Acts 19:6-7
6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
NIV
Today, we shall be looking briefly at the teachings on the laying on of hands.
There are basically two dimensions to this teaching of the laying on of hands: the teachings about ordination into the ministry by the presbytery and the aspect we shall be seeing today.
The laying on of hands was common practice in the early church.
When you lay your hands on someone in prayer, you are basically transferring virtue to that person. It could be healing virtue (see: Mar 16:18), impartation of the Holy Spirit (see: Acts 19:6, Acts 8:17), impartation Spiritual of gifts (1 Tim 4:14) etc. The idea is that out of the abundance of the spiritual resources supplied you by the Holy Ghost, you are transferring to the one upon whom you lay your hands.
This teaching reveals that we do not just receive these great things from the Holy Spirit but that we are expected also to share this power for the furtherance of the kingdom of Christ. Because our hands are the part of us that God has created to reach out and give people things physically, it has been ordained also to be used to give things spiritually.
I have come to realize that it is easier to receive from God because you want to give to others who do not have your access to Him than to receive because you want it for yourself alone.
Go into today knowing that the grace and virtue that God has deposited within you is also to be shared for the furtherance of the gospel and Kingdom of Christ.
By SD Abraham
YEARLY BIBLE READING: Psalms 12-14 OR LISTEN (click to read or listen)
TODAY’S AUDIO VERSION LINK:
http://optionadynamics.com/download/devotional%20audio182.mp3
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