The Spiritual Gift of Healing
Healing: A Spiritual Gift Definition
The Healing spiritual gift is a God-given ability to pray over the ill or injured, resulting in their recovery. Accordingly, healings may take place instantly, or over time. Regardless of how long it takes, the healing will be credited to God rather than any person.
Healing is a “Revelatory Gift“. This means that this gift is not tied to the user’s personality. So, healings, when they take place, are true expressions of God’s grace “revealed” in the moment. God may or may not ever again use the prayer to heal. Unlike the Practical Gifts, with Revelatory Gifts, it is better to say “God used me to heal another“, rather than claim that you “possess” the gift of healing. Finally, people whom God has used to heal others may also possess additional Practical Gifts that include Faith and/or Evangelism.
The spiritual gift of healing is listed by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:9 and 28. Likewise, James 5:13-20 instructs us to “pray over the sick and the prayer of faith will make the sick person well“. For examples, look to Acts 9:32-35. Here we find one of many biblical examples where the Holy Spirit accomplished instantaneous healing. In addition, Jesus’ ministry was marked by healings. Jesus himself exclaimed in John 14:12-14, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these….”