THE GIFTS OF HEALINGS!

Last Sunday, we looked at THE WONDER-WORKING FAITH. 

Today we are sharing on another aspect of UNDERSTANDING THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – “THE GIFTS OF HEALINGS!”

In 1 Corinthians 12:1, 9, 28-30, the Scriptures say, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:…7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: …..to another THE GIFTS OF HEALING by the same Spirit;…28 And GOD HATH SET SOME IN THE CHURCH, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then GIFTS OF HEALINGS, helps, governments, diversities of tongues…30 Have all THE GIFTS OF HEALING(S)?...”

What is healing? This is the process of making one that is sick whole (Mk. 5:34).

The gifts of healings is not the normal healing ability you acquire by believing the Word of God about healing.

People can be healed by simply exercising their faith in the Word of God, because it always works. Yes, as a Born Again believer, you can be healed on your own faith in God’s Word.

You too can be healed by standing and acting on Mark 11:24. Jesus said, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mk. 11:24).

Jesus said, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matt. 21:22).

But when the gifts of healings are in operation, they are manifested through a person that has the gift to the one in need of healing, as the Spirit wills.

If you truly believe, and act on the particular Scripture you are standing on, you will receive your healing.

The Word of God will always work for you in any area of life if you truly believe, and act on it.

What is the difference between the gifts of healings and receiving healing by faith? The difference is in the channel through which healing is manifested.

The gifts of healings are manifested through the person that is operating in that gift to the one in need of healing in his body.

But when you believe God’s Word, the healing virtue is drawn directly from Jesus to you (Mk. 5:30).

“And the whole multitude sought to touch Jesus: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them ALL” (Lk. 6:19).

What then is the Gifts of Healings? It is a specific gift mentioned among the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. “…to another the gifts of healings by the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:9, 28).

We must recognize that there are those in the Body of Christ who are endued with particular spiritual gifts, such as the gifts of healings

Therefore, the gifts of healings are supernatural manifestations of the Spirt that are manifested through someone who has this gift to another person that is in need of healing. They are for supernatural healing of diseases and infirmities without natural means of any sort.

It is a special endowment that the Holy Spirit has given to some believers to heal the sick. The gifts of healings is a special manifestation of the Holy Spirit through a Born Again Believer to another person who is in need of healing.

It is a supernatural ability imparted to a Born Again Believer to bring God’s healing power to the sick. This gift is used to bring deliverance to those bound by disease, infirmity, and affliction (Lk. 4:18-19).

This is a supernatural ability to bring God’s healing power to the sick. It is used to bring deliverance to those bound by disease, infirmity, affliction etc. (Lk. 4:18-19).

1 Corinthians 12:9 talks of gifts of healings. This implies a supernatural ability to heal more than one type of disease. That is to say that there are more than one gift of healing. For instance, God used Phillip in Samaria to heal palsies and lame people.

Acts 8:5-7 says, “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.”

Phillip had the supernatural ability to heal more than one type of disease.

Divine power will draw crowd. Miracles and healings arrest and compel attention. But it is in believing the Word that men are saved. Only the preaching of the Word affects the will of a sinner. Only the Word of God can establish a Christian. Miracles and healings can never establish a Christian. Miracles and gifts of healings have a special place in the ministry of an evangelist. However they are not confined to that office alone.

The gifts of healings have nothing to do with medical science or human learning. Divine healing does not come by diagnosis or by prescribing treatment.

Divine healing comes by:

1. The laying on of hands. The major purpose for laying hands in the New Testament was to minister healing. Jesus Christ Himself employed this doctrine of the laying on of hands in healing people.

In Mark 6:5 the Bible says, “And He [Jesus] could there do no mighty work, save that HE LAID HIS HANDS UPON A FEW SICK FOLK, and healed them.”

In Matthew 8:15 the Bible says that when Jesus entered Peter’s house, He found Peter’s mother-in-law sick with a fever. “And He touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.”

You see, if you don’t expect to be healed or delivered through the laying on of hands, then having hands laid on you will not produce any results. For the laying on of hands to work for you, you must believe in it. Without faith, the laying on of hands is a mere ritual.

For instance, Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue in Galilee, also believed in the laying on of hands. Mark 5:22-24 says, “… COME AND LAY THY HANDS ON HER, THAT SHE MAY BE HEALED…”

The apostles believed what Jesus said. They applied it (or they acted on Jesus’ Words) and got results! Acts 5:12 says, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people ....”

In Acts 28:8-9 Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on an island. The father of Publius, the ruler of the island, was sick, so Paul went to his house “...and prayed, and LAID HIS HANDS ON HIM, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, OTHERS ALSO, WHICH HAD DISEASES IN THE ISLAND, CAME, AND WERE HEALED.” 

The man was healed by the laying on of hands. As a result, the islanders brought their sick to Paul, and he ministered to them. Obviously, Paul ministered to them by laying his hands on them.

God gave Paul the power to do unusual miracles, so that even when handkerchiefs or cloths that had touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and any evil spirits within them came out. These cloths were anointed with the same power that Paul was anointed with.

Acts 19:11-12 says, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 insomuch that unto the sick were carried away from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the evil spirits went out.”

Some years ago, I imparted the healing virtue into a white handkerchief in a shopping center at Enugu, and when that handkerchief was laid on a man that was sick unto death, God healed him.

God uses men’s hands. He works through men’s hands. The Bible says that Paul laid his hands upon the cloths.

Laying on of hands can be done in two ways: (a) Any believer can lay hands on a fellow believer as a point of contact to release faith and expect that person to be healed (Mk. 16:17-18); (b) There is such a thing as a ministry of laying on of hands – a special anointing. As God wills, a person can be supernaturally anointed with healing power like Jesus or Paul was anointed.

When a person who is operating in the gifts of healings lays hands on the sick in obedience to the spiritual law of Contact and Transmission, his hands transmit God’s healing power into the body of the sick person, thereby effecting a healing and a cure.

2. Anointing with oil. The Bible says, “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. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jam. 5:14-16).

The Bible says, “And the disciples of Jesus cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mk. 6:13).

3. Sometimes just by speaking the Word. The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the Word only, and my servant shall be healed” (Matt. 8:8).

The Bible says, “And Jesus arose, and rebuked (spoke to) the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mk. 4:39).

Conclusion: In this day and hour in which we live, these gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary to bring about that which God desires to do in the earth.

Watch out for the edition of Good News from the pulpit!

• Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI    (Head Pastor)                              19.08. 2018