What would you think of a commander who sent his army into battle with water pistols while their tanks and artillery stayed at home? I’m guessing you wouldn’t think very highly of him or her. I often cannot help but feel though, that this is how much of the church addresses healing.
In the matter of spiritual gifts and especially gifts of healing, we have not done a great job preparing prayer ministers and laypeople to minister healing effectively, if at all. In 1st Corinthians 12:5, it says,
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
This indicates to me that the bestowing of gifts is more common than the recognition and receiving of these gifts. In other words, many believers have ‘unopened gifts’ sitting on their porches and countertops. Just as you could not receive salvation without hearing about it, many do not walk in gifts because they have been taught nothing about spiritual gifts, or worse, taught that they don’t exist. What a tragedy! Hear Paul in 1 Corinthians 12.30,
30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
He encourages us to eagerly desire the greater gifts. However, how can we desire what we know little about? If you’re a pastor, do you regularly teach about spiritual gifts? I know someone will say, ‘But Paul meant the gift of love’. I quite agree, so let’s just love people enough to pray successfully for their healing. Just like Jesus did.
Our version of love has come to mean laying on buses to ferry the disabled to church, instead of seeking their healing. I believe we should do the former, don’t misunderstand me. However, shall we not emulate Jesus and the early church and not neglect the latter?
