Miraculous Healing Promises in Scripture and Practice Today
The Bible presents numerous instances and promises of miraculous healing, often linking physical restoration with divine power and spiritual well-being. Old Testament passages indicate that God is the ultimate source of healing, capable of sending sickness and restoring health [1]. For example, Jeremiah 33:6 states, "Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth" [2]. Similarly, Jeremiah 17:14 expresses a plea for divine healing: "Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise" [6]. John Gill interprets this as the prophet's acknowledgment of his own sins and inability to cure himself, appealing to God's power for forgiveness and restoration, which he equates with healing [10].
In the New Testament, Jesus' ministry was characterized by numerous miracles of healing, including curing the nobleman's son, cleansing lepers, healing the paralytic, and raising the dead [7]. These acts demonstrated His messianic identity and divine authority [8, 15]. The book of Acts records that the apostles continued this practice, performing signs and wonders, including healings, through the name of Jesus [4, 9]. Peter, for instance, healed a crippled man, leading to public inquiry about the means of his healing [3, 9]. Tyndale House notes that these miracles often accompanied evangelism and fulfilled Jesus' promise that His disciples would perform even greater works [9, 14].
The New Testament also provides instructions regarding healing within the Christian community. James 5:15 states, "and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" [5]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on James 5:15, suggests that God often uses prayer and faith as means for recovery, though he also acknowledges that healing may not always occur if God discerns it would be detrimental to the individual's salvation [11].
While some sickness is attributed to sin or intemperance, and can be a form of divine judgment, God also exhibits mercy, power, and love in healing [1]. The working of miracles, including healings, is described as a manifestation of God's glory and power [8]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:10 distinguishes "healings" from "working of miracles," suggesting the latter refers to extraordinary acts of power beyond typical human skill, such as raising the dead [12]. The presence of such spiritual powers in the early church, as seen in Peter's itinerant ministry, led many to faith [13].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sickness — Sent by God -- De 28:59-61; 32:39; 2Sa 12:15; Ac 12:23. The devil sometimes permitted to inflict -- Job 2:6,7; Lu 9:39; 13:16. Often brought on by intemperance -- Ho 7:5. Often sent as a punishment of sin -- Le 26:14-16; 2Ch 21:12-15; 1Co 11:30. One of God's four sore judgments on a guilty land -- Eze 14:19-21. God Promises to heal. -- Ex 23:25; 2Ki 20:5. Heals. -- De 32:39; Ps 103:3; Isa 38:5,9. Exhibits his mercy in healing. -- Php 2:27. Exhibits his power in healing. -- Lu 5:17. Exhibits his love in healing. -- Isa 38:17. Often manifests saving grace to”
- Jeremiah “Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth. -- Jeremiah 33:6”
- Acts “if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, -- Acts 4:9”
- Acts “while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.” -- Acts 4:30”
- James “and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. -- James 5:15”
- Jeremiah “Jeremiah 17:14 (NASB) — Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Miracles of Christ, The — Water turned to wine -- Joh 2:6-10. Nobleman's son healed -- Joh 4:46-53. Centurion's servant healed -- Mt 9:5-13. Draughts of fish -- Lu 5:4-6; Joh 21:6. Devils cast out -- Mt 8:28-32; 9:32,33; 15:22-28; 17:14-18; Mr 1:23-27. Peter's wife's mother healed -- Mt 8:14,15. Lepers cleansed -- Mt 8:3; Lu 17:14. Paralytic healed -- Mr 2:3-12. Withered hand restored -- Mt 12:10-13. Impotent man healed -- Joh 5:5-9. The dead raised to life -- Mt 9:18; 19:23-25; Lu 7:12-15; Joh 11:11-44. Issue of blood stopped -- Mt 9:20-22. The blind restored to sig”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Miracles — Power of God necessary to -- Joh 3:2. Described as Marvellous things. -- Ps 78:12. Marvellous works. -- Isa 29:14; Ps 105:5. Signs and wonders. -- Jer 32:21; Joh 4:48; 2Co 12:12. Manifest The glory of God. -- Joh 11:4. The glory of Christ. -- Joh 2:11; 11:4. The works of God. -- Joh 9:3. Were evidences of a divine commission -- Ex 4:1-5; Mr 16:20. The Messiah was expected to perform -- Mt 11:2,3; Joh 7:31. Jesus was proved to be the Messiah by -- Mt 11:4-6; Lu 7:20-22; Joh 5:36; Ac 2:22. Jesus was followed on account of -- Mt 4:23-25; 14:35,36; Joh 6:2,26;”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 3:1: 3:1-11 Jesus’ promise that his disciples would do even greater works than he had done (John 14:12; see Mark 16:20) was fulfilled in the signs, wonders, and mighty works of the apostles (Acts 2:43; 5:12; 8:4-8). Here, Peter clearly exercised the power to heal in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene (3:6, 16). The cure was instant and undeniable (3:8), resulting in the man’s praising God (3:8-9; cp. 2:47; 16:25; Luke 2:20; 17:15-18; 18:43; 19:37; 24:53). This is the first of many demonstrations of divine power given to disciples in Acts (Acts 4:24-31; 5:12; 6:8; 8:6; ”
- Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 17:14: Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed,.... These are the words of the prophet, sensible of his own sins and backslidings, and of the part which he himself had in these corrupt and declining times; and being conscious of his own impotency to cure himself; and being fully satisfied of the power of the Lord to heal him; and being well assured, if he was healed by him, he should be thoroughly and effectually healed; therefore he applies unto him. Sins are diseases; healing them is the forgiveness of them; God only can grant this: or this may have respect to the consol”
- James (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on James 5:15: And the prayer of faith; shall save the sick - That is, God will often make these the means of a sick man's recovery; but there often are cases where faith and prayer are both ineffectual, because God sees it will be prejudicial to the patient's salvation to be restored; and therefore all faith and prayer on such occasions should be exerted on this ground: "If it be most for thy glory, and the eternal good of this man's soul, let him be restored; if otherwise, Lord, pardon, purify him, and take him to thy glory." The Lord shall raise him up - Not the elders, how fait”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12:10: working of miracles--As "healings" are miracles, those here meant must refer to miracles of special and extraordinary POWER (so the Greek for "miracles" means); for example, healings might be effected by human skill in course of time; but the raising of the dead, the infliction of death by a word, the innocuous use of poisons, &c., are miracles of special power. Compare Mar 6:5; Act 19:11. prophecy--Here, probably, not in the wider sense of public teaching by the Spirit (Co1 11:4-5; Co1 14:1-5, 1Co. 14:22-39); but, as its position between "mi”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 9:32: 9:32-43 These verses describe Peter’s itinerant ministry in Judea, particularly along the seacoast. Exercising spiritual powers given to him by God, Peter performed wonderful works, including the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas. Jesus had promised such signs and wonders to the disciples (John 14:12). • Typical of Luke’s writing, the healing of a man is matched by the healing of a woman (see Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6). The people in the area were deeply moved by these miracles, and many were drawn into the faith (Acts 9:35, 42).”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 8:7: 8:7 cast out . . . healed: Miracles often accompany evangelism in Acts (see study note on 3:1-11).”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 8:17: 8:17 He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases: When he took the sins of humanity, the Messiah also took our sickness. Sickness exists because sin is in the world, and one of the effects of Jesus’ taking our sin on the cross is physical healing (1 Pet 2:24). Jesus’ healings and exorcisms demonstrated, in fulfillment of Scripture, that he is the Messiah (see Matt 11:2-6; 12:28; 1 Cor 11:29-30; Jas 5:13-16).”