What is your opinion of faith healing?
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God obviously can heal if he wants to.
But healing on demand by charlatans is another issue. There was a big revival in Florida. A healing revival. But people in wheelchairs, or obviously sick were not allowed to come to the front. The ones who were healed were never sick in the first place.
I trust God completely that he is in control. He can use time, doctors, and the prayers of God's people to heal. But, in my opinion, the dog and pony shows that characterize most faith healers tells me that we put too much emphasis on healing and self, and not enough on serving God.
But healing on demand by charlatans is another issue. There was a big revival in Florida. A healing revival. But people in wheelchairs, or obviously sick were not allowed to come to the front. The ones who were healed were never sick in the first place.
I trust God completely that he is in control. He can use time, doctors, and the prayers of God's people to heal. But, in my opinion, the dog and pony shows that characterize most faith healers tells me that we put too much emphasis on healing and self, and not enough on serving God.
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Witness45
Guest
It's extremely emotionally damaging and it many cases deadly to thousands of people.
I was promised healing from not only a few minor physical infirmities but was primarily promised complete and total psychological/emotional healing from a history of sexual abuse. I had was declared healed before an entire church. Therefore when the healing did not come, they pointed an accusing finger at me for simply not having enough faith.
All the miraculous Apostolic sign gifts were reserved for the Apostolic age in early church history for the mere purpose of authenticating the message of the Apostles.
I was promised healing from not only a few minor physical infirmities but was primarily promised complete and total psychological/emotional healing from a history of sexual abuse. I had was declared healed before an entire church. Therefore when the healing did not come, they pointed an accusing finger at me for simply not having enough faith.
All the miraculous Apostolic sign gifts were reserved for the Apostolic age in early church history for the mere purpose of authenticating the message of the Apostles.
You are a Christian. Maybe God isn't done with you yet.
As far as miraculous things from God, I've had many.
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Witness45
Guest
You are a Christian. Maybe God isn't done with you yet.
As far as miraculous things from God, I've had many.
People use the words "miraculous" in the place of "providential" all the time. The majority of things people call a miracle is really just God's providence.
The Charismatic movement is the most dangerous and heretical movement in Christianity to date. Every Christian cult and prosperity preacher to date has stemmed from it and it wrecks the faith of millions by letting them down. I wish I had never opened up to it myself. Whatever you've supposedly seen or experienced, I guarantee it wasn't any genuine Apostolic level miracle. If anything it's just God's providence.
I have heard of Charismatic but I don't really know what it is exactly however yes there are many many things you have spoke of but I wouldn't go as far as to say what 1Joseph experienced wasn't legit. God is not limited in any way and all these miracles that Jesus did are very possible today but not like everyone thinks. you may have the faith to move a mountain you may believe what you pray will come true but then there is the matter of God's will and ours. If God never meant for that mountain to move then no matter how strong your faith is it won't budge even a a little. I myself have never once seen an actual healing or a miracle but I believe regardless because i don't limit God. I believe fully we can walk on water in fact it's possible even for me I don't doubt that but it has to be God who says to move. Unless he says to walk on water I can try but it won't happen, I can pray for healing which I do but I also know that he has to be the one to act. every time my prayers for healing go unanswered i don't lose faith I simply know he has a plan for the sickness and pain.
I believe without seeing I don't have to see to believe because my heart sees for me
Just GOD's providence? wow.......let me step back, just in case a lightning bolt decides to come in your direction! How dare you..of all people..have the audacity to proclaim this to the world....so...since you know what is and what is'nt a GODLY miracle...why are you not sought out more often? In fact...I see NO lines forming at our door, oh great guru!!!!! You cannot 'guarantee" anything! You do not know real apostolic level miracles if they hit you in the face. Does GOD really have to do HUGE BIBLICAL proportion miracles before you can sense and feel and see the daily ones that occur? We even entertain angels, unawares, also...How do you explain that one away? Is that NOT a miracle? Whatever happened in your past, apparently is still being carried around as baggage in your life. You will NOT ruin the joy, the miraculous and the movement of the Holy Spirit in my personal life...My prayer for you is that you forget "SELF" and find that MIRACLES occur moment by moment and start a fresh walk in CHRIST and stop boxing Him in with your ASSumptions, oh ye of little faith!!!!
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Witness45
Guest
And it's precisely this kind of message through which I had to change phone numbers and quit my job due to the constant harassment of my past Pentecostal oh so holy brethren. If they were half as humble and kind as they were obsessed with their own miracle making I might've actually considered staying.
Actually, no one can say that their healing "did not come", but you can say, "My healing has not come---yet." It is God's will to heal. He has not stopped. The apostolic age has not passed.
What wrecks the faith of believers is the idea that somehow God desires that any of us be sick.
I sometimes attribute ritualistic and excessive prayer to some people wanting God to send them sign. Some believe that they can emulate what Elijah did.
Given this I'm reminded of Matthew 16:4,
A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
Basically it's just that many people who try it don't have good intentions and are somewhat testing God.
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Witness45
Guest
If God didn't desire Job to be sick and suffer hardship and disease, then why did he? If you say it's his fault or someone else's then you completely miss the point of the book of Job, which is the sovereignty of God. Job did nothing to deserve it and yet God didn't just allow it to happen to Job, he suggested Job to Satan when he asked him "have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on Earth like him."
Now does this mean he doesn't love us? Not at all. Not only did he send his only begotten Son to die in the place of us, but he has promised complete and perfect healing for all eternity, just not in this lifetime. He has promised instead that his people will suffer in this life. This life does not have perfect health, wealth, and prosperity. That's promised in heaven and the exact opposite is promised here. Whenever we suffer or have disease, we know that God has a greater purpose behind it. Romans 8:28 - "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Who are called according to his purpose."
Not only this, but God himself says very plainly in his word that he is the cause of our illness and infirmities. Exodus 4:11 - "Who has made man's mouth, or who makes him dumb, or deaf, or seen, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" Friend, that's God talking.
Yes, God does sometimes desire us to be sick. Yet he has promised a greater purpose for all of the sickness and suffering and has also promised eternal health, wealth, prosperity, fulfillment and happiness to those who are his. Only a carnal, earthly mind sets its thoughts on what God can give them in this temporal life, rather than be satisfied that they already have everything eternally in the next one. We need to learn patience and longsuffering for his sake, not selfish obsession with perfect bliss and happiness.
It is not God's will that any of us be sick. To suggest that it is is to make Him a liar or at the very least, schizophrenic. His very name is Jehovah Rophe, The Lord Heals. He says,
Psalm 103:3
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,
Can God bring good out of adversity and illness? Yes! But He is not the cause of any disease.
And those "some" are wrong, as God is not in the business of punishing anyone at this point in time. He is operating in His great mercy and grace for the sake of His Son, who is building His Church.
I understand where you're coming from, but I wasn't sure if you meant all believers or believers in general, thats why I said some.