Faith Healing Butt of Sick Attacks in Mainstream Media
From praying in tongues to Christian persecution to faith healing, mainstream media mockers are lifting their voices ever more loudly against Jesus and His church these days.
At the same time, the Hollywood Reporter is noting that sexual infidelity is “fall TV’s hottest topic,” media’s new mania is being transfixed by transgender, and video game makers are developing a title where players hunt for abortion access in Texas.
Can you see the contrast? From immorality to abortion to the gay agenda, the culture war truly is raging—and the latest target is people who believe God still heals. I know God still heals because He healed me—but even if I hadn’t received healing, I would still believe God heals because His Word says He does.
Yet mockers are increasingly coming against so-called “faith healers.” Mind you, I’m not talking about secular media reports about extremists from “faith-healing churches” who refuse to take their kids to the doctor for diabetes or fake faith healers charged with rape—or even phony faith healers on Christian television, for that matter.
I’m talking about the simple belief that God still heals. I’m talking about believing “the Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; [He] will sustain him on his sickbed” (Ps. 41:3) and that “by His stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:5) and that “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Ps. 107:20) and many, many other healing Scriptures that I’ve confessed over my own life in times of sickness.
Pat Robertson and Kenneth Copeland are taking most of the heat in the recent attacks. Although Robertson is often the butt of secular media jokes, the Huffington Post took a cheap shot at the CBN founder, who tried to explain faith healing to a viewer. He rightly said that healing is a “manifestation of the Holy Spirit” and that the gift does not come from human effort.
“It’s like Santa Claus,” he said. “He has a pack on his back, and he has gifts, and he’s passing these gifts out, but they come from God. Only God can heal people.”
That quote, which was a simple analogy and not something Robertson meant as a literal explanation, spawned the HuffPo headline “Pat Robertson Defends Faith Healing, Compares Practice to Santa Claus.” The article went on to report that Robertson previously said ailments may be “satanic” and need to be “rebuked.”
And? Ailments may indeed be satanic. There would be no sickness in this world if there were no sin—and Satan has been sinning since the beginning (1 John 3:8). Of course, I get it: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). That’s why HuffPo went on to report that “medical experts, including those at the American Cancer Society, have warned that relying completely on faith healing can be dangerous.”
But, again, where did Robertson suggest that his viewers do what fundamentalist Christian couple Herbert and Catherine Schaible did—let their 8-month-old son die of pneumonia because they were standing on the Word? He didn’t. It may be easy to pick on Pat at times, but make no mistake: The real target was faith in God’s Word.
Here’s another example. A couple of weeks ago, Kenneth Copeland’s ministry—and the church his daughter and son-in-law pastor—came under fire for believing in faith healing when a measles outbreak was traced back to Eagle Mountain Church in Newark, Texas. CNN reported, “Former Staffer: Measles Church Counseled Faith, Not Shots.” The media had a field day suggesting Christians who believe God heals are endangering children. (Charisma News set the record straight here.)
Just because there are some extremists and phony fake healers out there doesn’t mean you can paint everyone who believes God heals with an irresponsible brush. So why all the secular media attacks on faith healing, and without any distinction over extremism and simple belief in God? People often mock what they don’t understand.
Mocking spirits are nothing new to Christianity. People mocked early Christians who were filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:13), and people still mock Spirit-filled, tongue-talking Christians today. Of course, people mocked Jesus even before that. If they hated Him, they’ll hate you (John 15:18; Matt. 10:22). But make no mistake: Jesus is still the Great Physician. God is still Jehovah Rapha (Ex. 15:26). And the Holy Spirit’s gifts of healing are still manifesting in the earth today.
There’s only one way to silence one who mocks God—make them a believer. I pray when the mockers need healing, a faith-filled believer is there to rebuke the enemy, lead them into salvation and release the prayer of faith in the name of Jesus. Jesus never turned a single one away who came to Him seeking healing. God, turn the mockers into believers who believe in Your Son and all His gifts! Amen.
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Spiritual Warrior’s Guide to Defeating Jezebel. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@
