Here goes: healing, deos the devil do it and why on earth would he?

[Merry]

Well, I was getting yelled at on another thread for suggesting that yup, the devil could heal someone as part of his bag of lying signs and wonders. I've read several accounts where people claim to have been healed by shamans, medicine men and psychics, and God does not get the glory, and I dare say, after getting so 'healed' it might be real hard to ever glorify God, because the so-called healing is your 'proof' that your way of worship is just fine...So if you arm gets put back together, but you still go to hell, then the lying miracle has worked.

I just think satan is low enough to tempt us with whatever it takes to get us away from Christ. If I'm completely out of whack here, I don't mind being told. But please explain who is doing these works for the pagans and why God isn't given the glory.

[Xenia]

This brings to mind the story of Moses when he threw down his staff in front of Pharaoh and it turned into a serpent. The magicians standing by also threw down their's and they too became serpents. Of course theirs were destroyed by Moses' but prior to that destruction it would seem that the two had the same power.

and I dare say, after getting so 'healed' it might be real hard to ever glorify God, because the so-called healing is your 'proof' that your way of worship is just fine...So if your arm gets put back together, but you still go to hell, then the lying miracle has worked.I think you've hit the head of nail pretty square here...

[Merry]

Hey, good example! Well, here's another one...this possessed girl was making her handlers a lot of money, why that's very nice of the devil to do that for them, eh? (Sarcasm) The devil in her even proclaimed Paul and company to be the power of God and to show the way of salvation...Why, you wouldn't think the devil would do that, would you? and yet here it is...


[16] And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
[17] The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
[18] And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
[19] And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,


Gosh, it seems Paul could spot a phony and didn't want anything to do with it. But I wonder how many people she might have sucked down the wrong path if he had said, "...uh, well, she sounds nice and religious..."

[lynnmosher]

I'm right with you, Merry Merry. You last sentence goes to this verse..."For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 2 Cor 11:13-15

If a person is into things not of God, using powers not of God to heal or whatever, then the person will usually get the glory, which makes the enemy very happy as he is working through that person. Some may disagree that this is possible. However, there are powers in the world other than God's, as the Bible tells us in Eph. 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

[Xenia]

Great references Lynn!

[lynnmosher]

LOL! I'm sure Paul is taking a bow!

[Merry]

I'm right with you, Merry Merry. You last sentence goes to this verse..."For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 2 Cor 11:13-15

If a person is into things not of God, using powers not of God to heal or whatever, then the person will usually get the glory, which makes the enemy very happy as he is working through that person. Some may disagree that this is possible. However, there are powers in the world other than God's, as the Bible tells us in Eph. 6:12, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."


Hey, I was looking for that verse! Corinthians...should have known it would be there! Thanks, Lynn!

[ProfessorAlan]

The Devil would heal for the same reason that God would not in a particular case ..... because His answer is long-term, and sometimes we don't know what is best for us in the long term.

[lynnmosher]

Merry Merry, you're welcome! And Prof, I agree. Great statement.

[Merry]

Hey, that does make sense, Prof. Thanks!

[Lookin^Up]

[17] The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. . . .

Gosh, it seems Paul could spot a phony and didn't want anything to do with it. But I wonder how many people she might have sucked down the wrong path if he had said, "...uh, well, she sounds nice and religious..."
I have an MP3 version of the New Testament, which was given to everyone in my church last year as part of their Easter celebration. In verse 17, they portray the girl saying that line with a high squeaky voice, an obvious case of mockery. I've always believed that the tonal quality of those words were what annoyed Paul, coupled with her persistent presence, not just the words. (Tones of voice are almost impossible to portray in print apart from tags.) Maybe it wasn't as blatant as in the MP3 rendition, but it had to have sounded mocking.

I agree with everything that has been posted here. I had a coworker once, a native of Kenya, who knew a preteen girl who sold Bibles, yet she was demon-possessed. She could be seen reading one while speaking in tongues, and to my African friend it seemed like demonism and the Bible were linked. But it was obvious to me that the Devil made her speak in tongues to prevent her from understanding the words. My friend didn't believe me, of course, but the more I thought about that, the more I'm convinced I was right.

[Rachel E.]

I agree with you Merry, This thread is really good. I believe that the devil will do anything to draw us away from God. Like for instance, homeopothy (Isn't that the one with the diluted medicine and herbs?) I've read a story where a mother thought that was wonderful and swore on it till God revealed that they were getting into demon worship through it. Wow! Very scary...

[Xenia]

Here's an article I found on this subject... It says much of what's already been said but it's still good... I don't know much about the website?? http://amazinghealth.org/Counterfeit-Healing.html

[cpbookworm]

Thanks for the article link, Xenia. Very well stated.

[kshsj777]

Yep, I agree with just about everything everybody else has said so far on this thread.

[kluchar70]

Hey, isn't the antichrist supposed to perform signs and wonders? How can he be raised from a fatal wound if the devil can't heal?

[Lookin^Up]

Excellent point, Klu.

[Cymrugirl]

Personally, I take care not to assign something to Satan that could be the work of God. There are Biblical accounts of God healing people who did not give him thanks or glory for it. Remember the lepers? Jesus healed them anyway.

Sometimes I think we forget that his gifts are just that - gifts. Their reality is not contingent on our subsequent works anymore than our salvation comes through works. We're vagrants in rags and God puts us in new clothes - and then sometimes we still act like vagrants in rags - we just smell better.

My family has experienced healing many times - and I'll be the first to say that I have a sneaking suspicion we didn't deserve it before or after. It was a gift.

[Cymrugirl]

Hey, isn't the antichrist supposed to perform signs and wonders? How can he be raised from a fatal wound if the devil can't heal?


The fatal wound referenced in the book of Revelation is to one of his (the anti-christ's) heads - which is explained as a nation. It's not the anti-christ's physical head. When Christian fiction based on the end times tries to assasinate and raised the antichrist from the dead (an impossibility for Satan to perform) that's when I stop reading.

[JayBee]

the girl/demon probably thought that by declaring Paul to be of God he (Paul) would leave her/it alone. I reckon that's what annoyed him. Paul being of God spotted the ruse.

[Merry]

Personally, I take care not to assign something to Satan that could be the work of God. There are Biblical accounts of God healing people who did not give him thanks or glory for it. Remember the lepers? Jesus healed them anyway.

Sometimes I think we forget that his gifts are just that - gifts. Their reality is not contingent on our subsequent works anymore than our salvation comes through works. We're vagrants in rags and God puts us in new clothes - and then sometimes we still act like vagrants in rags - we just smell better.

My family has experienced healing many times - and I'll be the first to say that I have a sneaking suspicion we didn't deserve it before or after. It was a gift.


I agree. anytime you are healed it is always a gift. That's why the manifestation is called gifts of healings and not just healings. So if you posed the question like this: can a gift be used to draw you away from God? I'd say yeah. Sure, my first "suspect" when someone is healed is that God had a hand in it, but I guess it gets back to 'knowing them by their fruits.' Like I said, you could get healed of cancer and still end up going to to hell...if you seek your healing from an occult practitioner guessing why is sort of easy, much harder when you're talking about Christians in churches. I don't think anyone is making cut and dried statement here, I'm just saying it's possible...and emphasis on the possible...as in maybe... for satan to use healing to draw you away from God.

[little_tigress]

yup, Satan does indeed heal to steal the focus from God. There's a reason witchdoctors are revered in certain parts of the world. Yeah they fail a lot but they do heal too. and there is no way that power comes through Christ. I believe even in the western church we have false prophets healing through powers that did not come from God, they draw focus from the true God and cast it upon themselves and their fals gospel. I'm sure i'd get blasted if i named names, but i think many of us can think of at least one false prophet with a "healing" ministry. ;)

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. - 2 Cor 11


21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ - Matthew 7