Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
Signs, Wonders & Miracles
Tom Scarrella
World Revival School of Ministry
Today we are seeing a new revival of healing starting in many American churches that has the potential of purifying the body of Christ of the many misconceptions about healing it has held over the centuries. The Word of Faith movement played an important role in laying the groundwork for that healing revival, even though some members of that camp went overboard with their teaching.
Their emphasis was and is faith on
the part of the one receiving healing as well as the one ministering healing.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for (Hebrews 11:1), an assurance of
that which is invisible, a reliance on the word of the Lord, which promises
innumerable times healing for the righteous. Surely he took up our
infirmities and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4); too many Christian
groups have watered down the salvation message by removing physical healing
from the spiritual rebirth. They claim that healing – and especially signs and
wonders – ceased with the death of the apostles, yes that God even makes the
believer suffer to teach him perseverance and humility.
When we minister healing, it is
against these lies the enemy has deeply rooted in the church we come against.
It is therefore of uttermost importance to teach the truth of the word of God
before praying for the sick. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (see Romans
10:17), and the truth has to penetrate people’s hearts and minds to uproot
their wrong beliefs and give them hope and faith for healing. If the person
receiving healing has little or no faith, it will hinder his ability to receive
the restoration Jesus has provided at the cross. We see in Mark 6 that Jesus
was not able to do mighty works because of people’s unbelief. However, faith on
the part of the one praying for the sick is also vital. Too many churches claim
to believe in healing, yet never pray for the sick or see anyone healed. Faith
without works is dead (see James 2:14-26).
While some never seem able to get a
hold of their healing, others get healed yet lose their healing again some time
later. It is the minister’s responsibility to teach the believers not only how
to receive healing, but also how to walk it out and stand in it when the enemy
comes with doubts, lies and attempts to return. That gains even more importance
in those cases where the healing came about after deliverance, since the cast
out demons will try to return with others that are even worse (see Matthew
12:45), so that the believer needs to know how to resist the enemy and be
constantly filled with the Spirit.
Jesus healed all who were oppressed
of the devil (Acts 10:38), yet while a big part of His ministry consisted of
healing, He did not have a set method. Jesus did what He saw His Father doing,
and He also did it that way. As ministers of healing we must also be cautious
not to get into a routine, finding a comfortable method or technique that
works. We must always listen to the Holy Spirit and be open and ready to be
whatever kind of vessel for healing He desires that moment. In the Scriptures,
we see many different ways Jesus ministered healing, and find some guidelines
in the book of Acts and the Epistles. The most common way believers minister
healing today is by the laying on of hands, seen for example in Acts 28:8.
Another common way is by the anointing with oil, since we are clearly commanded
to do so in James 5. In that passage we also see the possible connection
between sin and unforgiveness and healing upon confession and releasing
bitterness held against others. One less common and more controversial way for
ministering healing is by blessed cloths. In Acts 19 we read how Paul’s aprons
were tools to bring healing into people’s lives. God is still healing the same
way today, yet we need to careful to put our trust in Him and not cloths, as
some have crossed the line to witchcraft.
All believers are called to heal the
sick – clearly expressed in Jesus’ great commission in Mark 16 – to cast out
demons and make disciples. However, while we all minister in faith, God
releases special gifts of healings to some, often for a particular area they
have been healed in themselves. Those who are faithful in little, He is giving
much.
We live in a fallen world of death
and sickness. Yet Christ has redeemed us from the curse, purchasing our
forgiveness and healing with His own blood. All of us will be confronted with
sickness, and will have to choose whom to believe – the Lord or the enemy. It
is time for the church to start resisting the enemy and walk in His truth, in
the fullness of the Spirit, and then take it to a sick and dying world that
desperately needs His life and restoration. Let’s be those who know
Jehova-Raffa and who are vessels for His healing power to be released for the
advancement of His kingdom and the glory of His name.