The History of Miracle Healing in Christianity

Founded on the life of Jesus of Nazareth, Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world. Its followers represent a third of the global population.

Christian healings include raising the dead, demons casting out of people, animals speaking in unusual ways, and nature obeying God’s authority. Miracles can take place in private homes or public settings. They are a way to show that God has sovereignty over creation.

During the ministry of the original Apostles, divine healing was evident. Philip, Stephen, and Paul performed many miracles. These miracles included the healing of a crippled man who leaped and walked.

In the fourth century, church growth increased dramatically. Church members soared from five to thirty million. This marked a new era of Protestant revivals, which spread across the globe. Several missionaries fanned out to every part of the world.

A number of nominal Christians were attracted to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They believed that they would be healed if they had a “new birth” experience. They also were attracted to jobs with higher status. In the fifth century, some serious Christians fled urban corruption.

In the Middle Ages, Christians expected that miraculous healings would be rare. They were worried about whether or not God would continue to heal them. It was also believed that if they walked in faith, they would avoid sickness. However, many Christians still prayed for the sick.

During the fourth century, the Church continued to grow and develop spiritual means of dealing with sickness. They incorporated Neoplatonic notions that the body is a prison of the soul.