How often have you seen or heard of legitimate healings that were statistically unlikely (e.g., terminal cancer, etc.)?

When you ask a poll question, you are only allowed so many words. So let me get more specific here.

Based on past experience, when it comes to people you know (and these can be believers, believers of your stripe, or people in general that you have or do pray for), how many of these afflicted ones were miraculously cured of what was said to be an incurable disease?

For example, someone on dialysis for years is able to get off it because his/her kidneys now function enough. Or someone who was given no or little hope to overcome cancer did.

A man in our church years ago had intertestial fibrosis, an incurable lung condition caused by exposure to asbestos in combination with smoking (from his younger days). Once the disease is diagnosed, you usually have less than a year, and it is considered incurable. The elders prayed for him and anointed him, and the disease disappeared; his lungs cleared. That was over 20 years ago. The man died 5 years later because of his heart, and, in that case, the Lord chose not to heal him.

I have seen a few miraculous cures over the years, I believe in answer to prayer. In MANY instances, I have seen people improve or extend their lives. One man, for example, was given less than a year to live, but did so well he lived 17. Still, that same cancer did catch up to him. A lad was in an accident (he got hit on his bike), and they thought he would have severe brain damage, but he was fine.

Like many of you, I have seen situations that could go either way go the right way, and we have the sense that, in at least some situations, prayer made the difference.

Still, how often do you see these miraculous, verifiable healings? Does it matter what your theology is? Share with us.

[Jim]

How are your 2 examples miraculous?

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I’ve got a couple:

• I broke my neck 25 years ago … landed on my head from a trampoline. I was completely paralyzed for a number of weeks. Now I walk with crutches.
• When my wife was PG with our 3rd child, the Dr said that the child likely had an undeveloped brain stem and would be severely handicapped. She was born without a handicap and has recently been accepted into MIT for a masters program

Both of my 2 examples are nice (and I thank the Lord for them both), but I wouldn’t characterize either as miraculous.

Your point is well-taken. Statistically rare events are not necessarily miracles; I am using the term loosely. I might amend my description to “potentially amazing answers to prayer” that may not have occurred — and were especially unlikely to occur —had we asked not.

[CPHurst]

We just had a lady in our church who had a scan that showed cancer before she went into surgery and once they opened her up it was not there anymore. I know several people who this has happened to. Not very common but it does happen.

This does happen. I do not think they are mistaken tests usually.

But statistically, one is more likely to experience a machine malfunction or a misread film/scan. There’s also a greater possibility of having an incompetent med tech. an over-worked nurse or a sloppy doctor than experiencing a true miracle.

Religious Rule of Life #10 - “Miracles usually aren’t. Miracles are infrequent and statistically impossible. That’s why they’re miracles.”

Religious rule # 10 has no basis in Scripture. To say miracles are infrequent — by definition — is an assumption impossible to prove. Miracles are interventions in nature, large or small, known on unknown. Signs, on the other hand, must be known to effectively be signs. We have no idea how often God intervenes within the natural processes he ordained. I have no trouble believing that miracles are infrequent (based upon our own observation), but to state that as fact is not something I would be willing to do.