Luke 4:40 “While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He healed them.”

Did You know Christians are called to practice laying on of the hands prayer? It’s a simple and beautiful way to bless others, which we can easily incorporate into family life and even within the context of our faith communities.

In Mark chapter 16 verse 17, Jesus promised that many signs will accompany His true believers, including “they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” He was right! I’ve personally witnessed the fact that healing miracles still happen today, when we truly devote ourselves to prayer.

Simply find someone, who is open to receiving healing prayer from you, and sit down with them in a comfortable place. Open your heart, and listen to whatever they’re going through, with the intent to understand rather than give advice (this can be healing in and of itself).

Then, invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to be with you, and do a simple invocation out loud, which addresses the prayer recipient’s concerns and invite’s God’s healing power to do His own work freely, realizing His ways are higher than ours, and He knows best what her deepest needs are right now. For example:

Jesus, thank You for being our Divine Physician. In spite of what she’s going through, I trust that You have incredible plans for healing and blessing this beloved child of Yours. During this time of prayer, please fill her with a spirit of faith, so she can be open to receiving the highest healing You have planned for her right now. Whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual, I trust that You love her and know what is the very best for her and are capable of even the most profound miracle in this moment, which transforms her life forever. Thank You in advance for blessing her through this time of prayer and all throughout her life. I trust that You will fill her with Your gifts and graces, and I offer all the results of these prayers to the Glory of Your name. Thank You and Amen. 

Then, simply open Your heart and gently place your hands on her shoulders or arm – you can do this sitting down next to her or standing behind her. She can even lay down and completely relax if you’re in a setting, where that would be appropriate (for example, tucking your kids in bed at night).

Then, there are many ways to proceed. You can continue to pray out loud or simply quietly and lovingly, be present, continuing to invite the Holy Spirit to work through you in your mind. You can imagine what it’s like to have God’s light flowing through you or you can simply tune in to see if you can sense the presence or guidance of the Holy Spirit within you. You can also silently repeat a favorite prayer like The Lord’s Prayer in your mind. Do your best to remain in a state of prayer, but forgive yourself if your mind wanders a bit – God doesn’t need us to be perfect to work through us. Remember: You already invoked Him in prayer, so He’s right there with you through it all.

It’s important to realize that even if You don’t perceive its actions, the Holy Spirit is working through your prayers. This has nothing to do with you –  it’s entirely due to the Jesus and His promises to us. Typically though, the more we practice contemplative and healing prayer, the more we can gain sensitivity to perceive the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Once you get used to it, laying on of hands prayer is as natural as breathing because God created us to support each other in this way. Whether you see results right away or not, be assured that the more time we spend in prayer for each other, the better. Over the long run, you will absolutely see God working through your prayers and most importantly, you’ll grow closer to Him in the process.

God, help us to believe in you. Fill us with a faith so strong that when we pray over people, we truly believe in your promise that the sick will be healed, and we will do greater things than You! Give us the grace to witness miracles and healing at our hands, so can glorify You and draw others into lives of faith! In Jesus name, Amen

Have you ever practiced “laying on of hands” prayer? I’d love to hear all about your experiences in the comments below. I’ll pray for an increased outpouring of the Holy Spirit through your work!