In the introduction to this series, we covered the differences in belief between Christians who are cessationists (who believe that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are no longer active within Christianity) and the continuationists (who believe that all of the gifts of the Spirit are active today, just as they were at the beginning of Christianity).
Even among the continuationists, there are some differences of opinion concerning the use of the gifts of the Spirit. This is evident when it comes to divine healing. We will discuss these differences in later articles.
Despite the differences, however, there are fundamental principles regarding healing which those with healing ministries strongly hold in common, and on which they base their belief in divine healing. Their beliefs in the scriptural precedents and promises of healing are the cornerstones of their ministries. Because they strongly believe that the power of God works through them, as promised in the Bible, they step out with faith in the promises and commands of Jesus, and pray for the sick, often with outstanding results.
The 10 cornerstones which the healing evangelists I read hold in common are:
Jesus healed people and showed God’s power through doing so.
Jesus commanded His disciples to heal and gave them power to do so.
Authority to heal has been given by Jesus to His disciples.
Healing is for evangelism.
It’s God who heals—give Him the glory.
Healing is in the Atonement.
As Christians we are engaged in warfare against Satan.
It takes persistence when one begins praying for the sick.
Not all healings are instant.
More than one method.
Let’s take a look at these cornerstones of healing.
Jesus Healed People and Showed God’s Power Through Doing So
It is clear from the scriptures that a major part of Jesus’ ministry was healing. He had compassion on people because they were “as sheep without a shepherd.” As the Good Shepherd, He loved and cared for them by healing them and setting them free from pain and disease. In doing so, He was showing God’s love and power. Jesus’ healing miracles also gave credence to His ministry. The fact that He healed people proved that the words He spoke came from God. His words were backed up by His actions. When the scribes questioned Jesus’ forgiving of the paralytic man’s sins, it was His healing miracle that testified to His power to forgive sin.
Getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city. And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.[1]
When John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus if He was the Expected One, Jesus responded by pointing out the healings which were happening and the Gospel that was being preached to the poor as proofs that He was the one sent by God.
Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.”[2]
Jesus’ power to heal showed the people of His day that He had authority from God, and thus that the message He gave and the words He spoke were from God. People recognized that He spoke with authority and that His works were unique, showing that He was from God.
This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”[3]
They were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.[4]
They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”[5]
They were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority.[6]
Jesus Commanded His Disciples to Heal and Gave Them Power to Do So
Jesus healed the sick and He commissioned and empowered His disciples to do so too. At one point He sent out the 12 to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, and at another time He sent out the 70 to do the same. Just before His ascension into heaven, He commanded the disciples to preach the Gospel, to make disciples, and to heal the sick. It is evident from Scripture that Jesus intended for His disciples to preach the Gospel and to heal the sick.
He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal … And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the Gospel and healing everywhere.[7]
He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.[8]
Proclaim as you go, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.[9]
These signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.[10]
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.[11]
These are promises and commands of Jesus which each of the healing evangelists whose work I’ve studied has written or spoken about as being foundational to their healing ministries. Jesus made it clear that believers will do the works that He did, and even greater works. Healing is one of those works. Believers have the ability to heal through the power of God. Jesus said they did, and He instructed His disciples, including those of today, to heal the sick, to cast out demons, and to preach the Gospel.
Authority to Heal Has Been Given by Jesus to His Disciples
Jesus not only instructed His disciples to heal, He also gave them the authority to do so.
It is in this authority, given to His disciples, that Christians can have the faith to exercise the gifts of healing.
Healing evangelists John and Sonja Decker in their book Doing What Jesus Did write:
Healing gifts are not a single great gift for special individuals. Gifts of healing are available to whoever wants to believe and steps out in faith and begins to pray for the sick. There are no “special” ministers with privileged “inside” information—though some well-publicized evangelists would want you to believe to the contrary. The Scriptures are open for any believer to read and believe what is promised. Jesus promises that every Christian can pray for the sick and believe God for healing.[12]
Don Dunkerley in Healing Evangelism states:
Please notice that when Jesus spoke of casting out demons and laying hands on the sick and seeing them recover, He was speaking of signs that “will accompany those who believe” (Mark 16:17). These are the privilege of all believers, not just apostles, deeply devoted saints or professional healing evangelists. They belong to the lay people … And if you are a believer, they belong to you! [13]
In his Divine Healing Technician course Curry Blake says:
You don’t need anointings, you don’t need impartations, you don’t need to stay in line and get hands laid on you to get what I’ve got or what anyone else has got [the gifts of healing], because if you’ve got the Spirit of God, you’ve got what we’ve got.[14]
Jesus said that certain signs, including healing, would follow those that believe. According to the Bible, the power to heal the sick is available to Christians. That means it’s available to all of us.
In 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul lists the gifts of the Holy Spirit, he explains that different ones receive different gifts.[15] He goes on to say:
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.[16]
This verse makes it clear that the Spirit of God gives individuals these gifts according to His will. This indicates that not every Christian has every gift. As such, not every Christian has the gifts of healing, just as not every Christian has the gift of wisdom, the ability to distinguish between spirits, etc. At the end of the same chapter Paul says:
But earnestly desire the higher gifts.[17]
In saying to earnestly desire certain gifts, it can be concluded that one can pray earnestly for a particular gift. Having the gifts of healing, as someone who witnesses, could be beneficial to your witness. If you feel called to use healing in your witness, don’t let anything keep you from asking God for it and stepping out by faith to use it as He leads you.
Throughout this series, the healing evangelists I quote make reference to Christians having the power to heal. They don’t state specifically that they believe that every Christian has the gifts of healing, so I don’t really know their stance on the subject, but from what they say, it can be interpreted that way.
Throughout the articles I also state that healing is available to Christians. By this I mean two things: first, that when a Christian is in need of healing, they can pray for themselves as well as ask others to pray for them. “The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”[18] Second, that any Christian can pray to receive the gifts of healing, and as such the gifts of healing are available. It is, of course, up to the Lord if He gives you the gifts, and as the healing evangelists brought out in their books, it sometimes might require a fair amount of practice or stepping out by faith before you see it manifested in full in your life.
(Next in this series: Healing Is for Evangelism)
[1] Matthew 9:1–8 ESV.
[2] Matthew 11:2–5 NAU.
[3] John 3:2 ESV.
[4] Mark 1:22 ESV.
[5] Mark 1:27 ESV.
[6] Luke 4:32 ESV.
[7] Luke 9:1–2, 6 ESV.
[8] Matthew 10:1 ESV.
[9] Matthew 10:7–8 ESV.
[10] Mark 16:17–18 ESV.
[11] John 14:12–14 ESV.
[12] DWJD 3.
[13] HE 32.
[14] DHT Audio 11.
[15] Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.
[16] 1 Corinthians 12:11.
[17] 1 Corinthians 12:31 ESV.
[18] James 5:15 ESV.
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