Paul’s Experience in His Late Ministry vs Christ as the Believers’ Physician

 

Paul’s Experience in His Late Ministry vs Christ as the Believers’ Physician

Acts 19:11 God performed extraordinary miracles through Paul's hand.

Acts 19:12 So that even a handkerchief or apron taken from Paul and placed on a sick person, and the sickness left them and the evil spirits went out.

1 Timothy 5:23 Because you have been sick and have been malnourished, do not drink water as usual, but drink a little wine.

2 Timothy 4:20 Trophimo was sick, so I left him in Miletus. 

Item	Paul’s Experience in His Late Ministry	Christ as the Believers’ Physician
Theme	The maturity of life surpassing miraculous gifts in the apostle’s late ministry	Christ mainly healing believers in life, especially in spirit and soul
Meaning	Paul no longer relied on outward healing gifts but lived under the inward ruling of life	Christ heals believers inwardly through His life, not mainly through miracles
Reason	The ministry had entered a stage of suffering, maturity, and completion	God’s economy focuses on life growth and transformation
Illustration	Using ordinary, human care instead of supernatural healing	Like a wise physician who restores health through long-term care
Effect	Coworkers were preserved in the reality of life rather than gift-based experiences	Believers gain deeper inner healing, peace, and renewal
Explanation	Paul did not pray for healing nor exercise healing gifts for Timothy or Trophimus	Christ’s healing emphasizes the healing of the inner man—spirit, soul, and sometimes body
Mutual Relationship	Paul’s experience unveils the true nature of Christ’s healing today	Christ as the Physician explains Paul’s conduct in his late ministry
Examples	Trophimus was left sick in Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20); Timothy used a little wine (1 Tim. 5:23)	Christ heals inward wounds, restores faith, love, and peace
Application	Serve others under the ruling of life, not by displaying gifts	In sickness, turn first to Christ in the spirit for inward healing
Burden	To bring believers into the grace of life rather than miraculous power	To know Christ as the Physician of life, not merely a miracle worker
Prophesying Guidance	Declare: We are under the ruling of life, not the power of gifts	Declare: Christ is my Physician in spirit, soul, and occasionally in body
Conclusion	Paul’s late ministry shows life maturity replacing gift-centered ministry	Genuine healing is the healing of life that transforms believers
Related Scriptures	2 Tim. 4:20 – “Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.” 1 Tim. 5:23 – “Use a little wine for your stomach.” Acts 19:11–12 – Earlier healing gifts	Psalm 103:3 – “Who heals all your diseases.” Isaiah 53:5 – “By His wounds we are healed.” 2 Cor. 4:16 – “The inner man is being renewed day by day.”
Core Points (Summary)	Life governs ministry in maturity; gifts become secondary	Christ’s primary healing today is for the spirit and soul

 

• The Focus of Christ's Healing: 

👉 Spiritual Restoration

👉 Healing of the Soul

👉 Physical Healing is Secondary and Occasional

👉 If we see this vision, we will no longer be attached to outward methods of healing, but will trust in and experience Christ as our daily, profound, and inner physician.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Thanksgiving International Symposium on the All-Inclusive Christ Revealed in the Gospel of Matthew, Part Two: Christ as Physician and Bridegroom