Is the laying on of hands dangerous?

[daughterofGod1]

I know the Bible says if you are sick you should ask for the people in the church to lay hands on you but it also says to not let anyone lay hands on you suddenly. What does this mean?

The church I attend is pentecostal and they have an altar call every service where you can go up and be prayed for. I know people who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spoken in tongues, and been healed before because of the laying on of hands.

I've also read about horrible experiences. I read online about people who claim they got sicknesses and demons from the person who laid hands on them/the person they were laying hands on. They say that when you lay hands on someone you're participating in their sins and whatever spirit is in them can transfer to you.

Is this true? I know the Bible warns against laying on hands recklessly but I think if it were possible for a demonic spirit to transfer from the person who's laying hands on you, Paul would have said something about it.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I attend a pentecostal church and there is frequent laying on of hands. There are some situations where it's unavoidable, like in prayer lines at the youth group at church. Should you refuse the laying on of hands?

 

[CGL1023]

I know the Bible says if you are sick you should ask for the people in the church to lay hands on you but it also says to not let anyone lay hands on you suddenly. What does this mean?

The church I attend is pentecostal and they have an altar call every service where you can go up and be prayed for. I know people who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spoken in tongues, and been healed before because of the laying on of hands.

I've also read about horrible experiences. I read online about people who claim they got sicknesses and demons from the person who laid hands on them/the person they were laying hands on. They say that when you lay hands on someone you're participating in their sins and whatever spirit is in them can transfer to you.

Is this true? I know the Bible warns against laying on hands recklessly but I think if it were possible for a demonic spirit to transfer from the person who's laying hands on you, Paul would have said something about it.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I attend a pentecostal church and there is frequent laying on of hands. There are some situations where it's unavoidable, like in prayer lines at the youth group at church. Should you refuse the laying on of hands?

I heard Curry Blake (current head of John Lake mins.) relate a an incident wherein he was prayed over by the elders at a church; he said that after that he had a desire for a cigarette. He found the person responsible and they had words. That story kept me from trusting the elders at an AG church I just started to attend, who would stand in front to pray with individuals. I eventually got to know them and trust them but I think your concern is well-founded. I don't believe I would allow any random person to lay hands on me for the reasons you mention. I have heard of the transfer of spirits during a massage.

 

[tturt]

Just pray and asks Yahweh to protect you - He has the power to do that.

 

[Biblicist]

I tend to see two aspects to this. Most importantly, if you were to go before the elders (or another group of Believers) where you were trusting the Lord for an answer to prayer, then I seriously doubt that here could be any transmission of demonic spirits as Got is always faithful. Could we imagine God allowing this to occur when his children come to him in prayer!

On the other hand, if you were allowing someone to lay their hands on you at their request, where you were doing so with no real expectation of faith or that your mind was away thinking about something else, then there could be a "possibility" of a false impartation; but even here there would have to be another qualifying factor in play. If there was serious sin in your life which you were for some reason allowing to remain, then maybe (and I do say maybe) this could lead to an opening where a demonic force could be imparted into your life but the person praying for you would have to be pretty messed up in the first place.

Overall, I would say that if your heart is toward the Lord that even when the wrong type of person lays hands on you that you should have no fear.

Of course, before any demonic force could be imparted to you, the person laying their hands on you would have to be a complete unbeliever as no Born Again Believer would be able to unintentionally impart a demonic force into your life; the Spirit and Satan will not be able to operate side by side in any form.

 

[tturt]

Forgot to post yesterday but will include -

There are many patterns that were established in the OT such as in the tabernacle, the high priest offered for themselves first and then the people. (Lev 8 and 16 and Heb 9:7) I'm not saying sacrifices are necessary - not at all. Just that the high priest was responsible for himself and his household first, then the congregation.

When we pray The Lord's Prayer or along those lines, that's applying this pattern. (Matt 6 and Luke 11).

 

[Bobinator]

I know the Bible says if you are sick you should ask for the people in the church to lay hands on you but it also says to not let anyone lay hands on you suddenly. What does this mean?

The church I attend is pentecostal and they have an altar call every service where you can go up and be prayed for. I know people who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spoken in tongues, and been healed before because of the laying on of hands.

I've also read about horrible experiences. I read online about people who claim they got sicknesses and demons from the person who laid hands on them/the person they were laying hands on. They say that when you lay hands on someone you're participating in their sins and whatever spirit is in them can transfer to you.

Is this true? I know the Bible warns against laying on hands recklessly but I think if it were possible for a demonic spirit to transfer from the person who's laying hands on you, Paul would have said something about it.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I attend a pentecostal church and there is frequent laying on of hands. There are some situations where it's unavoidable, like in prayer lines at the youth group at church. Should you refuse the laying on of hands?

Yes, it can be hazardous to your well being. Follow your conscience. The Spirit will tell you when and when not to lay hands. The Bible basically says not to lay hands suddenly or without discernment.

This happened to me a few times where I was strongly led not to lay hands on a person (usually a stranger). Laying hands on an attractive woman has also made me very cautious so as not to lay hands inappropriately, or with wrong intentions. If there's any risk of displeasing the Lord, I may resort to laying hands on a person who's laying hands on the person being prayed over. Or, just pray on the side.

Once, I was led to stay away from a man who visited my church and not lay hands on him when prayer was given. Turns out, he had just murdered his girlfriend during a drug binge earlier that evening and was brought by his mother because she knew something was terribly wrong. We found out later, and it totally validated my not wanting to even go within 10 feet of him. He turned himself in and is doing serious time now, in case you were wondering.

Don't shy away from praying for others. Just pay attention to the Spirit and you'll be fine. Walk in faith, sister.

Romans 10:17- "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

 

[PRMan99]

I had never heard that verse before (laying hands suddenly sharing sin), so I looked it up.

After researching it, I think it means this:

From BibleHub:

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - Hastily for suddenly, A.V. Lay hands, etc. Surely if we are guided by St. Paul's own use of the phrase, ἐπίθεσις χειρῶν, in the only two places in his writings where it occurs (1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6), we must abide by the ancient interpretation of these words, that they mean the laying on of hands in ordination. So also in Acts 6:6 and Acts 13:3, ἐπιτίθεναι χεῖρας is "to ordain." And the context here requires the same sense. The solemn injunction in the preceding verse, to deal impartially in judging even the most influential eider, naturally suggests the caution not to be hasty in ordaining any one to be an elder. Great care and previous inquiry were necessary before admitting any man, whatever might be his pretensions or position, to a holy office. A bishop who, on the spur of the moment, with improper haste, should ordain cue who afterwards required reproof as ἁμαρτάνων, sinning (ver. 20), would have a partnership in the man's sin, and in the evil consequences that flowed from it. And then it follows, Keep thyself pure; i.e. clear and guiltless (2 Corinthians 7:11), which he would not be if he was involved in the sin of the guilty elder. Observe that the stress is upon "thyself."

So, don't ordain people too quickly or you will share in the sin that they commit in office.

In any event, I wouldn't worry too much about people laying hands on you unless you think they are struggling with lust or something. But I don't believe that Christians can impart demonic spirits through the laying on of hands.

 

[drmerejay]

I pray in deliverance ministry and personally I have never had anything like that happen to me personally. I think you always have to be prayed up and yielded to the Holy Spirit. I do believe it's possible to have spirits transfer to others. I'm sure they would rather enter a person than go into pigs, or where ever they may go. I'm confident the Holy Spirit protects us.

 

[dragongunner]

If your saved and have Christ in your heart I don't believe a demonic spirit can enter you…as one person said, to do such would require it to pass through the blood of the lamb that covers us, and thus would then be a saved demon, can't be done. I also believe that lay no hands on no man suddenly is when new converts or people come to church and are new to the christian experience, there are those who can't wait to try and be the ones to lay hands on them "suddenly" for them to get the Holy Ghost baptism, and before they even know what and why of such things. Seen this happen ands its wrong, as one person said above you should be led by the Spirit when or if you should.

 

[jannikitty]

The laying on of hands is a good thing but, like most good things, it can be overdone. A church with good authority will make efforts to confront a situation where it is not appropriate. Like where the hands are layed or else in some situations where someone tries to push the person down or grip them or hold them to tightly, etc.

Most of the time that just doesn't happen. Most churches have mature Christians as part of their prayer team.

But one can surely be healed without the laying on of hands. Look at the different things Jesus did when he brought healing to others. Sometimes he just said a "word." other times he did different things or said, "Your faith has healed you."

In a church community now (based on the book of Acts and the early church) certain mature Christians (elders so to speak) are commissioned under the authority of leadership to lay hands on the sick that they may be healed.

Yet, I have had situations where a stranger or a couple would come forward who had just showed up that day and needed prayers for deliverance. Usually my husband and I don't lay hands on them at least not for the whole prayer. After we feel they have been delivered we may. Distance is okay if you sense the need for that. Prayer works even if you don't lay on hands.

Most people want you to lay hands on their shoulder (and I sometimes touch their heads). It comforts them. Others just don't and that is okay. Those of us who have been doing this for many years usually pray ahead of time that we are sensitive to what the Spirit wants when we pray for others.

Blessings of the season be yours.

 

[Messy]

There was one guy who was just saved and very enthousiastic and stupid, he went to a satan's church and the leader of Europe was there and he asked him if he could pray for him and the man said sure and he called a pastor with a healing ministry who said he was not going to his place, he had to come to the service to get set free. He was set free, but that was not a wise thing to do. Unless I know someoone and know he/she lives holy I'm not going to let them lay hands on me. My ex taught me, he had a minister lay hands on him and afterwards he had unclean stuff.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I'm coming in late here and apologize if this thread has run it's course, but this is how I view this topic and have practical experience to verify my view.

Laying on of hands should be done, it is scriptural. Jesus laid hands on people with leprosy, there is nothing we can face today that is more dangerous than that. Yet Jesus never contracted the condition. Why?

It's not because he was the Son of God, that implies he was impervious to human conditions.

It's because his faith was in God. Having faith in God is a shield about us. That protected Jesus, it does us.

While an AG minister, I would lead the prayer team at the altar, and all sorts of people with sicknesses, so more obvious than others would come forward. I had no fear in laying my hands on them because my eyes were always on Christ, as his were on the Father. I never contracted any condition or virus. Praise his name.

Even here recently in my house of 5, the other 4 here all got very sick at the same time. All but me, for several weeks. Honestly. I still have not come down with what infected them, even my wife got it. But not me. Not bragging about it, just stating a practical experience.

I laid hands on all of them, prayed over them, believed for them, I didn't contract what was really a horrible experience for us all. Because my faith was on God and I had no fear that I could even contract what was affecting them.

Now that's not saying people who lay hands on others and do contract stuff don't do the same, I don't know. But from my own experience, God found me faithful in something and shielded me as he did Jesus.

 

[MissRowy]

Wow praise the Lord!