“I have chosen you that ye should remain: that WHATSOEVER ye shall ASK of the Father in My Name, He May Give it you,” (Jn. 15: 7, 8, 16).
The Disciples Given Power to Heal:
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease,” (Matt. 10:1).
“Peter, preaching to Cornelius and his household said, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him," (Acts 10:38).
The Holy Spirit gave Jesus gifts of the Spirit to do his ministry.
He never claimed to do them.
“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me,” (Jn. 10:25).
Hebrews tells us that He had the Spirit without measure.
The same Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus to perform His mighty miracles and to cast out devils (Matt. 12:28), was promised to every believer because of the sacrifice of Calvary, (Gal. 3:13, 14 - Acts 2:38, 39).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father,” (Jn .14:12).
He was promised to be poured out on all flesh in the Last days, (Joel 2:28).
And Jesus promised that when the Holy Spirit is come upon us, we shall receive power to do even greater works than Jesus did while here on earth. (Jn. 14:12-014; Acts 1:8).
Throughout the book of Acts the apostles are credited with the power to perform miracles of healing (Acts 2:43; 5:12; 8:7; 9:12, 17; 28:8).
There seems to have been a special order of persons in the early church who possessed the “gift of healing,” (1 Cor. 12:9, 28).
In (Jas. 5:13-16), elders are instructed to anoint the sick with oil and to pray in order to promote healing.
The apostle Peter, in this twofold ministry of preaching and healing wrote:
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen,” (1Pet. 4:10-11).
So many multitudes were healed “insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the Shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow them . . . and they were healed everyone,” (Acts 5:15, 16).
Stephen is the perfect example of one appointed to serve who proclaimed God’s message with great boldness and great effectiveness, (Acts 6 and 7).
“And the people with one accord gave heed unto the things which Philip spake, Hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice came out of many . . . many taken with palsies, and that were lame were healed.” (Acts 8:4-8).
Just an ordinary believer was sent of God to pray for the apostle
Paul’s eyes, and “immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith,” (Acts 9:18).
“God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them,” (Acts 19:11,12).
Paul rebuked the Corinthian Church for being sick and weakly and some having already died before their time!
He did not say their sickness was because God was trying their “patience” nor their “faith.”
He said: “Shall I praise you in this” I PRAISE YOU NOT . . .”
He proceeded to tell them why the Corinthian Church members were sick:
“Ye have not discerned the Lord’s BODY . . .” “For this cause. Many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep (are dead).” (I Cor.11: 27-30).
Repentance and a change in the way they were partaking of the Lord’s Supper would rectify this condition and heal all the people!
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