What does the Bible say about energy healing?
Energy healing refers to alternative medical practices that seek to heal the human body and mind through the manipulation of energy fields. Practitioners of energy healing believe that the body has energy fields that can become blocked or unbalanced, leading to illness. By channeling healing energy through the hands or crystals, energy healers claim they can correct these imbalances and promote wellness.
Some common types of energy healing include Reiki, therapeutic touch, qi gong, and crystal healing. These practices originate from Eastern religions and spiritual philosophies but have become popular in Western cultures as forms of alternative medicine. Today, energy healing is a billion-dollar industry.
As energy healing has grown in popularity among Christians, many wonder what the Bible has to say about these practices. An examination of Scripture reveals that the biblical writers were unaware of the energy healing techniques that developed later. However, the Bible gives principles that can help Christians evaluate these healing methods.
1. The Bible affirms the existence of spiritual forces.
The Bible clearly teaches that there are spiritual forces of good and evil at work in our world. For example, Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This verse indicates that behind the visible world lies an invisible spiritual reality.
However, the Bible prohibits occult practices that attempt to harness or manipulate these forces. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 forbids activities like divination, sorcery, witchcraft, spell-casting, mediumship, and necromancy. Although energy healing practices do not always fall neatly into these forbidden categories, the biblical warnings against manipulating unseen spiritual forces are still relevant.
2. The Bible presents God’s healing power as supreme.
The Bible contains many examples of God healing sickness and disease through the prayer of His people or the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In contrast to energy healers who channel power from unseen spiritual forces or within themselves, the Bible presents healing as coming from God alone.
For example, Psalm 103:2-3 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.” And James 5:14-15 instructs, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
God’s healing power is presented as greater than any other power. Jesus healed all kinds of sickness and disease during his ministry on earth. And when his disciples failed to heal an epileptic boy, Jesus told them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29). The supreme healing power belongs to God alone.
3. The Bible warns about deceitful and dangerous spiritual practices.
The Bible contains warnings about physical and spiritual dangers associated with false teachers and deceitful spiritual practices. For example, Paul told Timothy that in the last days people will follow “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” that come through “hypocritical liars” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Jesus also said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). And John instructed Christians to test every spirit because many false prophets have gone into the world (1 John 4:1). The Bible calls Christians to be discerning and cautious about spiritual teachings and practices.
4. The Bible teaches that creation already has everything needed for healing.
Unlike Eastern philosophies that view god as pervading creation, the Bible presents God as distinct from His creation. God embedded His creation with order, natural resources, and medical components needed for healing apart from manipulating unseen energy forces.
We see this depicted in the comprehensive health laws God gave His people in the Old Testament. He provided natural remedies using creation like quarantining the sick, hygiene rituals, dietary restrictions, and plant-based medicines. The Bible presents God’s healing provisions through the thoughtful use of His natural creation.
5. The Bible focuses on Christ’s work as basis for all healing.
The Bible’s discussion of healing focuses not on medical techniques but on Christ’s work. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide the basis for all Christian healing—physical, emotional, and spiritual. By taking the punishment for human sin upon Himself, Jesus promises everlasting healing to all who place their faith in Him.
The Bible emphasizes prayer offered in faith through Jesus’ name. James 5:14-15 instructs Christians to pray for the sick while anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And John 14:13-14 records Jesus saying, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” The basis for biblical healing is Christ’s redemptive work.
6. The Bible commands Christians to care for sick bodies.
Though the Bible focuses on Christ’s finished work for eternal healing, it also instructs Christians to care for the physical body. James 5:14 tells the sick to call for church elders to pray and anoint them with oil for healing. And Jesus said the second greatest command is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Loving our neighbors includes caring for their physical needs.
The Bible does not forbid medicine or medical treatment. Rather, it presents caring for the body as an outworking of loving God and neighbor. Christians should exercise wisdom in seeking both spiritual and medical help for illnesses.
7. The Bible warns against greed in healing practices.
As the energy healing movement has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry, the Bible’s warnings about greed are relevant. The Bible teaches that gifts of healing are meant to profit others, not those who perform the healings.
Peter confronted Simon the magician who wanted to buy the ability to confer the Holy Spirit on others. Peter said, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!” (Acts 8:20). And Paul instructed Timothy to avoid people caught up in “constant friction” about controversial speculations that “breeds quarrels” (1 Timothy 6:4-5). Financial exploitation has no place in true, biblical healing.
8. The Bible teaches humility in practicing spiritual gifts.
Practitioners of energy healing often claim power and authority to harness and manipulate energy to heal others. However, the Bible teaches that spiritual gifts like healing are distributed by the Holy Spirit for service, not status.
Paul wrote that spiritual gifts are given by God’s grace and enable humble service to others (Romans 12:6-8). Healing is not based on personal power and performance. The Bible instructs Christians to use all spiritual gifts in service with love (1 Corinthians 13).
9. The Bible calls for discernment and testing.
How should Christians discern whether energy healing aligns with biblical principles? The Bible provides several tests:
– True healing comes from God alone.
– True healers point people to Christ as ultimate Healer and Savior.
– True healers renounce occult manipulations and financial exploitations.
– True healers use spiritual gifts in love and service to others.
– True healers submit their practices to evaluation by Scripture.
The Bible calls Christians to carefully test all healing philosophies and methods by God’s Word. Christians should thoughtfully examine energy healing claims and techniques against these biblical standards.
10. The Bible is sufficient for addressing energy healing.
Though the Bible does not directly address modern energy healing practices, it provides truths, principles, and guidelines relevant for evaluation. Christians need not look outside Scripture for additional revelation to discern these healing techniques.
The sufficiency of Scripture is a fundamental Christian doctrine. The Bible contains everything needed for holistic healing— body, soul, and spirit—through faith in Christ. As Paul wrote to Timothy regarding Scripture: “…how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
The Bible may not address energy healing explicitly, but it equips Christians with essential truths for discernment. Christians can test energy healing claims against God’s sufficient Word.
Conclusion
Energy healing is a controversial subject that the Bible does not specifically address. However, biblical principles about spiritual forces, healing, spiritual gifts, and discernment provide guidance. Christians should thoughtfully and humbly examine energy healing techniques against the truth of Scripture.
The Bible presents God as the supreme Healer who cares compassionately for people’s needs. Christians are called to pray to Him for healing while also utilizing responsible natural remedies. Healing ultimately flows from Christ’s redemptive work, not human effort or technique. Christians can confidently look to the Bible’s sufficient gospel truths for evaluating all healing philosophies and methods.