Witness

GOD HEALS ALL

    Matt 8:16 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:

Jesus can heal all.  There is no illness, no infirmity, no condition that is beyond the healing touch of Jesus.  Even death  obeys his word for he is the resurrection, and the life and he that believes in him, though he were dead, yet shall he live (John 11:25). 

The only impediment, this side of the resurrection, is faith.  When Jesus returned to his own town of Nazareth,  he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them (Mark 6:5).  Today, we have many who live in Christian locations, Jesus’ home towns, where there is little faith and there is no might work save a few sick folk who are healed.  You know this is true.  And yet, in foreign lands, such as in India, there are mighty miracles being performed — but they have the faith to believe.

There are still countless numbers to be led to faith in Christ, even in Christian locations.  Paul didn’t banty fancy words.  His words were demonstrated through the Holy Spirit and in power:

     1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

and

     1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

The gospel was spread and confirmed by the miracles and healings (power) of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of:

     Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

While the “charismata” of the initial Pentecost bestowed upon the apostles has passed, the Holy Spirit continues to work with men to spread the gospel of the kingdom and of salvation.

     1Cor 4:20 For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power.

Power is received after the Holy Spirit comes on one (Acts 1:8) unless, of course, the Holy Spirit hasn’t come upon one.  I still, and always will, maintain that the Holy Spirit still is a power in the church and that He still does miracles and healings.  I will not deny my God nor the power thereof:

     2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The context of the above verse is towards evil doers in the church — hypocrites.  I don’t think for one whit that our pastors are evil doers but most deny the power thereof and that is dangerously close to the unforgivable sin of denying the Spirit.

In the instances where one is is not so imbued with the Holy Spirit, the elders of the church can still pray for the sick, using oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s such anointing, and God will still heal them:

     Jas 5:14-15 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.

Jesus, time and again, healed in the synagogue.  Should we call his healings hype as some would label the healings and miracles of today?  I shudder to join the Pharisees of the time he walked on this earth or that now walk as tares amongst us.

In speaking of healing and miracles, I’m not speaking of hype or stage show.  I’m maintaining that missionaries who go out in faith and Holy Spirit that their preaching of the faith is in power and miracles and healings.  Our own society is ever growing in wickedness and unknowing of Christ by an increasing majority.  Our own backyard is becoming a vast mission field.

I’ve seen the Lord heal through my own touch.  Would any maintain it was by the Devil and thereby follow the sin of the Pharisees?  It couldn’t have been hype for, in almost all cases where healings were in church, it wasn’t during a church service but separate from it.  Also, anyone who has heard me speak would realize I am a far cry from employing hype — I’m not a good speaker and I’m low key if anything.  And yet God has, through my touch, cured cancer, mended broken bones, and cast out devils. 

One of the more recent events happened at a hospital.  Dale, a young man, had cracked his heal, went to the emergency room, and had a temporary splint put on.  Their x-ray showed Dale had a definite hairline crack in his heal.  I took Dale and his mom to another hospital to have a permanent cast put on.  While they were inside, I was outside praying for Dale and others in the hospital to be healed.  Dale’s mom came out of the hospital with Dale and she was fuming.  She was mad because the doctors took another x-ray and couldn’t find such a crack.  She did calm down as I told her I knew God healed Dale’s foot.

How many others did God heal in that hospital?  I don’t know.  Maybe all of them.  But I’m sure they wouldn’t have thought so even if so and who then gave glory to God?  The purpose of receiving power to heal and do miracles isn’t for hospital growth but for church growth.  That is established in Acts 1:8.

Another healing of God that brings fond memory happened after a church service when the pastor was in great pain from a bone spur on his heal.  Everyone was busy in fellowship and parting the church.  The Lord healed him through my touch and he rejoiced by dancing up and down the church aisle and canceled the surgery scheduled for the next week. 

Another healing was in a church side room where an individual had adjourned in order to cry in his pain from lung and brain cancer without disrupting the service.  I went and held him in my arms and prayed.  He then told me he felt the pain leaving him and he was healed in that very hour.

Those aren’t events of hype or delusion.  Jesus is still on the throne and he still cares for his sheep and would not that they should suffer.  I believe. 
 

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