Do You Have to Be Baptized with the Spirit to Lay Hands on the Sick?

No, but I think it would be much easier for you if you’re baptized with the Spirit, given that the verse that states that we as believers shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover is the verse after the one that states that we as believers shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17-18), which only happens after you’re baptized with the Spirit.  It’s all in the same passage, but the two are not linked in an ironclad manner from which we could make a doctrine.  We can only conclude conclusively that If you believe, you can lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.

I met a preacher a long time ago who successfully believed with people for healing before he got baptized with the Spirit.  He got a lot more people healed after he got baptized with the Spirit, though!

The people who did healings and miracles at Jesus’ direction in the gospels could not have been baptized with the Spirit, because the Spirit was not given in that manner until after Jesus ascended to heaven.  They certainly saw plenty of miracles.

In fact, it seems that you actually could lay hands on the sick in the name of Jesus even if you aren’t even saved, let alone filled with the Spirit!  A man who didn’t follow after Jesus and the disciples cast out demons in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:38-39 and Luke 9:49-50), and casting out demons was first on the list of things believers would do in Mark 16:17-18.  Jesus said that many who did not know Him would say that they performed wonderful works, cast out demons, and prophesied (Matthew 7:22-23), though this would be open to the possible interpretation that these works were counterfeits that didn’t originate with God.