In St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians St. Paul lists nine gifts of the Spirit.  There are three power gifts: the gift of faith, gift of miracles, and the gifts of healing.  So this gift is not a mind gift like wisdom, knowledge and discerning of spirits or a vocal gift like prophesy, tongues and the interpretation of tongues.    Now the fruit of the Spirit which lines up with gifts of healing is long-suffering or other translations say patience.  The gifts of healing, consequently, are usually one of the last gifts we receive, the gift of tongues usually being the first.  Now what is unusual about this gift is that it is the only one that is plural and this is significant.  We usually think of healing in terms of prayer and laying on of hands and healing can occur this way of course.  But when you have the gifts of healing gift, not only does healing occur through the Spirit but God can reveal other ways to bring about healing for a person in need.  Recently, for example, I was going through a vitamin book and God impressed me to Google a particular nutrient that I never heard of before.  The nutrient kept playing in my spirit over and over again.  When I googled it, I discovered that not only was the nutrient good for the skin, it also was good for fibromylasia, varicose veins, low energy, and joint pain.  I ordered it and gave some to a coworker who suffers from leg neuropathy and it is helping her a lot.  Another person at work was complaining to me that he has had recurring back pain and was thinking of buying a new bed.  I knew he could not afford one and when I went home God impressed on me to go to Kohl’s and buy a mattress topper for him.  Not only did he praise the Lord for the gift, the topper gave him the best night sleep in a long time and he felt great.  Other ways the gift operates is spending time in prayerful meditation alone with the person who needs a touch from God to discern the proper way to pray.  Recently a two year old was diagnosed as pre asthmatic and was put on medicine temporarily.  God made me sit in the Spirit for four hours until God revealed to me the cause of the illness.  I wrote a prayer for him in the authority of the Spirit, gave it to his mother, and he has been well ever since.  One other example is using one of the other gifts to bring about the healing, like the prayer of faith, a word of knowledge, or a word of wisdom.

            The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  Pray for all the gifts and as God blesses you use them for the glory of God.

Amen