How should we engage healing prayer? Approaching any type of prayer involves recognizing the comforting reality that Jesus is already interceding on our behalf. This revelation alleviates the pressure of our prayers, our role is similar to a child assisting parents with household chores. What’s truly remarkable is that our imperfect prayers are joined with Jesus’s flawless ones. This connection is rooted in the joy of the gospel, where we exist in Him, and He resides in us, eliminating the need to impress or convince God. Rather than proving ourselves, we align our minds, hearts, and wills with Jesus, who is actively interceding with the Father. It’s a reminder that the Spirit of Christ dwells within us, supporting us as we embark on the journey of prayer.

The inner posture of prayer is a partnership with Christ in intercession. This partnership is grounded in attitudes such as bold confidence, trust in God’s faithfulness, childlike simplicity, and a confident approach to God’s throne of grace. The recognition that the Spirit intercedes for us and that Jesus esteems the desires of our hearts forms a foundational understanding of prayer. As we grow in our walk with Christ, simplicity in dwelling in God’s presence emerges.

While maintaining the inner posture of prayer is key, we also learn in the New Testament that healing prayer often involves physical proximity. Examples include the touch of Christ, as seen in the story of the woman with a hemorrhage in Mark 5. Not only her, but the gospel writers record many accounts of crowds attempting to touch Jesus’s clothing. In Luke 6:17–19, after a night of prayer, people sought to touch Jesus, and His power healed them. Instances of requesting healing for absent individuals through spoken words are found in Luke 7:2–10 and Matthew 15:21–28. Acts 5 reveals the extraordinary impact of the apostles’ presence, with people even seeking healing from Peter’s shadow.

The New Testament speaks of many elements of healing prayer, including:

• Touch and the laying on of hands
• Physical nearness of an ill person or an advocate
• A spoken request
• Someone reaching out physically in an unspoken request for healing
• Requests for prayers of healing spoken and prayed out loud
• Touching a garment of Christ when He was anointed

In short, it is important to pay attention to our inner posture when praying, but, as seen in the New Testament, whether through touch, laying on of hands, or simply being near, proximity plays a crucial role in healing prayer. Combining our inner posture with physical proximity creates a powerful way to seek healing, showing that faith and presence go hand in hand.

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Learn more about healing prayer in Healing Prayer: God’s Idea for Restoring Body, Mind, and Spirit.

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