Since the beginning of our world, our Heavenly Father constantly
reminded us that He is the One "who heals us". In this series, we are
taking a trip back into the past to explore the healings and promises
from our Father. We will be pondering yet again how much our Father
truly cares for each one of us. We will explore both miracles form the
Old Testament as well as more modern miracles, starting with the first
century. All testimonies are authentic, and through them, we will
discover that our Heavenly Father has been a Healer through the
centuries.
To begin our series, we look to the first century.
After the apostles died, healing continued through the ages. Justin
Martyr (ca. 100-165) experienced fully how believers were healing those
who were sick. There is no doubt about it! After all, the supremacy of
our Heavenly Father is way more powerful than the one in our world!
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the
one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1John
4:4, NIV2)
Here are his testimonies:
"For numberless
demoniacs throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our
Christian men exorcising them in the name of Jesus Christ, who was
crucified under Pontius Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering
helpless and driving the possessing devils out of the men, though they
could not be cured by all the other exorcists, and those who used
incantations and drugs." -- Justin Martyr, c.155 (ANF 1.190)
"We
call Him Helper and Redeemer. Even the demons fear the power of His name
at this day, when they are exorcised in the name of Jesus Christ, . . .
They are defeated." -- Justin Martyr (ANF 1.209)
"He said, 'I
give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions.' . . . And now
we have all the demons and evil spirits subjected to us, when we
exorcise them." -- Justin Martyr (ANF 1.236)
Another one named
Tertullian (ca. 160) wrote:
"All this might be officially brought
under your notice, and by the very advocates, who are themselves also
under obligations to us, although in court they give their voice as it
suits them. The clerk of one of them who was liable to be thrown upon
the ground by an evil spirit, was set free from his affliction; as was
also the relative of another, and the little boy of a third.
How
many men of rank (to say nothing of common people) have been delivered
from devils, and healed of diseases! Even Severus himself, the father of
Antonine, was graciously mindful of the Christians; for he sought out
the Christian Proculus, surnamed Torpacion, the steward of Euhodias, and
in gratitude for his having once cured him by anointing, he kept him in
his palace till the day of his death." Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol III:
Tertullian: Part I: Chapter IV.
Now a testimony from Hilarion
(ca. 291-371):
"A certain woman of Eleutheropolis who found that
she was despised by her husband on account of her sterility (for in
fifteen years she had borne no fruit of wedlock). He had no expectation
of her coming when she suddenly threw herself at his feet. Forgive my
boldness, she said: take pity on my necessity. Why do you turn away your
eyes? Why shun my entreaties? Do not think of me as a woman, but as an
object of compassion. It was my sex that bore the Saviour (See
Luke 5:31).
They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.
At length, after a long time he no longer turned away, but looked at the
woman and asked the cause of her coming and of her tears. On learning
this he raised his eyes to heaven and bade her have faith, then wept
over her as she departed. Within a year he saw her with a son."
Nothing is too difficult to our Father. He cares for each one of us!
Do you believe?
Rob Chaffart