The Gift of Faith and The Laying On of Hands #2

The Lord said to me,.."I will test my people with a plumbline. Amos 7:8 (TLB)

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The Gift of Faith and The Laying On of Hands #2

"By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff." (Heb. 11: 20-21 )

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AGE FOR THE RECEIVING OF THE HOLY GHOST

God is not restricted to any particular method in giving the Holy Ghost. The Spirit may fall according to the sovereign grace of God as it did on the day of Pentecost, or at the house of Cornelius. (Acts 2:1-4; 10:44) Yet on other occasions, the gift was given through faith by the laying on of hands, as occurred in the revival at Samaria. Now in the case of Philip in Samaria,

God gave him noted success, both in the number of conversions, and also in the mighty miracles that were taking place. However, the people had not yet received the Holy Ghost. And it was not until Peter and John came down that they received the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands. Let us note the passage:

"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God; they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8: 14-17)

The Apostle Paul also received the Holy Ghost through the lay- ing on of hands. (Acts 9: 17) And again in Acts 19: 6, we find Paul laying hands on the disciples at Ephesus that they might receive the Holy Ghost.

Paul in Galatians 3: 5, infers that the Spirit is ministered to the people of God through faith. It Evidently the gift of faith is involved. One cannot, of his own power, minister the Spirit to whom he chooses, as Peter was quick to make clear to Simon, the magician. But when the candidates are ready and prepared to receive the Spirit, a person who has the special faith for this ministry may minister the Spirit, often to many people in a single service.

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS FOR HEALING THROUGH FAITH  

We know that Divine healing may be received in various ways. Member of the church may pry or one another, to be healed. “Pray or one another that ye may be healed.” James 5:16. People may be healed through handkerchiefs or cloths that have touched the body of a man of faith. (Acts 19: 11-12).  And of course, gifts of healing are especially ordained of God for the healing of the sick.

Evidently not every member of the Church possesses the special gifts of healing. "Have all the gifts of healing?" (I Cor. 12:30) Yet all believers may lay hands on the sick for healing (Mk. 16: 15-18) Moreover sick people can be healed at a distance through the spoken word of faith. "He sent His word and healed them." (Psm 107:20)

While some who minister to the sick may have gifts of healing, yet many people are healed when no special gifts of healing are present. There can be no question but that the gift of faith often operates in the healing of the sick. People who do not possess special gifts of healing may at times have great miracles of healing. Jesus said, concerning a particular difficult affliction which the disciples could not heal, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to them that believeth." (Mk. 9: 23) There is healing through faith, apart from special gifts of healing.

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS FOR THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

That gifts of the Spirit may be ministered from one person to another is certain. Paul laid hands on disciples at Ephesus and they spoke with other tongues. (Acts 19: 6) A portion of the Spirit which was upon Moses was taken and given to the seventy elders in the camp of Israel and certain of them received the gift of prophecy. (Nu. 11 :24-29) Moses laid hands on Joshua and he received the spirit of wisdom. (Deut. 34: 9) Paul and the elders laid hands on Timothy and he received a gift of the Spirit. In this case, the laying on of hands was accompanied by a special prophecy which may have foretold something of Timothy's future ministry. (I Tim. 1: 18)

"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (I Tim. 4:14) "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." (II Tim. 1 :6)

But here a word of caution is needed. The Holy Spirit is for all, even as many as the Lord shall call. Not so the gifts. This impartation of the gifts is the Holy Spirit's prerogative. 'He divideth severally as He will." (I Cor. 12: 11) To one is given a certain gift, to another is given another gift. The human will is not to enter into this field. It appears, however, that anointed men of God may cooperate and carry out the will of the Spirit through the laying on of hands, so that the gift that God has chosen may become manifested. This is what happened apparently in the case of Timothy, as hands were laid upon him.