How To Heal The Sick by Charles and Frances Hunter - A Book Review and A Lifestyle

Healing the sick is a subject that is incredibly near and dear to my heart. I just finished reading the classic, How To Heal The Sick, by Charles and Frances Hunter... for the umpteenth time! For me, it's more than a book - it's a lifestyle. As a minister of healing myself, this is my all-time favorite 'How To' manual. It's my 'go to' whenever I feel I need a refresher course on biblical healing. And, every time I read it I learn something new. The book is beginning to show its age; but the fading cover still securely hugs the hundreds of well worn pages. If you could see it, you would know it has been loved.

I first read How To Heal The Sick about twenty-four years ago, when it was given to me by a precious elderly woman in my church. I was sharing with her my experience of how the Lord supernaturally dissolved a cancerous tumor in my body - right in front of my Oncologist. I was a brand new Christian at the time, and didn't understand a hill of beans about what just happened in my body, so I guess Ms.Virginia (that was her name) thought this book would bring some enlightenment. Oh my, I hope she didn't want it back. I never did ask her. She's deceased now, as are the book's authors, Charles and Frances, but their spirits live on through this incredible, timeless publication.

If you've ever had a desire to heal the sick, or are struggling to receive a much needed physical healing in your own body, I have good news for you... THE SUPERNATURAL CAN BE TAUGHT! That's what this book, How To Heal The Sick is all about.

Image Credit: All photos on this lens taken by me, Glenda Motsavage, (or of me) with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150

This is the revised edition of the original that was published in 1981. Truly, this classic has stood the test of time!

The book, How To Heal The Sick, begins with the Hunter's sharing a dream (vision) they had received back in 1980. To their amazement, they discovered that someone else had almost the exact same dream, twenty years earlier. It was this set of circumstances that encouraged them to move forward with the dream God had given them. Have you ever had a dream whereby God was asking you to do something on His behalf... but you didn't obey because of fear, or perhaps you thought it seemed like a foolish idea? I'm guilty of that. For me, sometimes it's hard to determine whether the dream was truly God-inspired, or... simply because I ate too much pizza going to bed! Often, I just shrug it off as the latter. But, I'm so glad the Hunter's acted on the revelation they received in that dream, sharing with the world what God had taught them about how to heal the sick. This husband and wife team, Charles and Frances, went on to operate one of the most outstanding healing ministries in the world. Over the years, as their learning curve grew, they wrote How To Heal The Sick in order to teach other Christians their vast knowledge of the subject.

One of the many things I like about How To Heal The Sick is that it was written in the most simplistic English. No religious jargon, for those of us who do not have a doctorate in Theology. It includes scriptural references; of course any teaching on biblical principles would require them. But they’re not over-done. It’s such an easy read, any middle-schooler, I believe, would understand the contents.

Early on, Charles and Frances make it crystal clear that healing the sick is not an action reserved only for the ordained ministers or church leadership, but rather for ANY Christian believer. No one denomination has a lock on it! If you have a heart of compassion and a willingness to learn how to heal the sick, then you qualify!

Well, there are various methods that can be used!

The Hunter's wrote the book for the purpose of presenting the simple ways of healing the sick that were proven successful for them. A chapter was devoted to each of the various methods, including eyewitness accounts and plenty of supporting testimonies. Two entire chapters teach about 'laying on of hands,' a popular way to minister to the sick, and probably the method I use most often. The reader is taught how important our hands are in the healing ministry - the importance of a touch. Jesus Himself laid hands on sick people quite often, and the Bible admonishes us to follow in His footsteps and do the same thing. Our hands become the conduit (so to speak) for God who is in heaven to touch a person here on earth.

As the book progresses, Charles and Frances do an excellent job of teaching the differences between laying hands on the sick, praying for the sick, commanding the sick, and casting out devils (or demons). These are all distinctly different methods to healing the sick. They remind us that God doesn't limit Himself to just one way of healing people, so why should we? If one particular method hasn't worked, try another!

I'm especially fond of this next point they mention. "God can heal you anyplace He wants; you don't have to be in church to be healed." Oh so true. My cancerous tumor was dissolved right there in the doctor's office... long before I ever set foot in a church! Yes, God cares about ALL people, not just the church goers. I like to say it this way, 'miracles are the dinner bell to salvation.' Apart from that medical miracle I wouldn't be in church today. I'm not afraid to pray for sick people in their hospital beds, at their homes, or even in the marketplace (with their permission of course). That's who I am - that's what I do!

Halfway through How To Heal The Sick the value of persistence is discussed. Then in chapter 8, they talk about why some people do not receive their healing. There's a wealth of information in this one section alone. Some answers to many of those "why?" questions we have asked when the person we have prayed for does not get healed.

Additional methods to use!

Some of the information in How To Heal The Sick is very basic and things most Christians already know about, like anointing with oil and the use of prayer cloths. But sometimes we need a refresher course even in the basics. I absolutely love the chapter on healing through intercessory prayer. I should, that was the method used when I received my miracle! Just like Charles and Frances, I teach people how to heal the sick through this type of prayer every opportunity I get. Let's face it, sometimes the sick person doesn't live close enough to go visit them, so that's where this method comes in handy.

Then we get into the part of the book whereby they give instructions for healing specific illnesses. Things like strokes, hay fever & sinus, back problems, demons and cancer, diabetes, scoliosis, and incurable diseases. Now, oftentimes before I go pray for someone with one of these issues, I do a quick read-through of the part of the book that applies to that person's need.

Chapter 15 is most definitely the longest chapter in the book. It's called 'Casting Out Devils.' For anyone with an interest in demonology, it's one of those can't-put-it-down sections. There are great lessons to be learned here. The Hunter's get quite deep and detailed about their experiences in this arena. They share testimonies of how they cast demons out of people, and how they handled the ones that didn't want to leave. Very informative.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a desire to heal the sick. There are many different ways to heal, so certainly this book is not an exhaustive study. But it's a great place to start.

To the skeptic or worldly reader full of unbelief, How To Heal The Sick may sound a little farfetched or even impossible. That's okay. I wasn't always a believer myself. Oh sure, I believed in God, just not the supernatural power of God to do the things this book talks about. I guess I was a doubting-Thomas of sorts. In other words, I had to see it to believe it. Now, for me, real living is seeing the sick healed and the demons flee. How To Heal The Sick is more than just a book... it's a lifestyle!

I don't know about you, but I absolutely hate sickness. Years ago I didn't know there was anything I could do about it, other than feel sorry for the poor soul that was sick. But that was my mindset before my medical miracle. Yes, that's what my Oncologist, Dr. Carlson, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania called it - a miracle. This seasoned physician said he had never seen anything like it. He was referring to the total disappearance of my cancerous tumor, right in front of his eyes! He confirmed this supernatural intervention over and over again, through many different office visits and various tests. That was back in 1990, twenty-four years ago. You see, a true miracle will stand the test of time. We're not talking remission, which is a medical term for something temporary. Oh no, this was permanent. The entire account, from beginning to end, was chronicled in my testimony, 'The Bride Wore Black.'