Hot Hands During Prayer: Healing, Fire, & Angels

In 2016, I began experiencing a strange phenomenon: when I’d pray, intercede, or worship, my body would heat up. This post will shed some light on this unusual occurrence and hopefully answer any burning questions.

Wondering why you have hot hands during prayer?

For followers of Christ, having hot hands during prayer can be a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit or angels. It can indicate that a healing gift is being activated in you or imparted to you. 

If you’re blessed with the gift of healing, it’s not unusual to feel heat in your hands, especially when laying them on someone else. This is how the Holy Spirit works through us; if we stop and ask Him who he wants us to pray for, He will make sure the right person gets touched by His divine grace.

Laying on of Hands in the Bible

The ministry of the laying on of hands has roots in the early church and is often done for healing, prophecy, and imparting spiritual gifts. For example, Paul laid hands on Timothy. As a result, he imparted a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit–that would not have been imparted if Paul had not prayed/prophesied and physically laid his hands on Timothy.

Jesus, when he was healing the sick, often laid hands on people, and they were healed. We are spirit, soul, and body. There is something special about physical touch, spiritual impartation, and how gifts of healing operate. 

We see this throughout the Bible. For example, suppose you are alone, and your hands start feeling hot during prayer. In that case, you should still ask the Holy Spirit if there is anyone specifically that he wants you to pray for later.

Physical Feelings During Prayer

Physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit and Angels can frequently happen to prophetic people and intercessors. Various manifestations have been recorded, and it’s been a controversial subject in the body of Christ for quite a while. 

Physical manifestations, especially of fire, go back to the book of Acts, and many Fathers and Mothers of the faith have written about them, including Theresa of Avila. & Madam Guyon. 

The Old Testament has a lot of accounts of the Holy Spirit or angels producing a physical manifestation in people. For example, in the 2 Chronicles, the Glory of God filled the temple as a cloud. God’s presence was so strong that the priests could not stand to minister.

So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the Glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 5:14

Also, many angelic encounters in the Bible produced fear and trembling in the person receiving the visitation. However, in many of these stories, the angel tells the person not to fear–which indicates the Glory they carried was terrifying to mortals not accustomed to it.

And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 

Daniel 10:10 

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 

Luke 1:30

Physical Experiences & the Seer Gift

Physical sensations are part of the Seer realm. For example, suppose you frequently have hot hands during prayer and haven’t heard specifically what it means to you from the Lord. In that case, I encourage you to go on some form of fasting and spend time in prayer, asking the Lord to show you more. 

He is faithful to increase and give more as we ask for more, and he always provides wisdom to those who ask. But, unfortunately, sometimes we don’t have wisdom on a particular matter because we don’t ask for it!

The Fire of God

John the Baptist declared that Jesus would baptize his disciples with the Holy Spirit and Fire. The early church first experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire in the Upper Room. 

And divided tongues as fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit… 

Acts 2:3-4 

A physical sensation of fire or wind can also signify the presence of angels.

Angels work in partnership with the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s purpose on the earth and are sent to serve people who put their faith in Jesus. They are mentioned all throughout both the Old and New Testaments. They are not the Holy Spirit, but they work with Him.

Of the angels, he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7 ESV

Spiritual Gifts Can Be Imparted Through the Hands

God designed his church to function as a body would work. Every part of the church body needs the other members. The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts as he wills and as he sees fit; this includes gifts of healing which are frequently ministered by placing hands on the person you are praying for. The ministry of laying on hands is demonstrated throughout the New Testament.

There is something about physically laying hands on another person as the Holy Spirit leads–to receive supernatural impartation, spiritual gifts, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and healing. 

Many people feel extreme heat in their hands; others feel electricity; others shake. There are a variety of physical manifestations of Holy Spirit impartation. A spiritual gift was imparted to Timothy through the laying on of hands by Paul and the elders in the church.

For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands

2 Timothy 1:6

Another anointed believer can impart spiritual gifts by laying hands on us and praying. It is our responsibility to keep these gifts alive and active. We should not be passive about our spiritual gifts but seek to grow and develop them if we want to fulfill our calling.

Please do not neglect the gift you have, which was given by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

1 Timothy 4:14

1 Timothy 4:14 emphasizes the importance of not neglecting the spiritual gifts given to us. Instead, the gifts must be actively used and cultivated to remain strong. If they aren’t, we need to stir ourselves up.

We must continually seek to walk in the Spirit so He can use us in and out of season. There is dynamo power inside us once we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

God wants to use you!

Laying on of Hands Bible Verses

The New Testament has many more verses in which hands were laid on people by Jesus and the Apostles; to heal, pray, and bless. 

Often, though not always, physical healing is directly associated with the laying on of hands in the New Testament. Hands must have been laid on people during prayer so frequently that Paul even instructed Timothy not to hastily lay hands on any man. We are spirit, soul, and body. Our spirits are closely knit to our bodies.

Then children were brought to him [Jesus] that he might lay his hands on them and pray. 

Mathew 19:13 ESV

…Paul visited him and prayed and, putting his hands on him, healed him. 

Acts 28:8

all those sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

Luke 4:40 ESV

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands 

1 Timothy 5:22

If You are Not a Follower of Christ

Suppose you are not a follower of Jesus and have not had an experience in which you’ve been born again and encountered Jesus as the one true Living God. In that case, hot hands may be demonic during any prayer or spiritual practice. This is especially true if you have been involved in the occult or eastern spiritual practices.

Conclusion

I hope this explains why you may have hot hands during prayer and experience spiritual heat in other locations on your body. These experiences fit under the Gift of Discernment in the Bible. 

They are also considered part of the Seer realm–which is what this blog is primarily about. 

Ultimately, the Holy Spirit gives gifts as he wills. If he is giving you this gift, ask him to reveal it to you, and he will. Our Father loves to give good gifts to his children–at least the ones who ask him (Mathew 7:11). I hope this helps!