Divine healing is not a doctrine.  Divine healing is an encounter with Jesus Christ that alters the course of a person’s life.  Let`s talk about how it works.

Photo Credit: larsvandegoor.com via Compfight cc

The Holy Spirit

Healing happens when the Holy Spirit invades a person’s body in order to reverse or eradicate a condition resulting from disease or injury.  That’s about as simple as I can make it. We know this from what Peter said to the house of Cornelius in Acts 10:37 – 38.

“…you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”  ESV

It wasn’t until Jesus returned from the mount of temptation in the power of the Holy Spirit that miraculous things began happening (Luke 4:14), therefore news about Him began to spread everywhere.  In His hometown synagogue in Nazareth, He declared from Isaiah’s prophecy that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind (Luke 4:16 – 21).  All Peter does is confirm what Jesus stated about Himself.  Everything He did, He did by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reversing and Eradicating

Notice again, healing happens when the Holy Spirit invades our bodies to reverse or eradicate a diseased condition.  Reversing a diseased condition refers to a process of healing.  A person begins to mend and is completely restored to health in a matter of days, weeks, or months.  To eradicate a diseased condition refers its instant removal.  One moment the condition is there, the next moment it isn’t.  We see a lot more instances in the ministry of Jesus where diseased conditions were eradicated.  While we still see diseases and injuries eradicated today, we also seem to see a lot of reversals.  The healing of my daughter-in-law is a perfect picture of a reversal (go here to read that story).

How Does It Feel?

How does it feel when the Holy Spirit invades a person’s body to free it from disease or injury?

I don’t know.

We know that people certainly can feel things when healing takes place.  When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, she immediately felt in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:29).  Jesus also felt (or perceived) that power had gone out from Him (Luke 8:46).  How, exactly, either one felt we are not told.

Over the course of my thirty years of praying for the sick, I have seen and heard all kinds of things.  Some  people have felt heat (at times I have felt a real burning sensation in my hands).  Others have felt something like electricity going through them.  Some have felt nothing at all.  The truth be told, some of the greatest healings I have seen happened when neither I nor the people  I was praying for have felt a thing.

My Own Story

One winter I fell on some ice and really hurt myself.  When I caught myself, it literally felt like my ribcage opened and shut.  After that I had constant pain and discomfort.  It didn’t matter if I sat up, laid down, or stood.  I hurt.  Period.

Not long after that happened, I attended a Pastor’s Conference in another province.  The host church believed in praying for the sick, and would frequently give those attending the opportunity to pray for one another.

During one of the morning sessions a young guy from Great Britain, Eddie, prayed for me.  When he had finished I thanked him and went back to my seat.  I stopped cold in my tracks.  Something was different.  I bent, stretched, and twisted.

No pain.

Nothing.

Nada!

I hadn’t felt a thing while Eddie prayed for me.  Yet in that one throbbing moment the Holy Spirit quickly and efficiently eradicated my painful condition.  Hallelujah!

He’s Still Here

Beloved, the Holy Spirit is still present and active in our world today.  It is amazing what He can do when given half the chance.  And it is still His delight to empower us to serve others, just like He did the Lord Jesus, as we joyfully go about living in the Reign.

M