I. HEALING

  A. WHAT IT IS NOT

1. NOT SIMPLY MEDICAL SCIENCE
Let me first say that I believe in medical science, and I encourage sick people to visit a medical doctor.  However, this gift cannot simply be medical science because any sinner can learn medical science without the leading or the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, there is sometimes a supernatural element at the root of some diseases which cannot be dealt with by medical science.  Such disease cannot be cured by any natural knowledge, natural treatment, or other method of natural man.

2. NOT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
This gift is not Christian Science (so called).  Christian Science is a misnomer. It is neither Christian nor scientific. It is similar to a guinea pig which is neither a guinea nor a pig. It is similar to Grape-Nuts which is neither grapes nor nuts.  Christian Science is not Christian because it denies the deity of Christ, denies the fact of sin, and denies the blood atonement of Christ.  Christian Science is not scientific because it employs a system of mind cure in which a happy frame of mind is supposed to cure sickness. There is no doubt that worry, fear, hatred, and other negative emotions can cause physical problems and may prevent a person from the natural recovery from an illness.  Many times, removing these negative emotions can have a healing effect on a person if the illness is psychosomatic.  However, this method does not work on real sickness and disease.  It is not the gift of healing.  

3. NOT SPIRITISM
The gift of healing is not spiritism which sometimes seems to cure the sick. When spiritism is used, the trouble only moves around the body leaving the patient possessed with many other troubles than at the beginning.  Spiritism often brings a patient to an early death. Spiritism is of the devil and according to John 10:10 the devil's motives are to steal, kill, and destroy.  The devil may give one the feeling or the idea of being healed, but it is only temporary and it opens the door to something worse.  Matt.12:26 tells us that Satan does not come to cast out himself. 

4. NOT EXTREME UNCTION
The Roman Catholic Church practices a sacrament known as Extreme Unction in which a priest visits the sick just before death and anoints the dying with oil.  This sacrament is never given to bring healing but to prepare the sick for death. The pretense for this "unction" of dying men is supposedly taken from James 5:14-15, but when this passage is quoted it becomes obvious that the sacrament of Extreme Unction does not find its roots in the scriptures. The passage reads, "Is any sick among you? ...let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall RAISE HIM UP." Now, it is evident that this prayer and anointing were intended for the RECOVERY of the sick and not merely as a preparation for death. The "Extreme Unction" of Rome is not intended for healing or recovery but for preparation of death when all hope of recovery is supposedly gone, and death is seen as imminent.  There is no expectation of healing when the Roman sacrament of Extreme Unction is administered.  It is not in the least bit associated with God's gifts of healing. 

  B. WHAT IT IS

1. DEFINITION
The Spiritual gift of healing is the supernatural manifestation of the Spirit of God that miraculously brings healing and deliverance from disease and infirmities whether functional, organic, or nervous.  It is the power of God that destroys the work of the devil in the human body.

2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this gift is to prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:15-16, Heb.13:8), to prove His power to forgive sins (Mark 2:10), to build faith and save souls (John 6:2), to confirm the Word of God (Mark 16:17-20), and to bring glory to God (Mark 2:12).

3. OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
2Kings 5 records the prophet Elisha telling Naaman to go and wash 7 times in the Jordan River. Afterwards he was to receive healing.  When Naaman complied, the Lord healed him.
Isaiah 38:1-6 tells how Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and besought God alone for healing.  The Lord sent Isaiah the prophet with a healing balm which God used to heal Hezekiah and add 15 more years to his life.
There are other accounts of healing in the life of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and others in the Old Testament.

4. NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
Acts 28:1-7 gives the account of Paul on the island of Melitus laying his hands on Publius who was very sick with a fever and a bloody flux, and he was healed.  This caused the people to bring many others for healing. Notice that it was a spiritual gift and not Luke's medicine kit that healed the people on this island.
Acts 3:1-10 gives the account of Peter taking a lame man by the hand and leading him to be healed in the name of Jesus. It was Luke the physician who stated the man's condition both before and after the healing.  He gave all praise and glory to God for this marvelous work.
Acts 9:32-35 reveals Peter speaking to a man who had been bedfast for 8 years and saying, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: Arise and take thy bed."  This caused the people of two cities to turn to the Lord.
Acts 8:6-7 reveals the ministry of a deacon in the early church named Philip.  He was not an apostle or a prophet, he was just a deacon, a servant of God.  The lame and those who were sick with palsy were healed under his ministry.