Christianity and Miracle Healing

Christianity is a spiritual religion that advocates healing and salvation through prayer. Its roots can be found in the ancient Jewish Scriptures, which identify God as a healer. In the Old Testament, God healed a leper (2 Kings 5:1-15) and a child born dead (1 Kings 17:17-24). Christian stories of healing abound in the New Testament. In Matthew 17:14-18, a blind man runs straight to Jesus. In Mark 7:31-36, a deaf-mute man shouts out his thanks. In Luke 5:17-26, a paralyzed man walks home. In Mark 6:12-16, a blind man shouts “Thank you, Lord!” and a deaf-mute man walks home after a miraculous healing.

While many people claim to have healing powers, others say they are not gifted with any unusual abilities. These people are simply used by God to show others the path to faith. During the early church, Christians added half a million new members every generation. Most of these people joined the church after they experienced a healing. Today, healings usually happen in private homes, rather than in churches.

In the nineteenth century, Protestants experienced a period of exciting growth. They began to spread across continents, and missionaries spread across the globe. Many Protestants reported “new birth” experiences, in which they were cleansed of sin. They also experienced the “second blessing,” sanctification, which was the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This process allowed Christians to be cleansed of their sins and be saved from sickness.