Gifts of Healings
.... Each spiritual gift is given by the will of the Holy Spirit, on each and every occasion, rather than becoming an entitlement or an ability to be used at our own, human discretion (1 Corinthians 12:11). So while God allows us to flow in certain spiritual gifts very freely (speaking in tongues being the best example), He keeps the usage of other gifts much more directly under His control. These particular gifts are the ones that have the most dramatic impact on other people’s lives. We discussed the working of miracles in our previous two postings, and in this posting we’ll discuss gifts of healings:
.... "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all . . . to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit . . . but one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
(1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
.... At once, you may have noticed the 'double plural' that is used in describing this gift. For it is not called the ‘gift of healing' as though a spirutal ability had been limitlessly delegated, or ‘gifts of healing' as though it could be used many times in a single type of application, or ‘the gift of healings' as though it could be used just once with multiple effects, but rather it is described with a very clear emphasis on the singular nature of each and every occurrence: gifts of healings. .
.... Each time a healing is given it is a separate, distinct gift in itself, granted by God, even if He works through the same person often in ministering this gift, and even if He uses them in many different types of healings. Therefore this minister must always regard his ministry as a partnership in which God is by far the senior partner, and they must always seeking to please Him.
.... Each time a healing is given it is a separate, distinct gift in itself, granted by God, even if He works through the same person often in ministering this gift, and even if He uses them in many different types of healings. Therefore this minister must always regard his ministry as a partnership in which God is by far the senior partner, and they must always seeking to please Him.
.... "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."
(Isaiah 53:5)
.... Healing takes us into the realm of the miraculous, so let's also remember (from our previous posting) that miracles are always designed to carry a testimony. And since all healing has been purchased through the stripes that Jesus received, a miraculous healing of any type provides an opportunity for the gospel to be proclaimed..
.... Simply to know God’s heart in this matter, we may readily understand that He would not want this correlation to be missed, nor would He want the opportunity to proclaim the gospel to be wasted:
.... "Go into all the world and preach the gospel . . . and these signs will follow those who believe: In My name . . . they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
(Mark 16:15-18)
.... Conversely, if it is known in advance that a healing will be needed, a wise minister would seek God about it in prayer and do his best to tailor his message to address this need. This would set the stage for gifts of healings to follow as a confirmation to the word that is preached.
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Daily Bible Reading: Galatians 4
posted by Cleopas at 12:09 AM
2 Comments:
Healings follow the preaching of the gospel very readily, because they are a sign to prove that the gospel message is true. However, ‘gifts of healings’, as a spiritual gift, may actually have a different focus. Instead of evangelism, they may be intended for use within the church itself, for those who have already been Christians for some time, as in the example below:
”Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
(Phil 2:25-30)
In this passage, we see that sickness is not an indication of sin or the devil (as some Christians seem to believe). Epaphroditus was both sick and fully commended! In fact, because of the work of Christ he was laying down his life to minister, and this is as Christ-like as one can get!
This may also be the testimony that God has connected with the gift, as a sign to the Philippians and even to ourselves, to this day.
By
Cleopas, at 12/26/2005 12:11 AM
Let’s also recall our analogy about gift giving:
Let's say you invited someone to lunch, and you offered to pay for it. We would say that you made them a gift of that meal, and of course your desire for fellowship was one of the main reasons behind this meal.
Now let's say you took them out again a week later because you enjoyed their company. If you did this, the second meal would be considered an additional gift – even if you ate exactly the same thing again.
In the weeks that followed, you might even decide to take them to lunch frequently, but even so, you would not necessarily be giving them a meal ticket. Each time you invited them, a distinct, new gift would be given: each meal would be considered a new gift. And you would probably be disappointed if they quickly lost the focus on fellowship, and the meal became all that mattered to them.
This is the sense in which we should understand the giving of spiritual gifts, an their intention, from God’s perspective, to build a relationship.
By
Cleopas, at 12/26/2005 12:12 AM
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