Gifts of Healing Part 7 Gifts of Healing

 I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

We’ve been talking about spiritual gifts spoken of in 1 Cor 12, and as we look at them let us not forget their purpose. They are given to exhibit the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst believers, and are used to profit the Body of Christ. The presence of these supernatural manifestations link individuals and  congregations to the one true God of the Apostles.

 

I think a close examination of these “gifts” will show us that they were evidenced in the ministry of the Apostles, and therefore it should not be strange that they would show up in the church at Corinth then and dare I say even in the church of America today!

 

These gifts are listed for us beginning in verse 8 and the fourth is the “gifts of healing”. Note the plural “gifts” These healings were not just physical healings from physical disease and infirmities, but also spiritual deliverance! The entire book of Acts leaves a trail of such healings wherever the Apostles showed up!

 

Some examples: Ac 5:16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

 

Ac 8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

 

Why don’t we see such a trail in the Christian Church in America? I wish I had an answer. Maybe it’s because many people have been ripped off by money grabbers who claim to have the gift. Maybe we view ourselves as “too sophisticated” for this sort of thing. Maybe familiarity breeds contempt. That seemed to be a problem for the healing ministry of Jesus in His hometown! .

 

Mt 13:55 "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 "And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" 57 So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

For what it’s worth, I am one who experienced a physical healing in church. I had been diagnosed with shingles and anyone who has had them knows how painful they are. Our church was having a prayer meeting and I mentioned my infirmity and asked for prayer.

 

People came forward, laid their hands on me and prayed, and I was healed.

 

Here’s one thing I learned from that incident. When it comes to being healed or delivered from physical or spiritual maladies, Listen to what Jesus said in Mt 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

 

Yes, ask, seek, and knock, then rely on the Lord for results. The healing may be instantaneous, or it might come with the ultimate healing when Jesus calls you home. Either way, you have done your part.

 

 I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.