Appendix B:
Signs & Wonders
Are Signs & Wonders for today? Is Healing For Today?
Short answer: YES, ABSOLUTELY!
Signs, wonders, and all of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are active in the Body of Christ today. All the Gifts, and more specifically, the Gift of Healing is for today in the Body of Christ for those who believe!
Regarding the Gifts of the Spirit, if someone was of the belief that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit were not for today, and again, more specifically, that the Gift of Healing was not for today, then I would be inclined to ask that someone: Is Salvation for today? Is your Salvation for today? How can one have and believe the scriptures regarding Salvation, but not have, or believe, the scriptures regarding the Gifts of the Holy Spirit? You can't have one and not the other. How does a "whoever" today have and believe the red letters of Jesus, in John 3:167,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
And then, how does that same "whoever", or "anyone," today, not have or believe the red letters of Jesus, in John 14:12,
"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am gong to the Father..."
Is a "whoever," or "anyone," back in the day of Jesus any different than a "whoever," or "anyone," today? I firmly believe that ALL red letters are for today, a well as back then, and we can and do heal as Jesus healed.
Or again, how does one today believe the red letters of Jesus, in Mark 16:15, where Jesus said to them,
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemed."
And then today, how does that same someone not have the continuation of that same red letter passage,
"And these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and they will drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well..." (Mark16:16-18).
Same question: How does one receive the first part of this red letter passage, but not have the second red letter part? As stated previously, you can't have one part of the passage and not have the following part of that same passage as well.
I believe that it is one thing to not believe because of unbelief, but it quite another situation to not believe because some false teacher stood up and erroneously taught that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for todoay? By what, or who's authority does a teacher decide to keep, believe and teach the red letter scriptures that deal with salvation; and on the other hand, throw out, reject or deny the red letter scriptures regarding the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Any guesses as to what entity might be behind this false teachings?
In most cases in the New Testament, both Salvation and Healing are translated from the same word: SOZO. Perhaps these false teachers are more correct when they teach that whenever SOZO is translated as Salvation - keep, believe and teach the verse; but wherever SOZO is translated as Healing - throw out, reject or deny the verse. Wrong!
If some teach and believe that SOSO -Healing went out with the early church then their SOZO -Salvation went out as well. Anyway, I think you get the point, and I'd better quit before my simple believing mind gets me into more trouble. As you could imagine, there are many, many similar examples like the scriptures above that come to mind, and others will jump out at you as you read the Word. Those who don't believe in the Gifts of the Spirit, for whatever reason, have bigger problems than Signs & Wonders. Myself, I BELIEVE! So let's move on and I'll share why...
Jesus, of course, said it best: "And these signs will accompany those who believe..."
I BELIEVE! And as for me and my house, both Salvation and ALL the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the Gift of Healing, are for today. These Gifts are active in the Body of Christ today, just as they were active and exemplified to us by the early church. The Gift of Healing is active in the Body of Christ today, again, just as in the early church.
But why do I believe? By what authority do I believe? Who is my teacher regarding the gifts, and healing? Well, I am very thankful that one evening, many, many years ago (35?), I wondered into a Bible study at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa where a gentlemen by the name of Chuck Missler was conducting a chapter by chapter study of the boring, Old Testament, Book of Isaiah. I sat there with everyone else, opened my Bible to Isaiah, then to this book, and then that book, then back to Genesis, into the Psalms, into the New Testament a time or two, occaisionally back to Isaiah, ahead to Revelation, and so on. After the study, I remember sitting there stunned, blown away I might say. The book setting there in my lap was no longer just a Bible. It was the Word of God - The Inspired Word Of God! As Chuck would say, a Highly Engineered Message System. I had the best book ever written regarding TRUTH. I left that study with tears in my eyes. The Holy Spirit saw me coming and hooked my spirit in a way that has never happened before or since. After that encounter with Chuck, I rarely missed any of his studies, and NO Old Testament Book would ever be boring to me again.
In the studies with Chuck that followed, Acts 17:11 became engrained in me as well:
"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said is true."
Searching the scriptures became a passion, almost to a fault. Too many times I had the TRUTH, but no love, mercy or tact, or guidance from the Holy Spirit to know what to do with the truth. But boy was it easy to greatly embarrass family, friends, and looking back now, sometimes even myself. Age seems to have mellowed me somewhat, as now when I hear false teachings and half-truths I just ignore them. Gracious me, I'll let someone else argue and be in trouble...
Another verse that helps to keep me focused:
"A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40)
No Pastor, or Bible Scholar, is my teacher. My teacher is Jesus and my text book is His Word, The Word of God - The Bible. Chuck Smith, Chuck Missler, John Wimber, Mike Maynard, and Rex Lynch, and many others were and are great Pastors and Teachers, and from them I have received tremendous insight, guidance, and wisdom; but when I am fully trained I have little desire to be like any of them. When I am fully trained I just hope to be a little bit like Jesus, my Teacher, my Lord, my Savior, My God! I am not at all the Bible Scholar that some of them may be, but over the years I've got to be a little bit good at just reading and believing the Bible for what it says, and what it is - The Inspired Word of God. I understand very little compared to what I do not understand, but what I do understand I understand as well as most. For me it's simple - read the Word and just believe, so I do.
In Appendix C I have listed dozens of passages regarding healing that have increased my faith and encouraged me through the years. They are grouped by category such as Healing Atonement, Healing Scriptures, Sin & Sickness Connection, Exhortation to Heal, Commission & Authority, and so on. I have them typed up and tucked in the back of my Bible, always available. If I feel unbelief creeping into my spirit, or if I'm getting ready to go pray for someone, I'll pull the passages out and meditate on a few categories to boost my faith. (Soon you will be able to download or print it as a pdf document and add to or start your own collection of meditative healing passages, should you desire to.)
Signs, Wonders, Healings & Miracles
Author's 'Personal,' Hands On, Eye Witness Testimony Revealing That The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit and Healing Are Active Today In The Body Of Christ
MC-510 Student
In the early days of Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Yorba Linda, when it was meeeting in Canyon High School Gym, in Yorba Linda, CA, John Wimber was teaching a class at Fuller Seminary called MC510: Signs, Wonders, and Church Growth. As a part of the class the students were encouraged to visit John's Church, during a Sunday evening service to observe Signs, Wonders, Healing and other Gifts of the Holy Spirit in action. One Sunday evening after John taught on healing and he transitioned into the ministry phase of the service where the teaching is put into practice. As such, John would ask that anyone in the service that had a desire for healing prayer to stand at their current location. Then he would ask those sitting around that standing person that wanted to practice the teaching to gather around and pray for the one seeking healing.
On this particular evening, one of the older female MC510 observing students (unknown to us at the time) stood up next to my wife, Pamela, and I. Pamela started asking questions and found that this womans prayer request was for painful cavitatious molar in her mouth - for which she had a dental appointment scheduled for the next day. So Pamela and others spent some time praying for her and she went on her way, with nothing dramatic happening at that time. The next day, however, in her MC510 class, she reported to John Wimber and her classmates that she had gone to John's Sunday Evening Service as an observer, but stood up to receive prayer for her painful molar. She said that at some point after receiving prayer from John's "Trained Healers" that her molar was healed. The pain was gone, the cavity was gone, and the tooth was totally and completely healed. Jack Sims, our Kinship Leader, who was also an Associate Pastor to John Wimber and an assistant to John at the MC510 class, heard this womans class testimony and reported it to our Kinship meeting the next night. "Trained Healers" we were not, but rather just believers listening, practicing, and doing what Jesus said we could and should doing.
Who's faith healed the womans tooth? Was it the faith of those who told her to go and observe the service (stretcher bearers)? Was it the faith of John who taught that night? Was it the faith of the woman who stood up? Was it the faith of those who prayed for her? Or was her healing just the result of the dancing hand of Godthat night? Who knows, but God was glorified and we rejoice with her for the healing she received.
Woman With Pain In Her Heart
On another occasion, a woman was seeking healing prayer for a chronic
pain in her chest that doctors had no solution for. After asking her a few
questions I started praying for her. And as I was praying for her, I saw
the word "BITTERNESS" over her head. So I stopped praying for her and asked
her if the word, "BITTERNESS," meant anything to her? She started weeping.
Then she mentioned that her husband had passed away about six months prior
from a heart attack. She stated that she blamed his employer at the time
for placing enormous stress loads upon him and causing the heart attack
that killed him. She confessed the sin of "BITTERNESSS", and after praying
for her again, the pain in her chest immediately lifted. This was a case
where her symptoms were a direct result of sin, and when repentance occurred,
healing was immediate. Like when Jesus healed the invalid at the Pool of
Bethesda and said, "See, you are well again.
Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." (John 5:14-15)
A part of our prayer for those in need of healing is to ask the Lord to
show us if there is anything in the life of those being prayed for that
is interfering with the healing process. This NOT to say that every illness
is a result of someone's sin, but is some cases it can be. But in this woman's
situation God was gracious and compassionate and revealed the source, and
after repentance and confession, she was healed.
Young Man On Crutches
On another Sunday Evening Service at Vineyard Christian Fellowship of
Yorba Linda, and after the teaching portion of the service, a young male
high school student on crutches was asking for prayer for his back. This
student had injured his back and was in such pain that he could not stand
or walk without the crutches. He had a doctors appointment scheduled for
the next day, but because of the pain, he was in disparate need of healing
right then. I asked him a few questions and started praying for him. Within
just a few minutes, the young man dropped his crutches, and began "...running
and jumping, and praising God." I stood watching in amazement, as he
and his friends and family jumped with him, unable to contain their joy.
If only all our prayers would yield healing results this quick and easy.
Kinda like what Jesus did...
Young Man With Gangrene
Val, one of the gals in our Kinship, had a nephew who was riding
his motorcylce too fast on a dead end street. He layed it down, slid up
a driveway and crashed into someone's garage door and putting himself in
the hospital with various broken bones, including a badly broken leg in
which gangrene had set in. She asked me if I would go to the hospital with
her and pray for her nephew because the doctors were about to amputate his
leg because of the gangrene. That evening we went to the hospital and prayed
over her nephew. The next day we went back to the hospital to visit the
nephew and pray again. But we found that the gangrene has lessoned significantly,
and to the Glory of God, the doctors said that the leg amputation was no
longer necessary. Needless to say, the nephew was a very happy camper and
eventually fully recovered. He also became a Christian and made some other
changes in his life as well. Our God, is an awesome God...
Young Man 2 Weeks In A Coma
This actually follows on the heals of the healing above: The Young Man With Gangrene. When we went back to visit the nephew the next day after praying for him the night before, the senior station nurse stopped us after our visit and relayed to us that after we prayed for the nephew the night before, when we left she said that there was a "Peace" that fell on that whole wing of the hospital unlike anything that she had ever experienced in all her years of nursing - and that everyone slept peacefully throughout the night. And many other people had noticed it as well. Including the mother of a young man who was in coma, for going on two weeks. The mother of the coma patient asked the nurse if she would send the prayer warriors to pray for her son - if they came to that wing again, and if they would be willing. Well, we were willing!
Val and I went over to the room of the coma patient and the mother was there, and excited that we would pray for her son. So we prayed for her son, and left. A couple days later, Val returned to the hospital to visit her nephew. And she found that the young man who had been in the coma for 2 weeks came out of his coma on the morning after we prayed for him - and was also recovering. God is so good...
Baby Kristyn Instantly Healed
When Baby Kristyn, our neice, was about a year old she was hopitalized because of various symptoms. We were called and asked to go to the hospital and pray for her. She was crying, and apparently in pain and unable to sleep for several days. Doctors said that many problems were apparent, including liver and kidney failure. Doctors said they they were doing all that they could, but Kristyn was getting worse. As we laid our hands on Kristyn and began to pray, Kristyn laid down in her hospital crib and fell asleep. Several of us continued to pray for Kristyn for about an hour or so. Kristyn slept through the night and awoke the next morning pain free, happy and her adorable self again. The doctors and hospital staff were baffled and amazed over Kristyn's miraculous recovery and were stammering all over themselves in trying to explain it. They also wanted to rerun all their tests because they could not believe that Kristyn could be healed by something as simple as prayer. But she was, and still is, healed by prayer. Kristyn is fully grown now and is the funniest comedienne I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. She and her husband Brandon, and their two awesome boys, Gavin and Aiden, are currently living happily in the midwest.
I can still see Kristyn's parents trying to explain Kristyn's healing to the hospital staff, who refused to listen. Thank God, that He listened, and that His Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and Healing, are very active today - for those us who believe...
Little Bobby's Healing
Little Bobby, our nephew, was about 4 1/2 years old when he was diagnosed with Aplastic anemia, a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. At the time, Aplastic anemia was a fatal illness. We spent many days in prayer and fasting over precious Bobby who was deteriorating in the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).
The doctors then wanted to try an experimental bone marrow transplant procedure, where the transplanted bone marrow replaces the failing bone marrow cells with new ones from a matching donor. Fortunately, Bobby's 15 month old baby brother, Donny, was a perfect donor match, or as his doctor, Dr Tishler related: "They are rejoicing in the lab. It's a donor match made in heaven". And the transplant was performed. At one point, durring the procedure, when Bobby's immune system was destroyed and he was living precariously in a plastic bubble, he was inadvertently exposed to a nurse that had a cold, but fortunately, there were no detrimental consequences. Eventually, after fighting off graft-versus-host disease and other challenges, Bobby was able to leave CHOC as their second patient to survive Aplastic anemia and resume a normal life. Bobby, and his wife, Tatu, are currently living in NorCal and with their two very beautiful daughters, Abegail and Naomi.
It certainly was a long drawn out miracle, but again, thank God that His Signs, Wonders and gifts of the Spirit are available for us today. I'm certain that Tatu, Abigail and Naomi, as well as many others, would most emphatically agree...
One Life Saved
I know a couple, that at the time, years ago, were fully Born Again, filled with the Spirit, and attending our Kinship. They loved the Lord, no doubt about it. They had a thriving business, two children, and were very content with the way things were. But then they became pregnant and their happy world was tilting. To put their world back on even keel they decided to have an abortion. At the time, I was blown away that a "Christian" couple would even consider such a solution. But in their minds and ignorance they had no idea that abortion was murder in the eyes of the Lord. Like so many of us, they had been deceived by politicians into believing that murder, by a "mother's choice," was OK. By divine coincidence, I had a Keith Green tract on Abortion in my Bible which I gave to the couple in turmoil and said that they might want to read it before making their decision.
The next day, the wife arrived at the Abortion clinic early and while
waiting for her husband she read the tract, and was moved by the Holy Spirit.
When her husband arrived he then read the tract as well. Then and there
they repented together
of their impending abortion and left the clinic. Their beautiful daughter is loved and accepted every
bit as much as their other two children. This couple was very emotionally
moved and devastated by what they 'almost did'. When we were last with them,
even several years after their close encounter, the thought was still emotional
and their struggle at that time was whether they would ever be able to tell
their daughter that she almost wasn't. This part is written through tears
of joy and thankfulness with sweet memories of a growing young girl, so
beautiful and precious, in their our eyes, and in our eyes as well as in the eyes of God...
Hearing His Voice
My first encounter Hearing God's Voice
Word of Knowledge
Jessey (at UNOCAL) - Word of Knowledge and salvation.
Word of Knowledge
Young married man - Word: Adultery - 3 - Warning
More Healings, etc.
- Man in Hospital with kidney failure and other complications - left hospital next morning when complications 'mysteriously' vanished.
- My Fathers Salvation