February 27, 2012

today’s meditation verse:

i corinthians 12:9b
9b) …and to another gifts of healing by the one spirit,

this week i will be writing about the ministerial gift of the spirit, the gift of healing. as i have been saying during this study of the gifts of the spirit, there are gifts that are given to all for personal benefit, but here in this passage paul is referring to the ministerial gifts of the spirit. the ministerial gifts are defined as those used for the common good, as in verse 7 of this chapter.

we know that one of the gifts that was bought and paid for on the cross was the gift of divine health for all who receive christ and believe in him.

i peter 2:24
24) and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed.

in this verse peter is referring to the fulfilled prophecy by the prophet isaiah here:

isaiah 53:5
5) but he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

so we can be certain that jesus took sickness and disease for us and crucified it on the cross so that we would not have to suffer sickness or disease. physical healing is there for us to receive at any time just as is our spiritual salvation. to possess it you must believe it and receive it.

but the gift of the spirit that paul is referring to in i corinthians is the ministerial gift for the common good.

it is by faith that we are saved. that includes all forms of salvation, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and i could go on. for someone who is new to christ or even someone who doesn’t yet know christ, having the faith to receive healing can be very challenging.

when jesus went about healing all who were sick, he was operating under the gift of healing. he himself walked in divine health, the same divine health he has provided for all of us today, but when he reached out to heal others it was the gift of healing that was in operation.

when the need arises for another person to be healed and they do not have the faith or knowledge of the healing resource, then you may operate under the gift of healing and impart healing to them.

james 5:14-15
14) is anyone among you sick? then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the lord; 15) and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

here james is referring to the gift of healing. he says that anyone who is sick, meaning those who know christ and even those who are not. he goes on to say that as a person receives the healing (physical salvation) he will also receive spiritual salvation.

salvation has many facets, but when you received christ you received it all. take advantage of that precious gift of salvation and all that it has to offer. be healed today, body soul and spirit!

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