Why So Few Miracles in the Western Culture?

32 Comments

1. I totally believe that God can heal and does. I agree that excuses are made. One is: We will know in God’s time, I feel that is a cop-out. I know when I was around 8 my dad was prayed for and I expected him to get out of the bed right then. He didn’t. It sorta shook what I thought and believed. But I believe that there was one in the room who did not have the complete belief for healing to happen. I don’t think the person has to believe, I just believe the persons praying and anoiting. I have a so who has cancer and in a lot of pain. I believe he can be healed. His father was healed of cancer years ago. I just do not believe when I ask for healing prayer that others just either don’t pray or don’t believe. Do you feel that if it is just me that prays and believes it will happen? Thanks, Sandi Hardin

   • God out Father God called all believers to confirm the word, when they speak with signs and wonders will follow, He said he that believeth speaking of any believer shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.
     Jn14;12 he also said, He that believeth on me, the works that i do shall he do also.
     he was talking about healing, raising the dead, and casting out demons.
     the promise is for all believers. all you have to do is pray and believe that you have it and shall be given unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you have recieve them, and ye shall have them.
     over and over the promise is to confirm the word of God Remember it’s not your word been confirmed its God word and it never fails..
     God promises are once spoken become universal laws,.all of his healing promises are universal laws for us to speak them into existence.
     don’t go by physical sight, the words are spiritual and the spiritual laws cannot be borken.
     Dont’ ever allow anyone to tell you different, you were called and given gifts that no one can take away.
     Honor our Father God by laying hands on the sick and see them healed.
     only believe.
     Their are Miracle healings (instantly) and thier are healings which are progressive
     either one don’t allow room for doubt.
     be bless
     Jesse

   • You must keep in mind that there is only one Healer and that is God. Whoever can reflect God’s power the fullest will have more healing results. Scriptures read that the government will be on his (Jesus’ shoulders), we try to place that responsibility on ourselves or others and God never said that. Our only job is to believe God and deny the devil, and stand until the Truth transform our experience.

2. Hi Sandi

   I am blessed by your faith. God desires to, can, and does heal. Even if I wanted to stop believing, all the healings I have personally seen would rise up and smack me in the face….and these are even secondary to the Word, which I believe.

   Like you, I have become increasingly careful about finding out what people I pray with actually believe. Funny, but you find that precious few actually believe God for healing in a group prayer. Which is why, contrary to most churches, I generally have no time for “prayer chains”. Chains are usually as strong as the weakest link…

   Give me one or two that really believe and I’ll take that over a prayer chain any day.

   In your situation, it can be helpful to find others that either operate in power gifts and/or can get into the Prayer of Agreement with you. Often, we can just get weary in fighting over a long period.

   There have got to be healing rooms in your local area if you are in the States..I encourage you to find one, prayerfully and either take or encourage your son to visit. The URL is:
   http://healingrooms.com/index.php?src=location

   Please let me know….I will pray about your son also.. blessings..

3. Allow me to introduce you Apostle Barbara J Yoder ministry from USA who is the leading in faith intersession. She has help us the church in Metro Tabernacle to understand that God and you need an intercessor to speak and direct your life. There is lack of healing in America and Europe is because people have a veil in front of them so much so that the faith beginning to fade away.Lack of faith in God is the missing key to victorious life.

4. “God does not work through laymen (bottom-up) – He works through pastors (top-down)”
   I normally do not comment on Christian blogs, but this is off the mark.

   “…our current crop of pastors and teachers are largely unbelievers in the area of healing and the miraculous…” Not only in the area of healing, but generally in the area of truth.

   • Thanks for the comment. I wish you had the whole quote though. I’m not saying at all that God will not work through laypeople. The next couple lines say:

     “So no matter how on fire you are, if your pastor is a big ball of faithlessness in the area of miracles and healing, that’s the atmosphere you’ll have. You will be pulling uphill and you will have less success than if you had a believing pastor”

     I was referring to the direction of the church and the atmosphere that is set. It is set by the pastor, not you. He (or she) preaches and leads the church. If they are adamantly against, or lukewarm concerning healing, you will be pulling uphill and not have the same success as you might in a different church. I have ministered in both types of churches and trust me, there is a difference. In one type of church where unbelief is preached, folks will even argue with you when they come for ministry about why they should not expect healing, beginning with “the pastor said…”

     Perhaps I should have put it like this: “God does not direct churches through laymen…” The church vision is the pastor’s vision.

     Regarding your second statement, I wouldn’t be so harsh. Most pastors preach truth, just “safe” truth, not any truth that places a demand on God for the miraculous.

     Blessings to you…

   • God works through whoever is willing to deny themself, take up their cross and follow him… These signs shall follow those that believe…they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover…Requirement? BELIEVE

5. “Safe truth?” Do most Christians understand truth, or even the mission of Christ? Can we concentrate too much on the flesh to comprehend Christ’s mission?

   • No one can understand the gospel by physical understanding, sure, we have schools to learn how to understand the word, they fail to tell them it’s not about knowing about God, it’s about developing a relationship with God out Father.
     I went to bible college and quit, it was a cold place of self gratifying, I have learn
     alot more by getting into my closet and speaking to God
     I have had many years of casting out devils, I have seen food mulitply, I have seen angels, and we had angels sing in our bible study we all heard them audible
     built a relationship with him and you will see the glory of God,
     remember in the world we, see to believe, in the gospel we have to believe to see
     God named you by name and he even gave you a surname and it saids he has counted
     your very own hairs. you have to learn to know him. pray in the spirit daily.
     Jesse
     be bless

6. Thank you for answering my comment. Allow me to ask a question. If there is fungus on a part of a cake or bread, is it still edible?

   I understood fully to what you were referring. But I was referring to the point of all are called to be pastors or priests if you prefer. The church vision is the pastor’s vision? Then maybe the pastor should make his vision God’s vision? Because that is definitely the source of the problem.

   I disagree thoroughly, that the atmosphere is not set by me. It is not my pastor who would stand in my place at judgement. We need to stop placing these popes, mullahs, pastors, elders, bishops etc. at the forefront.

   Their job is to make sure the sheep eat where God said they should, but that is not happening. Sorry, but no matter how you word your comment, the result is the same. And to this point I am referring.

   • I know the bible said nothing to be refuse if it is receive by prayer, it will all depend if you really believe. Jesus always said according to how you believe let it be unto you.
     only you can beleive for youselfes.
     Mk 16:18 and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.
     Jesus always asked do you believe this?
     your prayer life will always be determine by, do you really beleive when you pray. remember believing is just not your mind or thoughts it has to be in your heart
     that means a lot of meditating on the word, reading, speaking it, memorizing and speaking in tongues alot.be bless taking time to speak to our Father God. and living to glorify God.
     Jesse

7. Coming in late on this post. But I wish to ask this. Are you saying all must believe in healing? I believe in healing. I think as medical science became more and more the place where the western world looked (and the results were good– antibiotics did stop bacterial pneumonia, polio was stopped by vaccine–)the need for God in these areas was not so keen. I daresay that most believers in healing go to dentists? Doesn’t God heal teeth? But that led to the famous statement in the 1930’s movies, “we’ll I’ve done all I can do, it’s in Gods hands now.” Which was tantamount to saying, “You’re done, go buy a grave-site”. People just don’t believe unless they have to. We all in our flesh are weak. Without many examples and hope of others, our faith is barraged, and faith may be there, but doubt destroys our request–just like Peter on the water. The enemy is doubt many times, not lack of faith. I belonged to a church at one time that taught healing. But it said that going to doctors was a kind of idolatry. I don’t believe this, but later the leader of that church said, in response to other pastors who had told how many did not have the faith to be healed, “well I guess we don’t want to take away all they have”. So he saw the medical profession as an option although as he put it, “faith was a better way” The problem came in judging others by the healing criteria. Even Paul said you could have faith to move mountains and if you had no love, you were nothing. Many use the gift they have as a way to put themselves above others who don’t have that gift.
   Well, I’ve rambled a bit, but wanted to make the point that in faith, it’s not either or. I very much agree with an earlier post that said the press was very anti healing, and would not show miracles these days. In some areas of the country it’s not so bad, but in others it is definitely censored. But God is great and will do His miracles for those little children who can believe. We should definitely encourage one another to believe God, because “All things are possible for them who believe”.

8. I think that way to much emphasis is placed on us having enough faith for a healing, or believing for a miracle. For one thing Jesus said Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. That is not much. Also i believe we serve a God that knows us much more than we think we know ourselves, and therefore knows exactly what we need (healing, miracle, breakthrough, etc.)more than what we think we may need. God knows what we need even before we ask. as if he wouldnt give us what we need. GOD is the one who gives the go ahead for a healing. It doesnt depend on weather we have enough faith or not. It depends on God who is completely sovereign.

   • Healing is not an answer to prayer, healing was completed when Jesus said it is finished,.
     when spoke the world into existence for six days, he will never have to get up again in the morning and speak the world again.
     all of his promises have already been spoken and he will never have to speak it again
     healing was provided for us over 2000 years ago.Jesus never said no to any one who came to him, and he never asked anyone if they were in sin, he healed all they ever came to him. why would it be different now, when we have better promises than before. Jesus came to fulfilled the OLd Testament, not to abolish it. we are not under the Old but the new under grace New Testament.
     with better promises, Eph. 1;3 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. all his promises belongs to us, it;s up to us to receive.
     God will no do anymore for us, he has done it all, learn to beleive and to recieve.
     be bless. Dont; expect for Jesus to have to do it all over again.
     you don’t need faith as a mustard seed you were born again as a son of a faith God that means you are a faith son.
     you have all the faith you will ever need to raise the dead, heal anyone you just have to know it and recieve it.
     be bless
     Jesse
     Jesse

9. I have spoken of how sin entered the universe in an earlier post – however the original sin of Adam and Eve was the desire to be God.. We in the west have the same faith as those of other countries and other times. The difference is our faith is increasingly in man not God. For a long time the West has been largely devoid of killer diseases. As a result we do not know death the way an African does – we don’t have many relatives or friends who have died of Aids or Malaria or other childhood diseases. So as a consequence of putting so much faith in man there is little room for faith in God. (Which is why there will be a plague to afflict the West.)

10. The Bible says the effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much. Does that mean that in healing, if that same person prayed for healing in a western nation, then flew to a third world nation, that his prayers in the third world nation some how become more efficacious? or is it just as a parent doesnt respond to each of their children the same, so our Heavenly Father doesnt respond to each of his children the same. Why because the needs are different, and God knows that in the western world, the health system is far more advanced, and so his children have learnt to have faith in this form of provision. Which may not appear so miraculous but is never the less just as efficacious. This also suggests that in the third world faith may be more developed in certain areas, where as faith in the western world may not have needed to develop to such maturity. What interests me though is deeper healings by, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, to heal and restore Gods ideal, turning a heart of stone to a heart of flesh, in a person who has suffered so much, not necessarily physically, but deep emotional/pyschological and spiritual scarring, through this upside down world, of half truths, compromises, misdeeds and just plain sin. Whether that be child abuse, whether that be carried over abuse from that to broken relationships as an adult, the habits that become engrained, the root of bitterness/unforgiveness, and inability to truly love and be loved as a image bearer, why because of bondages created through brokeness and sin, so much. To see the world turn right side up, to see forgiveness, healing and true freedom released, from a life that has been scarred by sin, bondages, addictions and become whole again through Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross, wholly taken hold of, and a person set free to follow and grow in Jesus Christ as the true lifegiver, now that in any nation, culture and country, western, third world or where ever that is the true healing to the nations of the world, one person at a time, from the inside out, for the kingdom of God comes not with observation, they will not say, lo there or lo here, for behold the kingdom of God is with in you. Not down playing the healing of a body and this continueing question about the western world and else where, the question of salvation for all, and redeeming this upside down world, one soul at a time, continues to be the clarion call.

11. I asked the Lord this question sometime last week, and he told me: “To be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace”.

    The Western culture…and philosophy is limited. It limits truth to anything that is seen, touched, heard, or anything related to the five senses.

    I have had a lot of miracles after preaching in places like India, where people still believed in the supernatural realm.

    As long as our education… or thinking, blinds our minds from spiritual realities, it would be difficult to experience the spiritual.

12. Have you been involved in legitimate and genuine healing experiences?

    • Yes I have. Many of these experiences are described on this website, Glenn.

13. Thank you for these postings. Here in the UK there is a current case where a healing ministry has been banned from advertising that God can heal on the basis that the claim cannot be substantiated. The ban was instigated by atheists. I was particularly upset by this course of action because I received a dramatic answer to prayer when members of this ministry prayed for me. I was wondering if anything like this has happened in the US and how you had dealt with it. God bless you.

14. I don’t understand though. I read Bill Johnson’s book, heard he had a school for the miraculous. Called the on-call pastor hoping for something. Said it was good that i knew of Jesus Culture and read the book, but they didn’t offer counseling, just prayer over the phone. I said that’s fine. So she said “Jesus’ blessings, bye.” And that was it.

    Then I called the Prayer Center where I heard these people had faith and performed exorcisms and whatnot. I asked hear how to obtain healing for my wife, she said “Um, I’m not the best person to answer that question. The one you really should talk to unfortunately is out of the office because she wasn’t feeling well today.”

    So, Bethel church offered nothing, US Prayer Center offered nothing. And these are the “big guns” you guys refer to.

    I’m left hopeless. I’ve read and studied healing for years. I know it isn’t earned, I know it’s not about having great faith “I do believe Lord, help my unbelief”. I’ve written sermons on healing. No one else believes or operates in healing. I live in Houston “Mega Church central”. No one could offer help. All have served as false hopes. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Pretty much giving up.

    • The truth is…that healing is hard, as I’ve written in an earlier post. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I too, have been at faith meetings where it seemed anyone but me was healed. I too, have placed the calls to healing-oriented pastors without results. I have also prayed long, hard and often for certain cases without healing taking place.

      Why is it so hard? Primarily because the church has retreated from it – and I mean non-denominationals also. Non-denoms talk good game, but don’t minister healing and don’t teach it because they inwardly don’t believe it. Another reason is because we are so sense-oriented and feeling oriented and taught to be so.

      Yes it is hard. But on the other side of the ledger, I have seen and experienced healing that defied the doctors’ worst prognoses. When it is your own life, you cannot but believe. When it is before your own eyes, you cannot but believe. (Actually, in both cases, you still can, but that’s for another day.)

      OK, here’s a practical suggestion for you and your wife. Thank God for the “big names”, but I counsel you to find a good healing room close by you and visit often. Search for healing rooms here. They will take time with you and work with you with dogged persistence until you see results. You will also have person-to-person ministry, not over the phone.

      Persist in it, for in due course “you will reap a harvest if you do not give up” (Galatians 6:9)

    • You need to check out Andrew Wommack ministries… healing is still going on today

15. […] http://www.christianhealingtoday.com/2009/06/23/why-so-few-miracles-in-the-western-culture/ […]

16. Great post. I agree with a lot of what you have written. In fact I wrote a post on “The Western Worldview is Institutionalised Unbelief: it socialises us to ignore God’s natural habitat” at http://www.schoolofsupernaturalevangelism.com/2013/08/09/the-western-worldview-is-institutionalised-unbelief-it-socialises-us-to-ignore-gods-natural-habitat/
    There are issues of unbelief we have to face. Having said, that, we are seeing increasing numbers of hearings as we persist and train people at our school. I think there is something to be said for crating an environment where like minded people can push into this area of God’s ministry.

17. Yes God stills heals, and if you ask most Christians they will claim some form of healing that they personally are convinced of. And yes, even the kind on X-ray film etc.

    However, have you looked at the negative responses Jesus – and the apostles- received from the healings they did? Sometimes the people gave thanks and praise to God. Yet Jesus was called demonic, they condemned him for healing on the sabbath, the people Begged him to LEAVE their region after the pig incident, they went out and plotted how to kill him, the blind man was thrown out of the synagogue and the parents were questioned. Later the disciples were thrown in jail when they healed the lame man. Another time Jesus told whoever he healed to not tell anyone but instead he told everyone and Jesus could hardly move about because of the thickness of the crowd.

    You also are ignoring that location is very important with regard to miracles. In one place it says that Jesus could not do very many miracles there. Why? Not from his unwillingness or inability, but because the people would not be advanced spiritually by it. Remember when Jesus said, “You aren’t interested in the miracles, but just the food!” Miracles DO NOT ALWAYS BENEFIT PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY. Especially people who are angry, they hate In Your Face evidence of God. Like the shroud of Turin. It’s incredible. Now they’ve found Nanoparticles on it (there seems to be no form of technology we have that isn’t blown away by the Shroud.) What is an atheist going to do if he sees a miracle? Believe in God? No! He won’t! He will -most likely- harden his heart EVEN MORE, like Pharoah and the Pharisees (“..this man was healed and we cannot deny it”) Otherwise our healings would not be the private, (my doctor and I know) type. They would be open for the world (which would be open to God) to experience.

    Yes, healing is important. But truth be told, healing is not the main thing. The main thing is for us to love God and love each other. We need to know him…”That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.” The church, for the most part, has given up on miracles. But even worse, we’ve given up on the theology of suffering which is supposed to be producing an exceeding, eternal weight of glory that is far beyond our light and momentary troubles. Hebrews says that Jesus was made perfect through suffering.

    And one last thing…Lets not forget the verse that says, “Some things don’t come out without Fasting and prayer”

18. Very insightful comment. I was wondering are you witnessing healings? I was smiling when you said healing is not the main thing and I agree with you, the way I grasp it is that Jesus used healing as a bell that drew the attention of the people AND the biggest message about healing is that God is able to free us from all our sins. Love is the highest spiritually lesson. Again I agree. Thank you

19. To the person who posed the orginal question, I would respond with the following:

    I’ve been a Christian for almost 40 years. My wife has a medically incurable cancer, so I’ve been doing a lot of studying. I’ve been keeping my notes on a blogsite, and one of the pages is a listing of healings reported online (here: http://whatthebiblesaysabouthealing.blogspot.com/p/miracles-reported-online.html). At the top of the page I reference a 2006 Pew Forum survey that indicated slightly more than one in ten Americans claims to have either first or second hand experience of miraculous healing.

    Not hearing about miracles that happen is not a new phenomenon. Augustine, a bishop from Northern Africa in the fifth century wrote about exactly that. He had doubted that God still did miracles until he started seeing them for himself. In his written work “City of God,” book XXII, chapter 8 (online here: http://www.logoslibrary.org/augustine/city/2208.html), he discusses why news of miracles often didn’t travel far in his day, and the reasons are much the same today. He also recorded a number of miracles he was aware of.

    If you attend a church that is even moderately charismatic (by “charismatic,” I mean open to the idea that the gifts of the Spirit are, at least in some measure, still for today), I would suggest you start asking around. It probably won’t take you too long to find a number of people who have experienced miraculous healing.

20. how is iit that i a believer am still walking around with M.S.

    • Dear believer, I don’t know why. But I know Jesus paid for it. And I know that there are a couple of us here willing to believe God for you, and fast and pray biblically for and with you. Email me at benari280@gmail.com and we’ll set something up. Bay (Site author)

21. Hi, I’ve just seen your website.

    I’m in England and 10 years ago I was prayed for at the New Wine summer festival to receive the Holy Spirit and in particular the gift of healing.

    I didn’t feel anything while being prayed for but as soon as I prayed for others, I was surrounded by God’s presence. As I held my hand out to pray I felt an incredible energy coming from my hand and immediately people were being healed, even before I had finished praying. Sometimes they experienced a lot of heat in the area I was praying for.

    The usual healings were pain gone from backs, shoulders, knees etc. On some occasions as I had my hand on someones back I felt movement of muscles as they were being healed, which was amazing.

    After a lot of activity with God, including receiving pictures and prophesies over a 3 month period, the number of healings began reducing. There have been sporadic healings since but not very often. I do wonder why!

    We could certainly do with more spirit filled ministers over here with teaching and workshops to practise the gifts. After all, in the bible Jesus tells us to go out and heal the sick, drive out demons and raise the dead. So obviously as god doesn’t lie, all these things are possible. Also Paul urges us to seek the gifts of the holy spirit.

    A blind lady was totally healed at New Wine in 2013 when she was prayed for by someone in her church group. It was such a biblical event that New Wine commissioned a video to be made about the experience which was shown the following year. The lady later found that when she prayed for others they were getting healed.

    I have no answer for why some people do get healed and others don’t. I am praying that after coronavirus more people will be open to God and we will see more signs and wonders.

    We just have to persevere.