Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Does Divine Healing Still Happen?
The Bible contains many accounts of supernatural deliverance and divine healing. Not surprisingly, these stories are interpreted in many different ways. Some people believe the stories are simply myths or tall tales. A great many others believe these miracles and healings actually took place, but that such things no longer occur. Still others are convinced that deliverance and divine healing still take place. How can such a question be settled? Isn’t the proof of the pudding in the eating?
Perhaps many people struggle with the idea of divine healing simply because they have not had any personal, real-life encounters with healing. Allow me to illustrate:
In the mid-80s, while helping build a church, I was endeavoring to install three 4-way switches. This kind of switch works in combination with two other switches, allowing a light to be turned on or off from three different locations. As a veteran builder and I discussed the proper wiring for these switches, a computer technician who had volunteered to help joined our conversation. The technician was familiar with electrical engineering and technical wiring diagrams but did not have any experience in wiring commercial buildings. As the experienced builder explained how he thought the switches ought to be wired, the technician became increasingly confused. He then began drawing diagrams of what he was being told. Based on his experience and the diagrams he had drawn, he did not believe the switches could work if wired as recommended. After a lengthy discussion the technician returned to his calculating and his diagrams while the builder and I began installing the switches. An hour later, as the builder and I successfully turned the newly wired lights on and off from all three locations, the technician was still arguing that the wiring application would not work. What was the problem? The wiring did not compute within the technician’s realm of experience. He couldn’t make it work within the constructs with which he was familiar. The truth was, obviously, that the switches worked and that they could be schematically represented by someone with more knowledge or experience.
Could it be that many people forfeit opportunities to be healed by God simply because they have not ever seen anyone healed as a result of prayer? Could it be that some people do not believe in healing because it does not compute in their analytical minds? Have you ever noticed that while some are arguing as to whether or not healings still take place, others are believing, praying and seeing the supernatural take place in their personal situations?
Several weeks ago “Rejoice” Hour of Prayer and Care Group, of Worcester MA, and Acts II Ministries, of Thompson CT, sponsored a meeting at a hotel in Worcester. Amongst those who attended were Catholics, Pentecostals, Apostolics, Baptists and Greek Orthodox believers. Their sole purpose for meeting was to pray for people who needed healing. The concept of divine healing was addressed as the meeting began. It was suggested that: since Jesus healed people and then told his disciples that they would do the same… and since St James directed church elders to pray for the sick… and since the Apostles routinely healed the sick… that divine healing should be a part of the believers’ life today.
Before the prayer time began several attendees who live in Southern New England were given an opportunity to share some true, modern-day, personal experiences:
A mother of 4, who lives in Putnam, told of being completely deaf in one ear due to an infection. The doctor told her she would never recover. She was prayed for at a Bible study and several weeks later her hearing suddenly returned.
A former Catholic nun, who now resides in Webster, told of how, years ago, her young son was completely healed of 2nd degree burns within a few hours. Not only was he healed, but his skin resumed its normal color.
A Woodstock resident, and mother of three, described the difficulty and worry surrounding the first few years of her son’s life due to severe asthma that often required hospitalization. The doctor informed her that the boy would not outgrow the condition. She prayed for healing. Months later it dawned on her that her son was not longer having difficulty with his breathing. Upon re-examination the doctor told her he believed her son had been healed. Her son is now almost a teenager and he is still asthma-free.
One man described how he, as a Charlton teen, had more than 40 warts on his hands. He tried many cures. One church service he was prayed for, and within days the warts began drying up – never to return.
A Thompson businessman related his bout with prostrate cancer that included two surgeries and the prognosis that he would never father children. Fourteen years ago the members of Acts II Ministries prayed for his healing and he is now the father of three.
A woman from Southbridge told of being healed of a pituitary tumor and another told of God healing her from life-threatening seizures just a couple years ago.
A chiropractor from Worcester told us how the doctor had discovered as cist in her sinus cavity just a few months ago, but before scheduling an operation she was prayed for in her prayer group and the cist disappeared.
Another Worcester resident described his deliverance from a deep, clinical depression.
Yes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The above examples may not be easily explained, but they are a matter of record in the lives of those who believed and prayed. After hearing the stories mentioned above, it was easy for us to pray, in faith, for God to intervene in the lives of our friends and acquaintances who were in need. We have already heard one report of healing due to our meeting.
It should be mentioned that believing is never easy. Not every prayer is answered as clearly as those above. It should also be pointed out that some people’s confusion might stem from the fact that God does not perform miracles at the whim of man nor for the skeptic who is demanding for God to prove Himself. Those who pray in faith do not hold God hostage in any way; they simply ask and He responds as He sees fit. Often, the result is divine deliverance or healing in our contemporary world.
Perhaps many people struggle with the idea of divine healing simply because they have not had any personal, real-life encounters with healing. Allow me to illustrate:
In the mid-80s, while helping build a church, I was endeavoring to install three 4-way switches. This kind of switch works in combination with two other switches, allowing a light to be turned on or off from three different locations. As a veteran builder and I discussed the proper wiring for these switches, a computer technician who had volunteered to help joined our conversation. The technician was familiar with electrical engineering and technical wiring diagrams but did not have any experience in wiring commercial buildings. As the experienced builder explained how he thought the switches ought to be wired, the technician became increasingly confused. He then began drawing diagrams of what he was being told. Based on his experience and the diagrams he had drawn, he did not believe the switches could work if wired as recommended. After a lengthy discussion the technician returned to his calculating and his diagrams while the builder and I began installing the switches. An hour later, as the builder and I successfully turned the newly wired lights on and off from all three locations, the technician was still arguing that the wiring application would not work. What was the problem? The wiring did not compute within the technician’s realm of experience. He couldn’t make it work within the constructs with which he was familiar. The truth was, obviously, that the switches worked and that they could be schematically represented by someone with more knowledge or experience.
Could it be that many people forfeit opportunities to be healed by God simply because they have not ever seen anyone healed as a result of prayer? Could it be that some people do not believe in healing because it does not compute in their analytical minds? Have you ever noticed that while some are arguing as to whether or not healings still take place, others are believing, praying and seeing the supernatural take place in their personal situations?
Several weeks ago “Rejoice” Hour of Prayer and Care Group, of Worcester MA, and Acts II Ministries, of Thompson CT, sponsored a meeting at a hotel in Worcester. Amongst those who attended were Catholics, Pentecostals, Apostolics, Baptists and Greek Orthodox believers. Their sole purpose for meeting was to pray for people who needed healing. The concept of divine healing was addressed as the meeting began. It was suggested that: since Jesus healed people and then told his disciples that they would do the same… and since St James directed church elders to pray for the sick… and since the Apostles routinely healed the sick… that divine healing should be a part of the believers’ life today.
Before the prayer time began several attendees who live in Southern New England were given an opportunity to share some true, modern-day, personal experiences:
A mother of 4, who lives in Putnam, told of being completely deaf in one ear due to an infection. The doctor told her she would never recover. She was prayed for at a Bible study and several weeks later her hearing suddenly returned.
A former Catholic nun, who now resides in Webster, told of how, years ago, her young son was completely healed of 2nd degree burns within a few hours. Not only was he healed, but his skin resumed its normal color.
A Woodstock resident, and mother of three, described the difficulty and worry surrounding the first few years of her son’s life due to severe asthma that often required hospitalization. The doctor informed her that the boy would not outgrow the condition. She prayed for healing. Months later it dawned on her that her son was not longer having difficulty with his breathing. Upon re-examination the doctor told her he believed her son had been healed. Her son is now almost a teenager and he is still asthma-free.
One man described how he, as a Charlton teen, had more than 40 warts on his hands. He tried many cures. One church service he was prayed for, and within days the warts began drying up – never to return.
A Thompson businessman related his bout with prostrate cancer that included two surgeries and the prognosis that he would never father children. Fourteen years ago the members of Acts II Ministries prayed for his healing and he is now the father of three.
A woman from Southbridge told of being healed of a pituitary tumor and another told of God healing her from life-threatening seizures just a couple years ago.
A chiropractor from Worcester told us how the doctor had discovered as cist in her sinus cavity just a few months ago, but before scheduling an operation she was prayed for in her prayer group and the cist disappeared.
Another Worcester resident described his deliverance from a deep, clinical depression.
Yes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The above examples may not be easily explained, but they are a matter of record in the lives of those who believed and prayed. After hearing the stories mentioned above, it was easy for us to pray, in faith, for God to intervene in the lives of our friends and acquaintances who were in need. We have already heard one report of healing due to our meeting.
It should be mentioned that believing is never easy. Not every prayer is answered as clearly as those above. It should also be pointed out that some people’s confusion might stem from the fact that God does not perform miracles at the whim of man nor for the skeptic who is demanding for God to prove Himself. Those who pray in faith do not hold God hostage in any way; they simply ask and He responds as He sees fit. Often, the result is divine deliverance or healing in our contemporary world.
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