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Pastoral Ministry

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Anointing and Divine Healing

Ministers should not only “preach the kingdom,” but also pray for the afflicted—When the Saviour sent the disciples out to preach the Word, He “gave them power ... to cure diseases.” They were “to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” This was the two-fold command given them. To our ministers the same command is given. They are to offer prayer for the afflicted, that the Lord God of Israel may take these cases under His oversight. If His workers will cooperate with Him, if they will sense the sacredness of the work that Christ did, and the work He would have them do, their ministry will be marked by a sacredness that will give evidence of its heavenly inspiration.—(Australasian) Union Conference Record, February 20, 1911. PaM 232.4

Do not claim to be a miracle worker—Multitudes have heard me speak, and have read my writings, but no one has ever heard me claim to work miracles. I have at times been called upon to pray for the sick, and the Word of the Lord has been verified: “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: 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.” Christ is the great miracle-worker. To Him be all the glory.—Manuscript Releases 19:372. PaM 233.1

Anointing does not heal the sick. Jesus does—The question has been asked by some, “Has Sister White healed the sick?” I answer, “No, no; Sister White has often been called to pray for the sick, and to anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and with them she has claimed the fulfillment of the promise, ‘The prayer of faith shall save the sick.’” No human power can save the sick, but, through the prayer of faith, the Mighty Healer has fulfilled His promise to those who have called upon His name. No human power can pardon sin or save the sinner. None can do this but Christ, the merciful physician of body and soul.—Selected Messages 3:295. PaM 233.2

Anointing should not be requested for every little ailment—I understand the text in James is to be carried out when a person is sick upon his bed; if he calls for the elders of the church, and they carry out the directions in James, anointing the sick with oil, in the name of the Lord, praying over him the prayer of faith. We read, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” PaM 233.3

It cannot be our duty to call for the elders of the church for every little ailment we have, for this would be putting a task upon the elders. If all should do this, their time would be fully employed,—they could do nothing else; but the Lord gives us the privilege of seeking Him individually in earnest prayer, of unburdening our souls to Him, keeping nothing from Him who has invited us, “Come unto me, all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” O how grateful we should be that Jesus is willing and able to bear all our infirmities and strengthen and heal all our diseases if it will be for our good and for His glory. Some died in the days of Christ and in the days of the apostles because the Lord knew just what was best for them.—. PaM 233.4

Anointing should normally be offered only to commandment keepers—You inquire if we should pray for none that are sick except those in the third angel's message, or pray for all that shall make application, et cetera. James 5 is our rule to follow. “Is any sick among you? let him call,” et cetera. It is those that are among us. God had shown me those who keep God's commandments are to have nothing to do [in anointing and special prayer] for the sick of those who are daily trampling them underfoot, unless it is in some special case where souls are convicted of the truth and are decided to move out upon it. The partition wall between commandment keepers and those who trample them underfoot should be kept.—Letter 4, 1857. (Quoted in Ellen G. White: The Early Years, 404.) PaM 233.5

Ellen White performed the anointing service—Just as the meeting closed, Sister Meade, who had been afflicted with a slow fever, requested us to pray for her. We went into a room by ourselves, Brethren Holt, Wheeler, Stowell, James, and self. After I had anointed her with oil we prayed over her, and she was healed every whit and fell prostrate by the power of God. That night we got into a rowboat and went on the pond about one mile to Brother Meade's. His sister was there with a very sick child. We anointed it with oil and prayed over it, and God heard our prayers.—Manuscript Releases 5:239. PaM 234.1