Should We Let Just Anyone Lay Hands On Us?

Laying on of hands has become almost a mass industry where people are hoping for an instant solution but does God work that way?

'Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure'. (1 Tim 5 v 22) Have you ever stopped to wonder why this command is in the Bible?

Have you ever been to a meeting or a conference where people have flocked forward for prayer with the laying on of hands? Have you yourself perhaps gone forward? Why? What were you looking for?

A quick look at Scripture will show that the laying on of hands was generally for consecration, blessing and commissioning.

Jacob pronounces a blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh by laying his hands on their heads. (Gen 48 v 14)

In Numbers 27 v 22-23 Moses places Joshua before the priest and before the congregation and then lays his hands on him to commission him as instructed by the Lord.

The result of which was seen in Joshua, 'Now Joshua son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him.' (Deut 34 v 9)

Paul says to Timothy, 'For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands'. (2Tim 1 v 6)

Then we have several places where Jesus lays his hands on people or touches them as he frees them from their sicknesses. (Lk 13 v 13)

Healing is an important point to mention here. If we are believers our first port of call is NOT the doctor but to call for the elders.(James 5 v 14-16)

If we go first to the doctor then we are being disobedient to the Lord by not obeying His Word. How many of us are still ill because we go to the doctor first?

It is to the evangelist who preaches to the non-believer who will see his word confirmed by signs and wonders as he lays his hands on the unsaved for healing.(Mk 16 v 17-18)

Evangelist David Hathaway ministers extensively in Russia to large numbers of non-believers.

On one occasion when about 800 people came forward to commit their lives to following Jesus, he was keen that they should understand who this God really was.

He asked those who had broken limbs to come forward. About 11 did. David said, 'that you might know who this God is, His power and His love, He is going to heal each one of you' and He did.

Wow! What boldness but how exciting.

If we are so desperate to be healed and receive from God that we allow all and sundry to lay hands on us we are in grave danger of receiving from their spirit and so 'share in their sins'.

We are to, 'keep ourselves pure'.

Many people are becoming aware that they have received prayer with the laying on of hands from people they know next to nothing about.

At some later stage they have found that it has been necessary for them to repent, because in their ignorance, unhealthy stuff has come their way.

Surely we need to do a bit of investigation about a person before we allow them to lay hands on us?

Let's focus first on the Lord and truly learn to love Him, worship Him, get to know Him and give to Him.

As our intimacy with Him develops and our ability to know what pleases Him increases, we can trust that He will guide us into all truth.

He's longing for us to delight ourselves in Him first. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God. God is the King of that Kingdom.

Seed Newsvine

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