Acts 10:38 NKJV how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Seven things to know about the ministry of laying hands on people:
- Laying hands on people is a doctrine of the church.
Hebrews 6:1-2 NKJV Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, (2) of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
- Laying hands on people is in the Old Testament.
- Leviticus 16:21-22 (laying hands on the sacrifices and the scapegoat)
- Genesis 48:13-20 (Jacob blessed his sons)
- Exodus 34:9 (Moses laid hands on Joshua)
- Laying hands on people is a primary way Jesus ministered healing to people.
The primary method that Jesus was most known by in His healing ministry was the laying on of hands. He used other methods occasionally but most of the time he laid His hands on people, and they were healed.
Luke 4:40 NKJV When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.
- Laying hands on people was a symbol of covenant authority.
Luke 13:10-17 NKJV Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. (11) And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. (12) But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” (13) And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (14) But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” (15) The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? (16) So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound–think of it–for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” (17) And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Jesus said that this woman was part of the covenant. Healing was a benefit of the covenant package that belonged to her. We have the same benefits as part of our covenant package.
She had been touched by the devil and this is why she was bound.
Jesus laid His hands on her and in doing so He was reclaiming property that belonged to God.
Laying on of hands became the recognized point of contact for the healing process.
Mark 5:22-23 NKJV And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet (23) and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”
Jairus points out that he wanted Jesus to come and lay His hands on his daughter. The people understood that the healing was primarily taking place as He laid hands on them.
Mark 1:40-42 NKJV Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (41) Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (42) As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
- When there is laying on of hands, great power is released.
Acts 8:14-17 NKJV Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, (15) who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (16) For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Two times in the scriptures we see the Holy Spirit coming on people to fill them straight from Himself as in the Day of Pentecost and then the believers being filled in Cornelius’ household. Every time after this, we see the people receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles laying hands on them.
Acts 19:6 NKJV (6) And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
- God has authorized us to lay hands on people for healing.
God has chosen to work through us. He has committed everything to us and it is our responsibility to carry that power to the people for healing.
Mark 16:15-18 NKJV And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) 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.”
What we must realize is that if people are going to receive from God, it is going to happen most likely because we carry it to them.
If God is going to touch the people, He must have your hands to do it.
If God is going to speak to the people to see them come into the Kingdom, He must have your mouth to do it.
When we lay hands on people, we are not alone and by ourselves. Our hands become the hands of God. Our hands become the hands of Jesus. We don’t have to come under any pressure because we are not the ones with the responsibility to heal. Only God can do that.
Acts 28:7-9 NKJV In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. (8) And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. (9) So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.
- There is some misconception that if someone lays hands on me and if the power of God is present, then I am going to feel something.
We are not saying that it might not happen, but we ARE saying that it does NOT have to happen for someone to get healed.
We have these ideas because we have taught ourselves that these are the proper responses: to fall, to run, to shout, etc.
Laying on of hands is like the lighting of a fuse on a firecracker. The fuse begins the process of the release of the power.
The point of contact lights the fuse and you know that the process has begun. The scripture teaches that it is the act of faith that releases the power of God and lights the fuse.