As I have been writing on the manifestations of the holy spirit, I have been trying to broaden our view of the work of the spirit. Over the years I have noticed that many churches and people often hold a narrow view of God’s spirit at work. I have seen those on both sides of the doctrines of spiritual manifestations miss out on so much, simply just because of their narrow views. Just the other day I read a post by a person who seemed against the manifestations, write, “If Paul had the gift of healing why couldn’t he heal himself?” This person may know a lot about the Bible, but it seems clear that by having such a narrow view of God’s spirit at work, he obviously missed all the times people where healed through Paul and the times God did work in Paul. Such as the time he was bitten by the viper, or the time he was stoned and left for dead. I think if we will are willing, we can take a fresh look at the potential of what God’s spirit can do in His children. Let’s broaden our view and take a fresh look at what God wants to do in us and through us.
This week I want to talk about the gifts of healing. From this point on it seems the rest of the areas of manifestations are pluralistic, like they have many ways and types of working. Healing is the only place the plural use of gift is used. So, let’s look at the possible ways God may work healing in us and others. To start with, one area today’s modern church has missed it when it comes to God’s spirit manifesting, is it’s to be at work in every believer and not just for a church service confined to the inside of four walls.
(Mark 16:17-18 NASB) "And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; {18} they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Now, before you bible scholars write me and tell me the above verses was not in the original, then you have to admit the Bible has errors and could not be deemed the word of God to us. Unless you can provide an original version we need to accept the whole and learn to reap God’s truths from the whole Bible not our favorite passages.
Let’s get back to my thought. I took notice the word gifts is used when it comes to healing. Just like previous verses in chapter twelve. (1 Cor 12:4 NKJV) There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Peter told the crowd on the Day of Pentecost that the holy spirit was a gift. Paul tells us in Romans 5.17 that God’s righteousness is a gift to us through Jesus. Eternal life is a gift to those who believe in Jesus, Romans 6.23. Ephesians 2.8 tells us that our salvation is a gift. Paul even said his ability to minister was according to the gift of grace given to him, Eph. 3.7. I think we could maybe make a point that healing is a gift given to us through the work of Jesus on Calvary . Isn’t that what Peter declared when he wrote his epistle.
(1 Pet 2:24 NASB) and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
If healing is a gift then that would not make how it works automatic, it must be received and used. Let’s go back to that verse in chapter 12 and see that Paul wrote gifts, like there was more than one. Could there be many, maybe more than we could really number. If the holy spirit is diverse and works diversely according to each person on whom God chooses to manifest, could not healing also be that diverse. Each person God redeems and puts His spirit into is unique and one of a kind. You see, out of the millions of people on this earth there is not another one like you. Then when that is coupled with God’s spirit working in and through you as he chooses for the good of His kingdom, it becomes uniquely different from all others. Let me put it this way. There is no one who will work in the spirit like you, there may be those who are similar but only you can do what God’s spirit does in and through you.
Let’s recap before going further. There are many gifts and many types of healings that God’s spirit manifest. Let’s not let the professional evangelist or preacher rob the rest of God’s children of what belongs to every believer. We will look at a few healing scriptures and then talk some more.
(Acts 10:38 NASB) "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.
(James 5:16 NASB) Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
(Heb 12:11-13 NASB) All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. {12} Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, {13} and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
(Acts 28:8 NASB) And it came about that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him.
(Acts 5:16 NASB) And also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem
(Rev 22:2 NLT) coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
I know there are other scriptures and many examples of healings in the Old as well as the New Testament. For time and space I will just use the above and hope to make a point to broaden your view of God’s wonderful gift. I will not spend time telling you of the many healings I have received in my own life and bore witness to. I just want to get you to look at God’s manifestations differently and come away with desire to maybe dig deeper into the Word of God and your own heart and see God at work.
Like I pointed out early on, that we have received many gifts from God through the completed work of Jesus, healing being one of them. So, what should this look like for us? A good question to ask is, how many ways could a person be healed? Another is, how many methods could God use? The problem is, with our human nature we see something work one way and we box it up and think it should work the same way every time. Then when it does not, we get upset and walk away saying, “I knew it really didn’t work.” Too many of us think we have a corner on how God works, and I am always amazed by how God always proves to us that we don’t.
Could we say that as much as each person is unique in whom they are and how God’s spirit moves in them, that healings are the same? First of all there is not a person who comes to Jesus that does not need a healing in them. Some sickness is physical others mental, then many spiritual. Every human has been affected by the sickness of sin. We are all broken in some way. Every person needs a different kind of healing. Some sickness maybe obvious in a physical way, others are hidden in the deep recesses of our mind. No boxed formula will work the same for every person.
It is like our modern medicines that we all rely on so much. What may work on one person may not work on another, even if they have the same sickness or they may experience different side effects. It is because of our own personal bodily make up or genes. Two people can get the exact same medication and one is healed and another gets sicker. When I see that happen I don’t see people getting mad and rejecting all medicine, they keep going to the doctor and trying other medications. Yet, when it comes to God, when we don’t see somebody get healed after some prayer we go around rejecting it all, claiming it’s not for today or it does not work.
By reading the scriptures I selected, I hope you may begin to see healing comes in many forms and ways. There may need to be a certain commitment from us, an act of obedience, forgiveness, repentance, or patience. None of us have the right to judge another over their healing. One may seem to be outwardly broken, but what they need greater is a deep inner healing. Then there are those that seem to be healed but deep within they are still broken.
Does God want us to be healed? I really believe he does. Why else would he make it a point and a part of the work of Jesus? Why is the healing in the leaves of the trees in the New Jerusalem for all nations? We all talk about when Jesus comes back there is no more sickness and everyone is healed, but in the mean time we are all supposed to suffer? God’s bread to the children is healing.
In all I feel God’s people need to be showing a broken sin sick world how to be healed. Then along with that as God moves on us to demonstrate God’s love and power, see some receive healing by the laying on of hands. Is this wonderful gifts of healings just for us to use in our gatherings, praying for the same ones over and over again, getting frustrated because we are not seeing results? Or, is it first for us to take for ourselves and be healed inside and out. We should be seeking God to fix our broken minds, hearts, and spirits. Then as we begin to heal, start reaching out to others and believing God to heal them as well. It is not us that does the healing, but God though the gift of holy spirit. We may never see everyone healed, or at lest we think they are not healed, but let’s not throw it out, trust in God, and keep on letting Him manifest in you. God works his healing gifts in many ways, through many different people. Some healings are right before us others take time.
To sum it all up, let me say this. Healing works in so many different ways, so let’s not put God in a box. God could use you to lay hands on someone. You could be the one who is used to bring healing to a troubled situation by just being a peace maker. Maybe it could be a loving tender word to a troubled soul. The point is God wants to manifest His wonders in and trough you. It starts with you. Let the healing begin.
very thought provoking. thank you
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