Throughout Jesus' ministry, we see massive healing crusades involving multitudes of people. This continued in the book of Acts in the ministries of Peter, Paul, and Philip. It also appears that some in Corinth were being used in gifts of healings and working of miracles.

Since this is one way the Holy Spirit expressed himself then, we should expect him to express himself that way in our day. The healing of the sick was the single biggest advertisement for the gospel message then, so we should expect that healing will continue to be the #1 method God uses to get the attention of sinners. If we don't see the results the Church once had, it's because WE have changed, not God.

Such crusades give God an opportunity to demonstrate his unchanging compassion for the sick as well as his glorious power. We should expect today to see notable, documentable, undeniable miracles performed in the very faces of unbelievers.

We should expect God to continue to anoint men today to conduct healing and miracle services. This is evident from 1 Cor 12:28-30, where certain offices are listed. The apostle, prophet and teacher are listed first, followed by "miracles" and "gifts of healings." There is no indication anywhere in the New Testament that any of these ministry offices will pass away in this age. In fact, it is clearly stated that they were given "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). Since this has not happened yet, and since there will always be new believers needing to be perfected, the ministry offices (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers -- Ephesians 4:11) will not pass away until Jesus returns.

Philip was not an apostle, yet he conducted healing services. He was later called an evangelist. The evangelist and pastor are not mentioned in 1 Cor 12:28-30, but miracles, gifts of healings, and governments are listed (among others). Since the only Biblical evangelist flowed in the so-called power gifts, we should expect evangelists today to do so also. In fact, it is subnormal for any evangelist to NOT flow in the gifts of the Spirit, since any time God sent anyone out to preach the New Testament message, it was always with power. Anyone who feels called to evangelistic work should pray for and expect gifts of healings and working of miracles to manifest in his ministry.

The best way to receive healing is by personal faith without anyone else's help. But there will always be many Christians who need to be at a service where the power of the Lord is present to heal them. Thank God for such opportunities.

Believers always have the right to lay hands on the sick in faith in any setting, but this does not negate the need for large healing meetings. These meetings are often (but not always) evangelistic in nature and draw much attention to the Lord.

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