Dear beloved: Immediately after receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the apostles started to manifest the power (dunamis=dynamite) in their preaching that came with being filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter got up before the crowds and preached a mighty sermon that brought conviction and repentance to 3,000 people who were baptized and saved on that day, and thus the New Testament church was born. (Acts2:41) Then soon after that Peter and John made their way up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer, and other gifts of the Holy Spirit began to manifest.
Acts 3:2 And a certain man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those entering the temple. v4 And Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze upon him and said, "Look at us!" v5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. v6 but Peter said, "I do not posess silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazerene, walk!" v7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened. v8 And with a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God....Peter goes on to explain that the power to raise this man was not his own but came from Jesus Christ. v16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him the perfect health in the presence of you all."
The power to heal comes from God alone, and He has given us that power through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are definitely in the realm of the supernatural, as it goes against our natural expectation to believe that people can be healed of infirmities that have been with them for a lifetime, or even beyond that to see people raised from the dead; in fact, most people are satisfied to accept a doctor's prognosis that within a certain amount of time death or a predicted outcome will be a certainty. The gifts most involved in healing include the gifts of faith, healings, and miracles. To a lesser extent gifts of the word of knowledge or word of wisdom may be involved, and maybe even the gift of prophecy may be activated.
The time is coming in America when the need for these gifts will present itself in a way never before known. There will be situations, such as the earthquake in Haiti, where the medical estalishment will be overwhelmed due to the magnitude of the event or devastation, lack of supplies, or proximity to good medical care will preclude waiting for proper care to come along. In addition to all of that, we are in a time of transition when God will choose to manifest His power for all to see, so that those who are witnesses to the awesome power of God will run to Him and repent of their wicked ways. He will be very close to us, either to convict us of sin, or to provide us with the manifest power of His presence so that the world may see Him.
Beloved, pray to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that through you God may reveal Himself to the world with signs, wonders, and miracles. Start practicing by laying hands on your friends, prayer partners, or family members who have sickness or infirmity. The Holy Spirit will point out to you those that need prayer if you are sensitive to His leading; then be obedient, put your shyness aside, and in faith ask God for healing or a miracle. Peter was very blunt in telling the lame man that he didn't have any money for him (for food, for medicine, for a trip to the hospital), but what he had for him was so much better, in this life and for the life to come, Jesus Christ of Nazereth. Step out in faith and watch God work, you will be amazed and God will receive the glory for it all! God bless you this day, in Christ, Jim
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