The Laying On Of Hands

If you have even visited or attended an Apostolic Pentecostal church then you have seen ministers, pastors and leadership laying hands on others and praying for them.  This is a practice that is biblical and goes way back into the Old Testament.  It was called the S’mikhah.  In the Old Testament, one aspect of the S'mikhah involved the passing of authority from someone in leadership to another.  For example, Moses in Numbers 27:18-20, “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.'"  Another aspect, in the Old Testament, was when a sacrifice was made.  They would lay their hands on the head of the animal and symbolically pass "themselves" and their sins to the animal for sacrifice.  Thus symbolizing the death of yourself and your sins upon the altar of sacrifice.  In the New Testament we begin to read about the apostles laying hands on people and praying for them after they received the Holy Ghost in Acts 2.  In Acts 6 it talks about men who were brought before the apostles that were full of the Holy Ghost.  The apostles laid hands on them and prayed for them before they sent them out to minister.  In Acts 8:17, the apostles laid hands on people and they received the Holy Ghost.  In Acts 19:6, Paul laid hands on people and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, by evidence of speaking in tongues and they were used in the gift of Prophecy.

The S'mikhah was first passed down to the apostles from Jesus.  Then the apostles then in turn passed it on to others.  I laid some background history about the laying on of hands so that we can have an idea where the practice came from in the Bible.  When we receive the Holy Ghost, we receive authority that is passed onto us from God.  Acts 1:8 says, " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..."  That power is the power of God and His authority.  Keep in mind, that doesn't give us the right or authority to exalt ourselves in any way.  It is ALL about the authority and power of God working THROUGH us.  We are just conduits for that authority and power.

1 Timothy 5:22 (KJV) says, "Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure."  I wanted to touch base on the first part of that scripture.  Lay hands suddenly on no man.  From what I have studied about this, I have gleaned two aspects of this verse.  First, be careful and prayerfully seek God's wisdom to whom you pass on the authority and power of God.  Follow the leading of the Holy Ghost when praying for people.  Secondly, the word "lay" means to place or put.  It does NOT means, grab a hold of someone's head, shake them or push them.  In my opinion, doing those things tend to be more of charismatic spirit than of God.  If someone is full of the Holy Ghost, God's power and authority, doing as the scripture says and placing your hand on their head is all that is needed.  God will step in and do the rest.  Too often, in Apostolic churches, I've seen the more charismatic approach.  When all that we need to do is be full of the Holy Ghost, obedient to His Word, and allow God to do the work.  It can complicate things when we do otherwise.

We are promised in both Joel & Acts that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit, the Holy Ghost.  Along with the Holy Ghost comes His power and authority.  Those days are the "here & now"!  It's not time to play "patty cake with Jesus"!  It's time to dive head first into it.  Pray, fast, seek God and be full of the Holy Ghost!  Allow Him to use you as a conduit of His power and authority.  He is looking for those faithful ones who are willing to be used to work the miracles, signs and wonders.  In Mark 16:15-20, Jesus had a few last words for His apostles before He ascended into Heaven, "And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved (Acts 2:38); but he that believeth not shall be damned.  And these signs shall follow them that believe; in MY name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues (the Holy Ghost); they shall take up serpents(cause satan's controlling and tempting to cease); and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; and they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord has spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and say on the right hand of God. AND, they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."

I leave you with this question: What are you willing to sacrifice and change to be used as conduit of God's power & authority?