Tonight was a little different for our THP Students gathering. We began the evening in the sanctuary for a special time of prayer and impartation with a mighty woman of God named Ms. Edna. She spent time praying over every student, speaking life and blessing into them.
After that powerful moment, we headed upstairs where Celeste taught our lesson for the night.
Reviewing Our Journey Through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
We’ve been studying the gifts of the Holy Spirit for a while. After taking a short break, we picked the series back up, so we started by asking: Who remembers what we’ve covered so far?
So far, we’ve discussed:
- Tongues and Interpretation
- Prophecy
- Faith
- Discernment
- Wisdom and Knowledge
Tonight, we focused on another one of those gifts: healings.
What Is Healing?
Before looking at healing in Scripture, we first asked how everyone would define healing.
Dictionary Definitions
- Noun: The process of making or becoming sound or healthy again.
- Adjective: Tending to heal; therapeutic.
Biblical Understanding
Healing is the restoration of the body, mind, or spirit to a state of wholeness and well-being. Scripture uses various words to describe healing, and most of them connect to one of these areas:
- Body: rāpāʾ
- Soul: šālôm
- Mind / All three: refuat hanefesh
Examples of Healing in Scripture
We looked at several passages that show healing or the gift of healing in action:
- James 5:14-15
- Mark 16:16-18
Modern Examples of Healing
We also shared more recent testimonies of God healing people today.
Testimony from Katie
A man in our church named Tim had precancerous melanoma on his head. The group prayed over him three weeks ago. When he returned to the doctor last week, the spots were completely gone.
Testimony from Jae
While serving in youth ministry, Jae struggled with Multiple Sclerosis. It affected his ability to walk, stand, and see. His students supported him, promising to behave at camp so things would be easier. During one service, Jae felt led to pray for another youth pastor who also had MS. After he prayed for that pastor, the pastor prayed for him. Jae felt a warmth rush from his head to his feet and was instantly healed. He spent the rest of the week running with his students, who later testified about what God had done.
How Does Someone Know They Function in the Gift of Healings?
A person may be operating in the gift of healing if:
- They have the faith to pray for healing.
- They feel compassion for those who are sick or afflicted.
- They have prayed for multiple people who were then healed.
It’s important to remember that God is the one who heals. If someone is not healed when you pray, it is not your fault and not theirs.
Practical Ways to Walk in This Gift
Celeste encouraged the students with simple, practical ways to function in this gift:
- Pray for friends at school.
- If you hear someone talk about being sick, ask if you can pray for them.
Closing the Night
We ended our gathering by taking time to pray for healing over various students and their family members. It was a powerful and faith-filled way to finish our night together.
Adventures in Student Ministry 