Luke records that Jesus gave demonstration and taught.  "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach"  (Acts 1:1)  O.K., what did Jesus do and teach?  "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people"  (Matthew 4:23).  Notice:

1. Jesus taught in their synagogues
2. Jesus preached the good news about the kingdom.
3. Jesus healed all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

1. "And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them"  (Matthew 4:24).
We should note that healing included sickness, diseases, demonic activity, mental illness, and physical abnormalities.

2. "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed"  (Matthew 8:3).  Note: it is God's will to heal. "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth"  (I John 1:2).  Also note that in this particular case the healing took place "immediately".  However, healing is healing whether it takes five seconds or five months.

3. "And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented"  (Matthew 8:6).   "And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour"  (Matthew 8:13).  First, note again that healing is all conclusive.  Second, also note that in this case the healing occurred within one hour. Third, note that Jesus only spoke with authority to the issue and the servant was healed.

4. "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick"  (Matthew 8:16).  We see that Jesus cast out evil spirits and healed the sick.

5. "And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way"  (Matthew 8:28).  "And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters"  (Matthew 8:32).  Here Jesus only spoke one word, "GO!"

6. "But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour"  (Matthew 9:22).  This was the woman who had been to various doctors and spent her wealth but continued to suffer with an issue of blood for twelve years.  Please notice Matthew uses an expression of being "made whole".  Something was missing and Jesus restored that which was missing.

7. "And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee"  (Matthew 9:2).  "But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick"  (Matthew 9:12).  It is interesting that Jesus ties spiritual healing (receiving forgiveness of sins) to that of physical healing.  The healing of the person must also include the FORGIVENESS OF SINS.  "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:    And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.    Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"  (James 5:14-16).  Jesus taught:  "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear" (Matthew 13:15-16).

8. "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people"  (Matthew 9:35).  Note that Jesus just didn't deal with head aches, but with every kind of sickness and every kind of dis-ease.  Also note that there was not a time frame on the healing here.

9. "Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other"  (Matthew 12:13).  Here Jesus restores a withered hand.

10. "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw"  (Matthew 12:22).  Please note that the term "healing" is all conclusive (concerning demonized, blind, dumb).

11. "And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole"  (Matthew 14:36).  First, in this case Jesus didn't even lay his hands upon them.  Second, healing brings about a wholeness.

12. "And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:    Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel"  (Matthew 15:30-31).  First, healing may include the restoration of missing parts.  Second, healing should bring glory to God.

13. "And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour"  (Matthew 17:18).   The disciples could not deliver the child because of their unbelief.  "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.    Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting"  (Matthew 17:20-21).  Yes, we should pray and ask God about the healing!  However, we should also speak to the issue.  "In the name of Jesus, I command the spirit to leave."  "In the name of Jesus, I command the hand to be restored."  We can only speak in truth to the issue when we have the faith to do so.  Therefore, we may need to fast and pray until we see by faith.

14. "And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there"  (Matthew 19:2).  Everywhere that Jesus went, he healed the people.

15. "So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him"  (Matthew 20:34).  Healing should always flow out of love.  "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6).  "Faith works through love!"

16.  "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them"  (Matthew 21:14). Jesus healed the blind and lame in "church".

    Peter and John ministered in healing. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.    And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.    And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God"  (Acts 3:6-8).

    Philip, a deacon, ministered in teaching and in healing.  "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.    And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.    For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.    And there was great joy in that city"  (Acts 8:5-8).

    Furthermore, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father"  (John 14:12).

    I have a ministry in healing the spirit, soul, and body and often led people to a healing of the spirit, regularly led people in the healing of the soul, and from time to time lead people to receive the healing of the body. I don't try to keep record of how many are physically healed.  However, if you come to my office with a physical ailment, you can expect me to pray for you.  I would like to tell you of several experiences by way of explanation and for your encouragement.

    My wife's grandfather was diagnosed as having cancer of the liver by a prominent physician.  The family was told that he only had a short time to live.  I prayed about going to the hospital to pray for his healing.  Through prayer God directed that I should share a scripture with grandpa, lay my hands, upon him and pray for his healing.  I called a young friend and asked him to go with me.  He readily agreed.  We parked in the hospital parking lot and I explained what God had directed me to do.  We went to Grandpa's room and did what God had directed.  As I prayed, I sensed healing being ministered to him through my hands.  Two days later when the physician did a surgical biopsy, he could not believe his eyes because there was no cancer.  He did find some gaul stones during the surgery which he removed.  Grandpa lived about another fifteen years to an age of 92.

    On another occasion, my wife's grandmother was placed in the hospital in serious condition.  This time as I prayed about how to pray for her, God said to pray just for her comfort.  This I did.  Within one week she went home to heaven and of course was perfectly healed.   Remember that Jesus could do nothing but what he first saw the Father do.

    My nephew, as a baby, became very sick.  The physician found a large octopus like cancerous growth that had encompassed his digestive track and even near his heart.  The doctors tried various treatments, but could not help. The grow was inoperable. When I saw the child, he was almost blue.  The nurses had to feed him intravenously.  As I prayed, I cursed the cancer in the name of Jesus. Jesus often spoke to the issue.  The physician suggested to my sister that she just take his son home to die.  I and others encouraged my sister to keep praying and wait to see what God would do.  A number of ladies from various church prayed over him.  Within about six months, the grow dried up and disappeared.  He is a youth today.  The only physical problems that he has is from the side effects of the cancer treatments.

    One day, I had a lady to come into to my office cramped up with pain in her stomach.  She was on her way to a doctor when God spoke to her to come there.  Upon investigation, I discovered that she was holding resentment toward a neighbor who was a witch and was putting spells on her house.  As I led her to forgive her neighbor and bound the spirit of resentment and commanded it to leave, the lady was immediately freed from the pain in her stomach.  Demonic activity often causes head, back, and stomach pain.