The Gifts of Healings and Miracles

LESSON 3

You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.

In this edition, we continue with our series on The Gifts of the Spirit. The topic for this study is: The Gifts of Healings and Miracles. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul listed several spiritual gifts which are manifested in the body of Christ. These spiritual gifts include the following: "12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; TO ANOTHER THE GIFTS OF HEALING BY THE SAME SPIRIT;

12:10 TO ANOTHER THE WORKING OF MIRACLES; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:"

(1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Capital Emphasis Added) The passage above, coupled with several others (see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11), outline various spiritual gifts that are provided by the Holy Spirit to members of the body of Christ. The focus of this study will be on the gifts of healing and the working of miracles. Even though not all works of miracles are healings, many of the miracles that are wrought in Christendom today relates to the healing of the sick. Thus in this study, I want us to consider the manifestation of the gift of miraculous healings that has taken centre stage in the experience of many denominations in Christendom.

The gifts of healing upon a child of God empowers such a person with a special grace such that prayers offered by such an one for the sick usually receives an answer of wellbeing for the sick person. In the Old Testament of the Bible, we find several examples of the manifestation of miraculous healings (see Genesis 20:17-18; 2 Kings 5:1-15; 2 Kings 20:1-7). In the New Testament, we also come across several examples of miraculous healings in relation to the works of Christ (see Matthew 8:1-4; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 8:14-17; Matthew 9:1-8; Matthew 9:20-22; Matthew 9:27-31; Matthew 12:9-14 etcetera). Moreover, when the Saviour was about to ascend to the Father, He gave the following promise to the disciples: "16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER."

(Mark 16:15-18; Capital Emphasis Added) From the passage above, we learn about how miraculous healings were to confirm the work of the apostles as they carried the gospel message to the ends of the world. This promise of Christ was fulfilled as the disciples carried the gospel message to various parts of the world (see Acts 5:12-16). It is important for us to note that this promise of Christ was to also attend every generation of God's people as they moved forward in proclaiming the everlasting gospel to the world (see 1 Corinthians 1:5-8).

Friends, even though the gift of miraculous healings was to attend all generations of God's people, it will not serve as the major criteria in determining the true Spirit of God among the disciples of Christ who will be living at the time of the end. The key reason for this new situation is that Satan will wrought numerous miraculous healings during the time of the end to deceive the masses. The scriptural passages below confirm this position, and warn us of satanic delusions in the end time: i) "24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

24:25 Behold, I have told you before."

(Matthew 24:24-25) ii) "2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) iii) "16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."

(Revelation 16:13-14) iv) "11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15) Friends, the Scriptures above makes it clear that the power that will attend false revivals in these last days will be so close to the original that only the elect of God who have made the Scriptures their safeguard will not be deceived. Moreover, the texts provide a clear insight that those among the remnant of God who will want to see spectacular manifestations of miraculous healings as evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit are bound to be disappointed; for the counterfeit of this gift will be so numerous and akin to the original that God will choose not to work in such a spectacular way among His end time people.

Thus beloved, even though the gift of miraculous healings will continue to exist in God's end time remnant church, it will not be spectacular and overemphasised as we see in other denominations in Christendom. The evidence of the Spirit among God's people living at this end time will rather be seen in their eagerness to carry the gospel message to the ends of the world (see Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8; Revelation 14:6-7). As we heed the gospel commission today as the disciples did in times past, we will experience the miracle of miracles, as persons who were once bound in sin by Satan will be freed by the power of the Holy Spirit to live the new life in Christ.

Exhortation: From the pen of inspiration, we read the following in respect to miraculous healings in the end time:

i) "The sick will be healed before us. Miracles will be performed in our sight. Are we prepared for the trial which awaits us when the lying wonders of Satan shall be more fully exhibited?" -- 1T 302 (1862). {LDE 166.2}

ii) "Men under the influence of evil spirits will work miracles. They will make people sick by casting their spell upon them, and will then remove the spell, leading others to say that those who were sick have been miraculously healed. This Satan has done again and again." -- 2SM 53 (1903). {LDE 166.3}

iii) "Wonderful scenes, with which Satan will be closely connected, will soon take place. God's Word declares that Satan will work miracles. He will make people sick, and then will suddenly remove from them his satanic power. They will then be regarded as healed. These works of apparent healing will bring Seventh-day Adventists to the test." -- 2SM 53 (1904). {LDE 166.4}

iv) "The way in which Christ worked was to preach the Word, and to relieve suffering by miraculous works of healing. But I am instructed that we cannot now work in this way, for Satan will exercise his power by working miracles. God's servants today could not work by means of miracles, because spurious works of healing, claiming to be divine, will be wrought." -- 2SM 54 (1904). {LDE 169.2}

v) God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. -- 9T 16 (1909). {LDE 169.3}

In our next study, we will consider the topic: The Gift of Discerning of Spirit. The Bible Study references for this study are 1 Corinthians 12:10, Acts 16:16-18 and Acts 8:5-23. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Maranatha!

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