Healing

[Hidden in Christ]

Lately I have been studying the subjects of healing and sickness in the Bible. I wanted to share some thoughts and see if any of you have any insight to offer.

One thing that is very evident is that Jesus healed multitudes while he was on the earth in physical form. He healed all types of people--those who had fevers, the blind, those possessed with devils, etc. Also in the book of Acts, many were healed in the name of Jesus when the apostles laid hands on them, etc.

The matter I have been considering is what place healing has in the church today. I firmly believe that Jesus still has power to heal today, though he is not physically present with us. I have no problem whatsoever with someone praying for healing when they are sick, or asking others to pray for them. Yet I am very skeptical of charismatic healing services. I will not question that some people may have been healed in such meetings. However, neither would I question that unsaved people have fallen under conviction and been saved in a bar or a wild party. God can work anywhere, but that does not necessarily mean He approves of other things that are taking place where the miracle occurs.

So I have been pondering on the way the Bible teaches to be right in handling matters of sickness/healing. Thus far, I have not found that every Christian in Acts had the God-given power to heal which Peter and Paul possessed. Also, in James 5, we are told that the sick should call for the elders of the church to pray for them and anoint them with oil that they might be healed. We are not told, however, to just ask any Spirit filled Christian to anoint us with oil, but rather the elders of the church. Does this mean that only the elders of a church (those in authority) are ordained by God to exercise the gift of healing?

I believe that any and every Christian should lift sick brothers and sisters up in their prayers. Yet I am wondering if, when it comes to anointing, laying on of hands, etc. it should only be the leaders of the church who do this.

So what do you all think?

 

[drdeancrosby]

There's a huge problem here.Most elders of many churches don't believe in miracle healings.And Jesus doesn't perform miracles for unbelievers,with very few exceptions.And if you gave most elders a bottle of oil,they wouldn't have the slighest idea what to do with it.The world be so much different if churches followed biblical teachings but such is not the case.When God sends His Holy Spirit through what we call the BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ,to indwell in a person,that individual is given a talent or as it's commonly called,a "gift".A very small number of Christians have received the gift of healing which God gave to all of Jesus' disciples.These are the individuals who should pray for the sick because God gas given them supernatural power.Of course prayers from the general congregation should be solicited including the elders.But it would be a truly humorous experience asking alot of church elders to annoint the sick with oil.If you handed many elders a bottle of oil,they would think you wanted them to test it for drugs.Such is our society!

 

[rapha777]

In addition to the gifts of healing and anointing with oil, there are other ways to obtain divine healing and one is simply standing on the the Word, for example Isaiah 53 and the related verses. This is detailed further in the article located at :-

http://www.angelfire.com/md3/pafn777/healing1.html

I believe His report ...Isa. 53: 1...Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?


Rapha.

 

[victoryword]

The matter I have been considering is what place healing has in the church today. I firmly believe that Jesus still has power to heal today, though he is not physically present with us. I have no problem whatsoever with someone praying for healing when they are sick, or asking others to pray for them. Yet I am very skeptical of charismatic healing services.

Good question. It's always good to research something out and present it to others for additional thoughts. Here are mine:

I believe that we are to do what Jesus did. Acts 10:38 tells us: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

If this was a strong focus in the ministry of Jesus then I do not understand why preachers today have a difficult time seeing it as one of our primary focus as well. It is not as important as the salvation and discipleship of souls, but it is a vitally important aspect of ministry. When people are physically healed, they are being freed from Satan's oppression.

Even in Jesus' commission to us we are told to lay hand on the sick and expect them to recover (see Mark 16:15-20). Why would we put less emphasis on this important ministry than Jesus or the apostles did?

 

[Hidden in Christ]

Another interesting thing to consider is the different types of healing... As I said, Jesus not only healed the sick, but also the lame, blind, those with evil spirits, etc. When I think of 'sickness' I think of someone with cancer, someone with a bad case of pneumonia, flu, or some disease that affects the body's physical functioning.

It is interesting that James says that the sick should call for the elders of the church, but he doesn't mention the disabled or those with evil spirits. (By the way, I speculate that evil spirits might be something like modern-day mental illness--things that people go to psychiatrists for.) I was pondering about the gifts of healing and miracle working in I Corinthians 12, and I speculate that perhaps some Christians may have the faith to pray for disabled or mentally ill people that they might be healed. I don't necessarily think that means these people have to lay their hands on them, but maybe they could just pray and God would answer because of their faith.

Now I could be wrong about the distinction between sickness and disabilities and mental illnesses, but I am merely speculating that only the sick should call for the elders of the church. Maybe the others should simply ask for prayer by the congregation and if some Christian there has the gift of healing, then that person's faith will reach God and the person will be healed. I don't think it's necessary for it to be known who it was that prayed the prayer that brought healing. Rather it is enough to know that God brought it and He used some member of the body of Christ to pray it down.

Any other insights?