Paul continues with his list of spiritual gifts, “to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:9). Notice that one of the gifts of the Spirit is plural: “gifts of healing“. Because there are different kinds of wounds, there are different kinds of healing. Because humans are body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23), we need healing for the body, for the soul (mind and emotions), and the spirit.
We usually associate healing with the physical, like an illness being healed. But, certainly, what Jesus offered Legion the demoniac could be considered healing for his mind (Mark 5:15). Yet, no one can argue that the Woman at the well had her life healed spiritually (John 4).
I knew a woman who was filled with bitterness because she had been sexually molested as a child. She became angrier and more judgmental each year. Finally she met Jesus and all that hostility melted away. All the guilt from her poor choices also dissolved with the hate. She was a new person because her damaged soul had been healed.
Perhaps the two most famous people with gifts of healing were Oral Roberts and Kathryn Kuhlman. These two evangelists held huge crusades all across America and thousands received supernatural healing. They permitted these gifts to work through them on a massive scale.
But most often, these gifts work through ordinary people like you and I who will let God’s Spirit work through us by praying with faith. And we’ve heard a lot of healing stories over the years.
Could this gift work through you? How will you know? Put it to the test and let me know what happens.
Tags: healing, spiritual gifts
If you haven’t been to the DeKalb County fair yet, remember that this is the night when we have no activities happening at the church. We are encouraging you to get out into your community gathering and make connections.
When Jesus first sent out His disciples for ministry, “he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2). They had authority to do two things: preach the kingdom of God, and heal the sick. None of them had any more authority to do so that we do. But “they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere” (Luke 9: 6).
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you’ve believed? Then launch out on your own missionary journey tonight and look for open doors to share two things: Preach [declare] the gospel, and heal the sick! And let me know what happens, because I’m praying for you.
Tags: healing, preaching
I contacted my cardiologist regarding some heart palpitations (off-rhythm heart beat) that I thought was a side effect of blood pressure medicine. He put me on a special heart monitor to identify the problem. The conclusion was that I had a pre-heartbeat and was already on the best medicine to control that. So, my wife asked the Pharmacist if some of my medicines might be interacting badly. The Pharmacist said no, but suggested that radiation (which I had for prostate cancer last fall) could deplete my body of magnesium. So I began taking magnesium supplements and the palpitations went away. The magnesium treated the deeper problem and the symptoms went away.
When Jesus was in Capernaum, a large crowd came to the home where He was staying (Mark 2:1-2). As He was teaching, some men made an opening in the roof and lowered a paralyzed man on a mat. Jesus initially responded not by healing the man but by saying, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (v. 5). The deeper need of the man was not physical but spiritual. Then, to show His authority to forgive, Jesus healed the man and sent him on his way – not only with legs that moved but with a heart that was forgiven (v. 12).
Sin is the deeper problem that creates the symptoms of sinful acts in our lives. We must not just fix the symptoms, but the deeper problem of Sin.
Tags: disease, healing, health, sin
Now that everyone knows what I’ve been battling with, I would appreciate your prayers. I have every intention of overcoming this obstacle and serving the Lord for many more years. Satan can’t get rid of me that easily. God is the healer of my soul and my body.
When I was younger I didn’t take care of my body like I now know I must. Now I’m paying the price for that carelessness and am doing everything in my power to reverse these problems. And I’m confident God is teaching me much about Himself, grace, physical health, and compassion for others.
What is God teaching you through the things you suffer?
Tags: healing, suffering
I do most of my sermon preparation in my study at home. Out the widow there are a couple of Ironwood trees that have been there long before our house was built and are now pretty good size. Those two trees have crossed each other (literally). One large branch has grown across another large branch. When the wind blows, they grate against one another. After decades of this grating in the wind, and amazing thing has happened.
Both having their bark stripped away, their sap has intermingled one with the other. Each time they begin to scar over, another wind causes them to dig yet deeper into one another. Now, years later, those two independent trees are nestled tightly against one another as if they were hugging. Although they are still independent, you would never know it from their intertwined appearance. They each provide protection for the other in their injury. Broken, they have become one. And they sing a beautiful song of nature when the wind blows.
Do you think there might be a lesson in that for marriages? If this was a word from God, what would it say to couples in need?
Tags: healing, marriage, trees, wind
It was an amazing twist of events that made me aware of the heart blockage. I went in to have my hearing checked. When they discovered my left ear hearing loss was greater than my right ear loss, the doctor ordered an MRI to rule out the possibility of a tumor in the brain. The MRI found no tumor, but did reveal “severe small vessel blockage” in the brain. My family doctor then called a neurologist to ask how someone with my cognitive abilities could have such extensive blockage. He learned that the blockage was in the external vessels, but apparently not in the deep brain vessels, which control thinking.
I cannot undo the blockage that is already there. However, I can control any continual blockage by medication and diet. And I have since learned that I can continue to develop new brain cells by exercising my brain, just like my heart by-passes the blockage if I exercise the heart muscle.
Isn’t it amazing how God designed our bodies to regenerate itself. But, we must partner with the physician and apply a little discipline. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14).
Tags: healing
Several weeks ago I was diagnosed with some severe blockage on the back side of my heart. I immediately went into a strict diet eliminating some of the cholesterol and sugar that plug up arteries. I have tried to exercise, but can’t do much because of the angina.
I saw my cardiologist last week to discuss what needs to be done and came away encouraged. He explained to me that I am not a candidate for by-pass surgery or for a stint or balloon catherization. He explained that already I was growing new blood vessels by-passing the blocked artery. Our strategy is to dilate the existing blood vessels with medicine and have me get regular exercise, forcing the heart to work, which will promote the new growth in the by-passing vessels.
So, God is already at work healing my body. I’m thankful we have skilled doctors who can identify potential problems so we, as individuals, can take appropriate steps to allow God to heal us before something tragic happens.
Tags: healing