12 NOVEMBER 2025

"If you pray for 10 people, you'll see more healed than if you pray for five": Marilyn Harry on faith, healing, and the ministry of compassion

Veteran evangelist shares decades of wisdom on moving in the miraculous, praying for the sick, and why the modern church cannot do without the anointing.

Marilyn Harry has travelled millions of miles preaching the gospel, seeing thousands come to Christ, and witnessing remarkable healings over decades of ministry. Yet when she prayed for a woman bedridden for eight months, hobbling to the house with a walking stick herself, the woman was instantly healed, got up, walked for the first time, and waved her off at the door. "I don't understand it," Marilyn admits. "But because I don't understand it, it doesn't matter. The ministry of Jesus is: preach the gospel, heal the sick, and speak freedom."

In this powerful conversation with Mark Pugh, one of Elim's most respected evangelists shares practical wisdom, honest reflections, and inspiring stories that will reignite your faith for the miraculous.

Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.

Listen to Episode 5 and subscribe at elim.org.uk/elimleaderspodcast.

In this episode

Fresh fire after decades of ministry

What strikes you immediately about Marilyn Harry is her undimmed passion. After 35+ years of gospel ministry, she carries exactly the same enthusiasm, vision, and love for souls as when she started.

"I think it's the grace of God actually, and to be surrounded by good people," Marilyn reflects when asked how she's maintained that fire. "And obviously my walk with the Lord and those times of prayer, His Word and fellowship. And when you see God touching people, that's enough to lift anybody up."

She's currently seeing remarkable fruit in a small church plant in the Welsh valleys started just 18 months ago. "People are just walking in and finding the Lord," she shares. At a recent baptism service, a woman gave her life to Jesus on her first visit to church, then was delivered and baptized in the Holy Spirit days later. Her 15-year-old son had been praying for her for two years after becoming a Christian at 13, through the internet.

"I do sense a season change," Marilyn says. "There are more men coming into church and more young people coming in and a greater receptiveness. I really do."

The power of resilience

Marilyn's journey hasn't been easy. As a woman in ministry, she faced questions about her calling for years. For the first decade, her ministerial credential literally said "he." She'd arrive at meetings and hear: "We welcome the brethren and Marilyn."

"I just knew God had called me," she says simply. "I had many encouraging voices too."

After five years in ministry, a young couple approached her at Bible college: "Marilyn, we want to apologize to you because we really believed you were out of the will of God, that you should not be as a woman preaching the gospel."

Yet she never became a fighter. The criticism simply didn't stick. What's her secret to resilience?

"I think a key factor actually is our prayer life and speaking in tongues. I speak in tongues a lot," Marilyn explains. She recalls a difficult time when two groups in ministry couldn't get on and she was caught in the middle: "The only thing that saw me through was to spend time in worship with the Lord and speaking in tongues. It like lifted me above it."

She also emphasises the importance of having confidants, people you can call on tough days. "Not to isolate ourselves," she advises. "And when God has called us, to know our personal call from the Lord. We're not gonna be like everybody else."

From midwife to spiritual midwife

Before entering ministry, Marilyn was a general nurse and midwife. And it was in that role she witnessed her first undeniable miracle.

A baby was born, lived briefly, then died. The doctor resuscitated, tried everything—nothing worked. The baby was confirmed dead, covered with a sheet, and the parents were told. The doctor documented the death in the mother's notes.

As the sister on the labour ward, Marilyn's responsibility was to care for the deceased child. She went to the baby, one hour and fifteen minutes after death was confirmed, lifted the sheet, and picked up the lifeless little girl.

"She came alive in my arms."

The child was followed for two years. She was completely healthy, intelligent, no problems whatsoever.

"I can't remember ever praying for her," Marilyn says. "It was just a miracle from heaven."

That midwife became someone who has spent her life seeing people birthed into the kingdom of God.

The tent that changed everything

The major turning point in Marilyn's ministry came through a vision. While praying with young people in Port Talbot, she saw a big white tent in her heart, she knew it would seat 500 people.

Within six weeks, God provided a 500-seater tent, 500 chairs, and a team.

The first campaign brought 12 churches together in the valleys. They gave out 20,000 invitations. Every night the tent was packed. The first night alone, 46 people came to Jesus.

"To be honest, we didn't know what we were doing," Marilyn laughs. "I was looking at the congregation asking my friends to come forward and help the new converts!"

But from the start, they saw the miraculous. A little boy with tunes in his eyes was healed—he went home and his father found the Lord. "We always saw people healed, touched by God. So for me, the tent was a major factor in the ministry."

Simple faith and the ministry of healing

When asked about her approach to healing ministry, Marilyn's answer is refreshingly straightforward: "It was simple faith, really. We just prayed for people."

Working alongside Paul Epton early in her ministry, she regularly saw the miraculous. "We never saw everybody healed, but if you pray for 10 people, you'll see more people healed than if you pray for five."

Her attitude? "It's not my responsibility to heal people, but I have the privilege of coming before God and asking."

She's passionate about the anointing: "We are in the modern church. I love it all, but it's one thing we cannot do without - the anointing. We can have everything else, but it is the anointing and the presence of the Lord that brings the signs and wonders. Where you've got the presence of the Lord, you will always have signs and wonders."

Practical advice for praying for the sick

For those wanting to step back into healing ministry, Marilyn offers specific guidance:

1. Preach on Healing "Raise expectation. There's something about what you preach. It's a proclamation."

2. Study the Gospels with Fresh Eyes "I always encourage people to read again Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the Book of Acts, like they've never read it before." She marks her Bible: H everywhere Jesus healed, D where he delivered, HD where he did both. "When I look at the ministry of Jesus, I notice he was compassionate. He loved the people."

3. Create Opportunities for Ministry Whether at the front of the church, in a side room, or special healing clinics, let people know prayer is available.

4. Ask Permission "Would you like prayer? Would you allow me to pray for you?" Simple, respectful, honouring.

5. Look Into Their Eyes This is where Marilyn's approach becomes fascinating. Following the teaching of John G. Lake's healing technicians, she looks into people's eyes while praying (though she never tells them she's doing it).

"When you look into the eyes, you'll see a lot. I saw trauma, so I pray: 'Trauma, I break your power, leave now in Jesus' name.'"

She never closes her eyes when praying for people. "There is a key in listening and looking because the eyes tell a lot."

6. Don't Rush "I think sometimes we don't see so many people healed because we rush it." She recommends setting aside specific afternoons or evenings for unhurried prayer ministry.

One woman with Crohn's disease for years came for prayer. After a simple prayer, Marilyn felt prompted to suggest she just sit in the church and rest in God's presence. During that time, with no further prayer, the woman saw black bits leave her abdomen and was completely healed.

7. Ask for activation "There is something about activation." She'll ask people with frozen shoulders to try moving their arm, but never forces or pressures. "I wouldn't drag people out of wheelchairs."

When healing doesn't come

Marilyn doesn't avoid the hard questions. Her own mother had multiple strokes, was paralyzed and bedridden for two years. Marilyn had the privilege of caring for her in their cottage.

"I always bring that up," she says when teaching on healing. "I know some people are not healed. Friends and family would come and sit by my mum, and I would go and take a service and see remarkable miracles and come and sit by my mum. I cannot understand it. It's beyond me. But that doesn't stop me from praying."

One particularly poignant story: During a week-long mission in Blackpool where incredible healings were taking place every evening, Marilyn drove back to Wales each night to be with her mum.

The tension of witnessing the miraculous while supporting someone through illness? "I don't understand because I don't understand it, it doesn't matter. But the ministry of Jesus is: preach the gospel, heal the sick, and speak freedom."

Her encouragement to those discouraged by unanswered prayers? "If you pray for 10 people, you'll see more healed than if you pray for five. So keep on doing it."

Deliverance ministry with dignity

Marilyn also addresses the delicate area of deliverance ministry. She's seen demons manifest but always handles situations with compassion and dignity.

"The demonic will never manifest unless there's anointing," she explains. "That's why we can have people sat in our churches who are heavily demonized for years and never feel uncomfortable if the anointing isn't there."

When the demonic manifests, it often puts people into a trance—eyes glazed over. Her approach? "I bind up the spirit in the name of Jesus, and I don't believe you've gotta shout at them all. It's very gently to be honest when I pray. Then I would call the person by name and say, 'So-and-so, I'm talking to you now, darling.' And bring them back to themselves."

She's concerned about some online deliverance ministry that becomes showy and spectacular. "It's not about that. It's all about Jesus." If someone manifests publicly, she'll quietly go over, stop it, and arrange private prayer afterward. "I wouldn't make a show of somebody."

A testimony of miraculous healing

This episode includes a powerful testimony from Elizabeth at Derby Elim Church. Born with genetic conditions causing constant joint pain and deafness (worsened by meningitis at age 9), Elizabeth attended the Elim Leadership Summit three weeks before sharing her story.

She went for prayer for back pain and immobile wrists. As Mark Pugh declared various healings, including "may ears be opened," Elizabeth initially resisted: "No, Lord, no - that's my deaf identity."

Then came the quiet, still voice: "Really, child? Is that where your identity is?"

She was instantly healed. Now she can hear her daughter talking from another room, interpret services more faithfully for her deaf children, and understand people on street pastor shifts. Her speech is clearer. Even Alexa can understand her now.

"I was deaf. And now I hear. Thank you, Jesus."

Her wrists were also healed so she can continue signing with her family. "Jesus has done everything well," she declares, echoing Mark 7:37. "He even makes the deaf people able to hear and gives speech to those who can't speak. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

Final wisdom: Don't go by feelings

When asked how people can grow in healing ministry, Marilyn's first advice? "Don't go by feelings. Gosh, if you went by feelings, you'd never do anything."

She encourages learning from others: "If you know somebody in your area that moves in the ministry of healing, why not say, 'Can I pop along and be part of what you're doing?'"

Following Jesus' model, she emphasizes creating safe places for people to learn: "He taught them, he showed them how to do it, he sent them out to do it, and they reported back."

Her final prayer for listeners includes this powerful request: "A fresh wind of the miraculous and healing and signs and wonders throughout the Elim movement in this day... Faith to arise for the impossible... Confidence to lay hands on the sick and see them recover in Jesus' name."

As Mark reflects: "People in Elim have often known they've have a history, but they've not always known they have an inheritance. There's an inheritance in our movement of seeing signs and wonders and healing that we are to reactivate and step into where we've laid it down."

Take Action

Listen to the full conversation between Mark Pugh and Marilyn Harry on the Elim Leaders Podcast: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/elimleaders

Share this episode with your ministry team, intercessors, and anyone who needs encouragement to step into healing ministry.

Leave a comment on your podcast platform - we'd love to hear how this conversation impacts you.

Step out in faith this week - pray for someone who needs healing. Don't go by feelings. Just pray: "In Jesus' name, be healed."

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Stay tuned for our next episode with more inspiration and transformational leadership.