Gifts of Healings: Power for Multitudes
- Michael E.B. Maher
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Acts 28:8-9 “And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. (9) So, when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.”
The above quoted passage of scripture is a classic example of how this gift operates. We quoted this passage earlier to show how the apostle Paul administered healing to Publius’ father using the prayer of faith. Nevertheless as we can see, the account doesn’t end there, for this passage teaches us that when word got out about Paul’s ability to heal the sick, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came to be healed. Paul knew that he was anointed with the gifts of healings and was therefore not at all pressured when the multitudes came to him to be healed, for he knew that the Holy Spirit would use him in that manner. The only hindrance that prevents the unsaved from receiving their healing through this method is unbelief. Clearly there was no unbelief present on this occasion, because this passage implies that all who came to Paul were healed.
Acts 8:5-8 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. (6) And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (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. (8) And there was great joy in that city.”
The second example of the operation of this gift which we will discuss is recorded in the above quoted passage of scripture. In this account we see Philip the evangelist going down to the city of Samaria to preach the gospel. If you read the full account in scripture you will see that Philip conducted numerous meetings over a period of time in that city. As with Paul, Philip knew that he was anointed with this gift specifically to heal those who were lame and paralysed. Nevertheless in order for the gift to be able to operate, Philip would have needed to administer healing one on one using the prayer of faith first. And only after successfully healing one or two individuals using that method would word have gone out that Philip could heal the sick. As word got out, more and more people then came to his meetings to be healed by him. Unlike in Paul’s case however, this passage declares that many (not all) were healed under Philip’s ministry. And so it is evident that even though many were healed that there must still have been a degree of sceptism present, which therefore prevented everyone from being healed.
Matthew 4:23-24 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. (24) Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.”
The gift of healings is highly sought after, and so when someone is identified as having this gift their reputation quickly spreads as more and more people come to be healed. In the above quoted passage of scripture we see that truth confirmed to us, for this passage declares that because Jesus’ reputation for healing the sick went throughout Syria, multitudes came to Him to be healed. There is another aspect to this particular phenomenon, which is that as the person’s reputation for healing spreads, the expectation for healing increases. In other words the faith of those coming for their healing is strengthened, as they hear of more and more incidents of healing taking place through the individual who has this gift. We see that particular truth also confirmed in this passage, for it is implied that because of His reputation to heal the sick, all who came to Jesus were healed.
Mark 5:25-34 “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, (26) and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. (27) When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. (28) For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." (29) Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. (30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?" (31) But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' “(32) And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. (33) But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (34) And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
One who operates in the gifts of healings is specifically anointed by the Holy Spirit to heal the sick, which means that they are carriers of God’s healing power. And so potentially anyone who comes into contact with them can draw on that healing power and be healed. The above quoted passage of scripture is a very good illustration of this principle. Our Lord Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit with the spiritual gifts of healings (Acts 10:38). And so He constantly carried God’s healing power wherever He went. In this passage we see that the woman with the flow of blood touched our Lord’s clothes, and the moment she did that the healing power that our Lord was carrying flowed out of Him into her body and instantly healed her. So what caused God’s healing power to flow from Jesus into her body. It was her action of faith, for the scripture says that she heard about Jesus. In other words this woman had heard about Jesus’ power to heal the sick, but more specifically she had heard about the tangible healing power that flowed out of Him even when one just touched His clothes (Luke 6:19). Because she believed what she had heard, she was fully convinced that if she just touched the Lord’s clothes that she too would be healed. And so we see that the Lord Jesus had nothing to do with this incident of healing except to be the conduit for God’s healing power to flow through Him into her body. From this account we can clearly see that unlike the method of healing using the prayer of faith, the outcome of this method of healing is more reliant on the faith of the one receiving healing, rather than the faith of the one being used to heal, for on this occasion Jesus’ faith was not involved at all.
Acts 5:14-16 “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, (15) so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. (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.”
The above quoted passage of scripture is another illustration of the principle that the outcome of this method of healing is more reliant on the faith of the one receiving healing, rather than the faith of the one being used to heal. In this instance we see that the apostle Peter was so anointed by the Holy Spirit, that just his shadow falling on the sick as he walked past them would cause them to receive their healing from the Lord. In other words Peter was not praying for these individuals; he was just walking past them. So why did this phenomenon occur? The same principle applied here as with the Lord Jesus. Word got out that Peter was anointed to heal the sick, and as his reputation spread, more and more people came to him expecting to be healed. Eventually the faith levels were so high in Peter’s anointing to heal, that even his shadow touching people was enough to trigger their faith to be activated thus drawing on the healing power that Peter was carrying. There can be no doubt that when this gift is fully manifested that the incidents of healing can be truly phenomenal, both in power and in scope.
Michael E.B. Maher
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