by Kathi Smith
Nov/Dec 2009

It has come to our attention that many of you who read this newsletter have questions regarding healing. We are going to attempt to answer some of these questions in the newsletter. We will try to answer those that are asked most frequently. We pray and try to hear the answers, but as always, our filters are human. Please feel free to submit your questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and bless you for not expecting an answer if we do not publish all of them. By sending in your questions, you are agreeing to have your initials and your city published beside the questions.

Question #1: Why has God not healed me? This age–old question, although hard to answer, has multiple facets to its answer. We find that there are blocks to healing (like unforgiveness, ongoing sin, etc.) yet we also see God do miracles and heal people who haven't forgiven and who continue to sin. Healing is a mystery and God's timing isn't always ours. My answer to this very difficult question came after I prayed for a friend whose baby died. She asked me how I could still pray for healing after her baby was not healed here on earth. I said "All I know is that I see some people healed when I pray and so if I stop praying, those "some" wouldn't have been healed when they were…so I continue to pray." Bless all of you who are still waiting. We continue to wait with you and pray for you.*

Question #2: Can God use me to heal people if I am not whole myself? My answer to this question is yes. I for one have continual issues and character flaws in my life. I am critical, judgmental, get angry at people, etc. And I pray for people and often see healing. We at CHM recommend our conferences, such as Journey to Healing, to create awareness and the removal of strongholds that keep us in repetitious sin patterns. God used donkeys and rocks to give His messages when people were not available. We do recommend personal growth and cleansing before starting ministry in healing, but certainly God can use people who are not perfect.

Question #3: Why does disease come back after God healed me? Was I really healed? The quick answer to this question is that perhaps the "reason" for the disease was not prayed through to get rid of the source of the disease. We have found, experientially, that some diseases often fall into categories where a large percentage of people have an issue of unforgiveness when they come to our prayer ministers. If perhaps God miraculously heals the illness but the unforgiveness still remains, then the source of the sickness hasn't been eradicated. To the question, "Was I really healed," I would say, "Yes." If we get prayer when we have a cold and it goes away miraculously, do we say we weren't healed if it returns again in six months? Or a fever…or a wart…or the flu? I don't know why, but people categorize larger and more serious illnesses into the "maybe I was never healed" category if they return.

I hope and pray that these answers are helpful. Please send us more.

Kathi Smith is the Senior Editor of Healing Line and an active CHM prayer minister.

by Francis MacNutt
Nov/Dec 2009

We have often been asked what we at CHM think of Reiki massage: as Christians, can we use it?

We haven't studied enough ourselves to make an adequate judgment, but a six–page statement of the U.S. Roman Catholic Bishops Committee on Doctrine states that Reiki is based on "superstition and is incompatible with faith." The background for the statement is that a number of Catholic sisters in hospitals and retreat centers are practitioners of Reiki. Reiki — pronounced "RAY–kee" is a spiritual healing practice invented in Japan in the 1920s that claims that by laying hands on (or above) a sick or injured person, a Reiki master can draw universal healing energy into the person. The bishops state that a Christian who trusts in this technique has "no scientific support — or even plausibility." On the other hand, some of those sisters who use Reiki believe that its use can be combined with the teachings of Jesus Christ and that Reiki is offered in the context of prayer.

Again, I have not enough personal knowledge of the practice of Reiki to pretend to be an expert, but we are wise to listen to the bishops' warning. In addition to what the bishops say, we add a few further observations. For one thing, I think we should be disappointed that those nuns running retreat centers do not teach the people how to pray for Christian healing. One nun we knew who was an expert massage therapist left her order because her superior was so heavily into Reiki.

Then, too, some Reiki practitioners are expected to seek a "spirit guide," as a spiritual master. This path, of course, is incompatible with Christianity and can lead into a demonic dimension.

One Catholic center is offering courses in Reiki I, Reiki II, and Reiki III, after which those who graduate are certified as Karuna Reiki Masters. We are struck by the parallel in that we offer Levels I, II and III in Christian healing. The bishops statement wisely states, "For Christians, the access to divine healing is by prayer to Christ as Lord and Savior, while the essence of Reiki is not a prayer but a technique that is passed down from the "Reiki master" to the pupil, a technique that once mastered will reliably produce the anticipated result." I think the reason why there is so much Reiki in Catholic retreat centers is simply that there is a deep spiritual hunger among the Catholic people for prayer for the sick. If healing prayer is not taught in a Christian way, the hunger will be satisfied in whatever is available. One of the more difficult cases of deliverance that I've experienced was once when a woman asked me to pray for her to be freed of a kundalini demonic force that was wrapped around her spine. She had gotten into this situation by learning from a Hindu master a technique of healing the sick. This and other experiences have led me to be careful not to mingle the healing that we have in Jesus with any other healing powers.

*Based on an article, Reiki Use, Criticized by Bishops, is Common at Nun's Retreat Centers by Jerry Filteau, National Catholic Reporter, April 17, 2009, pgs. 1 and 10.

Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM.

by Linda Strickland
Nov/Dec 2009

As you come into the Christian life, it is tempting to think that your struggles are over and your life will always be peaceful. You know: smooth sailing. After all, isn't that what the song I’ve Got Peace Like a River implies?

If you live close to a river, as I do, that song most likely brings a different image to your mind.

Stretching for 310 miles with an average width of 2 miles, the St. John's River, in Jacksonville, Florida, is one of the world's "laziest" rivers. The slow flow of the St. John's makes it difficult for pollutants to be flushed from the waters, which has become a serious problem for the river ecosystem. In addition, the St. John's River is north–flowing, which is unusual among U.S. rivers. Although I have seen this river so calm that it mirrors everything around it, I have also seen it so choppy that the white caps warn boat owners to stay safely anchored.

After living the better portion of my life as a Christian, I think this image of the St. John's River captures the ups and downs of life pretty well. There will be sweet days when the waters are so calm that you can see the reflection of everything beautiful around you. Then there will be days when the "pollutants" of life cause you to feel stagnant and stinky, threatening your own personal ecosystem. In addition, as a Christian you will always be flowing the opposite way — against the "normal" culture. And then there will be "white cap" and "choppy days" that always come with the storms of life.

I have prayed with countless people who want me to pray for them to have peace, and I know what they are asking for. They are saying "I want Jesus to take my problems away, and I want him to bring me serenity, calm and quiet." Although we all yearn for this type of life, and certainly we will have our moments, I believe it is unrealistic to think that we can live the way Jesus called us to live, and always reside in this kind of tranquility. He certainly didn't!

Remember the story of when Jesus calmed the storm? As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind. But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

— Mark 4:35–40 (NLT)

There is a lot to be learned from this passage.

The first thing is that storms generally come out of nowhere. You start your day thinking that it will go one way, when suddenly everything changes. Sometimes it will be small agitations, while other times the storm can be fierce.

The second thing is that some of the storms that come our way will be "correcting" storms that cause a change in course, while others will be "perfecting" storms. In this case, Jesus used the opportunity to perfect the faith of his disciples.

The third thing is that, like the disciples, it's easy to panic and think that we are going to drown. If we will only learn to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord and trust him perfectly, earthly annoyances and sorrows will have no power to disturb us.

In another passage from Mark (chapter 6), Jesus' disciples were once again in a boat when another terrifying storm came up. This time Jesus was not already with them, but when he saw that they were in trouble he walked on water to get to them. And when he climbed in the boat the storm immediately calmed.

This is exciting! Because what this tells me is that true peace is not the subtraction of problems — but rather the addition of power to handle the problems. Or to put it in practical terms — as we encounter the turbulent waters of the river we won't be alone, because Jesus has promised to always be there with us. Either he is already in the boat, or he will do whatever is necessary to get to us, and then climb in with us.

So, as we live on the unpredictable river of life, it's hard to know what the waters will look like from day to day. But one thing is for sure — with Jesus, we know we can trust the boat!Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 4:7 (New Living Translation)

Linda Strickland is CHM's Associate Director of Ministry and Assistant to Judith MacNutt.

by Michael Simon
Nov/Dec 2009

It is probably not well known that in 1901 Wilbur and Orville Wright arrived at the conclusion that man would not likely fly during their lifetime. Their discouragement came in response to being unable to control the up and down altitude movement called pitch, or the left right movement, called yaw, of a glider which ended up spinning out of control. Fortunately, they went back to research and design. Their original design was good; yet its improvement is what made all the difference. They discovered that the addition of a movable tail gave them the stability and control needed. The Wright brothers went on to make history in 1903 when Orville succeeded in a powered and sustained flight for 12 seconds and in 1904 when Wilbur succeeded in a 5 minute powered flight.

Like Orville and Wilbur, who steadfastly pursued creation of a tangible means of flight, Christian Healing Ministries is pursuing the emergence of a new center, a visible sign of God's healing presence. The new center will be a place where a greater number of people can personally receive and learn the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. During recent site visits and prayer, creative ways to further improve the design of the site layout have materialized. The master plan on the CHM website and the one we shared at the schools and conferences is good and was prepared to prove that the property was suitable for a healing center. Since the design, there has been greater revelation of how the property could be redesigned to better accommodate visitors and staff. As a result, the Capital Campaign Committee has commissioned a Design Team Selection Committee to join with Francis and Judith to select a building architect, landscape architect, and engineer to incorporate these improvements into the Master Plan. We ask you to pray along with us for this team and for the master plan and drawings to be God's design.

Also, we are receiving confirmations through individuals that God wants the center built. One CHM staff member has received visions in prayer that God already has the site and buildings built in the spiritual realm and prayer is what will bring them to earth. Members of the campaign prayer team have been sharing what they have been receiving from God: pictures of water flowing out of the land, bringing healing to visitors and training people who are taking healing back to their community. Spiritual leaders such as Chuck Pierce and Will Hart have separately said that Jacksonville will be known as a place of healing without knowing about the plans to build CHM's new center.

In addition, there have been wonderful offerings of service and donations. An engineer and her husband who attended the School of Healing Prayer this summer have offered their services pro–bono for the center. They shared the vision with a colleague, a landscape architect, who is also offering his work pro–bono. A surprise large gift and matching opportunity were also provided by the Lord and the full match was met. These are believed to be confirmations that the effort to develop the new healing center is moving in the right direction. To the Wright brothers who worked hard and sought inspiration, it must have seemed like a marvelous miracle the day they flew. May Christian Healing Ministries continue to establish "A Healing Place" by seeking His plan, His guidance, and His design!

Michael Simon is the Director of Development for CHM.