“they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover ” (Mark 16:18b, NKJ)
The fourth gift of the Spirit, the gift of healing, is possibly one of the most misunderstood and misused gifts.
But, before we even begin to discuss the gift of healing, we first need to gain a Biblical perspective of disease and healing.
When Adam sinned whilst in Paradise, his spirit died (Gen 3:3). Thus, through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and death spread to all men because all sinned (Rom 5:12). Every person with a navel is thus born in sin: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Ps 51:5).
Therefore it can be said that no person is without sin (1 Kings 8:46; Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 3:23a). The sting of death is thus the sin that rules in us (1 Cor 15:56a). It is effectively stated in Rom 7:5: sinful passions are at work in our members to bear fruit that leads to death. These fruits are not just fruits of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21) and curses (Deut 28:15), they are also diseases – and the disobedient person will waste away from disease (Deut 32:24).
Disease and the accompanying death are thus the consequences of man’s fallen condition and not only the work of Satan. In many Charismatic circles all sickness is often blamed on Satan – this is not Scriptural. Even God can use sickness if He wants to – see as an example Deut 28:60: “Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.” The Message translation of Job 15:18 states it pertinently: “True, he wounds, but he also dresses the wound; the same hand that hurts you, heals you.”
Ex 15:26 is a very important key in understanding disease and healing: “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
With this, one of the names of God is directly connected to healing! God presents Himself here as Jehova Râphâ: I am the God that healeth thee! The meaning of râphâ in Hebrew is “properly … mend … to cure, cause to heal, make whole” (Strongs). Thayer gives an additional meaning: “to make healthful” – it is thus not just about healing but also prevention!
When David proclaimed these words in Ps 103:2-3: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases”, it undeniably indicates the intention and goodness of God regarding man who is fallen in sin, brokenness and death. In Is 53 it is prophesied about Christ who will come and make possible a new dispensation “for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech 13:1). John the Baptist confirmed that this promise has been fulfilled when he saw Jesus: “The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
Is 53:4-5 spells it out prophetically like this: “surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
Eph 2:1 also says it beautifully: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins …”
Thus, there must be evidence of a clear correlation between spiritual and physical health in those who are born again – 3 John 1:2 says: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
In the prophetic prediction of Jer 33:6 God makes a very important promise to the end-time Bride: “Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” We know that the Bride is represented as the New Jerusalem (yes, it is a people, not a place – Rev 21:2!); the “health and healing” of the city literally means “repairing or restoring”, the words Nehemiah used when he spoke about the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem (chpt 4). (With this the prophecy of Mic 7:11 is settled – more about this later.)
As you begin to understand this connection, then Ps 147:2-3 takes on a whole new prophetic and practical meaning: “The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” For this reason a more extensive practice of the gift of healing is of utmost importance. We’ll come back to this in more detail in the next teaching.
- Sela: With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, try to come to an understanding of all forms of sickness that you might suffer from (physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, generational). Write them down and ask the Lord to make Ps 103:2-3 a reality in your life. Sign up for your own personal RDP from the Heavenly Government: your own Reconstruction and Development Programme J
- Read: Gen 47 and 48; Ps 47 and 48; Matt 18 and 19.
- Memorise: Matt 18:18-20
