GIFT OF HEALING

wise seeker · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2003 1:36 pm Post subject: GIFT OF HEALING

Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." Exodus 15:23

Healing can be put into various categories.

• Natural Healing - God gave the human body a powerful ability to recuperate. From red blood cells that fight off bad intruders to platelets that help clotting, natural healing can occur. Keeping a healthy lifestyle assists the body’s natural ability to heal.
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

• Medical Healing - The Bible recognizes the necessity of doctors by highlighting the fact that Luke was a physician. Surgeries, medicine and various other treatments are valuable in assisting the body to heal. God can be praised for the surgical and pharmaceutical advancements.
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, .Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Matthew 9:12
So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine Luke 10:34
Luke the beloved physician Colossians 4:14

• Positive Attitude Healing - There has been much documentation on how many illnesses are stress-related. Thus, faith, prayer, positive thinking and support groups contribute much to relieve these stress-related type illnesses. The state of the spirit has a powerful effect on the health of the body, both positive and negative.
- Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School mentions Anywhere from sixty to ninety percent of visits to doctors are in the mind-body, stress-related realms. (Faith and Healing., Time Magazine, June 24, 1996)
There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. Psalm 38:3
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8
My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22
A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22

• Divine Healing - God has the sovereign power and right to heal according to His will and time without the assistance of human intervention.

• The Gift of Healing – An anointed gifted individual is empowered by God to bring complete healing to an individual. Jesus Christ and the apostles clearly exercised this gift in the Scriptures. Some falsely believe that the gift ceased to exist as the sign gifts became irrelevant with the end of the apostles ministry and the completion of the New Testament. The book of Acts doesn’t have a completion. Philip wasn’t an apostle and he had the gift of healing. He was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit just like Stephen:
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

• Early 1900’s faith healers included A. B. Simpson (Christian & Missionary Alliance founder), Aimee Semple McPherson, A. J. Gordon, Samuel Wigglesworth, John D. Lake.
• The next generation of faith healers included Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin, Kathryn Kuhlman
• The Faith Movement.- teach that the promise of prosperity (health and wealth) are also part of the one’s salvation. The popular advocates include Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Honggi Cho, Fred Price, Morris Cerullo, Robert Tilton and Marilyn Hickey.
• The Third Wave movement of the Holy Spirit (aka .The Vineyard Movement.) spawned with John Wimber and C. Peter Wagner (Fuller Seminary). This movement believed that signs and wonders (including healing) are normal occurrences that accompany evangelism.
Once I accepted the fact that all the spiritual gifts are for today, I found a key for effective evangelism: combining the proclamation with the demonstration of the gospel. There is unusual power and effectiveness in this form of evangelism. (John Wimber, Power Evangelism, xx)

From the bible we see certain characteristics of Healing

A) Christ And The Disciples Healed Almost Immediately
Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. Matthew 8:14-15
As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Mark 1:42
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. Mark 5:29
Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. John 5:8-9
Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Acts 3:6-7

B. Christ And The Disciples Healed Indiscriminately – Every Person
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick. Matthew 8:16
And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Matthew 12:15

C. Christ And The Disciples Healed Comprehensively – Every Disease
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matthew 9:35
So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. Luke 4:39

D. Christ And Disciples Healed Conditionally – Faith was not always demanded but Jesus responded to faith and He didn’t heal many where there was unbelief:
Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. Mark 6:5-6
Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."
The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 8:5-12

E. Healing Was Bestowed To Those Unable To Exercise Faith
Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Luke 8:27-29

F. Healing Was Bestowed To Those Who Were Not Grateful
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? "Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." Luke 17:11-19
It’s to be noted that the other nine lepers were cleansed but this leper was made well body, soul and spirit by his faith.

G. Healing Is In The Atonement
1) Sickness is a result of the fall of man in Genesis 3
2) Christ died for sin. This includes sickness related to sin
3) Christ has borne our sickness as well
4) Thus, every believer has access to salvation and healing
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses." Matthews 8:16-17
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Many Christian’s fundamentalists believe there is no room for the healing of illness through the blood of Jesus. The Cross was a purely judicial matter. One goes to a hospital when one is ill, and to a law court to take care of legal matters. In the great law court of the universe, the Judge offers mercy on the basis of justice satisfied at the Cross.

H. Sickness Is A Result Of Sin
Jesus wants us wealthy and healthy. Sickness and poverty are a result of sin. God gave us power to overcome sin, sickness and poverty. There is no sin, sickness and poverty in heaven! God’s will is to be done in earth as it is in heaven?
Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Mark 16:`7-18
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:29-32
So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. Numbers 12:9-10
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. Psalm 119:66-67

I. God Permits Some To Be Sick Temporarily So That He Can Be Glorified
Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause."
So Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. "But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!"
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life."
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes. Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:4-10
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 9:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:1-7
It’s to be noted that both Job and the blind man were healed and restored to perfect health by God!

J. God Permits Some To Remain Afflicted That The Power Of Christ May Rest Upon Them.
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

K. God Did Not Heal All
Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. 2 Timothy 4:19-20
"I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. "And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. "I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. Revelations 2:19-23

L. It Is Always God’s Will To Heal
• God desires all to be healthy ( 3 John 1:2)
• The gift of healing could accomplishes this goal (1 Corinthians 12:1-11,28)
• Prayer brings about healing and deliverance:
"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Psalms 34:4-7
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalms 34:17-19
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalms 107:19-20

M. God Still Heals And Delivers Today! The Prayer Of Faith Will Save The Sick.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases Psalm 103:2-3
If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you. Exodus 15:26
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:14-16