Is deliverance really that easy?

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Here is something that I am struggling with today. I'm gonna be pretty raw here. Last night, we attended a church in the Orlando area. I posted that I was there on FB, but let me leave the name out of it for the sake of this post. This is not really about this church per se. What I am writing about is happening all over the place.

During the service last evening, after some incredible worship time, the Lead Pastor called for everyone with an addiction to come forward...any form of addiction. Then, for the next 30 minutes or so, he walked from one side of the altar to the other "healing" people from addiction. When he would lay his hands on them, most people would visibly respond. Most would cry, many shook, many fell slain in the spirit (but would be back up within 5-10 seconds) and others just stood there. Then, toward the end of the night, the Pastor announced that "62 people had been delivered or healed from addiction" during the service.
So, since last night I have been wrestling with a few questions:
  • Is deliverance really that easy?
  • Is that all there is to it?
  • Why would God only give so few people this incredible ability...to heal people of a life of addiction just by simply making contact with their forehead for 3 seconds?
  • Or is there more?
  • Is this really deliverance? Is this really healing?
  • How come as a Pastor, I have had to spend YEARS walking with people toward wholeness and healing, but guys like this can heal people in seconds?
  • And how many of the 62 people who were "healed" last night are living that healing today? Are any of them hurt or disillusioned because they had already "messed up their healing" by morning?
Let me end with this:
  1. I believe with ALL MY HEART that the Lord can heal and deliver anyone with the touch of his finger and in an INSTANT!!! Our God is an all-powerful healing God!
  2. I simultaneously believe that it is the RARE way, not the common way. MOST of the time, I believe that the Lord invites our healing through a journey called Discipleship. A journey where with walk with the spirit of God, the people of God and the Word of God to a place of healing. And it takes time.
What are your thoughts? I am sure this post will get somebody going! What you got?