Heb 6:1-3 “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”
There is a deeper realm that is available that we can tap into. It is more blessed to give than to receive. It’s not bad to receive, but there’s a ‘secret sauce’ in giving. There’s a blessing in giving and it’s not just money.
The mere fact that the doctrine of laying on of hands is mentioned shows us there is a purpose to it. It is defined as an act whereby one person puts their hands on someone else with a definite spiritual purpose in mind. What you’re thinking about matters in this doctrine.
Even in the natural realm, there is something in the brain waves when you think a thought. Science is exploring this now. Negative thoughts have vibrations, just as positive thoughts do.
There’s another realm that supersedes this. A bad attitude won’t show up on an MRI. There is something happening inside of you when you have emotions–e-motion, Something is moving. We understand very little about this realm. This is still part of the natural realm.
There is another realm, the spiritual realm, that is on another level from the natural realm. God’s thoughts are higher than ours.
The universe isn’t measured in miles. It’s measured in how fast light travels, light years.
Blessing is transmitting something spiritual to something natural. ‘God bless you,’ means something. We need to learn how to bless people. Speaking prophetically matters.
Blessing and/or Transmitting, Acknowledging publicly, and to Inaugurate or Commission for ministry are three purposes of laying on of hands.
Everything was spoken into existence except Adam. He was formed with hands. God touched man. The Spiritual and natural realm is all about God connecting with humanity.
Lev 1:4 “Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him.”
Gen 48:11-20 “Then Jacob said to Joseph, “I never thought I would see your face again, but now God has let me see your children, too!”
v12 “Joseph moved the boys, who were at their grandfather’s knees, and he bowed with his face to the ground. 13 Then he positioned the boys in front of Jacob. With his right hand he directed Ephraim toward Jacob’s left hand, and with his left hand he put Manasseh at Jacob’s right hand. 14 But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys’ heads. He put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, though he was the younger boy, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, though he was the firstborn. 15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my grandfather Abraham
and my father, Isaac, walked—
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life, to this very day,
16 the Angel who has redeemed me from all harm—
may he bless these boys.
May they preserve my name
and the names of Abraham and Isaac.
And may their descendants multiply greatly
throughout the earth.”
How you lay your hands on people matters. In this, it mattered greatly which hand was on which kid.
v17 “But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head. So Joseph lifted it to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 “No, my father,” he said. “This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused. “I know, my son; I know,” he replied. “Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations.” 20 So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: “The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing. They will say, ‘May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.’” In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.”
Jesus talked about the thoughts and the spoken word. You can transmit your thoughts through laying on of hands. Jesus never laid His hands on demon possessed people (He just spoke), but He did a lot of healing through touch.
Deut 34:9 “Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
A spirit of wisdom was imparted through the laying on of hands.
Num 27:18-20 “The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. 19 Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people. 20 Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him.”
This is a transmission of authority through the laying on of hands.
Faith can be transferred through laying on of hands. When the Kingdom of Heaven comes through your body, there is light coming through. Darkness doesn’t really exist. It’s simply the absence of light. We measure everything through how much light there is. It’s not about getting rid of the darkness, it’s about bringing in light.
Let healing, Light, come into your body.
God never created sickness. Because of sin, sickness happens. Sin is what turns down the light.
The Three Purposes of Laying on of Hands:
- Healing. Mark 16:17-18 “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” James 5:14 “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.” (You use your hands to pour the oil.)
We miss out on what the Lord wants to do because of our own pride. Something from another world wants to come on you, but pride rejects it. You can make the Word of God of no effect because of your own thinking. Anointing of oil and the laying on of hands matters. We see more miracles overseas because there’s no other options. These are the places where doctors and hospitals are not.
- Helping people receive something in the Spirit, such as the Baptism of the Spirit. There is a different experience Biblically from repenting and receiving the Spirit. Acts 8:17 “Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17 “So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 19:4-6 “Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”
Supernatural Gifts. These are given through the laying on of hands. We can’t get to the place God wants us to unless His Spirit is moving. If God’s Spirit is available, shouldn’t we want it? If all you want is miracles and food, you are walking in shallow waters. There should be hunger for spiritual things. Hunger and thirst after Jesus, after the supernatural. Rom 1:11-12 “For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” 1 Tim 4:14 “Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.” 2 Tim 1:6 “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.”
It’s so important to understand the Bible in order to stay on track and not go off the rails. In the Book, dead people lived again.
- Ordaining Elders. Acts 13:1-3 “Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.’ 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.”
If you don’t have faith, don’t touch people. If you do, you’ve got something for others.
It is important to understand this doctrine. Healing happens. Peter said, ‘Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, I give to you. Be healed in the name of Jesus.’ When the two touched, that man was healed.
More Questions for Personal or Group Study:
- What really spoke to you in this message?
- How have you been ‘turning down the light’ in your life? What do you need to change in your thinking in order to let more light shine through you and all around you?
- Read Mat 5:14-16 and Gal 5:13-16. What do these verses say about letting your light shine and loving Jesus and the people around you more perfectly? How can you be more like Jesus, loving and drawing more people to Him?
- How can you encourage someone else with this message?
Excerpted from a sermon preached by Pastor Anthony LoCascio.
If you are looking for an Apostolic Pentecostal church and are in the Chicagoland area, come check out The Life Church of Northbrook.
We have services on Sundays at 11 am: The Life Church of Northbrook and Life Groups on Wednesdays at 7 pm.
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