What Is Divine Healing, and Does it Happen Today?
- Ashley Hooker Contributing Writer
- Updated Jul 15, 2022
When my husband was in Bible college, the newest class gave their testimonies in chapel the first week. That was the week we met a man who honestly should have been deceased many years ago. He spoke about the ailments he had suffered and how God had spared him from the ultimate outcome of death.
His testimony reminded me that healing is possible. Divine healing is possible.
What Is Divine Healing?
Divine healing is defined as a supernatural act of God that resolves a physical, emotional, or spiritual sickness. It is healing only achieved by God through Jesus and the prayers of His people. Some would simply say it is the answer to a prayer for health or reconciliation. I believe we could go a step further and say divine healing is the gift God gave us when He sent His son to die for us. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Examples of Divine Healing in the Bible
Many examples of divine healing are shared with us in scripture. Let’s take a look at a few.
1. Lazarus
The story of Lazarus is found in John 11. It may be the most well-known example of Jesus healing a person. Jesus and Lazarus were friends and he had died while Jesus was away teaching. When Jesus heard the news, he traveled back to Bethany where Lazarus was buried. When He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for days. His sisters Mary and Martha were heartbroken and angry with Jesus. They had no hope that Jesus could bring Lazarus back. But in John 11:43, Jesus calls out in a loud voice for Lazarus to come out from his grave. Lazarus stands up and walks out a healed man.
2. The Royal Official’s Son
In John 4:47-53, Jesus has arrived in Galilee and is visiting Cana. This was the same town where He turned water into wine. While there, a royal official from Capernaum comes to him because his son is sick. The official begged Jesus to come and heal his son. Jesus tells him to go and that his son will live. When the official arrives back home, he finds his son is well again.
3. The Paralytic, Blind, and the Mute
In Matthew 9:2-6, Jesus is getting back into the boat after restoring two men with demons. When the boat gets across the water, some people bring a paralytic man to Him (Matthew 9:2-6). Jesus tells the man to get up and walk, and he does. Further in Matthew 9, Jesus heals a dead girl (Matthew 9:18-26) and then he meets two blind men. Jesus touched their eyes, and their sight was restored (Matthew 9:27-29). After healing the blind men, Jesus is brought a man who cannot talk and is demon-possessed. Jesus drives out the demons, and the man begins to speak (Matthew 9:32-33).
4. Naaman is Healed of Leprosy
Naaman was a pagan commander of the Syrian army. He had a lot of power, but he also had leprosy. A band of raiders from Aram had been out pillaging and brought back a young Israelite girl. She tells Naaman’s wife there is a prophet that could heal him of his leprosy. Naaman tells the king what the girl has said is given permission to go to this prophet. The prophet Elisha hears of these events and tells the king of Israel to send Naaman to him. Naaman goes and, with reluctance, dips himself in the Jordan seven times and is healed (2 Kings 5).
5. The Apostles Heal Many
In Acts 5:12-16, we don’t learn about one divine healing. We actually learn about many. Peter and the apostles had been performing many signs and miracles. People were coming to know the Lord. They were the teachings of Jesus through the disciples. Because this was happening, believers were joining together and were highly regarded. Believers who were not meeting in Solomon’s Colonnade, still wanted a miracle for themselves or their loved ones. They would lay their loved one on mats or beds in the street hoping the shadow of Peter would touch them. Crowds began to gather around Jerusalem for the same purpose. As the apostles traveled through each town, all the sick were healed.
Does Divine Healing Still Happen Today?
It was a cool summer evening in the mountains, and my family had thawed out steaks for dinner. When dinnertime came, my husband asked our son to light the grill. This was not unusual, but that evening would be etched in our minds for all time. My husband and I heard our son go out the door, and then we heard a loud bang. We ran to the patio, where we found our son had been burnt in the face as the grill was being lit.
That evening, I spent hours praying over our son. I prayed for divine healing. My heart was poured out before the Lord. As morning arrived, I witnessed the answer to my prayer, and today I look upon a face that shows no sign of ever being touched by fire.
My story leads me to believe that divine healing does still happen today. There are people who are fasting, praying, and being anointed with oil that will experience divine healing. When this happens, glory is brought forth to God. That was His purpose in the Bible. Each time Jesus healed, it was to prove who He was. It was to show people how much God loved them and that He was worthy of all their praise.
I don’t believe God will always take away our sickness when we ask. There are people who have asked God to heal them or loved ones and their sickness remains. Why this happens, I don’t know.
What I do know is that God does everything according to his will. Paul lived his life with what he called a “thorn in his flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). He had a physical impairment God would not heal. His impairment and the trials we face testify to God's power. The young girl who played the piano at my wedding was stricken with brain cancer, and we all prayed for healing. When she went to be with Jesus, we all wondered why God would take such a bright, beautiful, young soul. We now know that her illness impacted so many people in our community. People saw her get up each day and trust God for whatever was in store. Her purpose was to show others how God gave her courage, strength, resilience, and peace in her life.
Conclusion
Divine healing is shown from cover to cover in our Bibles. It happened in the early church, and it is still happening today. We may not witness healing in the way the early Christians did, but we still witness people being healed. We are witnessing the divine healing that became possible with the blood of Christ. I believe there is nothing better than seeing a soul healed from their sins and a life changed forever.
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