Sick Are Healed

We have come to the conclusion, the final day of these specific devotions. We have also been granted to see the end of the first week of June. As our Holy Spirit continues to rein us in and saturate us with His abiding, everlasting, life-giving truth, we acknowledge Him and give Him all praise and thanks.

Holy Father, thank You for Your precious, powerful Gift. We believe and receive! Amen!

We now enter into the final sign, as stated in the words of Jesus to His disciples. In My Name they will place their hands on the sick and they will get well. Again, we are reminded that this has been spoken only of believers. Jesus was clear to stipulate and specify this fact. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. I believe that this is one of the signs which is practiced or seen most readily. 

I offer you just two Scripture texts and ask whether or not these refer to the sign of the people being healed in Jesus’ Name through the placing of hands on the sick. James 5: 14 – 15. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.  

Like many of you, I personally know believers who have the gift of healing and who go around praying for one’s ailments and anointing the sick in the Name of Jesus. Recently, I had the opportunity of meeting a few people who were leaving a church hall, after having a one-day retreat. This retreat was specifically for men and women of God, called to preach His Word.  One of the lay preachers saw me walking and asked about my obvious pain and discomfort in walking or hopping along. She, lamentingly said, O dear, if I had known, we could have got our sister, calling her name, to pray for your knee. This was most kind and thoughtful of her, but I was made quite unsettled not satisfied, when the Holy Spirit told me that every single person in whom He dwells, can pray for the sick and He will confirm that prayer by making the sick well.

I understood much more about the signs the Holy Spirit gives to believers. Yes, there is the gift of healing given to the members in the church. 1 Corinthians 12: 28 & 30. And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?  No, this is not the individual gift of healing, given to some and not to others. This is a sign of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which will accompany all believers who know Jesus’ Baptism, as Jesus said would be the case. 

Earlier, mention was made of the miracle wrought by Peter and John, in the Name of Jesus. Peter placed his hands on the crippled beggar, helped him to get up, and instantly the feet and ankles of the crippled man were strengthened and the man began to walk and jump about with praise and thanks to God.  He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. Acts 3: 8. I know that many of you know this Pentecostal miracle,  but are you fully aware that it is one of the five signs spoken of by Jesus, which will accompany all who believe?  If this means that healing is a given sign, then these disciples have taken their Risen, Ascended and Descended in Spirit Lord’s Word as what they have in their newly received spiritual power. Peter is so filled with the Holy Indwelling Spirit, everyday walk and talk becomes spiritual.

This is the case of every Spirit-filled believer, for Jesus has said so, and He does not deceive or mislead anyone. His Word is infallible, undeniable and capable of accomplishing what it says.   

Fellow believers, filled with the Baptism of Jesus, in His Name these signs will accompany you, if you believe. In Jesus’ Name, you will drive out demons; you will speak in new tongues; you will pick up snakes with your hands; and when you drink deadly poison, it will not hurt you at all; you will place your hands on sick people, and they will get well.

Take the Lord at His Word; do His work; be His bold and brave witnesses and see how the Lord will work with you, confirming His word by signs that accompany it.