Determining Your Healing Style

I am not sure if it was insomnia or too much pizza, but I couldn't sleep so I turned on the Christian Television station. In the next hours I watched several different healing ministers perform equally powerful miracles. What interested me though, was how the same Holy Spirit worked through each one so powerfully, but so very differently.

Then I thought of Jesus' words to his disciples, "And these signs will accompany those who believe; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:17,18 (NIV). Jesus said that everyone who was his follower had the ability to heal the sick. That is, everyone who believed.

What if we all believed that it was not just the professional or television minister that was called to heal the sick? What would happen if the whole church became a healing minister? I believe that day is fast approaching. But what will it look like? That question could lead to many, many more sleepless nights.

Will we all try to be like the first healing minister I saw that night? He was preaching to the packed coliseum. An orchestra and choir worshipped in the background. While he waved his arms, people dropped to the ground under the power of God. Wheel chairs were emptied. Cancers disappeared. Walkers were left useless. Disjointed bodies were straightened. If we all had that kind of healing ministry we could touch many thousands of people. But some people, would never attend that kind of meeting.

The next minister I saw was a woman who quickly and quietly spoke words of knowledge for healing. She called out for things like cataracts, arthritis, and neck injuries. Some were more specific, some more general. But with each one, she urged the individuals to call in and confirm the healing. Many, I am sure, did. Perhaps that is what the future of healing ministry looks like. Hundreds of Christians on their own cable access programs ministering in words of knowledge. That would have an impact on many people.

Just then, another ministry appeared on the screen. This time there was a sea of faces. There was an almost innumerable amount of people at an outdoor event. No choir, no orchestra, just the simple gospel and the demonstration of the power of God. Blind eyes opened, and deaf ears were unstopped. Too many miracles to count or even try to verify. Maybe this is the future of healing ministry for the church.

I believe what I saw on Television that night will be multiplied over many times in the future. We will see more healing services in crowded coliseums. We will also have more healing in college classrooms. More people will have profound words of knowledge, released over the airwaves. Many more will have words of knowledge released over telephone lines and into "chatrooms". There will be great mass festivals of salvation and healing like never before. There will also be healing taking place with consistency at the dinner table or over a cup of Java at the local coffee shop.

My goals for this series of lessons, Discovery Your Healing Style, are two-fold. First, I want to de-mystify the healing gifts. I want to show that every believer has the authority to pray for the sick and expect him or her to be healed. Second, I want to help you to understand how you are equipped to operate in the healing gifts. Not everyone will operate in the same consistency or manner.

One of the things that limit the way we are used, is when we try to be used the way others are used. We must come to an understanding of who we are and how God has equipped us.

In this series of lessons we will examine different styles of healing by taking a closer look at biblical and contemporary healers. We will use the five gifts or offices listed in Ephesians 4:11-13, to help us understand different styles of healing ministry.

Ephesians 4:11-13

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(NIV)

Through these lessons, you will begin to understand each style and how it relates to healing ministry. You will see that God has created you uniquely. You have a particular style. He wants to use you in a unique way. Understanding your ministry style will help you determine how you can most effectively be used in healing ministry. It will also release you to be used in other areas of ministry.

Below you will find a questionnaire that will help you determine what your healing style is. There are five groups of statements. As you read each group of statements, write down the statement number that you feel BEST applies to you. You may only select one statement per group.

Group A

1. I consider myself a trendsetter.
2. I prefer speedy solutions over slow processes.
3. I have no problem leading others to faith in Christ.
4. I tend to empathize with other people's pain.
5. I enjoy watching others perform what they have learned from me.

1. I enjoying coaching the winning team, more than scoring the winning touchdown.
2. I do not have trouble confronting people with the truth.
3. I often invite unchurched people to attend church or a religious event with me.
4. Most people would consider me a compassionate person.
5. People often come to me for answers to difficult questions.

1. I like to go where no one has gone before.
2. I tend to be action-oriented rather than idea oriented.
3. I naturally enjoy sharing my faith with others.
4. I enjoy helping people who have a need.
5. I have the ability to make complex truths, easy to understand.

1. I could be considered a visionary.
2. A motto that would fit me is: "Don't just stand there, do something."
3. People seem to be interested when I tell of how I came to know Christ.
4. I see needs in people's lives that are overlooked by others.
5. I would rather teach someone to fish, than catch a fish and give it to them.

1. People seem to naturally look to me to lead them.
2. Some people consider my methods unconventional.
3. I establish friendships with unbelievers for the sole reason of introducing them to Christ.
4. I consider myself a "Good Samaritan."
5. I like to think of creative ways of demonstrating truth.

These five groups of questions were formulated to help you understand how God has equipped you. Each of us has been created uniquely to express God's character and power through our individual personality and calling.

The Apostolic Style

If you found yourself relating more to the first statement in each group, you may have an "apostolic" style. That does not necessarily mean you are an Apostle. It means that you may find you more easily are used in healing ministries in an apostolic way. We will address this later in the lesson on the apostolic style of healing. In my experience, this is the least common style; however, apostolic healing is growing more common.

The Prophetic Style

If the second statement in each group was the one you chose most frequently, you may have a "prophetic" style. Again, this does not mean you are a prophet. You will, however, operate more freely and fruitfully in the healing gifts in a prophetic way. We will have a lesson where we look at the nature of prophetic healing.

The Evangelistic Style

If you related strongly to the third statement in each group, you may have an evangelistic style. The healing gifts can be used in a variety of settings. The people we operate primarily in the evangelistic style have a much greater faith and anointing for healing and miracles among unbelievers.

The Pastoral Style

If you found yourself reflected most accurately in the fourth statement in each group, you may have a pastoral style of healing ministry. Great compassion and social outreach mark this style. There are many wonderful people who move in this way who consistently visit hospitals and convalescent homes. Lessons two and three will discuss the pastoral style.

The Didactic (Teaching) Style

The fifth and final statement in each group most accurately reflects the heart of a teacher. Some would think only the evangelist and prophet are used in the supernatural and healing gifts. However, if the church is going to grow to maturity, many teachers who demonstrate and impart healing ministry will have to be raised up.

Over the next several weeks as we look at these styles, I hope that you will see the way in which God has equipped you. As you do you will become more confident to be used in the healing gifts and you will become more fruitful. You do not need an international ministry, a stadium full of people, or a television program to be used in healing ministry.