THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Acts 19:13-18
Matthew 7:20-23

“…from whence cometh my help.”

FAITH HEALING TODAY (I)

One feature of the Charismatic scene is the upsurge of “faith healing” conventions with claims of “signs and wonders” and miraculous healings by “gifted healers.” The gifted person is supposed to be endowed with supernatural powers of healing and clairvoyance (ability to know without being told) by direct communication from God about persons and their problems. Some claim the gift of exorcism.

One of the best known faith healers in America was Kathryn Kuhlman whose books are widely read. Her meetings are usually attended by huge crowds, many of them sick, accompanied by anxious relatives. During the healing session, “things happen.” People fall over, “slain in the spirit,” some from the audience jump up from their seats testifying that they have been healed, others leave their crutches and wheelchairs, “cured.” What exactly is going on? Was the Spirit of God working through Kathryn Kuhlman?

To the casual, undiscerning observer, the show is very impressive. “After all who knows better than the person who was healed? Did we not hear his testimony?” But our concern is to answer our basic question: Was God the Holy Spirit at work? Dr William Nolen had been a member of Kuhlman’s team. From his close observation as a medical man, and by personal interviews with “cured” persons, he came to one conclusion: there was not one medically proven cure of any organic disease. All the so-called facts and statistics of cures of organic diseases simply evaporated under investigation.

Kathryn Kuhlman’s consistent claim was: “the Holy Spirit heals through me.” But Dr Nolen writes: “Finally it was over… all the desperately ill patients… were still in their wheelchairs… I stood watching the hopeless cases leave…”

Conclusion: God the Holy Spirit did not work through Kathryn Kuhlman.

THOUGHT: What sort of spirit did Kathryn Kuhlman have?
PRAYER: Help me, Lord, not to be deceived by the evil one.