Scripture declares a certain reality of life. This reality centers upon the activity of God within the world. God is not removed from creation. In the Old Testament, we see God choosing and journeying with the nation of Israel.
The Lord’s presence brings with it the manifestation of God’s power. God acts in mighty and miraculous ways. These events are not put forward as metaphorical tales or mythological exaggerations. The Old Testament declares a reality of life; a reality in which God is present and active. To deny this reality is to deny the very veracity of the Old Testament. This reality of the world is carried over into the New Testament. The Gospels focus on the power of God working through the incarnation of God: Jesus of Nazareth. It is thus no surprise that Jesus is often seen performing miracle after miracle. He heals illnesses, controls nature, and even raises the dead. Surprisingly, Jesus extends his divine power to his own followers. As Jesus sends the disciples out for their evangelistic mission, he gives them “power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, sending them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2). The disciples are called to express the presence and power of God’s kingdom, made available in Christ Jesus. The Book of Acts continues this witness of God’s power in human life. With the bestowal of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we see the Christian community engage in the miraculous healing in Acts. The disciples continue to cast out demons and heal the sick. Thus, the same reality of life illuminated through the Old Testament and the Gospels is present in the Book of Acts. An interesting question to ask is: Is this our reality today? When we read about the miraculous healings occurring through the Christian community, is this something we can claim for ourselves? Do we have the same “power and authority” given to Christ’s early followers? To put it bluntly, do we still live in a time where Christ’s apostles can engage in the miraculous?
The Book of Acts contains deep truths regarding the very reality in which we live and the availability of God’s miraculous power. To fully uncover this, we need to explore three questions about the miraculous healings we see in the book of Acts:
Where Do Healings Occur in Acts?
Healings abound throughout the Book of Acts. The first mention of healing occurs in the description of the church community following the descent of the Spirit. In describing the nature of this newly empowered Christian community, the Book of Acts records that “Awe came upon everyone, because many signs and wonders were being done by the Apostles” (2:43). Such signs and wonders naturally included acts of miraculous healing. This same description occurs in chapter 5:12. From here, acts of healing are peppered throughout the rest of the book. Peter and John, for example, heal a crippled man as they journey to the temple. Looking intently at the man, Peter responds, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ, get up and walk” (3:6). The man takes his mat and enters the temple with two apostles. Similarly, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is described as “full of grace and power,” a man who “did many great wonders and signs among the people” (6:8). Philip, Ananias, Paul, and Barnabas, are all described as engaging in healing ministry. This association with “signs and wonders” seems to be that which identified the Christian community and set them apart from other religious sects. Acts 4:23-30 records a prayer for the boldness of the Christian community. Here the church prays; “grant your servants to speak your word with boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed.”
Signs and wonders were understood to be a natural and expected part of Christian life and ministry. Do we have a similar expectation within the Christian community today?
About The Author
Harrison Okafor
editor
Judith is a believer, a lover of Christ and a Gospel freak person. A passionate gospel blogger and press writer. I work with GospelHitsNaija.net Media, no 1 Gospel music platform.
