Gifts of Healing

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 New King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Gifts of Healings - both words are plural

Levels of Healing

1. Natural healing – homeopathic or medical science; all healing comes from God

a. Isaiah 38:21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it as a poultice on the boil, and he shall recover.”

2. Healing by faith

a. Of the person who is sick (Acts 14:8-10)

i. Acts 14:8 And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked.

ii. Acts 14:9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

iii. Acts 14:10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

b. Of others (Mark 2:3-5, 12)

i. Mark 2:3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.

ii. Mark 2:4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

iii. Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

iv. Mark 2:12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

v. Of those praying for the sick (Mark 16:17-18)

1. Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

2. Mark 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

vi. Of church elders (pastors) (James 5:14-15)

1. James 5:14 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.

2. James 5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

3. Gifts of Healings (1 Corinthians 12:9)

a. 1 Corinthians 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

b. God has a variety of ways to heal (gifts pf healings plural), e.g. blindness

i. General blindness healed (Matthew 12:22).

1. Matthew 12:22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

ii. A man who lost his sight (Mark 8:22-25).

1. Mark 8:22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.

2. Mark 8:23a So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town.

a. Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

3. Mark 8:23b And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

a. Mark 7:33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.

4. Mark 8:24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

5. Mark 8:25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

iii. A man born blind (John 9:1-7).

1. John 9:1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

2. John 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3. John 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

4. John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

5. John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6. John 9:6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

i. Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

7. John 9:7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

a. John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

b. John 9:36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

c. John 9:37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

c. The gifts of healing are not “on demand.”

i. 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

ii. 2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.

iii. Philippians 2:25 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;

iv. Philippians 2:26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

v. Philippians 2:27 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.

d. The gifts of healing are given spontaneously.

i. 1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

ii. Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

iii. Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;

iv. Acts 3:3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

v. Acts 3:4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”

vi. Acts 3:5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

vii. Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

1. Acts 3:6 literally states, “What I have, this thing I give to you.” “This thing” is singular and indicates a specific gift given to Peter to give to the lame man. It does not seem to mean he had a reservoir of healing gifts in himself, but he had to look to the Lord and receive from the Spirit a new gift for each sick person to whom he ministered.[1]

viii. Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

ix. Acts 3:8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

[1] Stanley M. Horton, What the Bible Says about the Holy Spirit (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2005), 274.