Calling On Church Leaders for Healing Prayer

 

May Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|Dear Friends,

Greetings in JESUS’ NAME!

This month, believers are gathering all around the world to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Let me encourage you to let the Easter season be an opportunity you use to bring unsaved family and friends to church where they will hear the Gospel and be touched by the Holy Spirit. This could be the time when they really hear the Gospel, repent, and make Jesus the Lord of their lives. Don’t miss this golden opportunity!

There are still so many people who have yet to hear the message of salvation and receive Jesus, and we know the time is short for them to miss hell, make Heaven their eternal home, become disciples for Christ, and fulfill the plan of God for their lives. Would you consider coming alongside us in this endeavor and becoming a partner with this ministry? God works through our partners in mightier ways than they can ever comprehend this side of Heaven, and we would love to rejoice with you on the day you meet all the people whose lives you have touched through your giving! Simply go to renner.org/partner or call 1-800-742-5593 and join the RENNER partner family!

Today I am going to conclude my series of letters about how to receive healing for your body and mind, and I feel the need to take us to an often-overlooked scripture about yet another important way for that to occur.

Calling For the Elders of the Church
To Anoint With Oil and To Pray the Prayer of Faith

James 5:14 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” In this verse, we find yet another way to obtain healing and health for your body and mind.

In James 5:14, the word “sick” is translated from a form of the Greek word astheneo, a word that generally describes one who is frail in health or so physically weak that he is unable to travel, one who is a shut-in or homebound. It can also describe people who are strapped by financial need, which is a common predicament when one’s body is besieged by illness that necessitates substantial funds for recovery.

It is always best if a sick person can muster the strength to get up and go to a church meeting to receive prayer. In the assembly of the saints, there is a powerful corporate anointing that works wonders. But if a person is so ill that he cannot physically get up and go to the church to receive prayer, James wrote that a person in this predicament should “call for the elders of the church” to come to him for prayer.

I have noted that when illness strikes a person, people anticipate that the church’s spiritual leaders will reach out and offer to visit, pray, and anoint that person with oil. Yet James reversed this expectation and suggested that the responsibility falls on the sick individual to initiate this process. Instead of waiting for the leaders to assess the severity of every church member’s illness, James wrote that it is up to the sick person to inform the leadership of his condition and request them to fulfill the directive of James 5:14.

Again, James 5:14 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church….” The word “call” is interpreted from a form of proskaleo, a compound of the words pros and kaleo. The word pros suggests a movement towards, and the word kaleo means to beckon, to call, or to invite. But when compounded, it means to personally ask, beckon, call, invite, or summon to one’s side. It’s important to remember that this doesn’t pertain to those with mild symptoms, but to individuals who are so severely unwell that venturing to the church for prayer is impossible.

James 5:14 also specifically says the sick person should call for the “elders” of the church. The word “elders” is interpreted from the plural form of the Greek word presbuteros, a word that is traditionally used to refer to the spiritual leaders of Israel, such as the influential figures within local synagogues or those who expounded the Law in public gatherings. In the context of the New Testament, it signifies formally designated church authorities.

When these spiritual leaders arrive at the home of such a person, James 5:14 says that they are to “pray” over him. The word “pray” is an interpretation of a form of the Greek word proseuchomai, which is the most common word for prayer in the New Testament. It is a compound of pros and euchomai. Here the word pros depicts a sense of closeness or intimate connection, while the second part of the word, euchomai, means I beseech or I pray. It is derived from the word euche, which is a word that originally depicted a person who made some kind of a vow to God in exchange for a favorable answer to prayer.

By using this word, James stated that when the spiritual leaders come to pray for the sick person, everyone involved is to draw near to God as they make their petition, and at the same time, they are to make a vow that they will give God something in exchange for a positive answer. In this case, as they ask God to heal, perhaps they “vow” that as a result of the sick individual receiving healing, they will give God glory and praise Him for what He has done.

One of the best examples of this is found in First Samuel 1:10-20 in the story of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Hannah deeply desired a baby boy but was unable to become pregnant and faced the heartache of barrenness year after year. She made a vow to the Lord and in exchange, He honored her request.

The reason I share this is, I want you to see that the “prayer” James describes depicts a place of exchange where one gives God his defects, problems, sicknesses, and weaknesses — and in exchange, God generously supplies His power, His presence, and His goodness. Thus, James 5:14 means when we ask God to heal the sick person who has summoned the spiritual leadership of the church to come and pray for him, it is correct for those who pray and for the one who is sick to vow to give God glory and praise in exchange for healing the one afflicted.

James 5:14 goes on to say, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him…”  The word “over” is translated from a form of the Greek word epi, which means over or upon, and it depicts the position held by those summoned of hovering over the sick person who is receiving prayer, almost enveloping the person in need with their presence like a gentle canopy of care directly above the sick individual.

James 5:14 furthermore says to “let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Notice that the words anointing, oil, name, and Lord are italicized for emphasis because each of these four words is important and needs explanation. First, the word “anointing” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word aleipho, a word that refers to the physical anointing of the body with oil. Second, the word “oil” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word elaio, which denotes olive oil. From the earliest beginnings in the Old Testament to the conclusion of the New Testament and to the present, the substance of olive oil has been, and still is, a symbol of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The moment the oil is applied in a time of prayer is the moment the sick person is to release his faith for Christ’s healing to manifest in his body.

Third, the word “name” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word onoma, which means a name or a reputation. Not only does Jesus have the name that is higher than any other name, and His name is exceptional, good, noble, and superior — but the reputation of His name is above the reputation of all others. So when one prays in His name, that person prays in both the name and reputation of the One who indisputably has the power to heal any sick person. Fourth, the word “Lord” is an interpretation of the Greek word Kurios. Here it denotes the Master and Supreme Lord or the One who has ultimate authority in every realm, seen and unseen, which in this case, includes authority over sickness and disease.

If all the conditions of James 5:14 have been fulfilled, James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” This word “prayer” is also translated from a form of proseuchomai, which we previously encountered in verse 14. But then James added that it is a prayer of “faith.” The word “faith” is drawn from a form of the Greek word pistis, which is the word for “faith” throughout the New Testament. This isn’t a hope-so kind of faith that simply wishes, but it is a robust, rock-solid, unwavering faith that believes the One who has been petitioned will positively respond with healing.

The King James Version of James 5:15 says the prayer of faith shall “save” the sick. The word “save” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word sodzo, a word that is most often translated salvation in the New Testament. However, this word also importantly depicts deliverance, healing, liberation, and wholeness in every part of life. This word sodzo also means to deliver a person or country from enemies or to deliver, heal, keep safe, preserve, or keep under protection. The full meaning of sodzo is very broad, and the believers in the Early Church understood this word to contain all these meanings.

By using this word, James declared that the prayer of faith will completely deliver, heal, liberate, and return wholeness to the “sick.” But here the word “sick” is a bit different from the one previously used in verse 14. This word “sick” is translated from a form of the Greek word kamno, and it refers to a person who has long suffered from an affliction and is extremely weakened from the effects of this disease. The use of this word confirms that the person calling for the spiritual leaders of the church to come and pray for him is one who is so sick he is unable to go to them to receive prayer, so he beckons the leaders of the church to come to where he is to anoint him with oil and pray the prayer of faith over him.

In James 5:15 we find that as a result of meeting all these prerequisites, “the Lord shall raise him up.” The word “Lord” is again an interpretation of the Greek word Kurios, which denotes the Master and Supreme Lord or the One who has ultimate authority in every realm, seen and unseen, which, of course, includes authority over sickness and disease. The words “raise him up” are interpreted from a form of egeiro, which not only means to lift or raise but is also the root from which we derive the word resurrection. Thus, those who have been suffering a long time from the effects of disease will be raised up, and because their condition was so grave, their recovery will seem nothing short of a resurrection.

Then James 5:15 adds that “if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” The word “committed” is interpreted from a form of poieo, which here carries the notion of one who has done some kind of sin. The word “sins” is interpreted from a form of hamartia, which is the Greek word primarily translated as sin in the New Testament. It pictures one who misses the mark concerning what is right and wrong. Because this missing of the mark may at times be unintentional, in ancient Greek texts, it is sometimes translated as the word mistake, but it primarily carries the idea of one who either intentionally or unintentionally does what is wrong and who is thereby guilty of sin.

Oftentimes, disease, illness, and sickness are self-inflicted, whether through deliberate choices or inadvertent actions that create an “entry point” for the devil to exploit us. These words in James 5:15 tell us that in addition to healing us, God may speak to us by His Spirit, by His Word, or by the spiritual leaders who have come to pray for us to point out that it may be our own conduct that opened the door to the sickness. Embracing such loving correction can help us break free from a cycle that could invite the return of disease, illness, or sickness.

But James 5:15 goes on to say that if we acknowledge that our conduct is likely the reason why sickness showed up in the first place, and if we seek forgiveness for it, our wrong behaviors that led to that situation will be “forgiven.” The word “forgiven” comes from a form of the Greek word aphiemi, which means to discharge, forgive, let go, release, set free, or to permanently send away. We see the concept of such forgiveness in Psalm 103:12, which gloriously tells us that God has dismissed our sins from us, and He sent them away, never to be retrieved. Thus, the word aphiemi, translated “forgiven” in James 5:15, means to forgive, to permanently release, and to send away forever.

Calling on the leaders of the Church to pray over you and anoint you with oil is powerful because it can bring the amazing results I’ve covered in this letter. But remember, it is your job to let the leaders know you need prayer, so be sure to inform them and ask them to send someone to pray for you.

Since the month of September, I’ve been writing to you about how Christ has provided healing and health for your body and mind. As a child of God, it is right for you to lay claim to what Christ did for you on the Cross. But since September, I have provided ten different ways for you to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you: 1) renewing your mind to the truth; 2) aligning your heart and mouth; 3) holding fast to your confession; 4) letting patience do its work; 5) asking God for clarification; 6) staying in unwavering faith; 7) laying hands on the sick; 8) letting the gifts of healing and working of miracles do their work; 9) taking Communion; and 10) calling the elders of the church to pray and anoint the sick person with oil. If you do all of these things, stick with them, and don’t stray from them — it is sure that you will eventually begin to see God’s Word take effect inside you as your body and mind begin to get stronger. I cover all of these topics in-depth in my new book EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEALING, so I encourage you to get your copy today if you have not already done so.

It was on my heart today to share this subject with you, but if there is no one you can call for prayer, then please call us! When you let us know what your needs are, we will release our faith and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to meet you right where you are, and we believe God will do precisely what needs to be done. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT or send an email to prayer@renner.org. We are always here for you, and we will believe for Jesus to mightily move on your behalf!

Please also pray for Denise and me, our family, and our team as we take the Gospel and God’s Word to the ends of the earth. We are very serious about what God has called us to do, and we are giving our “all” to do it! But we greatly cherish your prayers for us. Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being a partner!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team

P.S. Click here to download the Ministry Update printable pdf flyer.

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