The spiritual gift of healing is the Holy Spirit-given ability to impart miraculous healing to the body or soul of a person in Jesus’ Name.
‘Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers…’ 1 Cor 12:7-10a
Sometimes when we are in the early stages of a spiritual gift manifesting in our lives, we struggle with doubts or uncertainty.
It is not uncommon to experience challenges or come under spiritual attack in the very area God intends to use us.
In the Bible, trial leads to triumph; the presence of difficulty is an indication that God will use you in that area to minister to others. And if you can relate to this in the area of healing, be encouraged to persevere. Be faithful to steward the hunger and gift that God has given to you.
10 Signs of the Spiritual Gift of Healing
1. Desire to see People Healed
You feel more strongly about healing than other people seem to do. You are hungry to see people healed by the power of God and may have had that desire for a long time.
2. You Encourage Others to Receive Healing Prayer
You believe in praying for the sick and regularly encourage others to receive prayer. If someone shares they are unwell, your first instinct is to pray.
3. Prophecies or a long-term sense of God’s call
- You can look back to a time(s) in the past when you received the call of God to the ministry of healing
- Significant Bible verses have spoken to you personally about your call to the healing ministry
- You may also have received personal prophecies about God using you in the ministry of healing
4. You Gravitate Towards the Healing Ministry
Your interest in praying for the sick has led you, now or in the past, to join a team that prays for the sick. This could include a dedicated healing ministry, a healing evangelism team, a prayer ministry, or a church prayer or altar team.
Remember, you will have a unique healing gift – the way the Holy Spirit ministers through you may be different from others.
5. You have Received a Significant Healing
You have experienced firsthand the power of God to heal in your own life and that encounter with Him has increased your faith for God to heal others.
6. You have had Trials in the area of Health
You or others close to you have had severe trials in the area of your health, with illness and problems. These times have caused you to pursue God, His Word, and His heart concerning healing.
7. You have Been Through a Difficult Time in Your Healing Ministry
You used to pray for people and see them healed, but since then, you have been through a dry or difficult time. There have been wilderness times of testing, during which you have doubted that you have a gift of healing.
8. You are Drawn to Equipping in the area of Healing
You have studied the Bible to learn more about healing and know Scriptures about healing off by heart.
Opportunities for teaching, mentoring, and training in the area of healing, attract you! Your heart leaps when you hear of an opportunity to be better equipped to pray for the sick.
9. Leaders Acknowledge Your Healing Gift
Leaders and pastors have recognized your call and ability to minister in the area of healing. They have encouraged you to move forward in your gift or invited you to join a team that ministers in the area of healing.
10. People Have Been Healed Through you
The evidence of healing through your ministry is the ultimate sign that you have a gift of healing. People regularly experience a touch from God emotionally and physically when you have prayed for or ministered healing to them.
Do you Identify with Some Signs you have a Healing Gift?
Can you identify with many points in the above list, but do not have a strong track record of people being healed as you minister to them in Jesus’ Name?
The Lord is inviting you to persevere, empowered by the grace of God.
Today your Father is encouraging you: Press through, for it is time for your spiritual gift of healing to emerge and touch many people.
My prayer is that this article will encourage many who have received a call from God to minister healing to rise up, pursue that call, and minister to the sick with greater fire and passion than ever before.
Be faithful with what you have and watch as God multiplies and uses your gift of healing.
Why we Pray for Healing:
- See more about why we pray for healing here.
- The Bible’s example: the Bible teaches it, Jesus did it, the disciples did it, and the early church did it (Luke 5:15, Acts 4:30, Luke 10:1-9)
- Pastoral care: Ministering healing is an important part of expressing God’s compassion (Matt 9:35 – 10:9, James 5:13-16)
- Praying for healing encourages people to connect with God in times of need (Matt 14:34-36)
- Prayer makes a difference (Matt 18:18-20)
- Obedience: Jesus instructs us to pray (Mark 16:18, Matt 28:20
- Evangelism: a sign for unbelievers (Matt 8:8-18, Luke 10:8-9)
A spiritual gift is a turbo-boosted, Holy Spirit-empowered version of an attribute that every Christian can walk in. You can step out and minister to people in Jesus’ Name, whether or not you recognize a sign from the above list. Now, watch as God releases His healing power, for you are His vessel.
Notes:
[1] I have compiled the above list from years of Bible study, observation, prayer leadership, and learning from the stories of those whom God has used in the ministry of healing. For more detailed information about the stages of growth in spiritual gifts including healing, along with Scriptural references, see my book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic and Prayer Gifts.’
‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ will help you move forward in your gifts of prophecy, healing, and prayer – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey of growing your gift.
Related Posts:
7 Reasons Why You Can Pray For Healing
Discover Your Unique Healing Gift
8 Signs You May Have the Spiritual Gift of Discernment
3 Simple Ways to Pray for Healing
© Helen Calder Enliven Ministries
Enliven Ministries: Prophetic ministry for a revival generation
hace ya algunos años,que camino en esta uncion de sanidad,nada mas que despues de haber experimentado esa uncion del Señor,cai enfermo,y estuve enfermo por años. pero antes de que cayera enfermo,tuve la oportunidad de orar por personas que venian de otros Estados de mi pais,y las sanidades se emperzaron a ver,cuando oraba por ellos:sanaban de alta presion,liberacion,riñones,cancer en el estomago,etc…y despues me sumi en un estado de depresion y angustia,tengo ya algunos meses que estoy sintiendome mejor de salud,y empiezo a orar por personas enfermas,nada mas que me sucede,como que mi fe ha flaqueado,es debil,y antes de orar por las personas vienen a mi mente un sinnumero de pensamientos de incredulidad,como estos:QUE PASARA SI NO SANAN,VAS A QUEDAR MUY MAL,MEJOR DEJALO PARA DESPUES,ETC.,esta semana ore por un hermano que sufre de izquizofrenia,y por otro atormentado en las noches ´por demonios,y estos demonios atormentadores en el nombre de Jesus se fueron,creo que me pasa algo de lo que usted dice en su comentario acerca del Don de sanidad…Dios me ayude y me de discernimiento en lo sucesivo y el noimbre de Jesus sea glorificado.Oro por su Ministerio y su familia.!saludos desde Mexico!.
Hi Jose,
Greetings from Australia!
I believe this is encouragement from God for you to keep praying keep pressing through and you will see the manifestation of healing. It is a day for your faith to rise up and released in a new way.
I have a DESIRE to help others, to be the vessle used by God, for the mere fact that I know the need & desperation that is in the hearts of those who are sick, in need or heartbroken. I’m not yet fully spiritually matured, I have made mistakes along the way, which has placed doubt on some (even calling me false) & even myself at times, but I know the direction I am heading in; seeking the Gospel Truth & Power of His Spirit & Love & Peace & Compassion of Jesus. Amen. Thank You for this article. Blessings.
Amen. Thank you and be blessed in your journey!
It sounds as though you have been through some hurtful times – here is an article that may be helpful to you
https://www.enlivenpublishing.com/blog/2011/11/28/break-free-of-hurts-that-are-blocking-your-prophetic-gift/
I am happy to recieve from your end all the prophetic message you can email to me anytime at all, God richly bless your ministry.BKepas
That’s great Benjamin, if you have subscribed to Enliven Blog, you should receive our weekly articles. Thanks for joining us, and God bless you too 🙂
This is an interesting topic that I haven’t really looked into before. I found an article about spiritual surgery that got me curious about the topic. I would be interested to see how someone would find this kind of ability and how that even works.
Hi Olivia, yes I believe the information you refer to is based on New Age philosophy. Enliven Blog is a Christian site and we believe in ministering healing in Jesus’ Name (God’s power, not ours). The Holy Spirit ministers God’s healing to individuals.
Thanks for replying to my comment! I definitely would love to learn more. I’ll have to look a bit closer into the topic.
HI, I have often had dreams of oil pouring out of my hands but unfortunately I dont have the support of a leader to ask about it , can you give me some advice it.
Hi Lawanda, I love the dreams! You’ve left the question on my article about healing, so it seems you have already a sense that God is speaking to you about the ministry of healing.
I encourage you to continue to take opportunities to pray for people for healing and deepen your intimacy with God. Be a part of a local church and have an accountable relationship with Godly leaders around your life. Sometimes it takes a season of waiting and persevering, but He gives us these dreams to pull us forward into our destinies.
Right from when I was a child I dream of what is going to happen in the future and it does happen. I see myself performing healing, deliverance and preaching in my dream from the time I was a little girl. Although I am 34 years old now, none of those gifts have manifested. I feel a heaviness on my hands especially my right hand when I lift it up to pray. Any time I pray for someone to get healed, the enemy attacks me through oppression at night. When this is happening I can’t shout, I can’t move and sometimes I feel a force trying to snuff life out of me. This has been happening too recently, pls I need help. I am on 100 days fast presently. My husband used to be a pastor but now he has backslided, he smokes and drinks alot and keeps late nights. I am the only one interceding for both of us. They oppress me at night and I hear a voice threatening me that I cannot take him out of his present status.
Pls I need help and encouragement
Sleep paralasis What you seem to be describing) is a very scary state to be in when you wake up. I use to experience this alot after I had moved into a certain basement appartment. It took me 10 years to realize it was demonic. When I receive the gift of praying in tongues, I would just pray in my head and repeat the name of Jesus. It would lift right of of me. After praying on two seperate events of being completely frozen, it finally stop manifesting. An elder from our church told me it was a demonic attack. It hasn’t happen in over 6 years. Spiritual warfare is real. Ask the Lord for the gift of tongues to assist you in your prayer life. Ask others to join you in prayer for your husband. Know that you are not alone. Will be praying for you.