A prayer cloth is usually a piece of fabric that Christians pray over and distribute to those who need healing. They come in various patterns, shapes and sizes. In addition, some are anointed with oil before given to those who need them.
Sending a prayer cloth to let someone know that you care and are praying for them is a kind gesture. However, the cloth, in and of itself, has no healing power. It is only a tangible reminder of God’s promise to heal. It also provides a point of contact for the release of the individual’s faith. The person holds or touches the cloth and believes God’s power will heal him.
Are prayer cloths mentioned in the Bible?
The mentioning of prayer cloths is not found in the Bible. However, articles of clothing, in relation to healing, are mentioned:
- Matthew 14:35-37 (NLT): “When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.”
- Mark 5:24-29 (NLT) – “A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, ‘If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.’ Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.”
- Acts 19:11-12 (NLT) – “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.”
How are prayer cloths used?
Prayer cloths can be used for people who are sick, dying, lonely, experiencing traumas or personal difficulties. If you are praying for yourself, place the prayer cloth directly on the area of your body that needs healing. Similarly, if you are praying for someone else, place the cloth on the person’s heart or the part of the body that needs healing. The prayer cloth can also be carried around or placed where the individual spends most of their time.
There is no healing power in the cloth itself, as was stated previously. Instead, the healing comes when the person who receives the cloth has faith in the healing power of God. Mark 11:22-24 (NIV) says,
“Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, (i.e. any problem or sickness) “Go throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”
God is our healer
In summary, prayer cloths are widely used among Christians today. However, it is important to remember that prayer cloths are only conduits for God’s healing power. God told the Israelites in Exodus 15:26, “I am the Lord who heals you.” God still heals today. So, faith in God and belief in His Word will result in the healing of a person who uses a prayer cloth. Click here to read more.