A great portion of Christ’s time was dedicated to healing the sick and downtrodden. He healed all kinds of people including the blind, the paralyzed, the deaf, the lame, lepers, those who had fever, and many with chronic illnesses, among others. If you have any question of His healing power, turn to Scripture. There is no record in the gospels of Jesus turning away anyone who came to Him for healing. We also know from Scripture that there was no sickness or disease that was too difficult for Him to heal. How amazing is that? What is even more remarkable is the fact that miraculous healings still occur today – evidence that Christ is still our Healer and very present in our lives. The healing power of Christ also enables divine healing which involves a physical, emotional or spiritual problem, many times through the agency of the Holy Spirit.

If you are looking for readings that bring light to Jesus’ healing power, read through the Book of Acts. Pay close attention to the miracles of the apostles, especially physical healing. They were enabled by Christ to do miraculous work which not only helped heal those who were sick and downtrodden, but also glorified Jesus. Let’s take a look at two instances of miraculous healings in Acts.

The first occurs in the first few verses of Acts 3. Here, Peter heals a man who had been lame his entire life. Scripture tells us, “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’ So the man gave them attention, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you, In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!’ Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. He jumped up, stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts with them, walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:1-9). The onlookers were filled with astonishment and amazement. Many wondered how Peter could pull off a trick like healing. Peter and John took the opportunity to share the Gospel. When this act landed them in jail, they took their time in front of the court to continue to share the Good News. They used this healing opportunity which defied understanding to glorify Christ Jesus.

The next occurs in Acts 5:12-16 where we learn that the sick were brought to the apostles in the hopes that Peter’s shadows might cross over them and cause healing. Scripture tells us, “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed” (Acts 5:12-16). These people who sought Peter and the other apostles believed in the Lord and His healing power. In turn, they experienced a power that can only be enabled through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are also many instances where the Holy Spirit enables divine healing in everyday people. There are times when a person (or people) has prayed over a lifeless body. Despite everything we understand, this person wakes up, and their health is restored. These things can’t be explained without attributing it to the healing power of Jesus. After these miraculous experiences, the people who saw it happened witnessed and testified to who Jesus was. These moments don’t take away from Jesus. In fact, they do the opposite. We know in these instances that Jesus is still healer and can do wonderful, miraculous things. In the Book of John, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I am doing. He will do even greater things than these” (John 14:12). We know from Scripture that healings did not end with Jesus. Jesus told the disciples they would do greater things. That same power is enabled in us as we look toward the healing of others.

Jesus healed so many people, not only to meet their physical needs, but to also get the door open to speak about His great mission: salvation. This is seen throughout His ministry. Who else had the power to say that He was the bread of life and feed 5,000 people with only a few loaves of bread? This same power is also working through us. This power comes from Jesus alone. This healing ministry continues through His body, the Church. With so many reports of sickness and devastation in our country and around the world, it’s hard to imagine ever living in a restored world, but it is possible. It’s important that we pray for healing, whether it’s our own or the healing of others. If you are looking for personal healing, pray that Jesus will heal you because you want to serve Him more. Ask that this healing be a testimony of His power and your faithfulness. If you are lifting up someone else who is in need of healing, pray that Jesus would heal them and enable them to serve Him more so that they may glorify our Father in Heaven.