I’ve been in full-time ministry for over 25 years. During that time, I have wrestled with my beliefs about spiritual warfare, healing, spiritual gifts, and many other “controversial” aspects of the Christian faith. I’m still learning. However, I have come to believe that when I don’t make room for these elements in my ministry, I am only presenting part of the Gospel.
The full Gospel, I’m convinced, includes supernatural elements that surpass our finite understanding. Healing is particularly interesting to me. Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind is physical healing, but healing encompasses the emotional just as much. Jesus said, “I am the Life.” He also said, “I have come to give abundant life.” We can only receive abundant life when we allow God to heal the deepest parts of our souls.
That’s not easy. Our hurts often become so ingrained in our identities that we’re afraid to let them go. The enemy deceives us into believing that these dark places somehow provide us with strength. The most frightening thing to me is that Satan can even help us gain a false sense of strength through those dark places—just enough to entrap us and bring us down later… unless we allow “The Life” to penetrate.
When we do, we can honestly say, “When I am weak, He is strong.” That is healing. The good news of the Gospel is that we can all be healed. But, as Christ Himself asked, “Do you want to be healed?”
~Rev. James Williams