In previous posts I have shared about a prayer journey the Lord has called me to with the words "you must contend for the rain."

In that time I haven't really understood the meaning of this, but I do know that despite much prayer there has not been much rain.

Today, I was reading this book, "The Blind Healer" by Mike Endicott.

Mike, despite being blind, has developed a strong healing ministry in Wales. Initially he was frustrated by a very low "success" rate as he prayed for many people with very few results.

As I was reading today, my attention was grabbed by his quoting of the very passage that I am preaching on tomorrow. I knew that what he was saying was important for where I am. Last week in church we prayed for healing for some people. I haven't heard of any results, but I know that we must persevere down this path.

My subject for the sermon is that receiving the Holy Spirit is simple but we have made it complicated. Mike was saying the same thing about healing- it should be simple but that is not our experience.

Then he went on to talk about "shadow healing," a reference to the passage in Acts that talks about how Peter and the other apostles would walk down the street and sick people would be healed when his shadow touched them. One of the references (in fact the only reference on the internet) to "contend for the rain" uses the word rain to talk about people receiving healing and other blessings from the Lord just by being in a meeting without being specifically prayed for. Mike gives quite a few references to this in the book.

So what's the key? It is in fact something we have previously known. Mike says that the key is not in praying for healing but in proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, the power of the cross. When people understand all that Christ has achieved for them, then healing begins to happen as a side effect because we are healed by His stripes.

I'm excited about this because it appears that a number of pieces in the puzzle are starting to some together for me.

I really can now contend for the rain.