00:01 Emcee:
Welcome to the Strategic Intercession Podcast where we share powerful prayer techniques, inspiring stories and tools to help you lead with wisdom and confidence. Hosted by Melanie Boudreau, a seasoned leader in focused prayer. Whether you're leading in church, government, or business shaping your industry, this podcast is for you. Now here's your host, Melanie Boudreau.

00:34 Melanie Boudreau:
Today we're diving into something that affects every Christian leader at some point, dealing with sickness and physical challenges that threaten to derail God's purposes, whether in our own lives, our families, or our key team members. I love how God can turn the most ordinary places into moments of divine encounter. My husband Chuck, shared a story that reminds me how faithful God is to fulfill his promises. It was a warm day and Chuck had just finished loading groceries into his car when he noticed a woman selling fruit to shoppers outside the store, feeling a nudge from Holy Spirit to express compassion.

01:11 Melanie Boudreau:
He grabbed a cold drink from his bag and walked over to offer it to her. As they chatted, she explained how she was raising money for her fifth knee surgery, though she wasn't limping, she described the daily pain she endured and showed that she could only bend her knee Halfway.

01:28 Melanie Boudreau:
Chuck shared about his recent trip to Columbia where he and a team trained churches in healing prayer and witnessed nearly 2,100 documented healings in just 10 days. She seemed encouraged, so he asked if he could pray for her. Kneeling down, he prayed several times each time commanding the pain to leave in Jesus' name. While there wasn't an immediate change, the woman thanked him warmly, her gratitude evident as she walked away, Chuck thought the encounter had ended, but God wasn't finished yet.

02:02 Melanie Boudreau:
At that very moment, another woman hurried toward him waving frantically. She wore a knee brace and limped across the parking lot calling out, will you pray for me too? She explained that she'd injured her knee the day before while gardening and was now in excruciating pain. Chuck shared briefly about his experience in Columbia and then prayed for her as well. She eagerly received it.

02:29 Melanie Boudreau:
Chuck prayed a short, confident prayer commanding the pain to leave in Jesus' name. When she tested her knee, her reaction was unforgettable. Her face lit up with amazement. As tears filled her eyes, it's gone. All the pain is gone. Then she shared something extraordinary. Here's what she said This morning, God gave me a verse. The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. Though he may stumble, he will not fall.

03:01 Melanie Boudreau:
For the Lord upholds him with his hand. That's from Psalm chapter 37 verses 23 and 24. Her testimony left Chuck in awe hours earlier. Her steps were shaky, her knee braced and painful. Now after prayer, her steps were literally made firm just as God had promised her that very morning. As Chuck shared this story with me, I couldn't help but reflect on how often God meets us in our moments of need, not just to heal but to remind us of his promises and his love.

03:34 Melanie Boudreau:
His word isn't just something to read. It's alive and active, fulfilling his purposes in his perfect timing.

03:46 Melanie Boudreau:
Chuck's simple act of faith in that parking lot reveals something. Every leader needs to know sickness. Whether in your own body, a loved one or a key team member can be more than a personal challenge. It's often a spiritual attack on God's purposes and like Chuck, we have a choice. Will we stand by and hope for recovery, allowing a natural progression to have its way or will we step boldly into the authority? Christ has already given us praying with confidence to see breakthrough and restoration.

04:19 Melanie Boudreau:
God is still orchestrating divine appointments and God sourced healing and he's inviting you to be part of the miracle. You know one of the many things I love about God, he doesn't just leave us with no path forward when facing injury, sickness, or disease. He's given us real authority to deal with them effectively, to see genuine verifiable breakthrough.

04:41 Melanie Boudreau:
I've seen this firsthand and I can't wait to share with you what I've learned about exercising our God-given authority in healing prayer. Let's be real. Isn't it interesting how often serious health issues seem to hit right when we're about to step into something significant for God's kingdom? I've seen this pattern over and over in leadership. Just when someone is positioned for impact, they're suddenly sidelined by unexpected health challenges. I've experienced it myself. Twice this past year I was hospitalized with serious health issues that stopped ministry dead in its tracks.

05:16 Melanie Boudreau:
This isn't random friends. The enemy deliberately uses physical affliction as a targeted assault to hinder kingdom advancement. But here's the good news. God hasn't left us defenseless. He's given us strategic tools to counter every attack and bring breakthrough. God empowers us with his authority and scripture shows us how believers can use it to bring healing and advance his kingdom.

05:42 Melanie Boudreau:
One of the clearest examples of healing authority and scripture comes from Acts chapter three. Peter and John were just having a normal day heading to prayer at three o'clock in the afternoon. They weren't at a healing crusade. They weren't even planning to pray for anyone, but when they saw the lame man at the temple gate, they did something remarkable. They exercised their authority in Christ. Notice they didn't say, oh, we'll add you to our prayer list, or Let's petition God for your healing.

06:15 Melanie Boudreau:
Instead, they commanded healing in Jesus' name and the result, the man didn't just get a little better, he jumped to his feet leaping and praising God for all to see. So you might be thinking, well, that was Peter and John. They were apostles, but here's the truth. The same authority they walked in is available to us today.

06:40 Melanie Boudreau:
It's easy to think healing prayer is just for apostles or leaders, but the truth is God's authority is available to all of us. I wanna tell you a story about just how powerfully he works through anyone who's willing to trust him. Recently in Columbia, while serving with a team under evangelist and trainer, Paul Rapley, we witnessed more than 2000 verified healings in just 10 days, and here's what's even more amazing. Most of these didn't happen through us as visiting ministers.

07:12 Melanie Boudreau:
The miracles of healing came through the local believers. We trained, they simply understood the message and stepped into their authority in Christ. I saw the same thing happen in the Philippines this past October. I trained two small churches and we saw about 60 conditions healed or significantly improved by over 70%. These testimonies strongly support that healing isn't reserved for the apostles or professional ministers.

07:42 Melanie Boudreau:
However, mindset barriers often hold us back. Let's take a look at some common roadblocks to effective healing prayer and how to overcome them. Hearing these stories shows us that healing really is for everyone, but sometimes the biggest obstacles are the thoughts and doubts we've picked up along the way. We might think things like, I'm not holy enough. I don't know enough. Healing is not my gift or what if nothing happens?

08:16 Melanie Boudreau:
Let's take a closer look at each of these mindsets and how God helps us move past them. The first common thought is, I'm not holy enough, but did you know Judas had a healing ministry? Healing isn't about our perfection. It's about God's power working through us. Another doubt that often comes up is I don't know enough, but remember, Jesus' disciples included fishermen with no formal education. Simon the zealot, he was educated, but in terrorism, whatever your educational background, it doesn't matter.

08:52 Melanie Boudreau:
It's not you doing the healing. We're simply co-laboring with Jesus following his example. Some people might think healing is not my gift, but the truth is healing is part of the great commission for all believers. If we're called to share the gospel, we can expect the empowerment to fulfill that call including healing. Jesus said signs and wonders will follow those who believe. Finally, a fear that often holds us back is what if nothing happens and sometimes nothing does happen.

09:25 Melanie Boudreau:
I've had to apologize before for not walking in the same level of healing anointing as Jesus yet, but that doesn't stop me from expressing his love by following his example. I've heard it said that faith is spelled RISK and that feels true to me. The outcome of healing prayers isn't up to us. That's God's responsibility. Our responsibility is to obey, step out in faith and follow Jesus' example, but instead of dwelling on doubt, let's flip the question.

10:00 Melanie Boudreau:
What if something does happen? This is the question that should excite us. God invites us to partner with him making his love known through healing prayer. When we say yes to God's invitation, we open the door for his love and power to move. Let me share a moment that shows how beautifully God can work through simple acts of faith in Manila. This past October, I started chatting with an American woman seated at the adjacent table for coffee. She casually mentioned that she had gone completely deaf in her right ear.

10:34 Melanie Boudreau:
I asked if I could pray for her and after she agreed, I placed my hand on the side of her head and commanded her ear to open in Jesus' name. Her ear popped and instantly she could hear again. The look on her face was priceless. The revelation of our loving God was invaluable in that moment. He wants to make himself known and he invites us to partner with him. In that process.

11:05 Melanie Boudreau:
One of the clearest ways God reveals his love and power is through healing prayer. I'm going to walk you through a simple five step model rooted in scripture to equip you to partner with him and bring his healing to those around you. I mentioned a passage earlier. Let's take a closer look at Acts chapter three verses one through eight. To see this powerful example of effective healing prayer, Peter and John went to the temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service. As they approached the temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in each day.

11:40 Melanie Boudreau:
He was put beside the temple gate, the one called the beautiful gate so he could beg from the people going into the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently and Peter said, look at us.

11:58 Melanie Boudreau:
The lame man looked at them eagerly expecting some money, but Peter said, I don't have any silver or gold for you, but I'll give you what I have in the name of Jesus Christ. The Nazarene get up and walk. Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up and as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet and began to walk. Then walking, leaping and praising God.

12:28 Melanie Boudreau:
He went into the temple with them. That's from Acts chapter three verses one through eight in the New Living Translation. What a powerful example of healing prayer. Peter and John didn't hesitate to stop and engage with the man in need. They stepped out in faith, trusted in the name of Jesus and watched as God's power moved in a miraculous way. I'd love to share with you a simple biblical five step model for healing prayer that I use.

12:54 Melanie Boudreau:
It's built directly on the example we see in Acts chapter three and equips us to step into God's power to heal today. Let's start with the first step in this model. Stop. Just stop. It's something that's so simple but often overlooked. It's about choosing to notice and be available for God to work. Here's what I mean. Don't just pass by need. Stop and engage with the person listening for the Holy Spirit's prompting like Peter and John at the gate.

13:25 Melanie Boudreau:
Beautiful. Take a moment to give them your attention. I always begin by internally asking, God, what do you want to do here? As I quiet my own thoughts and tune into God's heart, I often feel his love for the person in crease, whether they're a stranger or someone I know. Well, stopping to engage might look like pausing during a busy day to notice someone who's hurting or striking up a conversation with a colleague who seems discouraged.

13:52 Melanie Boudreau:
It's about making room for God to work through you in that moment, trusting that he has something good in store. You don't need all the answers, just a willingness to respond. Sometimes the response gets to be praying for their healing. Now, once we've stopped and engaged, it's time to take the second step in the healing model talk. This is where we begin to connect with the person and understand what's going on. Let me walk you through how I approach this.

14:24 Melanie Boudreau:
Show genuine care by asking what's wrong, sharing should be brief, just enough to guide your prayer for physical pain. Ask them to describe it. Then say, let's call that a 10 on a 10 point scale. It's a simple way to set a baseline if their challenge involves movement, vision, or another functional issue, gently explore what they're unable to do or where they feel limited.

14:52 Melanie Boudreau:
This information can help guide your prayers and provide a baseline to measure progress as God moves. As you listen, resist the temptation to focus on the size of the problem no matter how daunting it may seem, whether the need is stage four cancer, chronic pain or partial blindness, don't fixate on the disease, fixate on the healer. All healing is easy for Jesus and nothing is beyond his power. If someone begins sharing a lengthy medical history, I gently redirect with something like, thank you for sharing that.

15:27 Melanie Boudreau:
You don't need to explain everything. Just tell me what hurts or what you'd like God to heal today. This keeps the focus on God while honoring their experience. I also remind them healing is easy for Jesus. I say this to encourage their faith and shift their focus to God's ability to move in their situation. When I talk with someone about healing, I'm careful to be casual, non-religious and non-invasive.

15:57 Melanie Boudreau:
I simply ask if they'd like me to pray. If it's appropriate with permission, I'll place my hand on the affected area or ask them to. I may share how I've seen God heal similar conditions. Testimonies like this can encourage their faith and help them expect God to move in their situation too. A loving humble approach often opens the door for God to work even when people previously have shown no interest in God. Once you've shown care and gathered enough to guide your prayer, it's time for the bold.

16:28 Melanie Boudreau:
Third step command. Here's where we align our actions with Jesus' example and speak with his authority. When praying for healing, welcome Jesus and then speak directly to the condition or pain in his name. Command it to go.

16:48 Melanie Boudreau:
Avoid shifting into old patterns, like making big long prayers that actually inadvertently shift attention onto yourself. Resist the temptation and stay with the model. Just command it's quick and simple. The Bible is full of examples of commanding prayers for healing, not petitions or fluff, outlining all the reasons we want Jesus to heal. Jesus never prayed. Father, would you please heal this person if it be thy will. Instead, he modeled how to pray with authority.

17:21 Melanie Boudreau:
Now, let's look at some examples of commanding prayers from Jesus' ministry. Jesus often spoke simple direct commands like rise, take up your bed and walk. Stretch out your hand and be healed. Be opened. When addressing a deaf and mute man, receive your sight. Be cleansed. When speaking to a leper and even Lazarus, come forth, the apostles followed this same approach.

17:52 Melanie Boudreau:
We see them saying things like, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

17:59 Melanie Boudreau:
Tabitha, arise and stand upright on your feet. These examples show us the power and authority we have in Christ to pray for healing. The use of commanding prayer is the model Jesus entrusted to us for healing. While petitioning prayer has its place in moments of intimacy with God, healing prayer calls for obedience to his example. It may feel more humble to petition, but true humility is found in aligning with God's word even when the biblical model challenges our comfort zone.

18:32 Melanie Boudreau:
Now, to help make this approach even clearer, let me share a simple analogy that paints a picture of what commanding prayer looks like in action. Think of a medical condition you are praying for as if it is an aggressive stray dog on your porch politely asking it to leave or sweet talking. It won't do much, but when you use your authority to firmly command the dog to go, it leaves.

18:58 Melanie Boudreau:
Likewise. When you pray for healing, use the authority Jesus has given you. Speak directly to the pain or condition. Command it to go in Jesus' name and trust in his power. When you pray this way, you'll often see far more results than with the seemingly more polite method of asking God to heal. We need to pray God's way commanding in faith and authority just as Jesus and his disciples did. Next comes a fourth crucial step of this model test.

19:33 Melanie Boudreau:
This is where we are checking in to see what God is doing. This step isn't just practical, it's faith in action. Here's how it works. Testing is the next step in a biblical healing prayer model, ask the person to try something they couldn't do before or couldn't do without pain. Peter and John at the gate beautiful modeled this perfectly. Peter didn't just pray for the lame man.

19:58 Melanie Boudreau:
He took him by the hand and helped him stand. That act of faith was the moment his feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. I checked for progress using the simple one to 10 scale, asking them to measure their pain or percentage better for measuring range of motion. When there's any improvement, even just a little pause to thank God for what he's doing, then command the pain or condition to go again and test once more. Repeat this process step by step until the healing is as complete as possible in that moment.

20:34 Melanie Boudreau:
Many times this process leads to a total healing. To illustrate how testing can build faith and lead to restoration, let me share a real life example that shows God's hand at work. This past August I listed some furniture on Facebook marketplace. A man about my age came to look at an office chair I was selling.

20:56 Melanie Boudreau:
As he climbed the stairs to inspect it, I could see the effort it took. He apologized for struggling and explained that both of his knees were in bad shape making stairs especially difficult. One knee was so bad that surgery was already scheduled for the following week. Looking back, I can see how God had orchestrated this meeting. As we chatted about his situation, I shared testimonies of knee healings I had witnessed earlier in the year. He seemed intrigued and encouraged, so I asked if I could pray for him without hesitation.

21:30 Melanie Boudreau:
He said yes. I commanded the pain to leave his knees in Jesus' name. That invited him to test them by trying something he hadn't been able to do before rising from a seated position without faltering. To his amazement, the pain dropped significantly from a level 10 to a six. Remember, we call the beginning pain level a 10 just to give us a baseline.

21:57 Melanie Boudreau:
He thought the prayer was finished, but I paused to thank God for what he had already done and commanded the pain to go again in Jesus' name. His pain dropped even further from a six to a four. We stopped to thank God once more, acknowledging his work so far than I prayed a final time commanding the pain to go and for his knee to be fully healed in Jesus' name. This time the pain disappeared entirely. It was gone. He was stunned testing his knee and marveling at what God had done.

22:33 Melanie Boudreau:
24 hours later, my new Facebook marketplace friend texted me with incredible news. All his pain was still gone. Then at 48 hours, he messaged me again, still amazed both knees were completely healed. God had done it. Glory to God. Testing for healing is a powerful way to activate faith. So often, the person we're praying for has no idea.

23:01 Melanie Boudreau:
God has already moved until they test it. It's amazing to witness Jesus loving people in such tangible ways, pain disappearing, range of motion restored, eyesight, returning, hearing, opening, and even tumors disappearing. Over the past 12 months, I've seen Jesus do all these miracles and more both in various nations and right here in my home country, the United States. I owe my understanding of this healing model to my friend Paul Rapley. I love what he says about healing prayer.

23:32 Melanie Boudreau:
While we believe we are waiting on God to move, he is actually waiting on us. Finally, the fifth and final step in this healing model is all about glorifying God and sharing what he's done. This is where we turn a moment of healing into an opportunity for deeper connection with him. Let me explain. The last step in this biblical healing model is to share. In Acts chapter four, we see Peter and John's healing of one man at gate, beautiful lead to 5,000 new believers.

24:08 Melanie Boudreau:
A miracle has a way of cutting through doubts and objections, revealing the love and power of Jesus point to Jesus as the source of healing. Use this divine healing as an opportunity to spotlight God's love for people and his provision for having a relationship with him. In other words, if the person you prayed for doesn't know God, use this revelation of God's love and goodness to share the gospel and lead others to Jesus. Here's how you can share the gospel clearly and simply.

24:42 Melanie Boudreau:
First, remember that God heals because he loves us, but we need to understand that the wrong things we've done separate us from him. Next, share that Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh lived a perfect life and died on a cross. Why did he do this? To pay the price for the wrong things we have done so we could have connection with God.

25:04 Melanie Boudreau:
He wants relationship with us. Then emphasize that Jesus rose from the dead proving he has power over death. He raises us from the dead to be with him forever. Finally, present the choice we all face. Do we keep being our own boss separated from God or do we turn away from the wrong things we have done? Ask for his forgiveness and make him our new boss. You can then ask the person, have you ever done that before?

25:35 Melanie Boudreau:
Would you like to? Now I can lead you in a simple prayer. When you present the gospel like this, it's clear, relational and centered on God's love. I steer clear of using religious language, so there you have it, a simple five step model for healing prayer that anyone can use. But let's zoom out for a moment to see why this matters so much in the bigger picture of God's kingdom.

26:02 Melanie Boudreau:
Work healing prayer is a beautiful way to share God's love with workmates, family or even strangers, and what a glorious way to encourage fellow believers by affirming the reality of God's power at work among us. So to recap, here's the simple five step model for effective healing prayer. Step one, stop, pause and engage with the person in need as the Holy Spirit leads. Step two, talk, show genuine care and ask about their condition.

26:35 Melanie Boudreau:
Step three, command. Speak directly to the pain or illness, commanding it. To leave in Jesus' name. Step four, test. Have them check for changes. Thank God for progress and pray again until improvement stops. And finally, step five, share. Use the healing as an opportunity to share the gospel and lead people to Christ. This biblical model is easy for any follower of Jesus to put into practice.

27:07 Melanie Boudreau:
Remember signs and wonders, follow those who believe. So let's align more carefully with what God portrays as a normal Christian life.

27:19 Melanie Boudreau:
Now that we've explored the five step healing model, let's dive into what happens when we put it into action. How do we navigate the results of healing prayer? Sometimes the results are instant and miraculous. My husband, Chuck, is living proof of that. For 18 long months, he dealt with constant back pain and an MRI. Magnetic Resonance Imaging confirmed a vertebral fracture as the culprit. The discomfort affected so much of his daily life, but after a prayer command in an instant, the pain disappeared, completely gone just like that, that very night Chuck was on the soccer field running and playing with zero pain.

28:00 Melanie Boudreau:
What an incredible reminder of God's power and goodness. Glory to God. Healing doesn't always happen all at once. Sometimes it's partial like when intense pain level drops from a 10 to a four and sometimes it feels delayed as though nothing is happening, but God is still at work.

28:20 Melanie Boudreau:
I know this from my own journey. For over a decade, I lived with the daily pain of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The stiffness and discomfort affected so many joints, making it hard to even stand up straight in the mornings. I was contending for healing but didn't know about the biblical model for healing prayer. Yet I was also seeing a specialist in Denver holding onto faith that God would move. Then slowly but surely, the symptoms disappeared completely. My doctor was stunned.

28:51 Melanie Boudreau:
That kind of remission just doesn't happen. He told me, but I smiled and said it happens with prayer. For the next 10 years, I lived pain-free playing in ways that used to cause great pain, skiing, scuba diving, and backpacking. God's healing power is real even when it unfolds over time, he is faithful to finish what he begins. When healing is partial, it's a powerful opportunity to shift your perspective.

29:19 Melanie Boudreau:
Entrepreneur, coach Dan Sullivan calls this gain thinking versus gap thinking. In a gain mindset, you focus on what God has already done, celebrating progress rather than fixating on what hasn't happened. Yet every improvement is worth thanking God for and gratitude often becomes the gateway to even greater breakthroughs. We steward healing with thanksgiving and candidly that's how we're called to steward all of life. When we cultivate a thankful heart, we align ourselves with God's goodness and keep our faith anchored in his faithfulness.

29:56 Melanie Boudreau:
When nothing seems to have happened at all like the first lady at the grocery store that Chuck prayed for, it's not productive to speculate as to why a person is not healed. Recognize that God is responsible for outcomes, not you. It's enough to have loved well by having prayed for them. You've been obedient. It's never wrong to express the love of God, and even in the absence of healing, people often feel seen and loved because you've cared enough to pray for them. It's also possible that God will heal them later.

30:28 Melanie Boudreau:
I've seen that happen. For example, Chuck prayed for a man who had heart pain. There was no apparent change in his condition. Later that week, the man was consulting with his doctor who told him that he no longer had a heart condition.

30:46 Melanie Boudreau:
As we close, let me leave you with this encouragement. If you're someone who intercedes faithfully, for others know this, your prayers are a lifeline. Just like Aaron and her lifting Moses' hands during the battle, your intercession strengthens and supports those who are fighting on the front lines, even when you don't see results right away. Don't give up. Keep contending when it comes to healing prayer, remember to take your cues from Jesus. Healing prayer isn't about asking or pleading. It's about stepping into the authority Jesus has already given us.

31:19 Melanie Boudreau:
Speak to the sickness, pain, or disease and command it to leave. In Jesus' name, standing on the truth of his word. This is the way Jesus taught his disciples to pray for healing, and it's the model he's given to us for healing. God calls us to pray boldly in Jesus' name. With our simple prayer, God heals and we glorify him.

31:39 Melanie Boudreau:
I want to encourage you to take what you've learned about healing prayer and step into action this week. Start by asking God for divine appointments, specific moments where he's inviting you to partner with him in healing. Be expectant when those opportunities come. Trust his leading and respond boldly. Speak with the authority he's given you and watch as his power brings healing through your obedience. Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy, and I think we can agree. Sickness, injury, and disease are works of the enemy whose agenda is to steal, kill, and destroy.

32:15 Melanie Boudreau:
Jesus invites us to co-labor with him granting us his authority to heal in his name. Let's not miss this opportunity now. As we wrap up, let's take a moment to bring this all before the Lord and align our hearts with his purposes. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for the authority you've given us in Jesus name. Fill everyone reading or listening with fresh boldness to step out. In faith. We declare an agreement with your word that signs and wonders will follow as we obey you and command healing in Jesus' name, amen.

32:51 Melanie Boudreau:
That's all for today, friends. Remember, effective healing prayer isn't just for special events or gifted people. Until next time, keep contending for breakthrough and watch what God will do.

33:04 Emcee:
Thank you for listening to the Strategic Intercession podcast. We hope you found today's episode inspiring and helpful. Don't forget to subscribe. Share this podcast and visit strategic intercession.com for more resources. We're grateful to have you as part of our community. Until next time, blessings.