Gifts of Healing - Ministering Healing

According the the Word of God, healing is a Gift of God in all instances. Depending on the circumstances, it is a show of God's mercy, grace (unmerited divine favor), and/or His forgiveness of sin.

Healing falls into areas beyond just physical health related issues. Healing covers the areas of individual well being; financial, mental issues (counted in the first century & Jesus' time as demon possession), relationship issues, and basically life in every aspect. There is also an aspect of God's healing in relationship to rulers (the government) and entire countries. Under the administration of the Old Testament (under the law) God's promise of healing, like all of the promises found in the Old Testament, was conditional. Under the admistration of the New Testament, the Church of the body of Christ, the promise of healing is one of the nine parts of the "manifestation of holy spirit" discribed in I Corinthians 12 and in the New Testament promises are not conditional.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

There are many different interpretations, by men, of what God does today, in the way of our physical health. There are some who teach that the healing that Jesus said was a sign of believers was only available during the lifetimes of the apostles. There are others who propound that healing is not guaranteed at all by God. Some even teach that instantaneous healing is a myth. Others that teach that this type of healing does not apply to our times because God has given us medical knowledge, they say since we have doctors and medicines extracted from things God created He does not need to opperate that way today. And then a minority teach that God still heals today and that it is His will that we be free from the bondage of the devil in respect to our health. Well, it all goes back to the same thing again. God does not change, He operates in the same manner today as He did when He created the heavens and earth. In Malachi 3:6 God says "6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." Not only is this point estabilshed by God in His Word but further on in the New Testament, the same state of unchanging being and power is also established in the Word regarding Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:8 says, "8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." We had discussed this fact in the teaching topic on Miracles earlier.

Men of God, who operate the ministering of healing as a part of their ministry, are often ridiculed publicly by some established groups. When Oral Roberts pioneered Television Evangelism back in the early 60's, it was a common joke about "just put your hand on your TV screen to receive healing." People have attacked evangelists like Benny Hinn with demands that he either come up with medical verification of miracles performed or they would expose him as a fraud and the broadcast industry has aired programs about him in a negative light. These are but two examples used here to illustrate how the devil tries to steal that from us which God says he has available for us. I might not agree completely with everything they teach as the Word of God is concerned, but I do applaud their stand on God not being out of business - that miracles and healing do happen today. It is a sad state of affairs though, that when someone gets up and gets excited about the Truth today and declairs the Truth of God's Word, as soon as they are noticed by leaders of the church (like the sadducees and pharisees treated Jesus and his followers) they are labeled derogatorily in order to stop people from believing what they speak for God. They are labeled crackpots, cults, scam artists, heritics, and worse. The fact of the matter is that God is still the same today. If healing, as covered in the New Testament is no longer available...then they are saying Jesus Christ is a liar (healing was in the Great Commission as a sign). I would not want to face my Maker on judgement day with that bad mark held to my account.

Let's look at the scriptural record to get God's Word on the matter of healing. In Old Testament times, under the law God gave to Moses for His chosen people, Israel, healing was a conditional promise. Now has established the fact we will not live forever because God has given a limit to a man or woman's time on the earth, yet we do not have to live with disease killing us before the maximum time frame God set as a life span for us is up.

Genesis 6:3
3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Deuteronomy 34:7
7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

When Moses died, the Word of God said that at the age of 120 years, he still had good eye sight and that he still had the strength he had earlier in life. Following are some examples of healing in the Old Testament.

God healed Abimelech and his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. This was conditional on King Abimelech returning Sarah, Abraham's wife, to him.

Genesis 20:2-3,7,17-18
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

Even though Abraham had lied to Abimelech (no one's perfect, not even God's prophets) by telling him his wife was his sister, taking Sarah was sin to the point that God's judgement was death for Abimelech and the sin caused "all" of the women in his household (including servants) to become barren. Conditions for healing were return the woman and Abraham praying for his healing and the healing of his household.

A good percentage of the conditional promises of healing in the Old Testament cover "removal of diseases" and these promises are mostly on a national rather than individual basis. On the other hand the appearing of diseases is the condition brought about by the rejection of God and disobedience.

Exodus 15:26
26 If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord, your healer.

Exodus 23:25-26
You shall serve the Lord your God, and I will bless your broad and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you. None shall cast her young or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

The promise is contengent on obedience. God also says more than that He heals. He says that He will actually refrain from putting diseases upon the nation. This is one blessing alongside others, such as healing their land, blessing them with children, and a full length of life.

Look at the example of Naaman who was healed of leprosy, he had to perform a certain thing to receive healing. Naaman was looking for a grand show like so many would like to see today, verse 11 " Elisha would stand in public and call on God to heal and strike his hand over the place!" Instead the simple instruction by way of a messenger was, go dip in the Jordan river 7 times and you'll be healed. The Jordan was a rather poor looking river compaired to those in his land and that in itself put him off quite a bit. When Naaman finally let go of his pride and followed the instruction from God, he was healed.

2 Kings 5:6-14: 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

In the next example of healing being a conditional promise in Old Testament times, King Hezekiah was given an action also to take to recover. God heard his prayer and the answer was an additional 15 years of life, deliver the people of the city from the Assyrians, and defend the city. But in order to receive healing, was the condition mentioned in verse 7, place a lump of figs on the boil to get healed.

2 Kings 20:1-7: 1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Then there is an example of healing to the land as well as the inhabitants of the land by God. This healing of the land was contingent on the people humbling themselves, praying, seek knowledge of God and stop their wicked lifestyle.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Direct promises of healing from God in the Old Testament are found in four places in the scriptures. When you pray to God He heals, God heals by way of His Word, and looking forward to the coming Messiah, Jesus, they were healed by his stripes (physical abuse before and during his crucifiction).

Psalms 30:2
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

Psalms 107:20
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Isaiah 53:5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Malachi 4:2
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

This leads us on to the healing available to New Testament first century Christians, and all Christians from that time even to our time. The healing ministry of Christ did not end with His earthly life; it is part of His work in the church today. In the following verse, note the shift in time perspective from the administration of the law (Old Testament) to the administration of the Church, the age of grace (New Testament). Where in the Old Testament times they "are" healed by his stripes (looking toward the future events), shifting to the first century and our time. In the New Testament and in our time you "were" healed (past tense, already healed, before they needed healing).

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed

Jesus also promised that , "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18). Later during the revelation and instruction from God to the Church, listed among the nine parts of the manifestion of holy spirit for the present-day church individuals is "the gifts of healing" (I Corinthians 12:9). Further instruction in healing in the church was revealed to James to send out to "the 12 tribes scattered abroad - the Jewish believers." God revealed His plan for healing.

James 5:13-18: 13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? 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: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Laying on of hands and anointing with oil usually accompany prayer for healing, in accordance with God's Word and to focus faith. The clear example following this instruction was meant to reinforce their believing for results from having healing ministered to them. If a prayer of one man could stop the rain on the entire earth for a period of three and a half years, how insignificant a task for God to heal one believer.

Faith (believing) in the Lord is the key to receiving healing. The Gospels record that Jesus healed people according to their believing. The blind received their sight, devil spirits were cast out, and more.

Matthew 8:8,13,16
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Matthew 9:29
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

Mark 10:51
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

By the operation of the manisfestation of spirit and the power of God, Paul was able to heal the lame man at Lystra because by revelation from God he saw that the man had the faith (believing) needed to receive the gift of healing from God.

Acts 14:8-10: 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Prayer for healing, like all prayer, must be offered by faith in the name of Jesus Christ. It needs to come from a repentant heart with proper motives and must conform to the will of God. God does not always answer in the manner we expect nor does He respond to our prayers on our schedule. The main thing we must do is always keep our trust in Him, even when we do not see immediate results in our life and know in our hearts that God is at work for us. We have to believe that God hears our petitions and not only hears them but acts on them as well, and we will receiving the needed healing.

James 4:3
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

1 John 3:20-22: 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

1 John 5:14-15: 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

God still heals today. God can heal with medical help, but He also Can and often Does heal miraculously without any human assistance. Even when a person receives medical assistance, he or she can still look to God for divine healing. There is nothing wrong with medical help if your believing has not grown to the point of being able to believe to receive immediate healing from God. The example of the woman with the issue of blood and who had for many years spent all she had on "doctors" was not corrected by Jesus for this effort on her part. He praised her for building her belief to the point that by only touching his garment...she received healing.

Mark 5:25-29,33-34: 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Now there has been much controversity as to who was ministering healing to the people during the ministry of Jesus and in the first century Church? If you "think it was only Jesus and the apostles," the following scriptures should change your thinking to the proper perspective. As we all know from the record in the following verses the Apostles healed the sick and cast out demons.

Matthew 10:1
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Matthew 10:8
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Mark 3:14-15: 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

But, them we have the account of the 70 disciples (students and followers) whom he assigned the very same mission recorded in Luke. Jesus stated that he had given them power over all the power of the enemy (the Devil and his evil spirits) and that nothing by any means would hurt them. There is no direct mention of the seventy healing the sick but in light of their returning statement, "even the devils are subject to us" indicates they were doing more than just saying Jesus is coming.

Luke 10:1-3,17-18: 1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Peter traveled to the city of Lydda from Joppa after hearing that Dorcas had died and raised Dorcas from the dead. The ultimate demonstration of healing from God. When he arrived he made all of the grieving fellow believers without belief for a miracle of healing to occur leave, and she was raised up.

Acts 9:36-42: 36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. 37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber. 38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. 42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

Well Peter was an Apostle and raised the dead. On the other hand the Apostle Paul was raised from the dead by the disciples. In the account, the Jews had Paul stoned to death. By the rules concerning stoning, you did not stop getting hit by the thrown stones until you were dead. There is no way the Jews would have allowed Paul to be taken outside of the city unless he was actually dead. That is why the Disciples stood around about him, they were praying and raised him from the dead. He was not only raised from the dead but was healed to the extent that he and Barnabas left the next day and traveled to Derbe. Well what about that, disciples, students of the Word and followers of Christ, ordinary Christian believers raising an Apostle from the dead. Makes you think dosen't it.

Acts 14:19-20: 19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. 20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

The disciple Philip, when he went to preach God's word of salvation to Samaria healed people. Philip was one of the seven disciples chosen to minister to the needs of the widows in the Church. Later, when Saul (who became the apostle Paul after his conversion) was heading up a massive campaign of persecution against the church, the believers scattered to aviod the persecution and Philip went to Samaria to preach the Gospel. The result was that God confirmed his preaching with signs and wonders, healing diseases and casting out devil spirits from possessed people. Think about it, every born again believer (disciple) in the Church has the same measure of power from God as Philip had. What would it be like, if today the disciples used the manifestation of holy spirit like Philip?

Acts 6:5-6: 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 8:4-8: 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

The list of witnessed and testified to manifestations of the gift of healing runs throughout the New Testament. The examples we have listed show the pertinant facts of healing from God's standard: 1) healing from God is still available; 2) our healing is evidence of God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sin; 3) we were already healed by what Jesus accomplished for us with his death and resurection; 4) Prayer for healing of members of the body of Christ is effective; and 5) ALL Believers (not just apostles, pastors, preachers, evangelists, or prophets) have the God given ability to minister nad manifest the gift of healing to those in need, through the operation of the part of the manifestation of holy spirit named the gift of healing.

The time is over due for the members of the body of Christ, the Church, to again walk forth into the world speaking God's Word and having God confirm the Gospel we speak with healing, signs and wonders. We are God's troups against the powers of darkness, in a world where the light has grown dim. We are lights in the world and where we go the darkness in the world is dispelled. It's time for the leaders and teachers in the Church to again build the believing of the members of the Church and encourage them to walk manifesting the power of God. We are God's army and the powers of the rulers of darkness in the world can not overcome us as long as we stand on the Word of God. As Jesus said before he acsended into heaven to be with God our Father, signs will follow believers and "In my name shall they cast out devils . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.