The Gift of Healing was a big deal in the early New Testament church:
"And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one." (Acts 5:12-16)
As you study the New Testament, you'll see that not all healings were based on physical causes. Sometimes, the true root cause of a physical abnormality can be emotional (Luke 4:18) or demonic possession (Luke 13:11). And of course, when it comes to physical dis-ease, the intervention of a licensed medical practitioner may also be the God-approved direction.
Only someone who has the Gift of Discernment (https://ldsperfectday.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-gift-of-discernment-part-1-are-you.html) can effectively know what to say in order to correctly exercise the Gift of Healing. That means if you don't hear God and His promptings (at least in your heart and mind), you might want to wait on healing people until you do. After all, do it right...or don't do it at all. Healing is serious business.
There are several in our midst who have been healed not by doctors, nor by priesthood blessings, but by someone exercising the Gift of Healing. Their stories are profound:
"G"
"A few years ago I had a health issue arise, I went to my doctor and I tried several different medications. Nothing I was trying was helping and it just seemed to be getting worse. I prayed asking the Lord what I needed to do and felt the spirit answer saying that “all these things will be for thy good and experience.” I thanked the Lord for the health ailment because I knew He was teaching me and asked for strength. After 2 ½ months with no reprieve I awoke one night and the pain was worse, I kneeled down by my bed and began crying out in prayer pleading with the Lord, I explained to the Lord that if I was supposed to continue to suffer with this I would but if there was anyway it could be taken I pleaded that He would do so. I then saw clearly in my mind the woman in the bible who suffered for 12 years with a debilitating problem, I saw her reaching out to touch the Savior to be healed.After all of the studying I went to the Lord in prayer. I then received personal revelation on how I should change my diet. He gave me specific instructions to strictly follow for 10 days and then fast on the last day and I would be healed. That last day fell on a fast Sunday. When I came home from church and ended my fast all my pain was gone, all symptoms had disappeared. I was truly amazed and overwhelmed with the love the Lord has for us."
"J"
"I was in the student audience listening to a speech delivered by one of the professors, a man known for being a very spiritual man. As he concluded his speech and we were filing out of the Little Theater in the Wilkinson Center, one of the members of the audience cried out, as if they were in great pain. It appeared to be some type of epileptic seizure. While most of us stood there in shock, the speaker calmly walked over to the person, silently took them confidently by the hand, and looked them in the eye. The screaming ceased immediately, and the person was calm."
"S"
My son and daughter-in-law have been trying to get pregnant for the last 18 months. They finally began fertility treatment consisting of three attempts with IUI. If that didn't work they would try IVF. I have been fasting and praying for many months once a week and telling God to please heal them from infertility and to give them the power to fulfill His commandment to multiply and replenish the earth.The first treatment of IUI wasn't successful and our daughter-in-law was extremely disappointed, though trying throughout the whole process to trust in God and have peace. After the second IUI treatment my son told us that J was going to have a pregnancy test in two days, "but that she doesn't feel pregnant". When he said that, I knew a miracle of healing was going to happen. An expressed doubt always opens the way for a miracle by overcoming that doubt with perfect faith and trust in the Lord. He said this to us on a Saturday night and I knew I would fast and pray the next day, Sunday, and exercise my faith and trust in the Lord for a healing miracle for them. I was excited because I knew a miracle was very possible.While fasting the next day, I told the Lord that I was before Him in "mighty prayer" to plead for a healing miracle for my dear son and his wife. I had perfect faith that there was a child meant for them who was supposed to come to earth to be in their family and who would be their child for time and eternity. I told the Lord to send them THEIR child, one who belonged to them and was meant for them, and the moment I did, I felt a flood of peace, comfort, joy, light, and love, and I knew that God had healed them from infertility and that J was pregnant. It was such a beautiful opening of Heaven and I knew the Lord was present. J had her pregnancy test the next day which I had total peace about, not concerned at all, and later that day, my son and J came over to our house, walked in the door and said, "We're pregnant!". Glory to our great God in the highest, forever and ever!
"L"
I just wanted to share with you my experience. I was listening to one of the recent healing podcasts, I can’t remember which one, and you spoke about a man who had three bad teeth that were healed through the gift. This was very ‘coincidental’ (if there is such a thing!) for me as I also have three bad teeth which were giving me a lot of issues and even though I had visited three dentists for different opinions they couldn’t find the problem. I was getting intermittent toothaches that were causing me great distress, and also a lot of emotional distress as I had a lot of anxiety due to my allergies and sensitivity to medications, which if I become unwell, can become very complicated for treatment. A small tooth problem can become a huge problem for me.As I listening to the podcast, I felt the Lord was telling me that He wanted me to hear this man’s experience. I immediately prayed to the Lord about this and I asked Him to heal me. I touched each of my teeth and asked Him to heal them. Guess what? No more toothaches. He healed them, I know He did. I love the Lord so much and am so thankful that He talks to me in a way He knows I will hear Him. He truly used this man’s experience to help me.When we make everything about Him, miracles do truly happen!
"C"
Last year we were packing up and getting ready to move from X to Y in just a couple weeks. My two-year-old had broken his leg previously 6 months before. This particular morning, while I was rushing around telling my kids what to pack, my 2 year old started screaming uncontrollably. He has a beautiful wild and tough soul, and gets hurt often, but doesn’t cry for very long. I tried everything I could to comfort him. Nothing worked. This went on for about 20 mins. I tried to stand him up, but he would not put any weight on his leg. The screams sounded the same as the last time, and I knew it was broken.All I knew was I did not have time for this, I felt so overwhelmed. I told God, "I’m moving like u said, I’m trying to do what u want but I can’t handle this, I’m overwhelmed." I felt the prompting to lay my hands on his leg. I closed my eyes and immediately saw in my mind all these round things which I thought were cells flooding to his bone circling inside. I saw this fluid whoosh around and then he stopped crying. I opened my eyes and took my hands off of him. He climbed off the couch and ran off. I stayed kneeling and in awe. How grateful I was that my big boys got to be there. It was beautiful! It healed me too!He does not care how long we have believed. He just cares that we believe today and He will capture our heart!
"A"
I had allergies since I was little, and asthma too, although I mostly grew out of the asthma.I didn’t really think about my allergies too much, just accepted them as part of my life. Some of the things I was allergic to were my favorite animals: horses, cats and some dogs, various pollens etc. Most mornings I spent sneezing with a runny nose and eyes which made making breakfast and many packed lunches rather hard as I had to keep blowing my nose and then washing my hands! I remember being in tears at the prospect of visiting some of our dear friends because I was so allergic to their cat that I could hardly breathe when we were there, even when the cat was put in a different room.My husband, observing my discomfort, decided, unbeknownst to me, to pray to Heavenly Father that He would take my allergies from me and give them to my husband instead.A little while later, I flew to England with one of our daughters and our little toddler son, to visit my dear Mum who was dying of cancer, and also to visit other family members. One day when we were staying at my sister-in-law’s house, I got a call from home saying that my husband had gone into anaphylactic shock after eating some raw hazel nuts, and had to go to Emergency at the hospital. He recovered thankfully (the doctor said if he had waited before going to the hospital, his airways would have closed completely and he would have succumbed). He then developed more allergies to other raw nuts, to most fresh fruit, and to cats, as well as seasonal allergies. I really didn’t realize that I had been healed from my own allergies, until we were walking together one afternoon and he was sneezing like crazy and I wasn’t. Jokingly I said “I guess you have taken my allergies!” and in surprise he said “Wow, my prayer really worked then!” That was when he told me about his prayer.I was so impressed that he didn’t just pray that I would be healed from my allergies but that he would take them upon himself instead. A prayer of true love and willing sacrifice.
"S"
When I found out I was pregnant with our 5th child I also found out it was an ectopic pregnancy/tubal pregnancy (right fallopian tube to be specific). I went to the internet to look it up to learn more. What I discovered wasn't very promising. I wasn't willing to have the doctors surgically remove the fetus/baby, and didn't want my tube to rupture, either. As I sat at my computer, I remember thinking while shaking my head, no, I don't believe these are the only options available.Suddenly 2 other thoughts came into my head:
- Option #1: Pray and petition our Heavenly Parents and ask that the Lord come & physically move the fetus/baby OR
- Option #2: The baby would be taken up into Heaven and given to us at a later time. My heart leaned on option #2 for various reasons, but as soon as I was choosing that, I heard the voice/thought again persuade me to choose choice #1 instead.
I was told by the Lord (probably because I had it in my head from reading the miracles and healings in the scriptures that it would be instant), "No, no snap of the fingers. No magic pixie dust. This is a human life, and it's delicate. It will take some time for me to detach and reattach him." That's when I knew we were having our 4th son.About 4 weeks went by and I was about 12 weeks pregnant by now. One morning, as I was just starting to wake up, I knew we had a visitor on the bed, sitting between my husband and I on our bed. Instead of angels, it was the Lord himself, Yeshua! I was like a little girl at Christmas time excited to open gifts. I wanted to have a long visit with the Lord and found out he was saying goodbye. He was leaving and told me he had completed what he said he would. It was completed -finished. The fetus/baby was successfully moved into my uterus safe and sound.I was given this experience so later looking back, I could not deny that it was really a tubal pregnancy and that the Lord personally came and healed me and healed this little one. I was told to name him Xxxxx Xxxxxx. What started off as an ectopic/tubal pregnancy turned into an uneventful normal pregnancy.
"T"
I hope it's not too late for a story of healing as you requested of your audience.I was diagnosed with a mental illness called Bi-polar 1 and was put on two medications for it. I did not like the side effects of the drugs but I felt that they were important to take to keep me stabilized. After a year of taking the drugs I found a You Tube of this miraculous healing of a 3 week old baby who died of SID and was brought back to life. This true story was told by Becky Dvorak of her adopted child 20 years ago. She is now an author and a prophetic healer.So after watching this and reading several of her books I realized that I could be healed of my illness and go off my meds for good.I prayed, fasted and exercised my faith in Yeshua's healing power and went off my meds and I was healed. I didn't tell anyone for a month as I was afraid that they would convince me that I was wrong. But since after a month with no symptoms I was sure that they would believe me that it was a miracle and I was truly healed. It has now been 4 months with no symptoms and I want to shout it out from my rooftop. Miracles do happen and I'm living proof. The only thing that keeps my miracle active is my continual gratitude in my Savior Jesus Christ which I will never forget to do daily.
Thanks to all who sent me their examples of the Gift of Healing (not priesthood or medical healings) in which a person exercised faith which helped heal another or themself. Some I've included in the body of this post; others (because I can't have this post be miles long) I've included in a Google doc (here).
I leave you with my testimony that the Gift of Healing is a real thing.
I've seen broken hearts mended in the blink of an eye. I've seen Stage 4 cancer healed on the spot. I've seen people healed of abnormalities which doctors and stake presidents had long given up hope of healing.
Yeshua is a real person. I know this fact independent of anyone else. I know His face, His hands, His feet and yes, especially His smile. He is so full of life and love and passion. If I were to guess what His favorite activity is, I think He would say "Healing." He loves to turn that which is seemingly dead or dying into something -- or someone -- full of life. He delights in shattering our mortal expectations of just how merciful and giving a God is, and in doing what's been called "impossible math." As we read in Ephesians 3:20, He "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."
I testify that what He says in Jeremiah 33:3 is true: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
And I know that He longs for the day when He gets to hold you, look into your eyes and say to you, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
If you REALLY want to experience a mind-blowing adventure with Him, then I invite you to re-read this series, as well as previous ones on Charity, Discernment and Alignment. The future -- the *near* future -- needs all the true healers it can get.
So go forth, and make sure that together with Yeshua, the fire that will burn within you will be more powerful than the fire that will burn around you.
I'm not sure where you are on this series (if this is the last post or not) however, thank you for these new ways of viewing this topic.
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