In India this year a woman came to our stage to testify that she could previously only walk with the help of a cane, but now she could walk and run freely without pain. I asked her, “Who did this for you?” She replied, “you did.” I said, “Oh no, JESUS is the one who healed you!” She said, “this is my first night at your festival. Who is Jesus?”
An Indian college student and I were talking, and I asked him if he was a Hindu. He said that he used to be, until last night at our gospel festival where he saw the town blind man healed by Jesus. He said, “that’s the kind of God I want to serve!”
Jesus often drew a crowd through His healings.
He then kept a crowd through His love.
Jesus told his disciples to “preach the gospel, and heal the sick.” Luke 9:2 In the next chapter He sent out the 70 with the same directive: “Heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘the kingdom of God has come near to you.” Luke 10:9 The two go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Heal the sick... preach the gospel!
This was NT Christianity in it’s embryo stage. It continued with the apostles as the church grew throughout the world. It was ‘normal Christianity’. I LOVE IT, DON’T YOU?
This was to be a sign of NT believers: ‘they shall lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:18 And what happened? “the Lord worked with them, confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” Mk 16:20 People came to Christ through His kind miracles!
A young woman with MS came to our “Praise and Healing Celebration” in southern Minnesota. God healed her on the spot. She left her cane at the altar, and THEN she got saved!
Today Jesus sends you and I out with the same authority. You and I have the goods! Let’s pray for the sick. Our job is to pray in faith...God’s job is to heal... and save!
Intentional for souls,
Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries
