~ The Spiritual Gift of Miraculous Powers -- Healing ~
Opening Comment ~ “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18).
Category ~ The broad category is Sign Gifts. The gift of healing is a sub-set of the gift of miraculous powers.
Definition ~ The bestowing of divine power in order to physically heal another.
New Testament Examples ~ There are numerous accounts of healing in the New Testament by both Jesus and by his Apostles.
Scripture ~ In the Gospel of Luke alone we find the account of about twenty of Jesus’ miracles. Four of those miracles which Luke records are healings.
Scripture ~ “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:27-31).
Chapter 13 ends with the “more excellent way” explained: “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Quote ~ “I believe the Holy Spirit gives certain gifts that are peculiar for certain specific ages. No one today has the same gift that Martin Luther had in his day. I think the Spirit of God gives gifts to the body of Christ so that it might function in the age in which it finds itself in order that the whole body might profit from it.” —J. Vernon McGee
Note ~ In our era we can take our needs directly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Physician and Divine Healer. Certainly we can, and should, call upon other believers and the Christian leaders to pray for healing on our behalf. We should place our faith in our Lord and Savior and not in any specific person. Where do you place your faith?
Closing Comments ~ “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).
“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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