We receive many answered prayer requests here at Answers2Prayer and we do rejoice with people who were healed through the stripes of Jesus Christ. “This is fine and well, but I am sick and was wondering if Jesus cared enough to heal me. Is healing God’s will for my life?”
Excellent question, which I will try to answer using God’s Word.
1. Faith is crucial.
In anything we do, we need faith. If I don’t have faith that a certain chair will hold me, I will not sit down in it. The consequences may be painful, as I will have to stand if no other seats are available! The same is true is that if we do not have faith in God, God cannot bless us.
James 1:6-8 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” NIV
Heb 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” NIV
“But does God want to heal me? If He really wants to, I will put my faith in Him.” It is true that you cannot have faith in obtaining something from God if you do not know if it is His will. Is healing God’s will for you?
2. God’s Word: Revelation of God’s Will.
To know God’s will, we need to study God’s Scriptures. In it His character is revealed. In it only truth, God’s truth can be found.
Rom 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” NIV
Faith needs to be build on God’s Word. We cannot rely on others. We cannot rely on our pastors. We cannot rely on our church. We can only rely on God’s Word to know the truth!
God’s Word guarantees that Num 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” NIV God will never lie to you. It’s one of the things He just cannot do. It is against His nature.
King Solomon discovered that 1 Kings 8:56 “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises.” NIV
We can trust God’s Word. It is the only source that will never lie to us. Ps 119:89 “Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” NIV
3. Depending on God’s Holy Spirit.
We can boldly ask for anything that God has promised us through His Word. If it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, we need to depend on His Holy Spirit. “John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” NIV God’s Holy Spirit however will never go against God’s Word!
Depending on the Lord will bring you many blessings. Prov 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” KJV
4. Clear Biblical issues.
There are some issues where the Bible is clear on:
a. We do not need to know God’s will concerning someone’s salvation: 1 Tim 2:3-4 “God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” NIV
b. We do not need to know God’s will concerning baptism by water. Acts 2:38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” NIV
c. We do not need to know God’s will concerning baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38-39 “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.” NIV
d. We do not need to know God’s will if whether we should pray. 1 Thess 5:17 “Pray continually.” NIV
e. We do not need to know God’s will if whether we should study His Word. 2 Tim 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” KJV
f. We do not need to know God’s will if whether we should lead a moral life. 1 Thess 5:22 “Avoid every kind of evil.” NIV
But what is God’s will concerning healing?
5. Book of Psalms.
The book of Psalms let us know what God’s will is concerning diseases. Ps 103:2-3 “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits– who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” NIV
The Hebrew word for diseases is “tachaluw” and means physical disease, sickness.
6. Jesus.
What is amazing in Jesus’ ministry on this planet, is that He never refused to heal anyone. He never turned away and said that it wasn’t God’s will to heal a certain person. He never once said that a certain sick person needed to be sick, so that he could learn some spiritual truths. He never once said to a sick person that he would be eventually healed when he got to heaven. Never once!
Healing was a priority in His ministry. Jesus’ message of salvation went hand in hand with His ministry of healing. When the pastors of his day opposed Jesus’ healing ministry, He continued to heal people that were brought to Him. He never used restraint in His healing ministry.
Matt 12:13-15 “Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick.”NIV When threatened, He withdrew, but never stopped healing the sick. Notice the word “all”. Jesus did not play favourites. He healed all the sick.
When the crowd would press around Jesus, trying to touch Him, Matt 14:36 “all who touched him were healed.” NIV
Jesus was always willing to heal. Luke 4:40 “When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.” NIV
Have you notice that the gospels like to stress the word “all” when referring to Jesus’ healings? Notice this in the following texts:
Luke 6:19 “and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.” NIV
Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” NIV
Matt 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” NIV
7. Jesus’ healing power was not reserved for only Himself.
Jesus clearly gave authority to His disciples to heal others. Matt 10:1 “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” NIV
This healing power was not reserved to just the disciples of Jesus. Luke 10:1-2, 9 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field…Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.'” NIV
This healing power was given to all believers. Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” NIV
After Jesus had risen and was taken back to heaven, His disciples continued His healing ministry. Acts 5:15-16 “As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.” NIV
Jesus directives to us are clear. His healing ministry must continue!
8. Jesus willingness to heal.
Most of those that encountered Jesus assumed that He wanted to heal them. Only one man questioned Jesus’ willingness. That man was a leper. Matt 8:2-4 “A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.” NIV
Is Jesus willing to heal you?
“I am willing,”
Case closed.
9. The word “Will”.
The use of “will” in reference to healing is further evidence that God wants to heal. Notice the use of that word in the context of salvation, as well as in the context of healing.
Acts 2:21 21 “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” NIV
Mark 16:18 “They will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” NIV
James 5:14-16 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. NIV
Do you need any further evidence? God is willing to heal us. Jesus died on Calvary so that you could walk in perfect, divine health. 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” NIV
10. Diseases in heaven.
Notice how many diseases there will be in heaven: Rev 21:3-4 “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” NIV
If you are suffering right now, just look towards your Saviour. He wants you to be healed. He guarantees your complete healing in heaven. You can trust Him. He can and will heal you now.
Rob Chaffart To contact me click here
Please read as well: Can illness and suffering be beneficial to us?