Acts 3:6-8 “Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." (7) And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. (8) So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God.”
Acts 5:12-16 “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. … (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.”
Acts 8:5-7 “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.”
Acts 9:32-34 “Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. (33) There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. (34) And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately.”
Acts 14:8-10 “And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. (9) This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, (10) said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked.”
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.”
In the book of Acts there are only six specific recorded accounts of healings taking place, and I have listed each one of those accounts in the scriptures quoted above. There are other accounts of inferences to healings, such as the Lord working special miracles through the hands of Paul in that Paul laid his hands on cloths to heal people, but I am referring to specific accounts in scripture of healings taking place in the early church. It is extremely significant that the Holy Spirit has recorded these accounts for us. So why do I say that? The reason is because, besides the fact that each is an account of someone being healed, there is one other significant common denominator for each account. So what is that common denominator? Each account is a record of believers being used by the Lord to heal the unsaved. And so by recording these accounts for us, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing to us that the church’s mandate is to lay their hands on the sick that are among the unsaved. Someone will say, but what about the sick among those who are saved? We will discuss the answer to that question in more detail in a later section, but suffice it to say for now that believers have the right to walk in divine health and should therefore not need to have hands laid on them for healing. Nevertheless the bible does make provision for hands to be laid on believers for healing as well.
Michael E.B. Maher
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