Gifts of healings and working of miracles

 BY Argie Simonis

Something we notice in 1 Corinthians 12:9 is that it speaks in the plural of gifts of healing:

"... to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;" 1Corinthians 12:9

The gifts of healing are supernatural powers released through a person for the purpose of bringing healing to those who are sick. All believers can lay hands on the sick and see them recover (Mark 16:17-18 and John 14:12), but there are some people who have a calling to a ministry of healing. These people are gifted with the gifts of healing, and this is something that strongly characterizes their ministry. Healing gifts are expressed in various ways, depending on how the Lord distributes them.

It is the same with the gift of miracles.

Miracles are God's way of meeting the needs of those who seek Him in faith. Miracles will sometimes be used to show God's ability so that people will believe (Mark 2:10-11), but will not happen to skeptics who tempt God (Luke 4:9-12) .

So what is the definition of a miracle?

A miracle is a supernatural intervention of God's power upon natural law.

There is an essential separation between a miracle and a healing. Healings occur within the boundaries of natural laws, while miracles are not limited to natural laws. A person with a high fever who receives prayer and then begins to recover experiences a healing. The Lord intervened here, but in natural ways, as for example in Peter's mother-in-law:

"And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered to them." Luke 4:39

The virus, infection, or whatever it was that was causing the fever was rebuked, left her body and then her immune system took over the natural healing process (as it is designed to do in all of us).

When something totally supernatural happens, that's a miracle:

"And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer you thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him." Luke 22:50-51

When Jesus reattached Malchus' ear after Peter had previously cut it off (John 18:10), it was a miracle. It was also a healing, but it was a miraculous healing.

The feeding of the five thousand (Matt. 14:19-20), the walking on water (Matt. 14:25), the transfer of the ship and all the passengers from one end of the sea to the other (John 6:21 ), these are all miracles. Miracles are usually instantaneous, while healings are usually a proccess.

Are miracles happening today?

"And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." Mark 16:20

The Lord confirmed the preaching of His Word with miracles. If Jesus and the first century Christians needed the Word confirmed by miracles, how much more we do:

"God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" Hebrews 2:4