Do Faith Healers Really Heal As They Claim? by Robert Wise
(A quick look at C. Peter Wagner)

I often get ask this question from many different persons of different belief systems.  I always answer with a simple:  No, but the Lord does.  I in my heart believe that the Lord can and does still heal those whom He chooses to.  sometimes for reasons we do not understand, the Lord chooses not to heal a particular person and they go on to die.  Is that fair?  It is in the mind of God so therefore I consider it fair.

Faith Healers (as they claim to call themselves), preach a different story.  They claim that many are healed and that all can be healed.  You have many different preachers claiming to be healers and probably Benny Hinn is the most famous of them all.  Another famous healer/teacher is C. Peter Wagner.  Here are some remarks made by Wagner that will authenticate what he believes.

"Previously, I thought it was power for witnessing and for living a godly life. And I still think it is. But an important dimension of that power had eluded me completely. It is the power that Jesus gave to his twelve disciples the first time he sent them out on their own: "He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease" (Mt 10:1). That word for power is dunamas which also appears in the great commission of Matthew 28, "All power is given me." ... To my surprise, as I look back on the sixteen years I served as a missionary in the Third World I cannot recall that kind of power ever operating in my ministry. I never cast out an evil spirit. I never healed a sick person. I did pray for sick people from time to time, usually the "Heal this person if it be your will" type of prayer. But so far as I know the power to heal the sick, which I frequently see now, was not there.”(C. Peter Wagner, The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit, p.21)

No less an authority then Dr. C. Peter Wagner, Professor of Church Growth at Fuller Seminary, School of World Mission, believes such things do happen, "I too now believe that dead people are literally being raised in the world today. As soon as I say that, some ask if I believe if it is normative? I doubt if it would be normative in any local situation but it probably is normative in terms of the universal Body of Christ. Even though it is an extremely uncommon event I would not be surprised if it were happening several times a year." ( C. Peter Wagner, as cited in Charismatic Chaos - Part 5, Does God do Miracles Today?, Copyright 1991, by John F. MacArthur, Jr., http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/CHAOS5.HTM)

Wagner tells the story of how he was constantly plagued by headaches, he was told by John Wimber who came up to me, “My friend says your problem is a spirit,” he said. The reason for his headaches was a “demon of headache” that needed to be exorcised. “Then our MC510 class met in January 1983. Sure enough, the first Monday night I went to class with a headache. So during the break I asked John to pray for me. John and his wife, Carol, prayed for me. The pain left. But about an hour later it was back again.” “But what am I supposed to do about John replied quickly, “Treat it like a cat on the backporch! Yell at it and tell it to go away!” (ibid. p.69) He says that was the beginning of the end of his headaches.

** A surgeon writes, "Not once have I seen a missing finger suddenly grow back." Chances are he never expected it. But a short while after I read that article, my friend John Wimber 'phoned me to report on a healing seminar he had just conducted in Seattle. With several physicians present, a woman's toe, which had been cut off, completely grew back, toenail and all (pp. 34,35).

I now believe that dead people are literally being raised from the dead in the world today. I doubt if it would be normative in any local situation, but it probably is normative in terms of the universal body of Christ. Even though it is an extremely uncommon event, I would not be surprised if it were happening several times a year (pp. 111,112).

I list the above to show that Wagner definetly believes in Healing.  So, now I get to my question..... If C. Peter Wagner has such success at healings and casting out demons of infirmities, why is his wife Doris suffering so much from a bad leg.  Please understand that I am praying that Doris Wagner gets her leg healed and she does not suffer in the meantime.  But, why cannot C. Peter Wagner heal her like he claims is so easy to do. 

Understand again, I believe the Lord can and does heal people as He wills.  I would offer to you that the key to all of this is exactly what I just said.  "AS HE WILLS". 

Wagner not only believes he can heal but also teaches the same as shown below.

PW833 Divine Healing

Instructor: C. Peter Wagner, Robert Henerson

Course Description: This is a classic foundational class on divine healing. Topics include performing the works of Jesus, the role of faith in healing, ways in which one can verify miracles, healing as it relates to God's kingdom, healing as part of the atonement, and the substance of the anointing. (April 2008)

 Training Units: 4 (2 days)

Syllabus: Yes

First Tuition Payment to WLI Central: $150.00
Second Tuition Payment to home WLI location: $50.00

WLI Core Course

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As to Doris Wagner and her health problems, I received this email which I have included below:

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Now friends, believe me when I say this.  I cannot for the life of me understand why the Wagner's are settling for less when they claim to be able to heal at will.  While teachers like Wagner claim all can be healed and claims to have healed so many, would one not wonder what he must be thinking when he cannot heal his wife?   I believe if I found myself in a similar situation, I would be asking myself if maybe I have been looking at this all wrong to begin with.  I personally believe that Wagner and those like him have taken the Scripture and twisted it around to fit their own personal wishes. 

Also, I was rather surprised when the emails from the Wagner's do not in any way explain that possibly this may be a thorn in the flesh for Mrs. Wagner and that the Lord is allowing it for whatever the reason as He did with Paul. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

This is NO affront on Mrs. Wagner.  I am so sorry she is going through all this and it sounds like she is coping very well.  She must be a strong lady and I admire that.  As I mentioned above...I will continue to pray for her.

In conclusion....I believe that the Lord does Heal... I also believe that there are many who "CLAIM" to have the gift of healing and use that claim to take advantage of people who would listen to them.  I am afraid it all may come down to one thing.  Show me the Money.  That is what all these types of preachers do.. They charge for this and they charge for that all in the Name of Jesus.  Jesus NEVER charged anyone for anything and neither did the Apostles.  I know it takes money to operate a Ministry today but to charge for healings, prayer, etc. is just wrong.   And, if it is not the money....then possibly it is pride, the greediness of power and status, or some other flesh driven corruption that tends to tempt us all. 

If these men and women of God truly have the gift of healing, then they should be doing it for FREE to further the Kingdom of Jesus not to further their own kingdoms here on earth.  As so many have said over and over again...If you really can do this... then go to the local hospital and heal all those sick people and get them out of there.  The news reporters would be all over that one and the world would soon know the power, love, righteousness and Holiness of Jesus!

Robert Wise
Forgotten Word Ministries