Pastor Paul Enenche, the founder and senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Center, recently presented a nuanced perspective on divine healing, distinguishing between immediate miraculous intervention and sustained wellness. In a teaching shared via YouTube, Enenche referenced an illustrative account from the ministry of the influential American evangelist William Branham. His discourse aimed to clarify the multifaceted nature of spiritual restoration and underscore the critical role of personal faith in maintaining long-term health and healing.
William Branham, a central figure in the post-World War II healing revival movement, gained widespread recognition for his powerful evangelistic campaigns and reported miraculous healings. His ministry, spanning several decades, attracted vast audiences globally and established a significant, though often debated, legacy within Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity. Branham’s unique theological interpretations and methods have drawn both fervent admiration and considerable criticism, yet his profound impact on the understanding and practice of divine healing remains indisputable.
Enenche recounted a specific incident from Branham’s ministry involving a woman who repeatedly experienced temporary healings from a persistent affliction. Despite Branham’s prayers and the immediate manifestations of divine power, the woman consistently found herself relapsing into her previous state of illness. This recurring pattern of intermittent recovery and subsequent decline challenged the conventional understanding of miraculous healing, prompting Branham to offer an unconventional piece of advice that extended beyond merely continuing prayer.
Observing the recurring nature of her condition, Branham reportedly directed the woman to seek instruction from Kenneth Hagin, a prominent figure in the burgeoning Word of Faith movement. Branham’s counsel was direct: “Now go to Kenneth Hagen’s ministry. Let him teach you the Word so that your healing can be established.” Pastor Enenche highlighted this pivotal moment as illustrating two distinct, yet complementary, aspects of New Testament healing. He explained that the initial healings represented manifestations of the “gift of healing,” often combined with a “word of knowledge,” providing immediate relief without necessarily equipping the individual for enduring health.
Enenche further elaborated on this crucial distinction, asserting that while divine gifts facilitate powerful, instantaneous interventions, they do not automatically impart the spiritual understanding and resolve necessary for sustained wellness. He posited that true, enduring healing necessitates not only a miraculous touch but also a firm foundation in the Word of God and an active, informed faith. Without this deeper spiritual grounding, Enenche warned, sickness could potentially return, even following a profound supernatural experience, underscoring a critical interplay between divine power and human spiritual development.
The instruction to visit Kenneth Hagin’s ministry carried significant weight, as Hagin was a leading proponent of the “Word of Faith” doctrine. This theological framework heavily emphasizes the power of spoken scripture and personal belief in maintaining spiritual and physical health. Branham’s referral implicitly recognized that while his own ministry provided the immediate supernatural breakthrough, Hagin’s teaching could equip the woman with the tools to “stabilize” and “establish” her healing through a deeper understanding and consistent application of biblical principles. This demonstrated a recognition of diverse spiritual channels working in concert.
This anecdote, as interpreted by Pastor Enenche, offers profound insights into the mechanisms of divine healing that extend beyond mere instantaneous miracles. It suggests that God’s provision for wholeness encompasses multiple channels: the direct, immediate intervention through spiritual gifts and the sustained empowerment derived from consistent engagement with His Word. This dual approach aims to foster not just temporary relief but to cultivate a spiritual environment where long-term health can flourish, placing a degree of responsibility on the individual to nurture their healing through faith.
Pastor Enenche concluded his teaching by reinforcing the idea that divine healing is a holistic process. The gifts of healing address urgent physical needs, offering a powerful demonstration of God’s compassion and omnipotence. However, the Word of God, when internalized and actively applied through faith, serves as the stabilizing force, ensuring that the healing endures. “So here we see the channel of the gift of healing that happens for people to be healed, but the Word is the channel that stabilizes that healing and ensures it endures,” Enenche stated, emphasizing that lasting divine restoration represents a synergy of supernatural intervention and continuous spiritual growth.
Keywords: Divine healing, Paul Enenche, William Branham, Dunamis International Gospel Center, Kenneth Hagin, Enduring healing, Word of Faith movement, Spiritual restoration