An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

showing lethargy in praying, failing to encourage the person to receive the energy that isavailable through a positive act of asking in faith. Selwyn Hughes (2003) in his popularbible-reading notes asserted that many people do not receive from God because they donot ask, and one of these requests should be to help us to pray to overcome lethargy inpraying.From the collected data for this study using the Nvivo coding system Prayer ismentioned 217 times in 24 documents on observations and interviews. From theinterviews and the observations, I have selected the contextual use of the term toillustrate the use of prayer in spiritual healing in different interactions and betweendifferent individuals.In the Pentecostal church, prayer for healing is not separated from prayer for repentance,sanctification, justification and becoming a born again Christian. This observation issupported by Paris (1985) and Beckford (2006). In the URC prayer for healing is focusedduring general congregational prayer that is led by the minister or another personappointed by the minister before the service. There is also a healing service where thewhole service is focused on healing and concludes with prayer and the „laying on ofhands‟ by the minister and elders for anyone who wishes to take this opportunity to havea focused prayer.Looking at biblical exposition in Christian literature and observations during datacollection, prayer appears to be the second most important aspect of spiritual healing.The most important aspect is the ability of the healer to provide a safe internal andexternal environment using self and others. In doing so s/he constantly uses the skills of236