Opus15, Spiritual Gifts: Healing

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to everyone.  The main passages if you want to read them are Romans 12: 6-8, I Corinthians 12:1-11, Ephesians 4:11-12, and I Peter 4:8-11.  There are other possible lists.  People would disagree on whether all the gifts are listed or the lists are suggestive.  In secular terms we might consider them talents.  In Christian terms they always have an application that edifies and builds up the Body of Christ.  Each person has at least one.  No one has all of them.  No one gift is possessed by everyone.

One of the spiritual gifts is healing. 

(1 Corinthians 12:9 KJV)  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

This says that some people have a special power from God to bring health to others.  There are a lot of showmen who make a circus of this.  You can safely assume that they don’t have the gift of healing but have the gift of smoke and mirrors along with the gift of ego.  I have only had a few reliable brushes with people who have experienced this gift.  Their physical bodies have been touched and “fixed.”  None of the cases I have heard of were instant healings but the change was definite and a clear act of supernatural power.  I think the best doctors and nurses have this gift.  They may not know it, but there are things that happen in their offices and operating rooms that cannot be explained by medicine.

There are sights such as Lourdes in France that are associated with healing.  I understand that the Catholic church keeps careful records of people claiming to be healed there.  They make sure that they were really sick in the first place and check for proof of the healing.  The Church does not take it lightly so they can safely document many healings.

One of the interesting things about spiritual gifts is that every gift has a corresponding duty in the believer.  Thus some may have the gift of giving, all are expected to tithe.  Some may be gifted with evangelism, all are expected to witness.  I am expected to pray for people’s healing.  Recently we had the child of a friend involved in a motor cycle accident.  I have family members who have serious issues.  Although I don’t have the gift of healing, I am to intercede for them. 

We can also ask for God’s touch for ourselves.  Recently I went for a second try at donating blood.  The last time I went in I was told that my blood was too iron rich, the opposite of anemia.  They refused to take my blood.  I decided to try it again but asked for the Lord’s touch as I drove to the clinic.  My iron level was fine.  Miracle of healing?  We will never know but it sounds like it to me. 

How many times have we prayed about something and forgot about it.  God answered and we did not notice.  I think He might appreciate a word of thanks now and then. 

Theology, Spiritual Gifts, NT 07 I Corinthians 12