The Many Ways That Jesus Healed
John 20:30
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence
of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31
But these are
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name.
This is
not an exhaustive list of all the ways that lead to
divine healing. Still, It may surprise some that there
are so many. Most Christians limit themselves to
intercessory prayer without realizing that it is only
one of many ways that the Holy Spirit operates. It may
be interesting to note that Scripture does not record
that Jesus ever asked the Heavenly Father to heal
someone.
To an ever-increasing degree, the Holy Spirit is
moving in dramatic ways that are new or unfamiliar to
most of the denominational churches. With this
beginning to happen, many questions are being raised.
Is this of God? Or is it of the devil? Is it according
to the Bible? Should every Christian have a part in
it? Because of my own miraculous healing of cancer in
1977, I became committed to learning all I could about
divine healing and, in time, how to minister in it. It
has been a long but rewarding pursuit to the point
where I now feel directed to help those who may have
the same interest. What follows is a list of some of
the ways that I have come to realize should be
considered by those who would want to understand
divine healing. The approach to healing that we are
presently focused on (but not exclusively) started
when I attended a seminar conducted by the
evangelistic and healing ministry of Charles and
Frances Hunter. [See their homepage www.cfhunter.org]
Following the seminar, the students became the healing
teams that ministered in what they called a "Healing
Explosion meeting." About six thousand people gathered
in the Sports Arena in San Diego, CA. for this event.
As a graduate of the seminar I was one of students
assigned to pray for those who came forward. This was
when I first experienced in a significant way the
healing power of the Holy Spirit. The training
consisted of reading their book, How to Heal the Sick,
watching a twelve-hour videotape, and attending the
seminar where hands were laid on each student for an
anointing for ministering healing.
At our Bible class the following Sunday I found that
I could demonstrate what I had learned, and that
healing took place in the class. In time, I began
teaching and demonstrating what I had learned, and
have become increasingly involved in this practice
since. For a time, we conducted monthly healing
services, and now hold weekly healing classes. Over
time I have seen many people healed, some apparently
not healed, and occasionally genuine miracles.
Although this approach may seem strange - and even
bizarre - to some, it is not offered as a formula, or
a substitute for all other approaches to divine
healing. Therefore, what follows is a look at the ways
Jesus healed and a basis on which something new may be
justifiably incorporated into the healing ministry.
COMMANDING LEGS, HIPS, AND ARMS TO MOVE
This is a significant characteristic of this teaching.
Some question it because they do not find satisfactory
Scriptural evidence for doing it. That it may work is
not sufficient justification for them. Because it
works and, does not violate Scripture, we believe it
can be justified as what the Bible calls a greater
works ministry.
and greater {works} than these shall he do; because I
go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name,
that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son." (John 14:12-13) (NAS)
Everything that Jesus did was not recorded in
Scripture. And there are also many other things which
Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I
suppose that even the world itself would not contain
the books which were written." (John 21:25) (NAS)
God does do new things. God says He does not change.
Therefore, if He did not do new things He would have
changed.
"Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder
things of the past." (Isaiah 43:18) (NAS)
We have learned that when new students see and
experience their legs "growing out," their hips
turning, and their arms "growing out," they are
convinced that the power of the Holy Spirit is present
to heal. We point out that it is the objective
evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit to heal
that which may not be immediately evident.
FALLING UNDER THE POWER
Falling under the power, or perhaps what is more
commonly known as "being slain in the Spirit," is the
experience of the power of God causing the candidate
to apparently swoon or fall backwards to the floor. My
experience is that the muscles of my body become so
relaxed that I could no longer stand up. I have never
become unconscious or disoriented. It is very
euphoric, and there is a sense of complete peace.
There have been occasions when I was unable to get up
for a time. The reason this experience is listed as a
healing approach, is that I have seen the healing take
place while the candidate was on the floor. I have
experienced it dozens of times. And I have seen it
happen innumerable times to others. There are, of
course, those who take exception to this manifestation
with varying degrees of emotion and rhetoric. They do
not see it as being supported by Scripture. Yet here
it is:
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him,
went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus
of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said.
(And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to
the ground. (John 18:4-6) (NIV)
These are the usual proof texts that are used by those
who acknowledge the validity of the experience:
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of
the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased. Hear Him!" And when the disciples
heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly
afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said,
"Arise, and do not be afraid." Matthew 17:5-7) (KJ)
And it came about that as he journeyed, he was
approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him; and he fell to the ground, and
heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?"
And He {said,} "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you
what you must do. " (Acts 9:3-6) (NAS)
Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were
coming upon Him, went forth, and said to them, "Whom
do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene."
He said to them, "I am {He.}" And Judas also who was
betraying Him, was standing with them. When therefore
He said to them, "I am {He}," they drew back, and fell
to the ground. (John 18:4-6) (NAS)
It might also qualify as a "a greater works" ministry.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
{works} than these shall he do; because I go to the
Father. "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I
do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John
14:12-13) (NAS)
However this experience may be viewed, that it is of
God is accepted by multitudes who have discovered that
it is a blessing to be sought.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Probably this is the most common method. It is to ask
God to supply whatever is needed. Intercession is
surely Scriptural and can be used for every
circumstance.
Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven. "Again I say to you,
that if two of you agree on earth about anything that
they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father
who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered
together in My name, there I am in their midst.
(Matthew 18:18-20) (NAS)
( These things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know
that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence
which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us. And if we know
that He hears us {in} whatever we ask, we know that we
have the requests which we have asked from Him. (1
John 5:13-15) (NAS)
THE BAPTISM OF JOY
This phenomena is included in this list because it
appears to be a new move of the Holy Spirit. It is not
new. But it is spreading in charismatic circles. The
Hunters, have recently seen this manifesting in their
healing ministry. In their new book, Holy Laughter,
they tell of miraculous healings that are occurring
spontaneously in those who have been touched in this
way. I first observed it at a seminar conducted by
John Wimber, of Vineyard Ministries, many years ago.
What happens is that there is a spontaneous outbreak
of uncontrollable laughter on some or most of those
present, usually in the larger gatherings. An
evangelist from South Africa, named Rodney
Howard-Browne, has a ministry in spreading this
manifestation. I have not had this experience myself,
but I am seeking it. Charles and Frances Hunter are
seeing this happen in their ministry since they
attended a seminar by Rodney Howard-Brown.
OPERATING UNDER THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
There are times when the power is present in such
force that unusual miracles of healing take place
spontaneously. Katherine Kuhlman's ministry was an
excellent example of this. I saw this happen in one of
our healing services. And it has been happening in our
weekly prayer and healing class.
And it came about one day that He was teaching; and
there were {some} Pharisees and teachers of the law
sitting {there,} who had come from every village of
Galilee and Judea and {from} Jerusalem; and the power
of the Lord was {present} for Him to perform healing.
(Luke 5:17) (NAS)
ANOINTING WITH OIL
Anointing with oil is common in some circles. It is
not usually objected to, but not all groups do it. But
it is Scriptural.
And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out
in pairs; and He was giving them authority over the
unclean spirits; And they were casting out many demons
and were anointing with oil many sick people and
healing them. (Mark 6:7,13) (NAS)
Is anyone among you sick? 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 offered in faith will restore the one who is
sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has
committed sins, they will be forgiven him. (James
5:14-15) NAS)
LAYING ON OF HANDS OR TOUCHING
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest,
cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No
more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed
him. (Luke 22:50-51) (NIV)
When the sun was setting, all those who had any that
were sick with various diseases brought them to Him;
and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed
them. (Luke 4:40) (NKJ)
And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of
a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed,
and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when
this was done, the rest of those on the island who had
diseases also came and were healed. (Acts 28:8-9) (NKJ)
USING SALIVA
If using saliva had not been mentioned in Scripture,
anyone using it would have been regarded as weird and
perhaps even gross. To make mud out of saliva and rub
it on someone would be unthinkable. Nevertheless,
Jesus used saliva more than once. Experience again
teaches that, when led by the Holy Spirit to do so,
moistening the finger and touching the area needing
healing is not inappropriate.
And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.
And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be
born blind?" Jesus answered, "{It was} neither {that}
this man sinned, nor his parents; but {it was} in
order that the works of God might be displayed in him.
"We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as
it is day; night is coming, when no man can work.
"While I am in the world, I am the light of the
world." When He had said this, He spat on the ground,
and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to
his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of
Siloam" (which is translated, sent). And so he went
away and washed, and came {back} seeing.
(John 9:1-7) (NAS)
And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke
with difficulty, and they entreated Him to lay His
hand upon him. And He took him aside from the
multitude by himself, and put His fingers into his
ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue {with
the saliva;} and looking up to heaven with a deep
sigh, He said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be
opened!" And his ears were opened, and the impediment
of his tongue was removed, and he {began} speaking
plainly. (Mark 7:32-35) (NAS)
And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind
man to Him, and entreated Him to touch him. And taking
the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the
village; and after spitting on his eyes, and laying
His hands upon him, He asked him, "Do you see
anything?" 24 And he looked up and said, "I see men,
for I am seeing {them} like trees, walking about."
Then again He laid His hands upon his eyes; and he
looked intently and was restored, and {began} to see
everything clearly. (Mark 8:22-25) (NAS)
SPEAKING TO THE CONDITION
This is one practice of the Hunter's teaching. This is
a new idea to most. It is even objected to by some as
somehow commanding God. But it is speaking to the
condition, not to God. Nevertheless, this is what
Jesus did. Also, it is what the disciples did. Nowhere
in Scripture do we find that Jesus ever asked His
Heavenly Father to heal or deliver anyone. He spoke to
the condition. He spoke with the authority given to
Him. When we do it, we speak by the same authority; We
speak in the name of Jesus. It is a delegated
authority given by Jesus to the believer.
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that
I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age."
(Matthew 28:18-20) (NAS)
And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke
with difficulty, and they entreated Him to lay His
hand upon him. And He took him aside from the
multitude by himself, and put His fingers into his
ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue {with
the saliva;} and looking up to heaven with a deep
sigh, He said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be
opened!" And his ears were opened, and the impediment
of his tongue was removed, and he {began} speaking
plainly. (Mark 7:32-35) (NAS)
DIRECTING THE CANDIDATE TO ACT
This closely relates to the practice of speaking to
the condition. It is evident, that when the candidates
exercised their faith by doing something they could
not do before, healing occurred.
And one of the synagogue officials named Jairus came
up, and upon seeing Him, fell at His feet, and
entreated Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter
is at the point of death; {please} come and lay Your
hands on her, that she may get well and live." And He
went off with him; and a great multitude was following
Him and pressing in on Him. And a woman who had had a
hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at
the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that
she had and was not helped at all, but rather had
grown worse, after hearing about Jesus, came up in the
crowd behind {Him,} and touched His cloak. For she
thought, "If I just touch His garments, I shall get
well." And immediately the flow of her blood was dried
up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of
her affliction. And immediately Jesus, perceiving in
Himself that the power {proceeding} from Him had gone
forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who
touched My garments?" And His disciples said to Him,
"You see the multitude pressing in on You, and You
say, `Who touched Me?'" And He looked around to see
the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and
trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and
fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth.
And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you
well; go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
While He was still speaking, they came from the {house
of} the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has
died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?" But Jesus,
overhearing what was being spoken, said to the
synagogue official, "Do not be afraid {any longer,}
only believe." And He allowed no one to follow with
Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of
James. And they came to the house of the synagogue
official; and He beheld a commotion, and {people}
loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said
to them, "Why make a commotion and weep? The child has
not died, but is asleep." And they {began} laughing at
Him. But putting them all out, He took along the
child's father and mother and His own companions, and
entered {the room} where the child was. And taking the
child by the hand, He said to her, "Talitha kum!"
(which translated means, "Little girl, I say to you,
arise!"). And immediately the girl rose and {began} to
walk; for she was twelve years old. And immediately
they were completely astounded. (Mark 5:22-42) (NAS)
And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers
came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you,
arise!" And the dead man sat up, and began to speak.
And {Jesus} gave him back to his mother. (Luke
7:14-15) (NAS)
And He said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise
and {come} forward!" And He said to them, "Is it
lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to
save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. 5 And
after looking around at them with anger, grieved at
their hardness of heart, He said to the man, "Stretch
out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand
was restored. (Mark 3:3-5) (NAS)
And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His
eyes, and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou
heardest Me. "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always;
but because of the people standing around I said it,
that they may believe that Thou didst send Me." And
when He had said these things, He cried out with a
loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." He who had died
came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and
his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said
to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." (John 11:41-44)
(NAS)
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the
ninth {hour,} the hour of prayer. And a certain man
who had been lame from his mother's womb was being
carried along, whom they used to set down every day at
the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in
order to beg alms of those who were entering the
temple. And when he saw Peter and John about to go
into the temple, he {began} asking to receive alms.
And Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze upon him
and said, "Look at us!" And he {began} to give them
his attention, expecting to receive something from
them. But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and
gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of
Jesus Christ the Nazarene-- walk!" And seizing him by
the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his
feet and his ankles were strengthened. And with a
leap, he stood upright and {began} to walk; and he
entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and
praising God. (Acts 3:1-8) (NAS)
( And at Lystra there was sitting a certain man,
without strength in his feet, lame from his mother's
womb, who had never walked. This man was listening to
Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze upon
him, and had seen that he had faith to be made well,
said with a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet."
And he leaped up and {began} to walk.
(Acts 14:8-10) (NAS)
In conclusion, only experience will establish what
works or does not work for us. However, experience
also teaches that having been baptized in the Holy
Spirit with its attendant spiritual gifts will provide
the power and the boldness to have a productive
ministry.
Instructions for receiving this blessing can be found
at: http://home.san.rr.com/healing/baptism2.htm
