Proclaim It, Don't Just Pray It: The Kingdom Has Come Near — Now Heal the Sick
By Penny
What if the public moment is not primarily a time to ASK God to do what He has already commissioned you to do?
Stuart T. Long’s teaching is direct:
“You don’t PRAY for HEALING. You PROCLAIM it over the person!
‘The kingdom of heaven has come near you today. Jesus Christ has healed you!’”
This is not a call to hype, pressure, or guaranteed outcomes. It is a ministry-training invitation to examine the pattern of Jesus and the early church. It is a call to move from fearful hesitation into compassionate, Christ-centered authority.
Watch the teaching that inspired this article: Stuart’s healing ministry teaching.
The Kingdom Is Announced, and Demonstrated
Jesus sent His disciples with a command, not merely a suggestion:
“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” — Matthew 10:7–8 (KJV)
The message and the demonstration belonged together. The disciples proclaimed the nearness of the Kingdom, and they ministered to people in tangible ways.
Jesus announced the anointing’s purpose in the synagogue:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” — Luke 4:18–19 (KJV)
Then He closed the book and declared:
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” — Luke 4:21 (KJV)
Stuart emphasizes that Jesus then sat in the seat traditionally kept empty for Messiah. The point is powerful: the anointing was not merely a private feeling. It carried a public assignment. The preaching came with demonstration.
Pray in Secret. Proclaim in the Public Moment.
There is a difference between the prayer closet and the appointment.
Jesus taught private prayer:
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.” — Matthew 6:6 (KJV)
Jesus prayed long and often. He withdrew. He sought the Father. But when He encountered the sick publicly, He ministered with compassion and authority.
The secret place prepares the appointment. Intercession prepares you to recognize the moment; proclamation serves the person in front of you.
This does not mean there is never a place for public prayer. Acts shows both patterns. Peter prayed privately beside Dorcas:
“But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.” — Acts 9:40 (KJV)
Prayer came first. Then Peter turned toward the person and spoke.
That is the pattern: pray deeply, then serve boldly.
Jesus Did Not Fail in Nazareth
We must handle Nazareth carefully.
Jesus did lay hands on some sick people there, and He healed them:
“And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” — Mark 6:5 (KJV)
The issue was not that Jesus prayed and failed. The passage identifies the atmosphere of unbelief and offense. People reduced Him to familiarity: Is this not the carpenter? Their offense affected their willingness to receive.
That does not permit us to blame sick people when healing does not occur. It does teach us that unbelief, cynicism, fear, and offense can shape how people respond to the Kingdom.
We do not promise that every person will be healed in this life. We do not say that a person’s lack of healing proves a lack of faith. That framing is cruel and wrong. God is sovereign, and God is good. Continue medical care, seek wise counsel, and honor qualified healthcare alongside faith-based ministry.
Say What You Have
Peter did not focus on what he lacked:
“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” — Acts 3:6 (KJV)
Peter gave what he had: the name and authority of Jesus.
He later said:
“Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed.” — Acts 9:34 (KJV)
Paul also spoke directly to a man who had never walked:
“Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.” — Acts 14:10 (KJV)
The practical sequence is simple:
- Ask permission: “May I pray for you?”
- Listen with compassion: “What would you like Jesus to do?”
- Speak the proclamation: “The kingdom of heaven has come near you today. Jesus Christ has healed you!”
- Minister gently in Jesus’ name, with consent.
- Invite a safe response: If appropriate, ask the person to move, stand, walk, open the hand, or test the range of motion, without removing medical supports or doing anything unsafe.
- Give God the glory, whatever the immediate outcome.
Fear will ask, What if nothing happens? What if I am embarrassed?
Those fears are real. Twenty-five years of faithful prayer are not wasted. Persistence matters. But sometimes faithful people discover that their method needs to be refined. The answer is not shame. The answer is deeper alignment with Scripture, greater compassion, and continued obedience.
Miracles Open Ears to the Gospel
The miracle is never the message. Jesus is the message.
Miracles function as an alarm bell that gains attention for the gospel:
“And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.” — Acts 8:6 (KJV)
God may confirm His message through healing, but we must never manipulate people, exaggerate testimonies, invent statistics, or turn ministry into performance. Freely received means freely given.
Scripture reminds us:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” — Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)
And the gospel announces Christ’s completed work:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)
“By whose stripes ye were healed.” — 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)
These verses give us faith and hope. They do not authorize us to guarantee a particular timing or outcome.
HSMS Comes First
At Melchizedek Ministries, HSMS, Loving God Back, is the #1 priority.
King-Priest-Prophet-Apostle function must flow from relationship, not performance:
- King: steward provision and godly justice.
- Priest: reconcile people to God and nurture beloved identity.
- Prophet: call out the gold in others.
- Apostle: make disciples and train others to follow Jesus.
This is practiced offline, among real people, in ordinary places.
Use the Umbrella Protocol: HEAR. TEST. OBEY. This means hearing and responding to God’s voice, after testing. Discern by fruit: thoughts that steal, kill, and destroy should not be treated as God’s leading; in our faith-based discernment they are to be rejected, and persistent or distressing intrusive thoughts should also be brought to wise counsel or qualified care.
Then apply the ministry-training rhythm:
SEE ONE. DO ONE. TEACH ONE.
Watch someone proclaim. Do it yourself with humility. Teach another believer to serve with compassion.
Our Mission: Identity and Permission
Our mission has two aims:
- Affirm identity: reflecting on how God saw you before the womb as a faith-based perspective, never as personal verification or established fact.
- Give permission and encouragement to move into ministry.
Habakkuk gives the writing-and-running pattern:
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” — Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)
The optional Birth Sky Message Session and Business Consulting are separate paid services. Neither is required for salvation, prayer, healing ministry, or ministry service. Current fees and terms are shown on the booking page before booking. Birth Sky is not a required first step and does not promise a particular spiritual result.
This teaching is part of the 20 Stones content stream, established in 2004 through the work of Stuart T. Long.
A Word of Hope
If you feel hopeless, or if sin has left a mess in your life, do not assume the story is over. Receive this as prayer and biblical hope, not as a promise of a specific payment, amount, or timing:
May the Lord restore the years the locust have stolen. May He give wisdom, healing, reconciliation, and provision according to His will.
Conclusion: The Kingdom Has Come Near
Do not hide behind what you lack. Do not turn healing ministry into a spectacle. Do not blame the person who remains sick. Do not abandon medical care or wise counsel.
Instead, pray in secret, listen with compassion, ask permission, proclaim Jesus, and serve faithfully.
The Kingdom has come near. Jesus is still Lord. Healing belongs to Him. Your assignment is to love God back, obey Scripture, and give what you have freely received.
Would you like to ask Jesus into your heart right now? Yes? Or no?
Standard Prayer of Salvation
If you are responding, say this as [your name]:
“Father God, I come to You in the name of Jesus.
I confess that I have sinned and need a Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died for my sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again.
Jesus, I ask You to forgive me, save me, and become Lord of my life. I turn away from sin and place my faith in You. I receive Your forgiveness, Your grace, and Your new life.
Holy Spirit, fill me and lead me. Teach me to follow Jesus, to love God, and to love people.
Thank You, Father, for receiving me as Your beloved child.
In Jesus' name, amen.”
We believe that believers are baptized in the Holy Spirit at the exact moment they are saved. If you have questions or need prayer, contact prayer@melchizedekministries.church.
Private Ministry Disclosure
Melchizedek Ministries operates as a Private Ecclesiastical Revocable Trust within the private domain.
- Entity: Melchizedek Ministries Revocable Trust
- Formation Date: 12/06/2022
- EIN: 88-6793171
- Trustee: Stuart T Long, TTEE
- Address: 6724 Perimeter Loop Rd. Suite 260, Dublin, OH 43017
- Stewardship target: 90% impact and 10% operations
- Status: All contributions are non-deductible gifts; no tax-deduction is available; no goods or services are provided in exchange for gifts.
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