Healing has always played a central role in God's evangelistic plan. Attempting to win the lost without demonstrating healing to the unsaved is like trying to type on your computer with one hand tied behind your back. You can get fewer results with the same effort or the same results with more effort.

Jesus and the apostles did not need to put up placards or pay the local town crier to announce that they were going to have meetings. The healings and miracles were the advertising. It is no sin to let people know where you will be preaching, but God's method of advertising is surely more effective than anything a public relations firm could invent.

Let's look at the results in Scripture of healings and miracles:


Matthew 4:23-24 states that Jesus' fame went all over Syria after he healed all diseases among the people in Galilee.

Matthew 14:35-36 shows that the people sought out the sick so that they could bring them to Jesus for healing. (We would see more sick people healed in our services if people would bring more sick people!) Other passages state the same thing.

Healing resulted in the entire city showing up at one house in Mark 1:32-34!

John 6:2 says that many followed Jesus because of the miracles that he did on the diseased.

In Acts 3, at least 5,000 people ran together after the beggar at the gate Beautiful was healed! Peter preached Christ to them, and 5,000 men became believers through one sermon! The miracle did not save anyone, but it brought the multitudes to hear Peter's sermon so that they could hear the gospel, believe it, and be saved.


In Acts 5:12-16, many sick were brought for healing, just as in the ministry of Jesus.

In Acts 8:5-8, the people listened to Philip because of the miracles that he did.

In Acts 9:32-35, Peter ministered healing to a paralyzed man. The result was, "All that dwelt in Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the Lord."

In Acts 9:36-42, Peter raised a woman from the dead. The result was, "It was known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord."

In Acts 28:8-9, when Publius's father was healed through Paul's ministry, all the other sick people on the island showed up and got healed!

In Romans 15:18-19, Paul attributes signs and wonders and Holy Ghost power to being part of what made the Gentiles obedient.

In 1 Cor 2:4-5, Paul says that the demonstration of the Spirit and of power was used instead of logical arguments so that men would trust in the power of God instead of man's wisdom.


In Mark 16:20 and Hebrews 2:3-4, we read that God bore witness to the message preached by his servants with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Signs and wonders do not save anyone. Believing the preaching of the Word is what saves people. If you are preaching Christ, you cannot afford to major on signs and wonders at the expense of your preaching ministry. Men are saved when they believe your preaching. God's pattern is to confirm the preaching of the Word with signs and wonders. If you can't preach a decent sermon, there is nothing for God to confirm! Work on your preaching, and expect signs and wonders to follow it!

See also:

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