Healing
is one of the most controversial subjects we can raise in the church. Yet there
is no doubt that the Bible is filled with accounts of Jesus' healing miracles.
It seems clear as well from the following three Scriptures that healing is a
by-product of the stripes Jesus endured before going to the cross:
"But
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the
chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed"
(Is. 53:5);
"They
brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with
a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'He Himself took our infirmities and bore
our sicknesses'" (Matt. 8:16-17);
"Who
Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to
sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed" (1
Pet. 2:24).
Furthermore,
the Christians in the early church experienced miracles of healing as well. In
fact, health and prosperity were objects of prayer for the believers:
"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just
as your soul prospers," the apostle John wrote in 3 John 1:2.
When
we look at the healing ministry of Jesus, we must also recognize the vital
connection we have with it: We are His body on earth today (1 Cor. 3:16).
Therefore, we must exhibit the same passion for healing that we have observed
in Him.
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