spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

God’s power is revealed through his weakness. The Scriptures narrate God’s preference for those
who are weak and powerless, and how God involves them in his plan of salvation. The ultimate
paradox of divine power is found in the cross and resurrection: God himself becomes weak on
the cross, and surrenders to death. His death and non-survival establish new, resurrection life. In
and through his weakness, God has assumed power over his creation. This profound paradox of
divine power is embraced by the Holy Spirit: her power is associated with Christ’s surrender to
the cross, and with His resurrection to new life. The Spirit’s power of indestructible life led
Christ out of the power of death by leading him through the power of death. The same power of
the Spirit makes us share in Christ’s death and resurrection.
In this sense, healing by the power of the Spirit means that one’s life is led out of the
discontinuity by being led through the discontinuity. In our present, creaturely life there is death
in all forms. Yet there is also the indestructible life power of the Spirit who connects Christ’s
resurrection with our life, and places our life in the valid reality of God’s love. Healing is the
experience of new life after non-survival, through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the kind
of power that can be attributed to God in relation to healing: it is the power that enables one to
surrender to the power of death, and that can make a new beginning after non-survival. Healing
by the faithful power of the Spirit is the annihilation of death in life after non-survival.
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