STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS - PART 2

THURSDAY 08 FEBRUARY 2024

Any day I doubt the power of stretching out my hand to represent God's might in the act of healing, I will be untrue to my own deepest conviction, and evidently impervious to the message which the grace of God has committed into my care, as my life's assignment to proclaim. Beloved, learn to stretch out your hands...More below!

Reference: Acts 4:30 New International Version (NIV)

"Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

To expound this topic and squeeze out the fact of the matter in a plain manner, I have decided to split the versified statement into 3 segments, namely:

1. Stretch out your hand to heal

2. And perform signs and wonders

3. Through the name of your Holy servant, Jesus.

The first segment, which is to "stretch out your hand to heal" implies that God's hand is available to us in making tremendous power available for healing. So Peter's prayer invites God to stretch out His hand through them and put His healing power into effect, as they minister the Word to people. God can never come down and heal people by Himself; He requires an extension, which is what we represent. So we can activate or set in motion, the healing power of God from within, to address the lives of those whose frame of health are falling apart. And believe me, there are wonderful significance and beauty in the language of healing acts, because it's a mystery embedded in God's glory alone.

Sickness and disease are afflictions that reveal man's mortal and miserable nature. Moreover, to mercifully and wonderfully restore a man of ill-health back to his comfort and happy estate is an intelligent act of God's mighty power. It is precious beyond compare, and it gives worth to the elect or chosen people of God. In fact, it is our glorious heritage as born again Christians. To that effect, Jesus said, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16: 17-18 NIV). Indeed, we are the vehicles of divine power, meaning that we can place our hands on sick people, and they get well.

Healing the sick is an inherent part of God's love that took its effect in the councils of eternity. However there is a whole world of difference between the two expressions: healing the sick, and the gift of healing. In other words, any born again Christian can pray for the physical healing of the sick, without having or operating in the gift of healing. In reality, the gift of healing is from a fountain that is everlasting, and it is a supernatural power granted to a minister as an empowerment to exert all manner of healing to the sick and diseased and to perfect their health restoration through the enabling influence of the Spirit. And in this case, it is conditioned by the nature of the Holy Spirit that oversees it.

1st Corinthians 12:9 reads, "to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit" which suggests that it is one of the spiritual gifts which the Holy Spirit distributes. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Psalm 41:3; Proverbs 4:20-22; James 5:14; 3 John 1:2.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I bless your Holy name for the fullness of your grace upon my life. Thank you for the gracious habit of healing the sick through my outstretched hand, which is the effect of the unconditional love, abundant grace and overflowing mercy in Christ Jesus. It is a thing of joy that your healing power so hugely works in my life and world, in Jesus' Name, Amen.