Spiritual Gift of Healing - The Spiritual Gifts Project

The spiritual gift of Healing is the Spirit-empowered ability to participate in God’s restorative work in the mind, body, soul, and relationships of others. It extends far beyond physical recovery—it is the ministry of restoration, comfort, wholeness, and peace.

Those with this gift are drawn to the hurting and burdened. Their presence brings calm. Their prayers bring comfort. Their compassion brings light into suffering. And their ministry points people to Christ, who is the ultimate healer.

Healing as Whole-Person Restoration

People with this gift:

Care for the hurting with gentleness
Listen deeply and respond compassionately
Attend to emotional and spiritual wounds
Promote relational reconciliation within the church
Create safe, healing environments
Bring hope into places of despair

Healing restores the whole person, not just the physical condition.

Healing of Spiritual and Emotional Wounds

This gift often shines most clearly in addressing wounds of:

Shame
Trauma
Guilt
Fear
Spiritual confusion
Unforgiveness
Identity struggles
Grief and emotional injury

Healers help others reconnect with Christ, regain hope, and experience God’s mercy at a heart level.

Healing as a Path to Christ

Those with this gift see healing not simply as relief from suffering, but as an invitation to:

Draw closer to Christ
Experience His compassion
Rebuild trust in God
Encounter spiritual renewal
Develop deeper faith through hardship

Healing always points people toward the Great Physician.

Healing Within the Church Community

The gift of healing strengthens the entire body through ministries such as:

Prayer teams
Hospital and home visitation
Crisis response
Pastoral care and counseling
Grief support
Reconciliation and peacemaking
Emotional and spiritual care ministries

Healers quietly become the “spiritual backbone” of a loving church.

Medicine and the Gift

Medical training is not required to have this gift, but God often blends the two beautifully.

Medical professionals with the spiritual gift of healing:

Show exceptional compassion
Treat patients with dignity
Communicate hope even in difficulty
See their work as sacred
Integrate prayer with care

All miraculous healing comes from God, whether through prayer, medicine, or both.

Warnings Against Misuse of the Gift

Important biblical cautions include:

Not pressuring people to “have more faith.”
Not assuming all sickness is spiritual.
Not using healing as a performance or display.
Not overpromising outcomes.
Not shaming those who are not healed.
Not trying to “fix” everyone.
Not letting pride distort the ministry.

Healing is sacred—handled with humility, discernment, and love.

Historical Perspectives on the Gift of Healing

Martin Luther

Luther affirmed healing as a genuine biblical gift rooted in:

God’s compassion and mercy
Faith expressed through prayer
God’s sovereign will, not human control
Healing of the heart being as significant as healing of the body

He warned against superstition, manipulation, or assuming healing can be demanded.

John Wesley

Wesley strongly believed:

Miracles and healing continued beyond the apostolic era
Lack of healing in his day often resulted from lack of faith or holiness, not God’s silence
Healing was part of revival, evangelism, and mercy
The gift of healing should be exercised humbly and with discernment

Wesley saw healing as both physical and spiritual—a sign of God’s living presence among His people.

The Catholic Church

The Catholic perspective teaches that:

Healing is one of the charisms of the Holy Spirit
It is given for the building up of the Church
Healing occurs through prayer, anointing, sacraments, and God’s sovereign action
Medical science and spiritual healing work together
Healing includes body, mind, and soul
All healing is a sign of God’s compassion, not human power

The Church warns against emotional manipulation and emphasizes discernment, humility, and alignment with Scripture and tradition.

People With This Gift Often…

Bring restoration and wholeness to the hurting
Pray with boldness and gentle confidence
Radiate peace and calm
Encourage faith and trust in God
Help heal emotional or relational wounds
Foster unity and reconciliation
Serve quietly without seeking attention
Point consistently to Christ as the source of all healing

Bible References

Acts 3:1-10	Peter heals a lame beggar
Acts 5:12-16	The Apostles heal many
1 Corinthians 12:7-11	Paul mentions the gift of healing
1 Corinthians 12:28-31	Gift of healing compared to the other gifts
James 5:14-16	Healing within the church
1 Peter 2:24	Through Christ’s wounds you are healed

Gifts Testimony

Shelia

In what ways have you used your gift? Please relate examples so that we can better understand the gift and the use.
Day to day as a home health and hospice nurse. Visiting friends or family members of friends who are sick. Going to Kenya to briefly work in a remote clinic.

How would you personally describe the gift from your experiences?Incredible gift definitely from the Holy Spirit! I have ’known’ answers to questions and problems that I really didn’t know. I have seen healings that were not supposed to happen according to traditional medicine. I have been able to do things above and beyond what I would do; wondering later how?

The Spiritual Gifts Project is always looking for personal perspective about the spiritual gifts. If you would like to share your experiences and help further all of our understanding about a particular spiritual gift, please visit our feedback page.

References