Does God Still Heal?
Last Sunday, one of our passages of Scripture was Acts 14:8-18, when Paul and Barnabas encounter a man unable to walk, and God miraculously heals the man through the Apostle Paul. We considered what healing ministry looks like today… is it a gift for a previous age? Or is God still healing in supernatural ways?
Unfortunately, an area power outage affected our worship service. We had a simple and special time of worship together, but the power outage meant we were unable to record our sermon.
Since this is a sort of culture-building sermon, we wanted to share a brief summary. So, here goes: a recap of a sermon preached on May 25, 2025.
Is God still healing people today?
At Church of the Incarnation, we believe the answer is a resounding yes.
In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas encounter a man who had never walked. By God’s power, the man is healed. This miracle isn’t an isolated event—it’s part of a long story of healing that continues through the Church today.
Many of us have experienced healing from the Lord firsthand or witnessed it in others—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. I’ve seen couples who couldn’t conceive now raising children. I’ve seen people set free from addiction. I’ve seen people cured of cancer. I’ve heard testimony after testimony of God's healing work.
But this conviction isn’t just based on experience. It’s rooted in Scripture too.
Jesus launched his public ministry with these words:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
— Luke 4:18-19
Healing wasn’t a peripheral part of the ministry of Jesus. It was central to his announcement of the arrival of the kingdom of God.
And it wasn’t just Jesus… Jesus invited his followers to participate in this ministry. A few chapters later, we read:
“He [Jesus] sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
—Luke 9:2
Scripture also makes clear that this ministry of healing wasn’t limited to a specific time. After Jesus’s resurrection and ascension, the Church continued his healing work through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Some argue that this supernatural ministry was for the earliest days of the Church, but after the firm establishment of the Church, miraculous gifts like healing ceased.
But this is a far cry from the testimony of Church history, in which there’s record after record of miraculous healings. In fact, the New Testament itself gives instructions for ongoing healing ministry:
“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.”
— James 5:14
The idea that God has stopped working in this supernatural way is based less on biblical and historical evidence and more on fear and a reaction to very real abuses.
Yes, there have been distortions and abuses. Healing ministry has sometimes been misused as performance or manipulation. But the existence of counterfeits doesn’t mean the real thing isn’t valuable. In fact, it calls us to pursue healing ministry that is humble, Spirit-led, and rooted in love for God and others.
At Church of the Incarnation, we’re beginning to explore what it could look like to cultivate a culture of healing in our community.
That means growing in:
Humility and vulnerability — being honest about our needs and asking for help
Boldness and courage — stepping out in faith to pray
Love and service — seeking the good of others, not self-promotion
Faith and reliance on the Holy Spirit — trusting in the One to whom we pray
This week, we invited our church to respond by receiving prayer for healing during Communion. And we're beginning to discern together how to grow a healing prayer ministry as a regular part of our life together. (If you’d like to be a part of those conversations, let me know!)
Because we wholeheartedly believe:
God is good.
God is powerful.
God is still at work in the world.
God loves people.
God hears our prayers.
And God still heals today.
