Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.(1 Tim. 5:22)
In writing to Timothy, Paul said, “Lay hands suddenly on no man….” If you read the whole context of this verse, Paul is not talking about laying hands on someone to do the person harm; he’s talking about the doctrine of the laying on of hands.
He is instructing Timothy not to be quick to lay hands on people and pray for them. I believe it is important that people are ready to receive when hands are laid on them.
I remember a woman who brought her daughter to me to be healed. The daughter was facing major surgery, and the woman wanted me to pray for her.
Well, I endeavor to keep my spirit open to the Spirit of God, so before the mother said anything, I knew on the inside of me that the daughter didn’t believe in divine healing and was just coming to please her mother. So I said to the two of them, “Well, let’s just sit down and talk a little bit first.”
“Oh, no,” the mother said. “I already told you. I got up early this morning and drove two hundred and forty miles. After you lay hands on my daughter and pray, I’m going to take her back home. I want to get back before our church service tonight.”
“Well, I don’t want to be mean or ugly about it,” I said. “But if that’s the way it is, why don’t you just go ahead, load her up, and take her back. Your daughter doesn’t believe in divine healing, so there’s really no point in me praying for her under the present circumstances.”
The woman looked sort of startled and said, “Well, if that’s the way you feel about it.”
I told her that it had nothing to do with how I felt about it, but I knew there was no use for me to pray for her daughter under those circumstances. So the woman and her daughter agreed to sit down and talk with me.
Confession I believe in divine healing and keep myself ready to receive when hands are laid on me. Therefore, no man will lay hands suddenly on me, because I am always ready to receive from God.
(Taken by permission from RHEMA Bible Church , aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries , Tulsa , OK , USA. www.rhema.org )
