Sermon Notes

PROPHETS AND HEALINGS - Sunday – 26^th November, 2023

Overview

1. Introduction – Prophets and Healings
2. Prophets and Prophetic Voice
3. Jesus – The Greatest Prophet in the Bible
4. Factors that affect the fulfillment of a prophecy
5. Conclusion

Introduction – Prophets & Healings

God has placed in the church the following: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those with gifts of miracles, gifts of divine healing, gifts of revelation knowledge, gifts of leadership, and gifts of different kinds of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28 (TPT)

The above verses describe a ministerial hierarchy mentioned in the Bible and the most beautiful part is that everyone in the Body of Christ has a unique and a vital part to play. There are various institutions in this world, serving various purposes, but it is in the Church where all the needs of a person are met. It is fascinating to know that when the power of prophecy moves in the Church, healings are released.

The prophetic office in the church is an efficient office that releases healing. The Body of Christ is a place where healing is powerfully ministered, resulting in meaningful healing. Healing is not ministered through a particular man, but it is a direct involvement of a sick person with God. We directly look to God for healing and God uses the prophets in the Church to speak to us. The powerful Word of God that is released through the prophetic office can bring healing, miracles, signs, and wonders into our lives.

Prophets and Prophetic Voice

God speaks to mankind in three distinct ways:

• directly
• through His written Word
• through His prophets

Prophets are people who speak on behalf of God. Throughout the Bible, we can see many prophets who were used for specific purposes. The Hebrew word for prophet is Nabi, which means a channel of God's voice. In the book of Joel 2:28-32, it is written that when the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out in abundance, ‘the sons and daughters shall prophesy.’ The ‘sons and daughters’ referred to is the mature believers that Holy Spirit would raise in the Kingdom of God, who will be used by the Almighty God to prophetically declare healing, miracles, signs, and wonders. One of the challenges to operate in the Prophetic is the feeling of unworthiness.

In the Bible is a great man of God, Isaiah, who saw a great vision. He was a holy prophet of God who saw a great vision on the Glory of God, and yet considered himself unworthy. When he said that he was an unholy man with unclean lips, the Bible says that an angel of God was sent, who picked up a coal from the altar of God and put it on Isaiah’s tongue and he was made clean. Similarly, God is looking for a generation whose tongues will not be used to speak the plans of the enemy but to negate God's plan. They will be holy and will be only used to prophesy, to declare God's Word, and the power of the Almighty God.

There are 133 prophets in the Bible, 16 of whom are women. They were used for various purposes, one of the main ones was for healing.

Jesus – The Greatest Prophet in the Bible

Prior to being revealed as Messiah, Jesus was referred to as a prophet in the Bible.

His ministry on Earth resembled that of a prophet as He was the voice of God and performed healing miracles. Healings in the ministry of Jesus was not released because He was the Son of God, but it was the prophetic that released healing through His ministry. So while Jesus moved in a prophetic anointing and saw the faith of people, He spoke the Word and miracles were released.

In the bible, we see that when Jesus spoke, miracles took place. Jesus said, ‘Your son will be alright,’ and the son was healed. When Jesus spoke to the centurion that his servant would be well, he was indeed well. At Jairus’ house, Jesus looked at the girl and said that she was not dead, but was sleeping. The prophetic voice that was released brought life into the dead girl.

Factors that affect the fulfilment of a prophecy

Though many words are spoken, very few people witness their manifestation in the form of miracles in their lives.

When the prophecy fails to fulfil, we may have the tendency to term the prophet or the prophetic words as false. However, when we look into the Word of God, there are various factors affecting the fulfilment of the prophetic voice:

• Honouring the Prophetic Word and the Prophetic Office
• Dwelling in the Prophetic Realm
• Always declaring the Prophetic Word

Honouring the prophetic office in the church is vital for prophecies to be fulfilled. The miracle that God intended to release through the prophetic office will not materialize if a prophetic voice is not met with respect. A prophetic voice is not limited to healing or miracles; it can be a call for ministry, or a correction or suggestion.

In the Bible we see 2 instances where all the three factors came into action and prophetic healing was released. There were 2 great prophets in the Old Covenant - Prophet Elijah and Elisha, and they both experienced great prophetic healing experiences.

In 1 Kings 17:17-24, we read about Prophet Elijah, who revived the son of a widow. When Elijah visited the widow’s house and understood the situation, Elijah asked the widow to bring her son to him. The lady honoured the words of Elijah and brought the dead son to Elijah. The child was carried by Elijah to a prophetic realm, an upper room where he was stayed. Elijah prayed and the Lord heard him; as a result, the child’s soul returned to him and he came back to life.

Similarly, we read in 2 Kings 4:18-37, about a prophetic healing that took place in the family of the Shunammite woman through the ministry of prophet Elisha. As prophet Elisha frequently visited the house of this woman to have food, her family made a separate room for the prophet, honouring him and his ministry. The prophet was pleased with the service she provided. Elisha enquired about the need in her house and prayed for her. As a result, her barrenness was healed and she bore a child in her advanced age. That child grew up until one day, he died. When the child died, the woman did not go seek out a cure, instead she went up to prophet Elisha's bed in the prophetic realm, laid the child down there, closed the door, and called for Elisha. The final thing she did was to continue prophetically declaring, “It is well,” in the face of adversity rather than rejecting the voice of God by speaking negatively. As a result, Elisha restored her son to life.

When we are under a prophetic office, we must learn to speak words of miracles even in the face of apparent contradictions. Furthermore, our attitude and response to the circumstance will facilitate prophetic healings within our families and our lives.

Concluding Prayer

Dear Jesus,

We believe in you and all your spoken words over our lives. We pray that you anoint our tongue to speak only prophetic voices and ask that you teach us to honour the prophets and your voice. We surrender the feeling of unworthiness and we submit ourselves to live in the prophetic realm until we see the fulfilment of prophetic healings and deliverances in our lives. Holy Spirit, help us and guide us.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen