Healing, and the Gifts of Healing
Trivia Question: What disciple did prayer cloths originate from?
(Answer found at bottom)
Isaiah 53:5 King James Version (KJV)
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
We are healed because of the stripes Jesus bared on that old rugged cross. Old Testament saints were healed because they were looking forward to the messiah. We are healed today because the messiah has already arrived. Thank God that we can believe in healing today because of what Jesus did on his way to the cross and on the cross.
1 Peter 2:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for since because he had not sinned. Now as Christians we need to be focused on walking in righteousness.
James 5:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 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.
This is why we anoint people with oil. We need to do it in the name of the Lord. It’s something that Jesus commands. Remember we just need faith the size of a grain of mustard seed to say to this mountain move and it shall move. However, it’s not just as simple as that. It needs to be accordance to Gods will. If it’s not in accordance to his will, then we can do nothing. We can do nothing on our own.
Our blessing are up in heaven, and if we don’t pray for those blessings then they won’t come down. Remember God says we have not because we ask not.
God will sometimes heal the unbeliever to make them a believer. Thats why we can pray for others and expect them to be healed.
Confess your sins that you may be healed. We are commanded to confess our faults. None of us are perfect but when we confess our faults and have an accountability partner, it helps us live a better life.
Acts 19:11-12 King James Version (KJV)
11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Paul was so anointed that the cloths he touched were used to heal people. This is where prayer cloths originated from. Its interesting to note that when people prayed for healing evil spirits departed from the sick. Demons can possess people and can make those people sick and diseased. So sometimes you need to pray against an evil spirit as much as you need to pray for the healing itself.
1 Corinthians 12:9 King James Version (KJV)
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
You have to have the Holy Spirit to have the Gift(s). Do you have the Holy Spirit? How do you know? Remember when Jesus is our personal Lord and savior then we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came the moment Jesus resurrected. The baptism came on the day of Pentecost.
There is just sometimes straight prayer, and then there is the gift. The gift is used by an individual. Sometimes it’s not just one shoe fits all. Notice that it says gifts and not gift. So some interpret this as there’s like a gift of healing for lung cancer, there is a gift of healing for the eyes.
Matthew 10:1 King James Version (KJV)
10 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Once again we see casting out of evil spirits create healing. The Apostles used the name of Jesus to achieve this. Remember the Holy Spirit had yet to come.
It’s also interesting to note that Judas the one who betrayed Jesus was told to cast out demons as well. So we can assume he healed people as well. Later he betrayed Jesus. This is just proof God can use anybody to perform his work.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 King James Version (KJV)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
This says there is a thorn in Paul’s flesh. Some people believe that Paul was stricken with some type of eye problem later in life. So its interesting to note that the same Paul who used prayer cloths to heal people, is the same Paul believed by some to have an eye problem. God did this so that Paul would stay humble. Maybe that’s why we don’t see healings today, because one takes place people focus on the individual who was used to perform the miracle and not the God who actually performed it,.
James 4:6 King James Version (KJV)
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.