his sister, how much more the Father for his daughter!
So here I stand, having been knighted by my God, my King, to
go into this battlefield. I’m armed, I’m
ready – so bring it. Throw me up front,
Abba, and may my gaze remain solely on You, may I consider and walk in the firm
ways You’ve made bare. I’ve hidden Your
word and written Your instruction on my heart.
So anoint me, King Jesus. Amen.
