Healing Ministries in the Early Acts Days

Recently, I read about the healing ministries in the book of Acts. As always I was excited and amazed at the authority God gave to Peter and the boys! Can you imagine being so powerful that a person could be healed by being in your shadow? (Acts 5:15) Now that's power, and given to those considered very low in social status and education!

Acts 4:13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. NIV

They didn't have to be "somebody" in order to establish some form of healing ministry, they were walking healing ministries, sourced by God.

Acts 3:16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

It is the name of Jesus... The popular definition for "Jesus" is God saved. Look a little closer. It is actually two words combined; Jehovah and saved. Hidden in the second word that means saved, lies also the word succor. What? Yes, succor (aid, assistance, support, relief, comfort), or to nurture. To source, if you will.

The healing that occurred in the early Acts days, occurred because the disciples were sourced by God, not by religious acts. They knew what "Jesus" meant, and they used His name in their lifestyle, not just their words. Because they were sourced by God, they healed the sick and raised the dead.

So, what happened?

In Acts, chapter 15, certain leaders of the early church began to put religious requirements back on the people, turning it back into a performance based establishment.

Performance based religion makes you feel unworthy. Feeling unworthy blocks your relationship with God, thus putting an end to your source.

Those who are able to perform, observing and abiding by the religious rules and regs (the law) believe they are worthy on their own, thus their relationship with God takes its place on the back burner, behind the rules and regs. Or, they make a mistake and build a barrier between themselves and God, based on their own guilt.

The Bible says clearly that faith in God makes you WORTHY. Faith brings about righteousness, not performance. Be sourced by relationship not your own performance, because standing on your own will lead to a fall.

Read Acts 15 here. Read the entire book of Acts. Notice the action packed healing ministries the Disciples had going on up until chapter 15. Notice, it still happens, but slows down after chapter 15. This saddens me; makes me angry.

Religion is, however, very difficult to shake. Shake it we must, in order to have a direct relationship with God and get back to those early Acts days.

To back this up, read Galatians 3:5. Read it in context with the rest of the book. (Hint: Religion vs. Spirituality or Relationship) Oh go ahead, read the book. Don't make me do all the work for you.

Galatians 3:5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Side Note: I am not cold to the fact that, in this world many suffer. We suffer because we don't believe. Until we can get back to the place God wants us to be, healed, healthy, happy we must manage or health in other ways. I plan to compile health management resources that I find interesting on this site for that reason.