The Eternal Spirit Gifts of Healing and Miracles — Willie Mullan

Spiritual Gifts and the Spirit's Work in the Church

Now let's begin in 1st Corinthians chapter 12. 1st Corinthians and we're at chapter 12. Paul writing to the church at Corinth, he said this, now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren. That's what he wants to talk to them about, spiritual gifts.

Gifts that come to believers by the Spirit. And he says this in verse 4, now there are diversities of gifts. There's quite a lot of gifts, you know. But they all come by the same Spirit. He says in verse 7, and I'm only saving time, you can read the in between bits.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit. The Spirit who indwells every believer has given that believer a gift. Something that he might do for God in the body. Verse 8, for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom.

There was a gift in the early church, you know, I don't want to go into it tonight because we may come back to it some other night. But it was a gift in the early church, you see, when the church met after Pentecost for many years.

They just met in an upper room or some hall, some place, the whole church gathered there. Now they had no New Testament. Let's get the hold of that because I think we forget about this, you know. You see, for years after the church was formed, Paul wasn't saved.

Paul wasn't saved for a good number of chapters in the Acts of the Apostles. He's not saved, so the epistles were not written. And remember, he wrote 14 letters in our New Testament. A great part of our New Testament was written by him.

He wasn't there then. I think, you know, we forget. And remember, they had no hymn book. Yeah, I don't suppose they had an organ. It's a wonder he didn't say Amen. What are you doing back there? Yes, I want you to get the hold of this.

I want you to get the proper setting. You see, here's the church. There's no New Testament. And there's no hymn book. There they are. Now, someone in the assembly, or maybe more than one, had this word of wisdom.

They could tell the church what to do. Now, we don't want to go on with that because I'll waste the time. Verse 8, in the middle of the verse, To another the word of knowledge, by the same spirit. Verse 9, to another faith, by the same spirit.

You know, that's the gift of faith. We're talking about gifts now. That's not the faith that you believed with. No, no, this is the gift of faith. You see, George Muller had the gift of faith. Hudson Taylor had the gift of faith.

Hudson Taylor founded the China Indian Mission. And you know, he hadn't a penny. He learned something one day. If you read Hudson Taylor's life, you will find he entered into a cottage and found an old lady there who lived alone.

No fire in the grate, no food. Had one half crown. There were half crowns in those days. Two and six was worth. Just all he had. And as he held it in his hand, he said, Lord, if this had been two single shillings and the sixpence, I would have given this old lady one and six.

And the Lord said, yes, you could trust me if you still had a bob in your pocket. He couldn't trust me without the bob. And then he learned and he gave the old lady all he had. And then he went on to learn from this.

He could trust God for millions. But this is the gift of faith. George Muller. Yes, he got about six million pounds from God. And he never asked any man for a penny. Never put out any leaflets or never stood up in a meeting and said, I need this or I need that.

He never told anybody. He just told God. That was faith, you know. Sometimes what we call faith, in my opinion, is begging. It's not a good thought. This gift of faith is quite a different thing. And if you haven't got it, don't you be trying big things on because it won't work for you.

These are gifts we're looking at, and they're all different. Now we're at verse 9, to another faith, and that is the gift of faith, by the same spirit. Spirit of God gave these gifts. Now to another, the gifts, and there is an S there.

The gifts of healing. Gifts of healing. By the same spirit. These were gifts that were there in the early church. And it says in verse 10, to another, the working of miracles. Now I want you to get the hold of these two.

I want you to look at them carefully as they are before you. There's one, the gifts of healing. It was given to some folks by the spirit. And to another, the working of miracles. And it was given to some folks by the spirit.

Now those are the two we're going to look at tonight. And you see, just because they're connected with healing... Now I want to say this to you. That not all medical working was healing of the body. I want you to get the hold of that.

I know that very often it was, but not always. Just please get that into your mind, but we'll come out into the open with it in a moment. But just because these two gifts were connected with healing...

Hezekiah's Healing Through Prayer and Ordinary Means

I want to show you some things about healing just for a moment as we go through. Let's have a look at this. We're way back in the second book of Kings. And we're at chapter 20, please. Second book of Kings.

And we're at chapter 20. Let's take your time and find a place because it's good to see the word. Second book of Kings, chapter 20. In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. He was the king upon the throne.

And he was sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, came to him and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live. Oh, what a message to get you.

This is the word of the Lord. He was sick. There was a certain something wrong with him as we shall see in a moment. It was a physical thing. But God knew that if this physical thing wasn't attended to, then he would die.

Who quibbles about that at all? I shall die and not live. Here's what he did. Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord. Say, I beseech thee, O Lord, Remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart.

And have done that which is good in my sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again. And tell Hezekiah, the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David, thy father, I have heard thy prayer and have seen thy tears.

Behold, I will heal thee. How should they get that? Because he wasn't taken to a healing meeting or anything like that. He just turned his face to the wall. And he was in dead earnest before God. And God heard his prayer and saw his tears.

And just because of that, God healed him. Now that doesn't say he will heal everybody that does that, but he healed him. And that's one way that someone was healed, just because he prayed. It was private, it was personal, it was passionate, it was prevailing prayer.

And he was healed. I want you to see this. And God said in verse 6, I will add on to thy days 15 years. Wasn't any chance of him dying in those 15 years, was there? Because God is sovereign of time. This is what we were looking at one night.

You see? Sometimes they say to me, Can you die before you die? I want to know who is making up the time. If you are going to tell me that God is making up the time, then there isn't any chance of me dying before my time.

If God has added 15 years to this man, then that's your time. Surely only God can make up the time. I don't make it up, and certainly you don't. Now I know that Solomon, when he was away from God, and was looking at things under the sun, was carnalized when he was seeing all the vanity that was going on.

He thought that men could die before the time, but he was away from God. Now here is God saying, I will add on to thy days 15 years. I will deliver thee in this city out of the hand of the king of Syria.

Blessed heaven, and Isaiah said, take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. Now the word boil may mislead you there a little bit. Because I think if you go home and take your Hebrew concordance and get the word, you'll find it was more serious than what we would think from the word.

It was some sort of a thing like a boil, but it wasn't just a boil. And it was contaminating his whole bloodstream, and he was going to die. It's what God says, if there's nobody coming in to help you or nothing's going to be done, you're going to die.

And then he prayed. Now it just shows you that God uses me sometimes to heal, even when it's God that's healing. You getting that bit? Because sometimes they ask me, you know, do you believe that God can heal miraculously?

Yes. I haven't any quibbles about that. If I dare to stand up here and say that God can't heal miraculously, I should get sacked. If God is as big as I think he is, then he's able to do this sort of thing.

But I also believe that God can heal medically too. I know he uses means. And I take medicine, and I do this and that and the other. And I'm a diabetic, and I had to go to the doctor the day to day for diabetes just to keep this whole thing right.

And I shall take them until the end of the day and thank God for it and all the rest of it. I believe that God can heal medically. Because I also believe that God can heal surgically. I believe there's a place for the surgeon.

I'm sure that none of you would quibble if you had the appendix and it had gone wild in the middle of the night of being rushed over a Mr. Bomber taking it out and saving your life. I think you would thank God.

I believe that, of course. I believe that God can heal miraculously. I believe that God can heal medically. I believe that God can heal surgically. But I believe there are times when God is not going to heal.

I think all the healers have found this out. They're going to put them in a box one day and carry them away. I've seen the best of them, you know, who shouted and raged. I saw a fellow who wrote a book as slick as that, you know.

Knew everything about healing. He could do it in a moment. I walked into Bombridge, around the corner, he's in the bed. Ha ha! I said, what's up with you now? Have you a book below the pillow? I says, now look, I'm not well, don't rub it into me.

He said, you know, you wrote a book for everybody else. They should jump out of their skin. Get under the bed and let's see you practicing it. Well, not at all. He wasn't well then. We get a lot of tripe, don't we?

Just pure tripe it is. So let's settle it that this man was healed just because he prayed and just because God heard his prayer and just because God said, I will heal thee and God used ordinary means.

It was actually a poultice from a fig just to cure the whole thing and that old fig has been used more than once since then. So I think you can see that. Now, let's go a little bit further with this. Let's go to Philippines and we're at Philippines chapter 2.

Epaphroditus and Healing by Divine Mercy

Philippines chapter 2 and Paul's writing to the church at Philippi and he's saying this to them. Verse 25. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus. Now look at the testimonial Paul gives them.

My brother and companion in labor and fellow soldier but your messenger and he that ministered to my wants. You see him? He was a good old saint, wasn't he? My brother, companion in labor, fellow soldier but your messenger he that ministered to my wants.

Now, Paul loved this man. This man had labored with him. This man had fought beside him in the battle of life. Now he's sick now. Verse 26. For he longed after you all with full of heaviness because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death. He was dying, this fellow. Don't come round after the meeting and tell me he was a sinner and this is what happened to him. Because I'll tell you the testimonial will put you in a fix.

Paul said he was my fellow soldier and you know, I'll come to it again. You know why he was sick, nigh unto death? Look at the last verse. Verse 30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life.

I'm not sure whether that's the wisest thing or not but thank God, God has had men who didn't really regard their lives. Who are not rolled up in cotton wool, you know. They got on with the job. I get criticized right, left and center for working so hard.

I shall do what I think I need to do. You mind your own business. I don't want people to tell me what to do. I shall work for Christ as I see fit and if I drop in the job I'll go to heaven. This fellow was not regarding his life.

Some of you know nothing about that sort of thing of course. Now I want you to get this. Go back to verse 26. For a long after you all was full of heaviness because that he had heard that he had been sick for indeed he was sick nigh unto death but, that's all, he was healed.

This boy didn't get any medicine. This boy didn't go to any healing meeting. Nobody laid hands on him. I'll tell you what happened. God had mercy on him. A matchless divine mercy. And I want you to get the hold of this.

Just to make it watertight. It says, verse 27,. But God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Paul loved him. He was a good man. Paul wasn't longing for some old sinner to get out of the way, you know.

This was a valuable servant. Don't talk to me about this sin making you sick. Just have a look at it now and read it the way it's there. Because Paul would have broken his heart if this fellow had gone.

Got that quite clear now? Because all the wee bits are very valuable. Yes, you see, this is mercy that healed this fellow. Let's go to the book of James. Hebrews and then comes James. I want you to get this quite clear too.

Prayer, Anointing, and the Elders of the Church

And we're at James and we're at chapter 5. And James, who was a very practical believer indeed, in verse 13 of chapter 5 said, Is any among you afflicted? Let them pray. Is any merry? Let them sing Psalms.

Is any sick among you? Now watch this wording very carefully. Let them call for the elders of the church. And he's talking about the local church, you know. And let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick. You see, there are fellows who come round to me and they say, you know, we are not joining any place. We're freelancers. We'll just do as we like. I know about you, I've heard about you before.

But I'll tell you when it comes to business, Church will serve. Prove them now. But at last to the church at Cairo, and to the church at Ephesus, and to the church of the Philippines. I'll tell you, God doesn't want you to berun them about disobeying his government.

You see, I've seen this done before now, you know. I knew a man who was dying of TB. He called for the elders of the church. And they put the elders in a bit of a fix, I may as well tell you. And I happened to be one of them.

Walked up and down all night. Wondered, is this old fellow just trying to get out of this now? Is he afraid to die? Is God moving him? Is this of God or what is this? And all the other boys walked up and down all night too.

And then they all met and they all came to the conclusion that this was of God. And it's a terrible moment when you get down on your knees, a whole lot of big men, and you believe that God is leading you, and you're going to pray and this fellow will be healed.

And the doctor had certified that he hadn't long to go. Oh, but he was healed. That was by the pure faith of elders. That wasn't a healing campaign. That was trembling, fearful elders. That's what that was.

I want you to get these things. Because you see, sometimes it's just private prayer. Sometimes it's the mercy of God. Sometimes it's the faith, and the prayer of faith, of elders who believe God. We're outside that thoughtful realm with the gifts tonight.

Miracles as Sign Gifts in the Early Church

We're looking at the gift of the working of miracles, and then the gifts of healing. Let's go way back to the Acts of the Apostles. And we're at the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 3, please. Acts of the Apostles, chapter 3.

Now you know that Pentecost was in chapter 2, and the Holy Ghost came down, and all the followers of Christ, the individual followers were baptized into one body, and God gave gifts to the body, or to the members of the body.

The Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate

Chapter 3, Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they led daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple.

I want you to try to see this man, and I want you to see the situation. He was lame from his mother's womb, and I want you to see that his friends carried him and laid him daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, at the beautiful gate of the temple.

And when I was in Palestine, and stood looking at the beautiful gate of the temple one morning, walked up and down and had a thought or two about it, and David Patterson sat on a rock, and he says, there's none to look at.

And really there wasn't very much, it's just a big stone gate there. But I was looking at the countryside, and you see, just outside the gate, you'll find that the Mount of Olives is coming down there, and the Garden of Gethsemane is at the bottom, and then the Kidron River is there, and this is called the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and as you come up the valley, you would come to this beautiful gate of the temple.

And I said, David, there was a man carried for a long time and laid at this beautiful gate of the temple. He was a cripple, and everybody knew he was a cripple. Now, let's get the man's age into it, because that will help us a little bit.

Now, if we come to chapter 4, just to save the time, this man was healed miraculously that morning, see verse 22, chapter 4, verse 22, for this man, for the man, was above 40 years old, on whom this miracle of healing, let's get that word in, miracle of healing, was shown.

Now, I want you to get this now. We're only at Acts chapter 3, you see, and this fellow's laid at the gate. Now, he's over 40, got this now. And you do know that he was a cripple from his mother's womb, you know that bit too.

He never had walked in his life, and he's 40 years of age, so everybody from far and near knows this fellow. He's been there a long time. Now, I couldn't tell you when they began first to take him to the gate, because I don't know.

Supposing I said that they began to take him when he was 16. Maybe not. Supposing I said they began to take him when he was 20. Maybe you would agree with me there. We don't know, we can't be sure, but we'll say 20.

His friends began to take him when he was 20 years of age and left him there. And for 20 years he'd been there. He's over 40 now. Everybody that went into the temple, from here and there and yonder, they all knew the old fellow that laid at the gate.

So that this man's disability has been well known to everybody. I'm going to say something that will make you think, I hope, when you read the scriptures. You see, this is Acts chapter 3. And in Acts chapter 1, our Lord Jesus went to heaven.

He had been crucified back there and he'd been 40 days with his people. Now, before the crucifixion, he was three years, or three and a half years, going around the country and he came into the temple time after time.

I want to tell you the man was there when he came into the temple every time. He had been there for 20 years, so he's there in those three. Yes, he was, you know. Now, I don't think that this old fellow was looking for healing at all.

He was looking for money. He was a beggar now. And he had been so used with it for 20 years that, well, he didn't mind people passing him by now. He knew that the most of them would pass him by, but an odd one would look his way.

And although he must have heard many things about Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Nazareth never looked at him. He passed him by. Now, you might think that's strange if you were arguing back with me and say, that's terrible.

The Lord Jesus passed... I'll tell you this. The Lord Jesus was leaving the job for one of his own to do. Happened to be left it for Peter. And maybe the Lord has left a wee job for you to do. Maybe you...

That's what I think, you know. And maybe it is your problem who let them go to hell. Maybe the Lord left it for you. You don't do nothing about it. Anyhow, on this particular day, let's go back to chapter 3 in verse 2.

And here he's at the temple gate. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asking alms. He was asking for pennies. You know, when the Cockney was reading this first in London. You know how the Cockneys mix up English.

They say, alms, alms, alms. And he says, the man was asking for alms, alms. And the Lord gave him legs. Well, that's alright, you know. But that's not just what's here. He was... He was asking for pennies.

Let's put it in our language. He was begging. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asking alms. And Peter opening his eyes upon them with John, said, look at us. I want you to see the man on the ground.

And he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them. Now, what was he expecting? He was expecting money. He thought, I have got the eye of these two boys. He thought when Peter spoke to him, sure to get something now.

But the minute that Peter spoke, Peter said, gold have I none. Now, that must have took the bottom out of the boat for the man on the ground. And the Roman Catholics, some of them here, bless you for being here, you try to tell me that Peter was the first pope.

Well, I'll tell you he was a funny pope. I've never seen any of the popes without money yet. Silver and gold have I none. I don't think he was the pope. I think the Roman Catholic made a great mistake when they made Peter the pope.

Because I'll tell you this, he was the apostle to the Jews. In fact, Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. And had they been Jews, well, they should have taken Paul. But we're not going into that this evening.

And he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them. He was looking for money. Then Peter said, silver and gold have I none. He knew what he was looking for. But such as I have, give I thee.

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up. And immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered with them into the temple.

And it's called in the next chapter where we were reading his age, it was called this miracle of healing. You know, this was a big thing for Peter. Don't let's get Peter out of focus here. Because he was a fisherman, you know.

I think he had big hands, big rough hands. He was a big rough man. And you know, for Peter to stop on the road and everybody ran. I don't think Peter did it too boldly. He just took his time. And he knows now that the church is formed.

And he said that he had this gift of the working of miracles. For Peter to just stand on the roadway and look at the man and say, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And I'll tell you what happened.

It really happened. Yes, I want you to get the hold of that, you know. Because I want you to be sure of this thing. You see, when we talk about the gift of the working of miracles, you know, you don't need any response from the man or the woman or whoever's ill or sick.

You see, when I was in America, I was taken to see a man and he was a cripple and had been for some time. And I was asking him how he was getting on. It's in a place called Mars Hill. It's just over the border in America from Canada.

I said, you know, when I took ill first, he said, there's a fella came here to heal me and he put his hands on me, he says, and he says, I've got the gift of the working of miracles and in the name of Jesus rise up and walk.

But he says, it never happened. It didn't happen. And so a few days later, you see, I came into contact with the fellow who had done this. And I said to him, Are you running the country yet? Is this working these miracles?

He says, yes. I said, why did it not work with Ned so-and-so of Mars Hill when you were there? He says, I was. He says it was his fault. He had no faith. I said, that's wrong. If you've got the gift of the working of miracles, it doesn't make a matter what the man has.

The man at the beautiful gate of the temple had no faith. He wasn't even expecting to be healed. He was looking for money. If you've got the gift of the working of miracles, you can never miss. So I began to edge him into the corner.

I said, was the raising of Lazarus a miracle? Yes. Like to tell me where the faith was in the dead body. It wasn't there, you know. And remember that Peter had this gift. Let's go along a little bit. Let's come along to Acts chapter 9.

Peter's Miracles: Aeneas and Tabitha

Acts chapter 8 it is. Chapter 8. I want you to get the hold of this now. Acts 9. If this is the new Bible and I get mixed up a little bit, it doesn't matter. Verse 33. And then he found a certain man named Aeneas which had kept his bed eight years and was sick of the palsy.

And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus, Jesus Christ, maketh thee whole. Arise and make thy bed and he arose immediately. You'll find when you come to verse 36. Now there was a job a certain disciple named Tabitha which by interpretation is called Dorcas.

This woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did. Don't tell me she was a sinner. Came to pass in those days that she was sick and died. Whom when they had washed. No trouble about her being dead.

They had washed. They laid her in an upper chamber and for as much as Lydia was night at Joppa the disciples had heard that Peter was there. They sent unto him two men desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come they brought him into the upper chamber and all the widows stood by weeping showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them.

But Peter put them all forth and kneeling down just watch them now fish them up and pray it. And turning to the body said Tabitha he opened her eyes. With any faith in the body I think you are big enough and old enough to know that when you have the working of miracles it doesn't make a matter what the man or the woman thinks or even if the body is dead it can be done if you believe it's the Lord's will for you to do it.

There can be no missus. Not only had Peter the gift of the working of miracles as you have seen but Paul had the gift of the working of miracles because he raised the young man from the dead too. You remember that he preached all night and the young fellow fell and was dead and Paul raised him from the dead.

You see these gifts were in the early church. These were sign gifts. That's what they're called. They're called sign gifts. Because when there was no new testament here these were signs to all in summary that God was with these men.

You couldn't game say it could you? And Peter turns to this fellow at the gate and he's been there 20 years and he says in the name of Jesus rise up and walk and he rises and walks you can't argue about it can you?

He lies upon the young fellow and said and he came to life there is no argument about it. Day was moving on for the church put his hands or say a word for Epaphroditus. Would you like to explain it to me?

Because I can tell you he loved him. And I can tell you he was sick and I can tell you Paul says lest I should have sorrow upon you. Was it disappearing? Let me show you something else. Come to 2nd Timothy.

Paul, Timothy, and the Limits of Healing Gifts

2nd Timothy chapter 4 this is Paul writing to Timothy and as he comes to the end of this wonderful letter in verse 19 he says 2nd Timothy 4 19 Salute Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Anesiphorus Erastus abodeth Corinth but troth he must have I left at Miletum sick.

Why? Not working now? Surely this is a boy he needed left him at Miletum sick. I'll tell you this friends you know these fine gifts which go to 2nd Corinthians.

We're at chapter 12 2nd Corinthians and the Lord is saying to Paul himself.

In verse 9 he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength has made perfect in weakness most gladly. Therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak then I am strong. I have become a fool in gloating. Ye have compelled me.

For I ought to have been commended of you. For nothing am I behind the chiefest apostles though I be nothing among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. These were the signs of an apostle.

You know the signs were only there for a while and you see them feeding out. That's the aphrodite. Why falsehood of touch taught him much. Oh but he didn't. Now let's get down to this gift of healing.

Paul's Healing at Lystra and the Gift of Healing

We have a minute or two yet it's gone to the acts of the apostles. Why this ass at this all the time. Well here we are. Now we're at chapter 14 of the acts of the apostles. I want you to watch this very carefully to see how wonderful the bible is.

Verse 8. This is Paul and Barnabas going into Lystra and Derbe. It says in verse 6. And they were aware of it and fled into Lystra and Derbe cities of Laconia and on to the region that Liath roamed about.

And there they preached the gospel. And there sat a certain man at Lystra impotent in his feet being a cripple from his mother's womb who never had walked. You see here's another one almost the same. I don't know his age doesn't tell me.