Gather information naturally (using your physical senses) & supernaturally (discernment and through revelation, as led by Holy Spirit).

• Key Questions: What would you like prayer for? Where in your body does it hurt? What is the pain level you are experiencing right now (on a scale of 0-10)?

Investigate possible roots of condition: natural cause (injury from an accident or disease), sin (committed by the person or by others against them, relational (unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, etc.), spiritual (demonic). In streets ministry, where you have little time to minister, lots of distractions around and are not necessarily working with believers you know (it may be an unbeliever), do not take much time at all in this step. In a church meeting where the people came for a physical healing session, you do have more time and freedom to go deeper on this. 

Question: Why does this person have this condition?

Ask first to see if you can lay hands on them. Then pray for the person. Invite Holy Spirit and ask God to heal. Choose command, petition, or soaking prayer. Dependent on the cause and with a person's permission, if its demonic you can rebuke (break their power), bind them (contain them), and/or expel them (command them to leave). NOTE: for deliverance, make sure the person is open to it. 

Key Questions: What prayer should I use? How do I minister with love, gentleness, and faith?

The Different Types of Prayers

• Petition Prayer is a request addressed to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, on behalf of self or another person. 

• Command Prayer is a command addressed to the actual physical condition of the body, or the part of the body or to the actual spirit causing the pain, infirmity, or affliction. Command prayer is short and simple in nature, as short as the examples below. 

• Soaking Prayer is prayer in which you soak a person in prayer, by the laying on of hands, for an extended amount of time. This allows God's power to continue working over time, even over repeated sessions, with the hope of leading to signs of improvement in the receiver. Soaking prayer is a great choice for long-term physical problems and chronic illness, especially after petition prayer and command prayers have not seen breakthrough. In soaking prayer, the focus is not on the words said (often soaking prayer is done silently or with few words - "Come Holy Spirit.") but on the confident expectation that the Holy Spirit is at work. 

Example of Petition Prayers

• Holy Spirit, come and release your power on Michelle's migraine. 

• Lord, release Your healing power in Michael's body, in the name of Jesus. 

• Father, I ask you to restore hearing to this ear, in the name of Jesus.  

Examples of Command Prayers:

• I command this cancer to shrivel up and dissolve, in the name of Jesus. 

• In the name of Jesus, I command all sickness and pain to leave this throat. 

• I command any afflicting spirit to get out of this body, in the name of Jesus.  

Check for signs of God working (such as heat or tingling, somewhere in the body). Ask if there is any improvement or perhaps even if a full healing happened. You could likely hear of no change. Don't be afraid to offer to pray again a few times over and reassure the person that it is your privilege and joy to pray for them - that you are not being inconvenienced but that it's the kind of thing you love doing. 

Potentially, after praying a few times, you may find a need a change of strategy. This could be offering soaking prayer or offering to pray for the person at a later time.  

What NOT to do in healing prayer:

• Do NOT pray long prayers. 

• Do NOT give medical or health advice.

Key Questions: Did you feel anything happening in your body as we prayed (heat, tingling in your body, etc.)? Do you feel any difference in your pain level? Any improvement? What level is your pain now, after the prayer?  Can we pray some more for you (it would be our pleasure)?

Pointers for What to During and After the Prayer: 

• Keep your eyes open and watch for the visible effects of the prayer that can reveal signs of God working (closed eyes actively moving, increased in deep breathing, shaking, etc.);

• Reassure the receiver that, "Every time we are praying, God is doing something. We don't always know what. But we know He is working." 

• Ask questions – Find out what God is doing by asking directly, "Anything happening? Are you feeling anything?". There could be warmth felt in the body or a tingling sensation, for example, pointing towards God actively releasing healing. If a person feels the activity of God they tend to be more receptive to keep going and it increases faith.

• Know when to stop – 1) Stop when they think/want it to be over; 2) he Spirit tells you it’s over or you’ve run out of things to pray; 3) when it’s going nowhere.

• Remove your hands and begin talking to them to indicate you are stopping.

Give encouragement, perspective, and/or next steps, if needed.

Question: What examples of how God works in healing, related to their situation might be a helpful perspective for this person to leave with? What approach, strategy, or suggestion will I give this person as a follow up?

Some Helpful Suggestions:

• Invite them to a Bible study, church or a house of prayer. If they already go to one, encourage them in that. 

• If the problem was related to living in sin, encourage them to stop sinning (John 5:24) and seek pastoral help with this struggle. 

• Have them check with their doctor for next steps. If the person was already taking medication prior to the healing, let the doctor be the one who decides the changes, based on the improvement (you re not a medical doctor).