Teaching, Preaching, and Healing

How natural it is for us to value the gift over the giver!  When speaking about miraculous healings performed by Jesus Christ or Holy Spirit-filled disciples, we can miss the point of the exercise of spiritual power.  The healing of the body was not the end but a means:  a means to demonstrate the power of God so He might be glorified.  People can fall into the trap of seeing the exercise of spiritual power as the end, rather than the glory of God.

When we focus on a spiritual gift as an end in itself, we miss the purpose God has in giving and the exercise of the gift.  We are like babies who chew on extension cords, not even comprehending there is power flowing between our gums for a better purpose than our teething.  When Jesus healed a blind man, His disciples asked "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  John 9:3 says, "Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  The man was a sinner just like anyone else.  His blindness was not a punishment from God for sin in his family.  He was born blind so the works of God should be revealed in him.  Healing was a tool Jesus used to prove His redemptive power, divinity, and truth.  It would be a grave mistake to think Jesus just went around healing people without teaching and preaching.  Healing was coupled with the preaching of God's Word.  If someone is healed without explanation, the man who did the healing will be honoured.  Jesus did not come to honour Himself, but to glorify His Father in heaven.

The scriptures connect teaching, preaching, and healing.  Matthew 9:35 reads, "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." (Matt. 4:23 also)  What better way to illustrate the power of the Gospel then through healing people?  We see this connection when Peter through the name of Jesus healed the lame man begging at the temple.  After the lame man went into the temple walking, leaping, and praising God, a crowd of curious onlookers gathered.  Seeing the crowd, Peter addressed them concerning the means of this man's miraculous healing in Acts 3:12-15:  "So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. ¹⁴ But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses."

My favourite verse to show this critical connection is contained in the disciples' prayer after being threatened for preaching in Christ's name.  Acts 4:29-31 reads, "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."  Peter, John, and the disciples did not pray for the gift of healing because there were a lot of sick people around.  God has compassion on the sick, don't misunderstand.  But did you see the reason why Peter and the disciples prayed that healings, signs, and wonders would be done through Jesus?  So they with boldness would speak forth God's Word!  I say this is not a primary reason why people want to be healed or see people healed today - that the Word of God would go out with power or that God would be glorified.  Our motives can be far less biblical and even blatantly selfish.  The disciples were described not as going around healing people - though they certainly did - but that they spoke the Word of God with boldness.  God answered their prayer!

God has the power to heal, and it is His will to do so.  When we walk in faith by the Holy Spirit, guided by scriptural motives, desiring God's glory and the promotion of His Word, we will see healing according to His perfect will.  Let's make sure we do not take healing out of the context of scripture and consider God's deep purposes for spiritual gifts.  More than simply alleviating symptoms or improving our lives, healing is a scriptural way to create an attentive audience for the Gospel.  May we with all boldness speak forth God's word as God stretches out His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of God's holy servant Jesus - not for our enjoyment, convenience, amazement, or honour, but the glory of God.