I think that there is the fallacy, promoted by the Word of Faith false teachers that if one is not having miracles of healing, wealth and prosperity then one doesn’t truly have faith. But then, their definition of faith is a force in the universe that can be harnessed and attached to words, which when spoken with the force of faith one can create their own reality. Rather than faith being in God, the object of faith, it becomes faith in faith.
I don’t find any of Kenneth Hagin’s tapes to really cross that line—certainly not significantly, in my view. But I think his son may and certainly many of his disciples do.
But there was the case where the great prayer warrior widow of an evangelist or some such was such a faith person and Hagin knew it. She ended up with heart trouble or some such. Hagin prayed for her personally several times. He KNEW she had great faith as great as Hagin’s. She died.
Hagin really sought God about it. God told him in no uncertain terms it was none of his business AND TO NEVER MENTION IT [at least to God] again. Closed subject.
None of his disciples like to talk about that case.
No one has it all figured out.
God is not a vending machine. He’s not going to be put into an always predictable box.
But Henry Wright is onto something accurate and Biblical. After seeking God intensely about why only 5% of those he prayed for got healed, God began to show him how ancestral sins; occult practices and a host of other sins, habits etc. will open folks up to the results of or the wages of sin in terms of mental and physical and relationship problems. That when folks will even just earnestly purpose in their hearts and begin to live differently as much as they can, with God’s help—then God will heal them virtually every time.
Now, his research is so extensive, he can identify the sin/relationship/ancestral problem often from just knowing the specifics of the disease—including various specific types of cancers.
His book: A MORE EXCELLENT WAY is a great resource of Biblical truth on such matters.
He’s often had cases such as the woman who showed up in an evening service with a big malignent tumor that was due to be surgically removed THE NEXT DAY. After a few questions, Henry was convinced/discerned that there were some relationship problems blocking her healing. He noted that she could not comply just to get healed—God didn’t play such games. But that if she would come to the honest place that she realized that the Bible way was the only way to live, then he would pray for her. She did and he prayed for her.
The next day—there was no tumor AT ALL. And, further, NO EVIDENCE THAT SHE HAD EVER HAD cancer AT ALL.
He has thousands of cases under his belt now of God’s miraculous healing when folks follow the Scriptural model.
I realize most folks of your perspective would like to deny such truths—but they are Biblical and factual and going on daily around the world.
I've been computer-handicapped for several days now, so I just found this excellent post.
"Rather that faith being in God, the object of faith, it becomes faith in faith."
That's eloquently precise. Faith in faith rather than faith in God...and all which that entails.