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Mark 16:17-20 lists several signs which accompany believers and confirm our preaching. One of them is ministering healing through the laying on of hands. This isn’t surprising. Jesus went about “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” and He commanded His followers to do the same. Fortunately, when Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, He taught us everything we need to know about ministering healing. The process is simple: rebuke the evil spirit causing the sickness in the name of Jesus, lay hands and help the person realize they’re healed.
Step 1: Rebuke the evil spirit in Jesus’ name
Luke 4:38-39 tells us that Peter’s mother-in-law had a high fever. Jesus “rebuked the fever” and it was gone. The first step in ministering healing is rebuking the evil spirit causing the specific pain or sickness. Tell the demon to leave in Jesus’ name.
Declare authoritatively: “Evil spirit causing _[sickness/pain]_, I command you to leave in the name of Jesus.”
Step 2: Lay hands
Matthew 8:15 describes how Jesus “touched her hand, and the fever left her.” Laying on of hands imparts the gift of healing. Place your hands on some neutral part of the person’s body, like their hands, arms or shoulders. Next, speak forth the reality that they are healed by the wounds of Jesus. Command the sickness and pain to leave at once in the name of Jesus.
Place your hands on the person and declare: “_[person’s name]_ is healed by the blood of Jesus. _[sickness/pain]_ leave this body right now in Jesus’ name.”
Step 3: Help the person
Mark 1:31 focuses on the final aspect of this healing. Jesus came to Peter’s mother-in-law and “raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her.” Faith is demonstrated by our actions. The afflicted person must act like they are healed by taking some kind of action. We may need to assist them by helping them get up, stretch a body part or walk, but we should only do this with their cooperation. On a side note, don’t tell a person to stop taking medication. Have them seek the Lord on the matter. The Holy Spirit will let them know when it’s time to stop conventional treatments.
If healing doesn’t manifest, enter the courts of heaven
If the person remains afflicted, it’s time to enter the courts of heaven. By the blood of Jesus, we revoke and remove Satan’s legal accusations against us in the courts of heaven. We confess any rebellion or unforgiveness in our lives, we seek forgiveness for any careless words we’ve spoken, we legally remove ourselves from any ungodly covenant, we revoke any sin in our bloodline and we remove any trade, dedication or covenant made with demons by an ancestor. Likewise, we state our desire to be set free from demonic affliction and we express our willingness to serve the Lord. After pleading the blood of Jesus in the courts of heaven, repeat the three steps: rebuke the evil spirit in Jesus’ name, lay hands and help the person.
Rebellion
Jesus once told a man He healed, “do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Likewise, James 5:16 connects the confession of sin with healing. In other words, personal sin can be used by Satan to accuse us in the courts of heaven. Consider Job. Satan accused Job before God. He argued that Job’s obedience was conditional upon God’s protection. He used the one sin we know Job was guilty of: fear. In the middle of Satan’s torments, Job acknowledged that what he had feared had overtaken him. His fear gave the devil an opportunity. He didn’t have an advocate, but we do! The blood of Jesus speaks about our salvation, healing and deliverance in heaven. Confess any sin, being as specific as possible, and plead the blood of Jesus.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. Lord, if I confess my sin, You are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I ask forgiveness for any and all sin in my life. Jesus is my Advocate! I plead the blood. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Unforgiveness
On multiple occasions, Jesus said that if we don’t forgive other people, God won’t forgive us. We must confess any unforgiveness. The more specific, the better.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. Lord, I confess I have held unforgiveness toward others. Just as you forgave me in Christ, I forgive everyone of anything they’ve ever done to me in the name of Jesus. I desire only good things for them. I confess all bitterness and ingratitude. I’m thankful for every breath You give me. Father, I revoke all accusations I’ve made against you in my heart. Forgive me, Lord. Every good and perfect gift is from You. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Careless words
In Matthew 12:36, Jesus explained, “every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Our words are extremely powerful. There’s a difference between constructive criticism and fault-finding. It’s important to speak the truth in love to build people up, not tear them down. We must confess any careless words we’ve spoken. We should also revoke any careless words that other people have spoken about us that are accurate.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. I ask forgiveness for every word of evil I’ve spoken about other people, any gossip, slander, or any truth that I spoke out of unrighteous anger, impatience or disdain. I renounce every careless word I’ve spoken in the name of Jesus. Annul these words of negativity and destruction. Lord, I ask that you revoke any careless words spoken about me. Annul these words in the name of Jesus. If there is any truth in them, show me so that I may confess my sin specifically. Forgive me of all my sin and cleanse me of all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus. I forgive everyone who has spoken careless words about me. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Ungodly covenants
1 Corinthians 6:16-19 makes it clear that when we have sex with someone, we are spiritually joined to that person. A covenant is created by our sexual union. Any covenant created by sexual immorality, such as adultery, sleeping with a prostitute, fornication or homosexual activity, must be revoked in the courts of heaven.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. Lord, I committed sexual immorality with _[person’s name]_. I confess that what we did was sin. Forgive me and cleanse me by the blood of Jesus, Lord. I renounce that ungodly covenant I made. I am no longer in covenant with them. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Any non-consensual sexual activity, such as rape or child abuse, should be renounced.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. Lord, I was sexually violated and an ungodly covenant was created. This unspeakable act greatly hurt me, but you have made me whole. I renounce any accusations I made against You, Lord. It wasn’t Your fault. You have forgiven me and so I forgive the perpetrator. I never consented to this ungodly covenant that was forced upon me and I renounce it in the name of Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Even after a legal divorce, a covenant with an ex-spouse could be the source of demonic attack. It must be revoked in the courts of heaven.
“Father, I was in covenant with _[ex-spouse’s name]_. We’re no longer married and I renounce that covenant in the name of Jesus. I am no longer in covenant with them. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Generational curses
NOTE: For more on generational curses, view the following resource: Dealing with generational curses
Rebellion against God by our ancestors, a trade made with demonic powers for success, a dedication to evil spirits or a covenant that an ancestor made with forces of darkness can give the devil a legal right to attack us. Although Christ broke all generational curses through His death and resurrection, evil spirits which are already afflicting us may need to be forcefully evicted. The legal ruling of Christ’s death must be enforced.
“Father, You are my Judge. I enter Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and I praise You. Lord, forgive me for any rebellion in my bloodline that Satan is using to accuse me. Father, forgive me for any time an ancestor of mine made a trade with a demonic entity for personal gain. Cancel these transactions in Jesus’ name. Undo any success or blessings from these trades that I’m presently benefiting from. I want nothing to do with this because You alone are my Source. Father, forgive me for any dedications in my family line made to an evil spirit or the devil. Forgive me for any covenants my ancestors made with powers of darkness. Annul these contracts in the name of Jesus. I was bought with the blood of Christ. I’m not my own. I belong to You and I honor you with my heart, soul, mind and strength. Thank you, Lord, for remembering me by the blood of Jesus. Thank you that the blood removes any accusation against me. I want to be delivered of any and all demonic affliction and I present myself as a living sacrifice to you.”
Keeping your healing
NOTE: For more on spiritual warfare, view the following resource: Putting on the armor of God
To keep your healing, take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Rebuke any doubt in the name of Jesus and declare the reality that you’re healed by the wounds of Jesus.