Evidently Jesus healed all of the sick and disabled people who came to him because there is no record in the New Testament of his not healing someone who asked. Sometimes he even healed people because someone else asked (the Centurion's servant in Matthew 8:5-13). Often there is the mention of faith in these healings, but not always. People have searched for some common denominator in these accounts - some surefire method of healing or magic words to say. There are none.
This 100% record of healing continued with the early apostles. Following the story of Ananias and Sapphira there is another short summary of apostolic activity (Acts 5:12-16). So many people were being healed by the apostles that "people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed."
If healing was such a constitutive part of the ministry of Jesus and the apostles, why do we not see more healing today in the Christian churches? Some say that the gifts in the early church (healing, prophecy, tongues) were not intended to last long. They were simply to get the church started. I disagree. Jesus said we would do the things that he did (John 14:12-14). He was here among us to set the example and that example clearly included healing.
For reflection: What do I believe about healing? Have I/Could I pray with someone to be healed?
Let us pray. Jesus, you are the Lord of Healing, the Source of Healing. Heal my unbelief and help me to step boldly out in any areas of ministry to which you are calling me.
This 100% record of healing continued with the early apostles. Following the story of Ananias and Sapphira there is another short summary of apostolic activity (Acts 5:12-16). So many people were being healed by the apostles that "people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed."
If healing was such a constitutive part of the ministry of Jesus and the apostles, why do we not see more healing today in the Christian churches? Some say that the gifts in the early church (healing, prophecy, tongues) were not intended to last long. They were simply to get the church started. I disagree. Jesus said we would do the things that he did (John 14:12-14). He was here among us to set the example and that example clearly included healing.
For reflection: What do I believe about healing? Have I/Could I pray with someone to be healed?
Let us pray. Jesus, you are the Lord of Healing, the Source of Healing. Heal my unbelief and help me to step boldly out in any areas of ministry to which you are calling me.
RSS Feed
