Mark 16:17-18 (NKJV) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
All believers are called to minister to others through the power of the Holy Spirit, including praying for the sick. Jesus said in the above passage, “They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
To many Christians, praying for the sick can be a daunting task because their minds immediately pivot to, “What if they don’t recover?” We need to know that we are merely the point of contact for God’s healing, and not the Healer. Therefore, it should be a simple task for everyone to lay hands and pray in Jesus’ Name.
1 Corinthians 12:9-10a (NKJV) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles,
First, we need to know that there is a difference between ministering by faith and operating in the gifts of faith, healings, and miracles.
The evangelists (Ephesians 4:11) operate in the power gifts, including the gift of faith, the gift of healing, and the working of miracles. However, most believers and some ministers will simply pray for someone by faith, based on their conviction of the above Scripture that God heals (Mark 16:18b).
The gifts of healing, meaning the specific gifts to heal different illnesses and sicknesses, are given to the entire body of believers. No one person can pray for everyone to be healed of all sicknesses or diseases through the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. Instead, someone might be gifted to lay hands and pray for fever, while others might be gifted to pray for other illnesses, sicknesses, or diseases.
Second, healing and miracles are not the same. Many of us expect a miracle in the form of instant healing, but the absence of instant healing does not mean there is no healing, because healing can also be a process.
Our responsibility is to act in obedience by laying hands on the sick, because healing is God’s work. We should simply minister based on the promise in Mark 16:18b, “they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover” in the name of Jesus.
Matthew 14:14 (NKJV) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
Lastly, most people respond to news of illness with fear or hopelessness. In such moments, we should pray for them and point them to God so they can be saved. Even if we do not fully understand their suffering, we are still called to minister with the love and compassion of Jesus. Without them, it becomes very difficult to minister to people—especially those who are sick.
Reflection: How does recognising that you are simply the point of contact, and not the source of healing, shape your mindset and posture the next time you pray for the sick?
Sermon Series：Jesus Ministers Through His Body After the Resurrection
放轻松，你不是医治者！
马可福音16:17-18 信的人必有神迹随着他们，就是：奉我的名赶鬼；说新方言；手能拿蛇；若喝了什么毒物，也必不受害；手按病人，病人就必好了。”
所有信徒都蒙召，要靠着圣灵的大能去服事他人，其中也包括为病人祷告。耶稣在以上经文中说：“他们手按病人，病人就必好了。”
对许多基督徒来说，为病人祷告常常是一件令人有压力的事，因为他们心里马上会想到：“如果对方没有好起来怎么办？”我们需要明白，我们不过是神医治的接触点，并不是那位医治者。因此，奉耶稣的名按手祷告，本应是每一位信徒都可以单纯去做的事。
哥林多前书12:9-10又有一人蒙这位圣灵赐他信心，还有一人蒙这位圣灵赐他医病的恩赐，10 又叫一人能行异能，又叫一人能做先知，
首先，我们必须明白：凭信心服事与运行信心、医病、行异能的恩赐是有分别的。
传福音的人（以弗所书4:11）常常会运行能力性的恩赐，包括信心的恩赐、医病的恩赐以及行异能的恩赐。然而，大多数信徒，甚至一些服事者，更多是在信心里为人祷告——基于他们对神话语的确信，就是神会医治（马可福音16:18下）。
这里提到的医病恩赐，是指针对不同疾病和病症所赐下特别的医治恩赐。这些恩赐是赐给整个基督身体的。没有任何一个人能够在圣灵的大能中，为所有人一切的疾病都带来医治。例如，有些人可能特别被神使用来为发烧祷告；另一些人则可能在为其他病症、疾病或软弱祷告时特别有恩赐。
其次，医治与神迹并不完全相同。我们很多人都期待神迹，盼望病人在祷告后立刻得医治。但若没有即时发生，并不表示没有医治，因为医治也可能是一个过程。
我们的责任，是顺服神，按手在病人身上祷告；而医治则是神的工作。所以，我们只需要根据马可福音16:18的应许，单纯地奉耶稣的名服事：“他们手按病人，病人就必好了。”
马太福音14:14 耶稣出来，见有许多的人，就怜悯他们，治好了他们的病人。
最后，大多数人在听到疾病的消息时，第一反应往往是惧怕或灰心。但在这样的时刻，我们应当为他们祷告，并把他们指向神，使他们能够得救。即使我们并不完全明白他们所经历的痛苦，我们仍然蒙召，要带着耶稣的爱与怜悯去服事。因为若没有爱与怜悯，就很难真正服事人——尤其是那些正处在病痛中的人。
默想：
当你明白自己只是神医治的接触点，而不是医治的源头时，这会怎样改变你下一次为病人祷告时的心态与姿态？
讲章系列：复活的主，借着祂的身体继续作工