Healing, Working Miracles, Discernment of Spirits
Healing
[1 Cor. 12:7-11; 1 Cor. 12:28-31; Acts 3:1-10; Acts 14:8-10; James 5:14-16; Luke 9:1-2 ]
The Gift of Healing is the divine enablement God gives to a believer to serve as His instrument in restoring people to physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual health. We see several instances of this gift being manifested in the apostles:
Peter & John heal a lame man (Acts 3:1-11;3:16); Peter’s shadow brings healing to the sick (Acts 5:15-16); He heals lame Aeneas in Lydda (Acts 9:32-35) and raises Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-43). Philip casts out demons and heals the lame (Acts 8:7;8:13). Paul & Barnabas heal a crippled man (Acts 14:8-10) and Paul & Silas cast a demon out of a fortune telling slavegirl (Acts 16:16-18). Paul raises Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:9-12), heals Publius’ father of fever and dysentery (Acts 28:7-8) and heals the sick on the island of Malta (Acts 28:9-10).
While God may use any believer to effect His divine healing at any time, those “gifted” in this way He uses often.
Working Miracles
[1 Cor. 12:7-11; 28-31; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 9:36-42; 20:9-12; Heb. 2:4; Rom. 15:17-19; Acts 8:13; 19:11-12]
This is a Gift whereby God grants a believer to function as an intermediary through whom He performs acts of supernatural power. that are recognized by others to have altered the ordinary course of nature and authenticated the divine commission.
Stephen performed amazing miracles and signs (Acts 6:8) as did Paul & Barnabas in Iconium (Acts 14:3). (See also Acts 19:11-12 and 28:3-6). God used many other believers to perform miracles (Acts 2:43;5:12). In fact, Mark’s gospel closes the great commission with the words “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:20).
People demonstrating this gift bring forth the ministry and message of Christ with power, bringing glorify to God and pointing souls to a relationship with Christ.
Discernment of Spirits
[1 Cor. 12:7-11; 1 John 4:1-6; 1 Cor. 2:9-16; 2 Chron. 2:12; Ps. 119:125; Prov. 3:21; 1 Kings 3:9; Heb. 5:14]
This Gift gives the believer special insight to determine whether a behavior or teaching originates from God, Satan, or human flesh. It enables one to distinguish between truth and error, to discern the spirits, and differentiate between good and evil, right and wrong. E.g. Peter perceives the deception of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10).
More tomorrow…
Meanwhile, here is another fine message on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Concerning Spiritual Gifts: Foundation Facts About Spiritual Gifts by Warren Wiersbe
To hear Pastor John’s Sunday message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
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