Is The Miracle of Healing for Today?

Healing: What the Bible Actually Says

Few topics have been more misunderstood or more emotionally charged in the Christian world than healing. For some, healing is a central part of faith, with bold claims and extravagant expectations. For others, it’s dismissed as a relic of the apostolic age. But the Bible gives us a balanced, sober, and powerful picture—one that exalts Christ’s authority without abusing His promises.

Healing in the Ministry of Jesus and the Apostles

Jesus’ earthly ministry was saturated with healing. “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” (Matthew 4:23, NLT)

Healing wasn’t just proof of His divinity—it revealed the compassionate heart of God. He healed lepers (Luke 17:11–19), restored sight to the blind (John 9), and raised the dead (John 11). He touched outcasts and dignitaries alike. But His miracles weren’t performed on demand; sometimes He walked away from crowds (Mark 1:35–38).

The apostles also healed. Acts 3 recounts Peter and John healing a lame man. “Peter said, ‘I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!’” (Acts 3:6, NLT). This healing led to gospel proclamation, not a traveling roadshow.

When Healing Doesn’t Happen

The Bible is equally honest about when healing doesn’t occur.

Paul, the most prolific apostle, was denied healing for what he called his “thorn in the flesh”:

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:8–9, NLT)

God allowed Paul’s affliction to remain—not because Paul lacked faith, but because pride needed to be subdued (v.7). If Paul wasn’t guaranteed healing, why would any Christian think they should be?

Timothy, Paul’s protégé, was “frequently ill.” Paul didn’t blame his faith. He gave medical advice:

“Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.” (1 Timothy 5:23, NLT)

God sometimes uses healing. Other times He uses medicine. And sometimes He uses neither, because the greater healing is spiritual.

Not Everyone Has the Gift of Healing

The claim that “every believer should heal” ignores what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12.“Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret languages? Of course not!” (1 Corinthians 12:30, NLT)

The gifts of the Spirit are distributed as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). Not everyone gets every gift. Some are teachers. Others serve. Some are miraculously gifted for seasons—or not at all.

The Greek for healing, ἴαμα (Strong’s G2386, iama) refers to “a cure” or “remedy.” It's used only in reference to supernatural healing and is always plural: “gifts of healings” (χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων – charisma iamatōn), suggesting different kinds of healings at different times for different people.

Cessationism vs. Continuationism: Does Healing Continue?

Some argue, based on 1 Corinthians 13:8–10, that miraculous gifts ceased:“Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever. Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete… But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.” (1 Corinthians 13:8–10, NLT)

But what is “the time of perfection”? Cessationists claim it refers to the completed canon of Scripture. But the text gives no such indication. Paul says:

“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.” (v.12, NLT)

This isn’t the Bible—this is the return of Christ. Until then, partial gifts still function in the Body. So while some misuse healing, Scripture doesn’t say it has ended.

We affirm a cautious continuationist position: healing still occurs, but it is neither guaranteed nor universal. And it must always be tested by Scripture and handled humbly.

Abuses in Modern Healing Movements

Many modern ministries treat healing like a vending machine—insert faith, push a button, receive your miracle. This is not biblical faith. Scripture warns about this distortion:“They think godliness is a means to financial gain.” (1 Timothy 6:5, LEB)

Modern Word of Faith and Prosperity teachings often declare people healed when they’re not—or blame them for a lack of faith. This is spiritual abuse. Healing in Scripture was never transactional. It was always relational, Christ-centered, and purposeful.

The Ultimate Healing

Even Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11), died again. Every healed person in the Bible still succumbed to death. That’s why the real healing believers long for is not temporary recovery, but resurrection:“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4, NLT)

That is the healing Christians are promised. Everything else is mercy along the way.