Spiritual Healing: In The School of Christ

Spiritual healing of the sick in Christ has many Christiansin a kind of spiritual vise. On the one hand they read aboutspiritual healing in their Bibles. On the other, they hear inpulpits that healing miracles have ceased and are not of today. The net effect is cause for confusion and even loss of faith.What is the truth about spiritual healing in today's Church?

When Jesus first appeared on the scene with His ministry,He was what Broadway show producers today would calla smash hit! As news spread about His teaching and healing,people literally swarmed around Him. And why not? Themessage Jesus presented to them was something noone had ever heard. He proclaimed the kingdom of Goddrawing near and then did something most amazing.He healed people-as many as could get close to Him.

The lesson was clear. God is breaking through to thephysical world (into the affairs of man) to heal. Jesusnever wavered in this teaching. He Preached the kingdomof God and healed the sick.

When Jesus selected His team to disciple, He taughtthem the nature of God's kingdom, instructed themhow to heal, and sent them out to continue the workHe had started. He commanded them to "Heal thesick..,' and tell people, 'The kingdom of God is nearyou.'" (Luke 10:9).

Jesus further said that anyone who has faith in Himafter He is gone will "do what I have been doing. Hewill do even greater things than these, because I amgoing to the Father" (John 14:12). Again, Jesus wasdrawing on the message of his ministry and mission.

The more one studies the ministry of Jesus, the moreone realizes the importance Jesus placed on healingthe sick. For nearly one-fifth of the four Gospel accountsis devoted to Jesus' healing and the discussions raisedby it. In fact, the emphasis on healing is greater than any other experience in the narrative. Out of 3,779 verses in the four Gospels, 727 relate specifically to the healing of physicaland mental illness and the resurrection of the dead. Andthose healings that are recorded represent only a smallfraction of the total (John 20:30). Compare this to the165 verses that deal in general with eternal life.

Jesus saw Himself as being in conflict with evil, doingbattle on a spiritual level made manifest in the physicalrealm. Unlike some believe, Jesus made clear thatmost people in their present condition do not deservepunishment. He healed freely, never asking what aperson had done or how they had sinned. He viewed the effects of unclean spirits (sickness}in our lives as keeping us from reaching our full potential and calling. This then sets the backdrop of what it was like to be in the School of Christ.

The message is "God loves you." And what better wayis there to demonstrate His love to you than for Him toheal you. This is the heart and soul of what theIncarnation of Christ is about (John 3:16), and whatJesus meant when He said the Kingdom of God isnear you. It implies God breaking forth into the worldand into the life of man to heal him from what evil haswrought.

But how did Jesus heal exactly? What did He specificallyteach His disciples about healing? Is there anything wecan learn from Scripture about healing the sick that wemight apply today? In other words, is there a spiritualhealing model recorded in the Bible we can use todayin the healing ministry? The answer is a resounding,"Yes!"

In Mark 6:7-13, we read that Jesus sent the twelveout in pairs on a kind of on-the-job training missionfor the work they would be doing after His departure.Before they went, He gave them very specific instructions.The results of their work is recorded in verse 13...

"They drove out many demons and anointed

many sick people with oil and healed them."

Before addressing the question of why the oil in theabove passage, we need to first be clear about thehealing performed. The Greek word used for "healed"in verse 13 is therapeuo, pronounced "ther-ap-yoo'-o,"from which the English word "therapy" is derived.It literally means "to wait upon menially" (to serve),to "restore to health."

So there be no question, therapeuo denotes healingoccurred over time. There is no indication the healingswere in any way out of the ordinary or instantaneous.If the healings were instantaneous, the Koine Greekword, iaomai, as used in Luke 8:47 would have been used.

So we must (by using the rule of language) deducethe healings of Mark 6:13 occurred normally over aperiod of time. Were these healings divine? Yes!Were they miraculous? Yes! Why? Because allhealing is spiritually rooted.

What makes the healings reported in Mark 6:13 all themore curious is the healing modality employed by the twelve disciples. They anointed (applied with their hands) the sick with healing oil. The reason the oil is so interesting, so unexpected, is that there is no previous passage thatindicates the need or requirement to use oil in the disciples ministry. The reader is suddenly left with the appearance of these oils.

Without a previous text to explain the use of oil,the following questions are raised:

1. By whose authority were they using healing oil?

2. From where did the oil come?

3. Why were the disciples using healing oil in their ministry?

4. What are the implications for us today?

The answer to these important questions and othersare answered in a free ebook entitled, Essential Oilsand Healing From a Christian Perspective. The ebookis bible-based and non-denominational. To downloada free copy, click on http://godshealingword.org/free_ebook.html

Jim Lynn is a minister in the church of Christ and authorof the book, The Miracle of Healing In Your Church Today.For more information visit http://godshealingword.org