The next gift of the Holy Spirit is that of the healing: “…to another, gifts of healing by that one Spirit.” (1Cor 12:9 NIV).
The Gifts of Healing
When people hear of the gift of healing, they assume it is the healing of a physical ailment. While I agree with that, I also believe that healing can be emotional. If you reread 1 Cor 12:9, you will see that the gifting is plural – there are gifts of healing.
My experience has been that people with a healing gift often have it for specific diseases. I once met a guy who had great success seeing people with cancer get healed. His wife prayed for couples who could not have children and saw many conceive. It doesn’t mean they don’t heal other diseases, but they had an anointing for these specific issues. They are not alone. I know many people who have tremendous success with one condition over another. Because of that, people often explain that the “gifts of healing” are for specific diseases. For example, someone may say that they have the gifts for cancer and autoimmune diseases meaning the “gifts” get divided by the illnesses. However, I have a different theory.
The biblical definition of healing in Greek means: “to be healed,” but it also means “to be freed.” We can be free of illnesses, but what about someone with other debilitating issues such as fear, anxiety, anorexia, bulimia, OCD, addiction, etc. These issues are not necessarily considered a physical sickness like a broken bone, heart disease, or dementia, but they can control a person’s life, making them miserable. In church circles, this is often classified as “deliverance.” You may hear people say, “I was delivered from anxiety.” Well, if the definition of healing is “to be freed,” then wouldn’t it encompass deliverance? By name, deliverance did not make Paul’s list but perhaps, he considered it one of the gifts of healing…food for thought…
Healing
Healing takes place throughout the Bible. The Old Testament tells of Hannah, the Shunammite woman, and Abraham and Sarah, healing from bareness. King Hezekiah’s prayers led to his recovery from a terminal illness, and King David and Aaron stopped the plagues. King Nebuchadnezzar was afflicted with madness for seven years when God restored him.
The New Testament is full of healing. Jesus healed the deaf, dumb, blind, a woman with an issue of blood, a paralyzed man, and “great multitudes,” as the scripture states. Peter, John, Stephen, Philip, and Barnabas all healed people. Mark 16:17 states that one sign of being a believer is that they will heal the sick.
My Stories of Healing
Since healing is self-explanatory, I thought I would tell my own stories of being healed.
When I was in my late 20s, I developed some sort of intestinal problem. I did not get it diagnosed, but I’m sure it was irritable bowel syndrome. I have a relative who struggled with it and had the same symptoms. It began as an occasional bout of diarrhea, so I didn’t think much of it. But then it happened monthly, weekly, and more than once a week. I was exhausted and afraid to attend social functions. Flat out – it sucked!
One night, after spending hours in the bathroom and being thoroughly exhausted, I plopped down on the couch. I was frustrated and didn’t know what to do. Finally, I put my hands on my intestines and said, “In the name of Jesus, go.” That was it, and two things happened simultaneously. First, I heard a noise from my abdomen that sounded like sloshing water. Second, I also felt something move. It didn’t hurt, but it was weird, and I didn’t know what to make of it. But it was the last time I ever dealt with this issue! I am healed!
Foot Pain
I spent several years as a landscaper and was on a job that had a short steep hill. To make it up the slope with a wheelbarrow filled with mulch, I had to take a few steps back and make a running start. Shortly after, the bottoms of my feet began to hurt. At first, it wasn’t bad, but with each passing day, the pain worsened until I could barely walk. Of course, I couldn’t be in bare feet as that increased the pain. In the morning, I would put my boots on, and it would take an hour before I stopped hobbling around, but the pain persisted through the day.
During that time, I ministered at the Healing Rooms, where people came in for prayer. I was sitting in a chair when the director asked me to do something that required standing. I told him I couldn’t stand up and explained the situation. He had me put my feet up on his lap, where he stared at them for about a minute. Then, suddenly, he takes his finger and points to a spot on the side of my left calf. “Right there,” he says, as he sees (in his mind’s eye) an area on the side of my calf. I then remembered that the night before the pain began, I woke up at midnight with pain in the exact spot he put his finger on. It felt like something was drilling into my calf. It was achy enough to keep me up for two hours. I have no idea how that would have affected my right foot, but my friend prayed, and I hobbled out to my car and left.
The following day I got out of bed and went to my dresser to grab my clothes. As I headed for the shower, I realized I was not hobbling and entirely pain-free!
I also have a great story of freedom from fear and panic attacks. Unfortunately, it is too long to include in this post, so it will get a separate one.
Until next time under the palm, be blessed!
