I don´t remember if I actually know a person who was healed from a deadly sickness or injury. I HEARD a lot of stories, like you, about people in other places who were miracously healed or even raised from the dead (in India, China, Russia or Africa). In fact, I only know people witnessing that things got BETTER after prayer, including myself.
But I do know many people who actually died in spite of prayer, mainly of cancer, like my Mum. However, I wouldn´even expect God to heal me, not in a way that I´m entitled to it "because the word of God says so", you know. I think that is a typical "blossom" of the Pentecostal teachings and similar churches, to emphasize that subject, that God heals us from everything if we only pray and believe, in such a downright, black-or-white way. (and if it doesn´t happen - Pentecostal logical conclusion - the answer must be that we didn´t have enough faith or were living in sin, of course!!!)10_confused Hmmm2 21_irked

Concerning the bible verses about healing they are referring to: I always understood them in a way that God is capable of healing us, but in the first place He wants to heal us from inside. That He heals our hearts and soul, no matter our circumstances. As I came from a broken family and suffered from a severe anxiety disorder for years, I always found that thought very comforting. If he also heals us physically, is His decision and nothing we are entitled to. That´s the way I see it. Does anybody agree with me?

I don´t doubt that God is capable of healing people or even raising them from the dead. But if He does not heal people and they are told it must be because of lack of faith or living in sin, not only will they remain desperate, frightened and in pain. They will also have the burden of  guilt because it´s "their own fault" they stayed sick as the didn´t have enough faith or weren´t holy enough. And this also applies to children dying, marraiges failing, losing your job or losing your house in hurricane or whatever. Isn´t that cruel?

By the way, as I was skimming through the "raised-from-the-dead" story of Lee Stoneking´s page; my first thought would have been to call the ambulance when someone collapses and not ONLY rely on prayer, right??Blindfolded

Last Edited By: Heidi May 18 12 12:44 AM. Edited 1 times.