The Power to Heal

by Francis S. MacNutt

This follow-up book to Francis MacNutt's earlier book, Healing, documents the growth of his thinking on divine healing and focuses largely on example and experience as opposed to theological inquiry. The emphasis is on physical healing, as opposed to healing of the memories..

Genres: Theology, Spirituality, Prayer, Faith

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Reverend Francis S. MacNutt, O.P.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to have served on a prayer team between 1991-1996, led by our pastor and made up of about twenty men and women, many of whom had been my Sunday School teachers when I was a child. Every Wednesday night, our pastor led a healing service at which he preached inductively on one of the healing miracles of Jesus followed by communion and coming to the altar row by row to kneel for general prayer. A second service followed in which those who had serious illnesses were prayed for individually by the team. They were quiet, dignified services and the team sought to live holy lives studying God's Word and fasting.

Francis MacNutt stands out as a gentle, humble teacher during a time of televangelist and large, dramatic services at huge, coliseum-sized venues.
His teachings changed my life, and there were many things that I learned and practiced in prayer for decades until recently when I became very sick with CoVid and I realized that somehow there was no one in my life to pray for me the way I had prayed for them. My family did not gather to lay hands on me, no one thought of the anointing oil, and although I was attending a prayer service every Saturday morning, prayers for the sick were not on the agenda.

It was when I was the most sick that I pulled out "The Power to Heal" and began reading it again seeking the "ancient paths" of Jeremiah 6:16: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls." I read the book with highlighter in hand culling from it all the wisdom I knew and practiced and yet had failed to pass on to my adult daughters. Sometimes you forget what you know that others don't; you take it for granted that they understand simply because they grew up in your house or you have been praying with them for years.

One personal note: I did skip Chapters 14 "Large Healing Services" and Chapter 15 "Resting in the Spirit" this time because they were triggering; I am sure they hold important truths, but these were the areas I saw the corruption within the local church and the national church. I think the power of the Holy Spirit, just as worldly power, attracts corrupt people, and Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8 recounts such a reality.

I hope that you will find your way to the ancient paths on healing in this book. I hope that if you are not Catholic (I am not) that you will not be afraid of this book. I have friends who grew up Catholic and have had to heal from what they call guilt and legalism and false teaching. This book may not be for you, and I understand. But even if this book is not for you, the love and healing ministry of Jesus Christ is.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, easy to read little book with many practical applications of healing prayer from an experienced practitioner. We are encouraged to practice the blessings Jesus has left to us after His Resurrection. Every Christian could and ought to heed this advice.

[Lisa Connally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good.