Mass Healings? Do they really happen?

[Arben]

I mainly would like to hear from non-Pentecostals on this one. No offense to anyone, but I know the Pentecostals will say this is normal, but I want to hear what other Christians will think of this.

Below is an excerpt from an article I found on the web about a missionary who witnessed mass healings in India after preaching a sermon. Personally, I believe the signs and wonders ministry was for the Jews in a particular time to demonstrate that the disciples who performed then really were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a demonstration of God's power and grace. I believe that time of demonstration is past.

However, what if in places like India and other countries where there are people who have never heard of Christ. Would God choose to denomstrate in these places like he did in New Testament times?

Here is the excerpt...

After preaching on this subject, I invited people who weren't sure if they were forgiven by God, who would like to receive Jesus as Lord, King and Savior, to come forward to pray. One by one they came, and in the end about 8 people prayed to receive Christ. I had first explained to them that Jesus had taken all their sins at the cross, and all the curse, so they could have God's blessings. They really believed that Jesus came into their lives. My simple instruction for them was to keep coming to the assembly so they would learn how to grow in Christ.

After this, sensing the peace of God, I explained that healing should follow the preaching of the message of the Kingdom. I asked those who had pain in their body to stand. Of the 40-50 people present, a number immediately stood. As I mentioned other physical conditions more people stood until virtually everyone except my wife was standing. The brother who came with me wanted to anoint the people with oil, one by one, but the Lord gave me a different approach. I led the people in a very brief prayer, "Jesus heal me". I then bound the spirits of infirmity, commanded them to go in Jesus name, commanded body parts to be made new, bones to move into place and so on. This was done through one prayer for all the people at the same time.

After that I asked people to do what would have been painful before. They did, and then I asked for testimonies. So many people testified to being healed! Praise the Lord! One lady told of feeling a fire going through her body and all the pain inside going. A number were healed of back pains, head aches and so on. People were healed of problems with internal organs. All glory belongs to God, who truly did confirm the message of the Kingdom of God that evening. Its such a joy to be able to use the authority in the name of Jesus to destroy the ugly works of the devil through faith in God and through the power of His Word.

----------

Ok, so what do you think?

[David from New Bern]

I mainly would like to hear from non-Pentecostals on this one. No offense to anyone, but I know the Pentecostals will say this is normal, but I want to hear what other Christians will think of this.

Below is an excerpt from an article I found on the web about a missionary who witnessed mass healings in India after preaching a sermon. Personally, I believe the signs and wonders ministry was for the Jews in a particular time to demonstrate that the disciples who performed then really were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a demonstration of God's power and grace. I believe that time of demonstration is past.

However, what if in places like India and other countries where there are people who have never heard of Christ. Would God choose to denomstrate in these places like he did in New Testament times?

Here is the excerpt...

After preaching on this subject, I invited people who weren't sure if they were forgiven by God, who would like to receive Jesus as Lord, King and Savior, to come forward to pray. One by one they came, and in the end about 8 people prayed to receive Christ. I had first explained to them that Jesus had taken all their sins at the cross, and all the curse, so they could have God's blessings. They really believed that Jesus came into their lives. My simple instruction for them was to keep coming to the assembly so they would learn how to grow in Christ.

After this, sensing the peace of God, I explained that healing should follow the preaching of the message of the Kingdom. I asked those who had pain in their body to stand. Of the 40-50 people present, a number immediately stood. As I mentioned other physical conditions more people stood until virtually everyone except my wife was standing. The brother who came with me wanted to anoint the people with oil, one by one, but the Lord gave me a different approach. I led the people in a very brief prayer, "Jesus heal me". I then bound the spirits of infirmity, commanded them to go in Jesus name, commanded body parts to be made new, bones to move into place and so on. This was done through one prayer for all the people at the same time.

After that I asked people to do what would have been painful before. They did, and then I asked for testimonies. So many people testified to being healed! Praise the Lord! One lady told of feeling a fire going through her body and all the pain inside going. A number were healed of back pains, head aches and so on. People were healed of problems with internal organs. All glory belongs to God, who truly did confirm the message of the Kingdom of God that evening. Its such a joy to be able to use the authority in the name of Jesus to destroy the ugly works of the devil through faith in God and through the power of His Word.

----------

Ok, so what do you think?

Leave it to the newbie to stir things up a little bit on WorthyBoards...5 posts and you are already know the drill... Know I'm joking...welcome... I believe you are right on your personal beliefs, but with reservation. I don't know of anything that says these events will not occur again, because I do believe they will, if not only during the tribulation. I do agree that as the Apostolic age past the need for these mass miracles ceased or at least became less prominent. But, I don't think this world has seen the last of the miraculous on this scale. As far as your excerpt, my caution flags raise up as Scripture says they should.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 NKJV

[David from New Bern]

What do you base your assertion that signs and wonders do not exist today on?

If signs and wonders were required in the ministry of Jesus, Paul, and all the other apostles; is it not arrogant to think our ministry can be at its full potential without them?

If you believe God may perform signs and wonders in India, but not the United States; that would make Him a respector of persons. Would it not?

If signs and wonders stopped, when did they stop? A common answer is with the death of the Apostles. That is a hilarious point, if you thoroughly analyze it. We know that disciple who worked under the apostles had signs and wonders working in their ministry. Are people truly believing that signs and wonders ceased with the death of John? If so, did everyone who had been operating in healing, etc. suddenly have all these signs stop in their ministry on the day John died? I do not think so.

hr.jr...When it comes to honest academic Bible study your first question is the wrong question to be asking. The true question is just the opposite, "What do you base your assertion that signs and wonders do exist today?" We don't go to the Bible and say if it is silent and nothing says it is wrong or in error then it is legitimate and OK. I tried that argument with my parents as teenager, "you didn't say I couldn't go to the beach!" and their response...."We didn't say you could either!" Maybe over simplified here, but remain silent where the Scripture is silent. There is no command to our generation past the Apostolic age for mass healings and and few instances of mass healings in the Scripture (key word being mass).

Your second question, I will just ask you to struggle with the interpretation of this verse...

[redeemed098]

People,

You ask what the greater works are than Jesus did....?

Do you not KNOW...?

What greater gift is there than the gift of salvation...?

Healing is amazing testimony to the goodness and grace of God toward our living bodies, but the greater gift is the Spiritual reconciliation of Man to God.

Restored relationship. Made to be as Adam again BEFORE the fall.

Jesus made it possible by the Work of the Cross and by going to the father, but he promised one who would lead us and guide us into ALL truth and remind us of ALL that Jesus had taught. The Holy Spirit. It was not until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those who waited in the city for the "power from on High", that power to preach and to teach was given. The power to heal and the power to evangelise and the power to transform lives by the grace of God.

"These signs shall follow those who believe." DO YOU BELIEVE..? Then these signs should be following YOU. "And the Lord went with them and the word that was preached was confirmed by the signs that followed it."

Too many people hold to the form of religion, but yet deny the Power of God. Do you know why...?

Many go to the place of Pardon, the Cross to receive forgiveness and mercy....But very few go to the place of Power...Pentecost. Very few will wait in the upper room for the power from on high. They will spend their lives walking the road to Emmaus trying to decide on doctrinal and issues of legality.

Go from the place of Pardon to the place of Power....Your questions will change from...Where are all the miracles and where is the demonstration of Gods power...to......How great is OUR God....? There is NO greater gift than the gift of salvation. Feed the poor without sharing the gospel, you have allowed them to perish eternally....The bread from heaven is food that you can eat and never hunger again....Spiritual food for your soul.

Dont ever neglect the sharing of the gospel when you are being charitable.......They need something of eternal value. Even Oprah feeds the poor and gives to charities. But she doesnt know that without the gospel of Christ she has only fed their bodies. Nothing of eternal value. Theyre going to die anyhow.

I too ask the question of healing and I am Pentecostal. I see great need of it everywhere, but everywhere i have gone so far, God has only asked one thing of me. To LOVE them. Part of that love is sharing Christ with them. Christ heals a mans heart and soul....There IS NO GREATER GIFT OR HEALING than that of the Salvation of one who was Lost. You have not been given the Holy Spirit for no reason and he will never speak into your heart anything that is contrary the Word

of God. Dont live by what is NOT written.....Live by what IS.....Jesus when confronted even with satan in the wilderness said this..."It is written."

Regards,

Ben.

[Guest jckduboise]

Well since anyone has the right to answer even if they might be Pentacostal (me) I will say that I personally do not believe that there are mass healings today..will it happen again I guess I'll just have to stay tuned.

[Leonard]

As late as the mid fourth century, one Bishop wrote that if a Christian was on a journey and came upon an injured or ill person, the Christian had a duty and an obligation to 'lay hands on him and heal him' otherwise, if the person died, that Christian would have the man's blood on his hands.

Now whether or not we agree with the theology, we must concede that such a casual reference to Christian healing by laying on of hands, indicated it was quite the ordinary thing.........

Mass healings? I don't know. Does God get the glory?

[David from New Bern]

My comments were based on mass healings as described in the article. I also have a problem with the peddlers of miracles who announce services where they promise that people will be healed in great numbers and prophetic messages will be given. That sure sounds like they plan to operate even if the Lord doesn't.

[Arben]

My comments were based on mass healings as described in the article. I also have a problem with the peddlers of miracles who announce services where they promise that people will be healed in great numbers and prophetic messages will be given. That sure sounds like they plan to operate even if the Lord doesn't.

I agree with David on this. I used to be a Pentecostal but I don't believe that way any more. I hope that does not offend any Pentecostals here; that certainly is not my intention - just stating my experience. I used to expect signs and wonders all the time because I was taught it, and accepted it. Needless to say, I was disappointed many times.

But, let me narrow the focus a little here, and touch on the specifics of why I brought up this topic.

Recently I became a sponsor of a native missionary in India. It is with a great organization called Gospel for Asia. If you want to check them out their website is http://www.gfa.org . Anyway, they seem to be a great missionary organization that I truly feel proud to be a part of, but I do see in some of their literature where people are prayed for and healed. Now, the excerpt I enclosed earlier was NOT from their missionary, so I don't think they have reported anything so outragious, but I am a little uncomfortable with this, but still, I know of all the success they have with converting people to Christ and they do start a lot of churches in places where there are no churches. I just need to feel assured that I am doing the right thing. Naturally I prayed about this before hand, and basically I feel really good about supporting a missionary thru them. Just need some input; that's all.

I guess the important thing is that they are very succesful in bringing people to Christ, would you all agree?

[Brandli5]

I am getting a bit scared of this site when people start talking about "Pentecostal churches" the way that this thread it.

That is my own thoughts on that.

I am a Christain person. I believe the bible 100%. I pray, I witness, I belive in GOD, Jesus, the holy spirit. I am a child of God. I am also a Pentecostal. What ever you see on TV, or in some churches that take Pentecostal to an all out blow out is not the way it should be. My church is Pentecostal but in no way shape form or fashion should it be dismissed as Unholy, Ungodly, or unbiblical. YES< I am defending the bible. The bible does say "SHout, Sing, and dance for your lord GOd. For he is the master. Infact the bible also says iF you donot worship the Rocks will CRY OUT"

Let me tell you this for those of you who think all Pentecostal people are Total Healers, and act like manics on stage, with snakes, and whips, and scream, YOU ARE WRONG!!!!!!!!!

My church is one of the nicest, christainist, churches I have ever been to. We do not heal in Crowds, or fly in the air, nothing like that. Just because some churches whose name say "Pentecostal" DO that does not mean they are all like that.

GIve Pentecostal people a break, and Sterotype them. I have been to at least 12 Pentecostal churches and NON of this stuff has happend there.

ITs just some that do, I would not personally go there.

GOD does heal, but he heals people in the alter, at other demonations also. I have seen it.

Its not just the Pentecostal peoples churches.

I would be ahamed to be at any church that would down anyones relgion esp when they do pratice what the bible says to do.

Here is proof:

"You shall worship the Lord your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from among you." (Exodus 23:25)

We Pray Together Aloud because...

In the Bible we read, "They lifted up their voice to God with one accord." Acts 4:24

We Lift Up Our Hands in Praise because...

In the Bible we read, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD." Psalm 134:2

We Sing With All Our Hearts because...

In the Bible we read, "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise." Psalm 98:4

We Play Musical Instruments because...

In the Bible we read, "And all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments." 2 Samuel 6:5

We Clap And Shout Unto The Lord because...

In the Bible we read, "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto GOD with the voice of triumph." Psalm 47:1

We Dance Before The Lord because...

In the Bible we read, "Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs." Psalm 150:4

We Testify Publicly because...

In the Bible we read, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." Psalm 22:22

We Anoint With Oil For Divine Healing because...

In the Bible we read, "Is any sick among you? 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." James 5:14

We Allow The Operation Of The Spiritual Gifts because...

In the Bible we read, "When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath a interpretation." 1 Corinthians 14:26

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path".

(Psalm 119:105, NKJV)

I tell you no lie, not all Penecostal churches are like the ones on TV.

On another Note, If God wanted to do a mass healing He would. NOthing wrong with it, But I have not seen one.

[Leonard]

God does heal, but not as these people practice.

Hey; great little box you've got for God there. I wonder if He's too big to be contained in it?