The primary point of James chapter 5 is on prayer. But this text receives much injustice because of this statement: 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.
The controversy surrounding this passage of Scripture is intense across denominational lines, traditional and liberal theology, conservative and charismatic practices as well as the pulpit and pew relationship.
As a young preacher (I think I was 13 or 14 years old at the time), I’ll never forget an experience I had at the start of an afternoon church service. I was about to enter into church when a member of the church stopped and asked me to pray for her because she was having stomach pains. It was apparent that she wasn’t feeling good so I did what I saw my pastor do; I laid hands on her stomach and prayed. Shortly thereafter, she came to thank me and expressed that she felt much better. Weeks later someone else came requesting a “prayer of healing” and then another one and then another one. I laid hands and prayed each time until a next door neighbor’s niece was diagnosed with cancer. She was a young lady about 9 years old. They asked me to pray. Again, I did what I saw my pastor do, I laid hands and prayed. Without question I was confident that she would be healed because everybody else I prayed for said they were healed. So shall it be with this little girl.
Unfortunately, the story does not have a happy ending. That little girl died of cancer months later and I never laid my hands on another person since. I was devastated, hurt, and embarrassed. The family never blamed me but I blamed myself. It took me years to get over that and in many ways I still think about it as if it was yesterday.
To say that we possess the gift of healing is a serious claim to lay hold off because we have people’s lives physically, spiritually, and literally in our hands. I don’t want to debate who does or does not possess the gift of healing that’s in God’s hands. But I agree with John McArthur and so many other great writers and teachers, if men (and women) possess the gift of healing why is there so much sickness, disease, deformities, and death in our society. Why are the hospitals filled with sick children, youth, teens, and adults? Why is there a funeral everyday of the week with lines of cars going to the cemetery? Why do we need doctors, medicine, and research? Why, why, why?
I get irritated with many television preachers who rent hotel rooms, convention centers, and tents for miracle services to take advantage of the sick. I get upset with prayer clothes, miracle spring water, special oils, and all other gadgets used to supposedly bring health, wealth and prosperity to those in need (oh, by the way for a small donation). If all of this is available to bring healing why, oh tell me why, are people dying every second.
I believe we, as pastors, elders, preachers, and bishops are missing our true calling to bring glad tidings of great joy through the preaching of God’s word to a sin sick and dying world with no hope of salvation. And this is the premise by which I base my writings.
But the debate still surrounds the question, where does healing come from? Who is the source of healing? Do humans possess the ability to heal? Is healing a miracle from God or the work of man? Is the gift of healing a temporal or permanent spiritual gift? What are the reasons for healing, personal gratification or to glorify God? Should healing be practiced in the church during the invitation or a special called service? Does the practice of healing benefit or hurt the witness of the church of Jesus Christ? Is there healing in olive oil and in the hands of the preacher? What is our response when a person does not get healed? Should we offer a person physical healing when we know the greatest need of healing is spiritual through salvation in Jesus Christ?
In order to make a comparison between what goes on today and what the Bible teaches, we just look at Jesus. How did He heal? He set the pattern for all the spiritual gifts. There are six points that are absolutely critical:
1. JESUS HEALED WITH A WORD OR TOUCH
a. A Word
Matthew 8:5-8 says, "And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching Him, and saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." You say, "How did the centurion know that?"
That was the common way in which Jesus healed.
b. A Touch
Jesus also healed with a touch. Mark 5:25-34 tells the story of a woman, who had an issue of blood, as she crawled through the crowd to reach Jesus. Verse 27 says, "When she had heard of Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched His garment. For she said, If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague" (vv. 27-29). Jesus didn't push her over, she simply reached up and grabbed one of the rabbinical tassels hanging on His robe (rabbis had four tassels on their robes) and she was healed instantly. With a word or a touch He healed all. There were no dramatics and no theatrics.
2. JESUS HEALED INSTANTANEOUSLY
a. Mark 5:29 -- "And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague." When? Immediately. I have heard people say, "The Lord healed me. Since He did I have been getting better progressively." Jesus never did a progressive healing. When He sent away the lepers, they were healed instantaneously as they traveled on the road (Lk. 17:14). When the blind man washed his eyes in the pool, he saw instantly (Jn. 9:7). What about the man who first saw men like trees, walking? (Mk. 8:24). He was just focusing what God had just created. Instant healing -- the Scripture knows no other kind; otherwise, if Jesus healed progressively, that kind of miracle would be worthless to demonstrate His deity. Someone would say it was just a natural process. His healing had to be instant.
b. Mark 7:31-35 -- "And again, departing from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech..." (vv. 31-32a). Now, very frequently when someone has always been deaf, it is difficult for them to articulate clearly. So they speak with a certain impediment because they cannot hear themselves talk. This is an organic problem.
Verse 32 continues: "...and they beseech Him to put His hand upon him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and He spat, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly" (vv. 32b-35). No healer today has ever done that. All of a sudden, a person who is stone deaf from birth, and who talked in the manner characteristic of one who has never heard himself speak, is given the freedom to speak clearly and to hear everything instantaneously. That is what Jesus did to prove that God was intervening. There was no other possible explanation, otherwise the miracle ceases to have its significance.
3. JESUS HEALED TOTALLY
Luke 4:38 says, "And He arose and left the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever...." Peter's mother-in-law was very ill. In fact, the implication here is that she was dying. Verse 39 says, "And He stood over her, and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she arose and ministered unto them." She got up and made dinner. Here is a woman lying on her deathbed, and when Jesus healed her, He healed her totally. He didn't say, "Now that you've been healed, I want you to just take a little honey and hot tea, and then I want you to make sure that you stay around the house and just lie down." She was healed of a deathly disease, then got up and made dinner. That is instant, total healing.
4. JESUS HEALED EVERYBODY
Jesus wasn't like Kathryn Kuhlman, Oral Roberts, or Brandt Baker. He didn't have all the people with organic diseases leave the same way they came. Luke 4:40 says, "Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any who were sick with various diseases, brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them." He healed with a word and a touch, instantaneously, totally, and everybody. That is why He didn't have to heal in His own environment; He could go where they were.
5. JESUS HEALED ORGANIC DISEASE
People who were crippled from birth could walk. People who were blind could see. People who were deaf and dumb could speak and hear. These are all organic problems. Jesus didn't go around healing low back pain, palpitation of the heart, and breathing problems.
6. JESUS RAISED THE DEAD
Mark 5:35 says, "While He yet spoke, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain who said, Thy daughter is dead. Why troublest thou the Master any further?" The ruler of the synagogue had asked Jesus to help his sick daughter (v. 23). Verse 41 picks up the narrative: "And He took the child by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Little girl, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the child arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment" (vv. 41-42). The miracle was in the resurrection. He raised the dead.
I wish the people who claim to have the gift of healing would spend a little time in funeral parlors. They could sure make some exciting things happen. Wouldn't it be super that the next time you went to a funeral someone with the gift of healing came in and said, "I feel badly about this situation. Would you please get up?"
Why did Jesus heal with a word or a touch, instantaneously, totally, everybody, those with organic diseases, and raise the dead? Did He do it to infatuate or play games with the people? John 20:30-31 gives the reason: "And many other signs truly did Jesus...but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." This gift was an authenticating gift to confirm the statement of Jesus that He is God. You say, "But what about when the Apostles healed?" It was to confirm their proclamation.
I'm not saying that God doesn't do miracles. I'm not saying that God doesn't heal. He does heal, and He can do anything He wants to do. Miracles are neither impossible nor necessary -- that is up to God. But there is no evidence biblically or practically that anyone today is operating the gift of healing. If God wants to heal, that is His business and privilege. He may heal through the prayers of an individual. He promises that "the prayer of faith shall save the sick" (Js. 5:15a). But let's not confuse God's healing in response to prayer with the ability to heal everyone at will, as in the case of Jesus and the Apostles. (Taken from John McArthur’s study Guide on “The Temporary Sign Gifts-Healing, Part A”)
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