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How do Pentecostals understand prophecy and healing?

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Pentecostalism Prayer service at Abundant Life United Pentecostal Church, in Moore, Oklahoma.

Pentecostals understand prophecy and healing as supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit that were present in the early church and remain available to believers today.1

Prophecy

Pentecostals believe that individuals baptized by the Holy Spirit may receive the gift of prophecy, among other spiritual gifts described by St. Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 12. This movement places high value on these gifts, and women’s contributions through prophecy have historically been cherished within Pentecostal traditions, even when such roles were overlooked or disdained by other branches of Christianity.12

Healing

Faith healing is a central component of the Pentecostal tradition. Pentecostals view healing as a spiritual charisma granted to the believer, often linking it to the power of the Holy Spirit. This practice frequently includes the use of exorcism—a ritualistic expulsion of demons believed to cause illness—reflecting a return to the practices of the early church. Through this emphasis, the movement has influenced broader Christian denominations to reconsider and reinstitute their own healing services.132