The first step in solving a personal problem is to admit you have one. The second step is to give it a name.
I have decided to name this post, THE POWERLESS CHURCH.
According to the National Congregations Study conducted in 2020, there were estimated to be around 344,000 Christian congregations in the United States. As of 2020, there were approximately 17,377 Catholic parishes in the United States, according to the Official Catholic Directory. Altogether about 361,000 churches naming the name of Jesus as the son of God in the United States.
How many of those congregations do you think routinely report laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover?
As of September 2021, there were over 6,000 hospitals in the United States. This number includes a variety of hospitals, such as general hospitals, specialty hospitals, and government-owned hospitals, among others. In those hospitals, there were approximately 924,000 hospital beds. Over the course of a year, hospitals in the United States have an average occupancy rate of 70%. Therefore on any given day, there are approximately 646,800 people in hospital beds in the United States. That would equate to less than 2 people for each church naming the name of Jesus as the son of God in the United States to lay hands on and heal.
If the churches in the United States who say they believe that Jesus is the Son of God would act like they believe that Jesus is the Son of God, all the hospitals in the United States would be empty.
This is what Jesus said.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Jesus said they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
We do not see this happening because churches DO NOT BELIEVE what Jesus said. It is just another example of the Original Sin.
Adam and Eve did not believe the words of God, and that was sin to them. Abraham believed the words of God and it was righteousness to him. It takes FAITH to believe the words of God. The words of God are written in red two paragraphs above.
Here is what Timothy wrote about this day we are living in.
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
2Ti 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
Churches in the United States have a form of godliness, BUT THEY DENY THE POWER OF GOD. They can not heal a common cold because they do not believe what Jesus said. Once again, Jesus said, these signs SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE. It is not optional, Jesus said it SHALL happen. If you are not laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, you need to repent. Stop denying the power of God and start believing the words of God.
There are many churches that boast of speaking with new tongues as listed above in the things that shall follow “them that believe”. That is good, but emptying your local hospital would be a much greater witness to unbelievers. You can do both.
1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;
But he that heals the sick bears witness to the goodness and the power of God.
Here is the bottom line. Does your faith stand in the wisdom of men’s words or in the power of God? Preachers can preach till they are blue in the face but that does not strengthen your faith. Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians.
1Co 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
If you think laying hands on the sick is someone else’s gift, not yours, this is my advice.
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts:
I do not see hardly anyone using the gift of healing. If those to whom the Holy Spirit has entrusted the gift of healing are not using it, ask Jesus to give you that talent.
Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mat 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Mat 25:30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover is FOUNDATIONAL to following Jesus. Jesus spent a great deal of time during His 62-week ministry healing all who were sick and oppressed of the devil. No matter what church you are in you should be free to follow Jesus. If your church will not permit you or speaks contrary to healing the sick, LEAVE IT.
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Laying hands on the sick is not the only gift of the Holy Spirit, there are many. But laying hands on the sick is the place we need to begin. It is rudimentary. The Powerless Church must repent.
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
