Do healing services work? That all depends upon how you look at them. Some people will be given healing, others hope. Is the gift of hope any less important than the gift of healing? Some people will not receive health, but instead they will hear (as Paul himself did), "My grace is sufficient for you."
So, what is the bottom line? We need to offer more services of healing. We need to believe that God can and does heal today. We need to be willing to accept whatever God deems appropriate for us, even if that means we do not receive the type of response we are expecting from the healing service.
We had our first healing service in Stillwater yesterday. many came for prayer and anointing. The results? I don't know, you see, results are God's business, my job is to be faithful. For me, being faithful in this practice is giving the opportunity for people to receive God's grace. If that grace comes in the form of healing, great! If God's grace comes in the form of strength to endure, that is great as well.
How was the service received? Well, let's just say that when I suggested to one elder that we should do this again in about six months, his reply was, "Why not quarterly?" I guess what I am really saying is that we need to embrace the healing ministry of the church--not that I expect to see someone come forward, receive prayer and toss their crutches aside (though I believe that if that was God's will it can happen!), but instead we simply need to reclaim what was once ours--the faith that God is in control and CAN do miraculous things.
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And we mustn't forget the healing of the mind and spirit. Congratulations on being strong enough to go where many fear to tread these days. Shalom to your faithful congregation for reviving a practice many of us prefer to keep on the shelf.
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