WHAT IS The Gift of HEALING?
The gift of healing is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the Body of Christ to serve as human intermediaries through whom it pleases God to cure illness and restore health apart from the use of natural means.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR this Gift
Tap each verse to read it. Unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are in the English Standard Version.
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. 9 And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. 10 They also honored us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed.
SUGGESTED POTENTIAL STRENGTHS & CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS GIFT
- Enjoys and senses the need to pray for the healing of the sick (1 Corinthians 14:1; John 5:14-16).
- Has great faith that God can heal apart from natural means (Acts 3:6).
- Has compassion on others who are sick or suffering and is willing to take time in ministering healing to them (Acts 3:6; 9:32-42).
- Has experienced miraculous healing of their own body.
- Understands that Jesus is the healer and hence faith is directed away from self (Acts 3:12).
SUGGESTED POTENTIAL WEAKNESSES & WARNINGS OF THIS GIFT
- Temptation to pride—boasting after a clear manifestation of the power of God
- Tendency to become critical toward others who try to rationalize sickness or who do not believe in God’s power to heal.
- May become discouraged if healing does not take place.
- Temptation to stop listening to God and operate in his own strength or in the flesh.
- Temptation to doubt God’s power, especially with a drastic sickness or illness.
- Temptation to rush through prayer for the sick and tell the person to “just receive your healing.”
SUGGESTED WAYS TO SERVE BASED ON THIS GIFT
- Healing Ministries
- Altar Work
- Prayer Group Member
- Missions Work
- Hospital Visitation
GOOD BIBLICAL EXAMPLES
PETER & PAUL
*The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016).
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.