Preparing the Way is the account of reopening the so-called “Healing Rooms” in Spokane, Washington. The healing rooms were originally the ministry of John G. Lake in the early twentieth century. Lake claimed that thousands of miraculous healings took place in those rooms as the Spirit of God swept over Spokane. For 80 years the rooms had been closed when Cal Pierce claimed he was led of God in the late 1990s to reopen the rooms and release the healing power of God, not only in Spokane, but ultimately throughout the world. According to Pierce the power of John G. Lake has been given to him and God is once again healing multitudes—and this is only the beginning. Pierce claims that God is using him and the healing rooms to prepare the world for the pouring out of God’s healing powers.
By way of critique it is instructive to note that, in the New Testament, Jesus’ healings were never questioned. Even His enemies had to admit that people were miraculously healed—they questioned only the source of His power. Today only those who have bought the lies of the “name it and claim it” sects affirm these types of healings, and these healings never stand up to objective examination. In the New Testament, when Jesus or the apostles healed, it was on the streets, in homes or even in graveyards. Today the “miracle workers” need controlled environments such as healing rooms or emotionally-hyped healing services. In the New Testament miracles were signs of Jesus’ deity and the apostles’ authority. The gospel took central stage, not the miracles. Today the Word of Faith proponents showcase healing but the gospel is hard to find. Throughout Scripture physical healing at the hands of a servant of God was rare, localized almost exclusively in the ministries of Moses, Elijah and Elisha in the Old Testament, and Jesus and the early days of the apostles in the New Testament. Healing advocates today believe that perfect health is the right of all Christians at all times. The Scriptures speak openly of sick believers who are nevertheless in the will of God; yet men like Pierce consider sickness a sin. The New Testament often speaks of the spiritual benefits of suffering, pain and illness; today’s miracle workers reject any purpose in sickness.
Preparing the Way is all too typical hyper-charismatic deception. This group bases its entire life and ministry on unsubstantiated experience—whether healings, prophecies, visions or bizarre “manifestations of the Spirit.” They cannot support their claims through Scripture and they seldom try. When they do make feeble attempts, such as Pierce’s effort to find physical healing in the atonement in Isaiah 53, their exegesis is laughable.
Yet sadly, even though ministries like the healing rooms are houses of straw built on sand, many naïve people will be deceived. The remedy is to turn back to Scripture and see if these claims stand the test of God’s Word. It will not take long to discover that they do not.