The Healings of Jesus
(Mazabuka, Zambia)
Matthew records some healings Jesus performed, and he gave instructions to his apostles: "These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and proclaim as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You will receive without paying; give without paying'" (Matthew 10:5-8).
The Israelites were God's chosen people, but because they did not receive Him, we, the Gentiles, were grafted into the branches and received the good news of the kingdom of God. "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him, but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:11-12).
Acts 1:8 tells about the power of the Holy Spirit the disciples would later receive after Jesus' ascension into heaven. This power was to help them witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. John 20:22-23 also talks about the giving of the Holy Spirit by Jesus to the apostles.
Is it true that power of healing still exists today ? Do people forgive sin in this generation ? Some people believe that a priest or pastor can forgive sin and that certain individuals possess the power of healing. They hold crusades advertising that they can heal and bring the dead to life, this is not true.
They attempt to exorcise demons but only Jesus and the apostles did this. In our lifetime we can be healed by prayer to God: "Why do we call elders to pray for the sick ? Because we are of the same faith and of one accord" (James 5:14-15). In Mark 2:1-5, the four men took their brother to Jesus for healing of his paralysis; they had faith - in other words, these people were of one mind. Paul in 1 Corinthians has told us that God is not a God of disorder but of peace, so we must have one faith.
Why do we examine ourselves during the breaking of bread ? We examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. We must test ourselves. Do you not realise that Jesus Christ is in you ? Unless indeed you fail to meet the test (2 Cor 13:5). We must test ourselves by our work according to what Jesus requires of us. We must ask ourselves questions. Am I doing the right things ? Do my works please the master ? (see Gal 6:4).
Most people desire the coming of the kingdom of God. For ourselves, we must pray that by God's grace we might be part of that kingdom. When Jesus will be ruling, there will possibly be a temporary period with worse diseases and troubles than in our present lifetimes. Can you imagine Zechariah's prophecy ? "And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples who wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, their tongues will rot in their mouths. And a plague like this plague shall fall on their horses, mules, the camels, the donkeys and whatever beasts may be in their camps" (14:12-15).
My brotherly advice is that while many of us have come from different religions which have taught different doctrines, we have now come to the right doctrines, and therefore we must not get carried away by what others believe concerning healing and miracles. We know that only Jesus and the apostles could do this, and now that the apostles are asleep, no-one can pass on these spiritual gifts, they just do not exist now.
God bless us all in our walk to the kingdom, and may we find favour in His eyes every day of our lives.
Bro. Gideon Hankamone
