“So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.”
(Acts 9:17–19a, ESV)
The scripture above was chosen after consultation with my Lord. These verses come from a critically important part of the book of Acts. Here, in chapter 9, Saul regains not only his sight but is filled with the Holy Spirit. When Saul saw the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul’s sinful past caught up to him. Saul was blinded by Jesus on that road. Saul’s life of sin caused “scales” to form on his eyes and blindness was his punishment (Acts 9:17). I believe Saul’s blindness was also a reflection of his spiritual blindness. Only when Saul was healed by Jesus through Ananias could Saul see again. The Lord Jesus showed Saul his own spiritual blindness through a physical manifestation of blindness. Thus, Jesus sent Ananias to heal Saul’s physical blindness and also grant Saul spiritual “sight” through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, Saul was baptized (Acts 9:19) into faith in Christ. Not long after, he was given the Christian name, Paul.
Why didn’t Ananias just heal Saul from physical blindness? Because Saul was not only physically blind, he was spiritually blind. Before Saul was saved, he attacked Christians, even taking part in the killing of Stephen (Acts 8:1). Saul did not believe Jesus was resurrected. He did not believe the disciples were preaching the true gospel. He was wrong. Out of love, Jesus not only gave Saul blindness to force Saul to stop his evil actions, Jesus healed Saul’s blindness – both physically and spiritually. When filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul grew to see why Jesus was sent into the world and the salvation that came in Jesus’ name.
Many Christians talk about miracles such as healing. Healings are shared as if they are ultimate success stories for the church. When a man with cancer is cured through the power of prayer, the story blows throughout the churches and is blasted across the internet. But a curing of cancer is only a physical event. It is wonderful, but it doesn’t necessarily change souls. The person who is cured may thank God but never go to church or worship God or dedicate her life to Christ. Like Saul’s cure to blindness, Jesus wanted that curing to be both physical and spiritual. Jesus didn’t want only to heal Saul’s physical blindness. Jesus wanted to save Saul’s soul and empower Saul’s preaching. That could only happen if the Holy Spirit filled Saul’s soul.
True wholistic healing only came to Saul when his blindness was cured and his soul was infused with the Holy Spirit.
Many people, even Christians, do not realize they need true wholistic healing. They might ask God for good blood tests, a healthy baby, to bless the doctor’s choice of medicines, for help in ridding an addiction, or for dealing with past sins. However, that’s not enough. That is not a lasting solution. To be fully healed or helped or loved, every person needs true wholistic healing. This can only occur when the Holy Spirit comes as part of the package.
I learned this lesson of the connection between the Holy Spirit and wholistic healing decades ago. God taught me this lesson through a man who came to me for marriage counseling.
Michael was a lifelong Christian, brought up in the church by his parents. He was baptized as a child, was brought to Sunday School, was confirmed in the eighth grade, and married at the age of twenty-three. He had two beautiful children.
When he turned thirty, Michael and his wife had some serious problems. She took the kids one day and moved out. Michael came to me completely torn up. He cried throughout our first conversation. During three months of counseling, we worked on improving his relationship with his wife. We prayed together. We talked about his faith. We shared how to exhibit the love of Christ to his wife. Encouraged, Michael changed some major things in his attitude and marriage. He worked hard at it.
Over time, Michael and his wife patched things up. Michael came to me one Monday morning with a huge smile on his face and wet eyes. He quietly confided in me, “We did it, Pastor Dave. We patched up our marriage. My wife is moving back home. Thank you so much for the help. Thank God!” We prayed a beautiful prayer there in the church hallway. For several weeks, Michael and his family were at church every time the doors were open. So much had changed for them! I said several long prayers of thanks to God for giving me the right words to say and for the love between Michael and his wife.
I expected all the counseling and the miracle of the marriage reconciliation to make a huge difference in Michael’s spiritual life. I was wrong.
Over time, Michael went back to his normal worship attendance. His kids were always enrolled in Sunday School but came sporadically to their classes and church events. Over time, I saw the family less and less. The last time I saw them, they only came to worship on Christmas and Easter.
A year later, while in prayer, I felt God showing me the truth about Michael. Michael’s marriage had been healed through divine intervention. However, it was not a wholistic healing. Michael had not accepted the Holy Spirit fully into his life. Michael’s spiritual life did not change. His soul was not infused with a love and dedication to God. He was very thankful for the healing of his wife and family, but he never really had an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. His healing was only partial. His faith was stunted.
Jesus wants an intimate wholistic relationship with you. Without an infusion of the Holy Spirit, that will never happen. You may receive miracles, be on the church rolls, go to worship frequently, be baptized, and so much more WITHOUT a true wholistic healing. As Jesus taught, “You shall love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind and strength…” (Luke 10:27). A heart or soul or mind that is given a miracle is blessed. That doesn’t make you holy. That doesn’t necessarily result in a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus wants a commitment not thanks. He wants your love and dedication, not just worship. He wants to share the Holy Spirit with you. When you let the Holy Spirit dwell in you richly, it will change your entire view of life. It did with Saul. It may happen with you. Have you experienced wholistic healing from Jesus? Truly?
Why didn’t Ananias just heal Saul from physical blindness? Because Saul was not only physically blind, he was spiritually blind. Before Saul was saved, he attacked Christians, even taking part in the killing of Stephen (Acts 8:1). Saul did not believe Jesus was resurrected. He did not believe the disciples were preaching the true gospel. He was wrong. Out of love, Jesus not only gave Saul blindness to force Saul to stop his evil actions, Jesus healed Saul’s blindness – both physically and spiritually. When filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul grew to see why Jesus was sent into the world and the salvation that came in Jesus’ name.
Many Christians talk about miracles such as healing. Healings are shared as if they are ultimate success stories for the church. When a man with cancer is cured through the power of prayer, the story blows throughout the churches and is blasted across the internet. But a curing of cancer is only a physical event. It is wonderful, but it doesn’t necessarily change souls. The person who is cured may thank God but never go to church or worship God or dedicate her life to Christ. Like Saul’s cure to blindness, Jesus wanted that curing to be both physical and spiritual. Jesus didn’t want only to heal Saul’s physical blindness. Jesus wanted to save Saul’s soul and empower Saul’s preaching. That could only happen if the Holy Spirit filled Saul’s soul.
True wholistic healing only came to Saul when his blindness was cured and his soul was infused with the Holy Spirit.
Many people, even Christians, do not realize they need true wholistic healing. They might ask God for good blood tests, a healthy baby, to bless the doctor’s choice of medicines, for help in ridding an addiction, or for dealing with past sins. However, that’s not enough. That is not a lasting solution. To be fully healed or helped or loved, every person needs true wholistic healing. This can only occur when the Holy Spirit comes as part of the package.
I learned this lesson of the connection between the Holy Spirit and wholistic healing decades ago. God taught me this lesson through a man who came to me for marriage counseling.
Michael was a lifelong Christian, brought up in the church by his parents. He was baptized as a child, was brought to Sunday School, was confirmed in the eighth grade, and married at the age of twenty-three. He had two beautiful children.
When he turned thirty, Michael and his wife had some serious problems. She took the kids one day and moved out. Michael came to me completely torn up. He cried throughout our first conversation. During three months of counseling, we worked on improving his relationship with his wife. We prayed together. We talked about his faith. We shared how to exhibit the love of Christ to his wife. Encouraged, Michael changed some major things in his attitude and marriage. He worked hard at it.
Over time, Michael and his wife patched things up. Michael came to me one Monday morning with a huge smile on his face and wet eyes. He quietly confided in me, “We did it, Pastor Dave. We patched up our marriage. My wife is moving back home. Thank you so much for the help. Thank God!” We prayed a beautiful prayer there in the church hallway. For several weeks, Michael and his family were at church every time the doors were open. So much had changed for them! I said several long prayers of thanks to God for giving me the right words to say and for the love between Michael and his wife.
I expected all the counseling and the miracle of the marriage reconciliation to make a huge difference in Michael’s spiritual life. I was wrong.
Over time, Michael went back to his normal worship attendance. His kids were always enrolled in Sunday School but came sporadically to their classes and church events. Over time, I saw the family less and less. The last time I saw them, they only came to worship on Christmas and Easter.
A year later, while in prayer, I felt God showing me the truth about Michael. Michael’s marriage had been healed through divine intervention. However, it was not a wholistic healing. Michael had not accepted the Holy Spirit fully into his life. Michael’s spiritual life did not change. His soul was not infused with a love and dedication to God. He was very thankful for the healing of his wife and family, but he never really had an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. His healing was only partial. His faith was stunted.
Jesus wants an intimate wholistic relationship with you. Without an infusion of the Holy Spirit, that will never happen. You may receive miracles, be on the church rolls, go to worship frequently, be baptized, and so much more WITHOUT a true wholistic healing. As Jesus taught, “You shall love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind and strength…” (Luke 10:27). A heart or soul or mind that is given a miracle is blessed. That doesn’t make you holy. That doesn’t necessarily result in a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus wants a commitment not thanks. He wants your love and dedication, not just worship. He wants to share the Holy Spirit with you. When you let the Holy Spirit dwell in you richly, it will change your entire view of life. It did with Saul. It may happen with you. Have you experienced wholistic healing from Jesus? Truly?