These days we are more skeptical of healing ministries then we are that they are genuine because many have been exposed as frauds. What should we believe about God and healing people today? Jesus seemed to heal all those he came across and he gave power to his disciples to do the same but in this modern day it seems as if it escapes us and con artists have stolen it?
What is the truth in this arena?
I think we should pray for healing and believe for healing. In other words when we pray we should expect healing to occur.
That said not everyone is healed. But that should not dampen our resolve.
I have found the best answers on this subject in a book entitled " Divine Healing" by Andrew Murray.
Written version
http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Voice/Murray.Divine.Healing.html#XXIII
and Audio version
Hi Deadn,
A very valid question.Jesus healed all that came to him but on one occasion could only do a few small miracles because of unbelief.This seemed to be the exception.
It is a credibility issue in the sense that if miracles are a sign then non miracles are also a sign.
If you find the answer let me know,
Yours Staff
Staff
A problem I may have is that I may not be satisfied with any answer unless I can see, from scripture, a very good explanation as to why healing's don't happen all the time.
If you don't think healing was in the atonement would that be a reason?
ZekeO
That is not the issue.........My question deals with Christians and healing. Why are not more Christians being healed or having miracles?
He that has ears to hear let him hear......not every one has ears to hear....ie the message of salvation....ie the message of healing. Fire insurance from hell is not the end all of what our Lord did for us.....but sadly many stop there....example - never developing the intimate relationship with Him. His grace has done more than any of us will know this side of eternity.....my humble opinion is the tears in heaven he will wipe away will be ours at the revealing of how far below we lived compared to the greatness of what he has done....
Hi Enochh
I must'nt have ears because i dont understand a thing you said!
Yours Staff
Staff has it with unbelief as the problem.
Russ
'Unbelief' could be the problem?
Hmmm, has the medical community hijacked this as a result?
A few doctors who dealt with the ebola virus came back to the U.S. for treatment. These doctors were touted as Christians. Now, the fact that they were flown here for treatment could tell us that they had unbelief that God would heal them. The scenario would seem to present itself as taking away faith in God's healing for faith in the medicine of man to heal man of ebola. What do you think?
I am being critical here because this could be a serious situation and if God doesn't heal because of our unbelief then we have serious issues with our faith.
Hi Deadn,
Its a question that has been too the front of my mind for a few months now.I even see christians who I see as having way more faith than me but still no healings.I fully believe that Christ heals today but we seem to be a problem which I have no clue why.It makes us look like we are not the real deal...
Is their anyone out there that has a testimony of a non hidden instantaneous miracle like recieving hearing or sight etc??So we can cheer ourselves up in Christ
Yours Staff
DEADn quoted:
"Now, the fact that they were flown here for treatment could tell us that they had unbelief that God would heal them. The scenario would seem to present itself as taking away faith in God's healing for faith in the medicine of man to heal man of ebola."
When God moved the heart of the early church to help out their fellow brothers in Jerusalem, was it any less of a miracle or work of God? I mean I guess He could have just showered money down from heaven to them right? When Paul instructed Timothy to take a little wine for his recurrent stomach ailment was it any less of the grace of God that it would actually be effective in doing so? Couldn't God have just healed Timothy through prayer? When God raised up archetypes of Christ throughout scripture (Moses, Judges, etc.) to bring salvation to Israel, was it any less of the hand of God? Couldn't God just have wiped out all of Israel's enemies all at once by the snap of a finger? Why even go through the trouble of having them even go out into battle in the first place? If I were to use the same reasoning that is presented here, and an act of God has to invariably be "miraculous", then one would have to conclude that the examples I have given were not as supernatural or full of the grace of God as say manna falling from heaven, etc. which I would say is a misnomer. Who created the laws of the universe? Who gives man ability and insight and wisdom? Who allows a medication to be effective for one and not another? In whom do we have our breath and life and being? Is it any less in accordance with faith to believe that God can heal me through the hand of a physician as from the prayers from a healing minister? Who are we to judge hearts and claim to know what is in the mind of people when they go to God given medical people and institutions for care? Where did we get this erroneous and manmade idea that a bonafide healing from God has to necessarily come from unexplainable sources? Whether I eat or drink, or go to visit a doctor, I do it in faith and acknowledgment in whose hand my life rests because ALL good and perfect gifts come from the Lord.
Jesus said on several occasions where he
healed the sick: "be it done unto you
according to your faith." Healing is in
the Atonement, and healing must be
appropriated by faith.
Once we are convinced by the scriptures
that just as Jesus bore our sins, he also
bore our sicknesses and diseases, we will
no longer pray "if it be thy will", but we will
know that it is God's will, and pray with faith
and confidence.
When God moved the heart of the early church to help out their fellow brothers in Jerusalem, was it any less of a miracle or work of God? I mean I guess He could have just showered money down from heaven to them right? When Paul instructed Timothy to take a little wine for his recurrent stomach ailment was it any less of the grace of God that it would actually be effective in doing so? Couldn't God have just healed Timothy through prayer? When God raised up archetypes of Christ throughout scripture (Moses, Judges, etc.) to bring salvation to Israel, was it any less of the hand of God? Couldn't God just have wiped out all of Israel's enemies all at once by the snap of a finger? Why even go through the trouble of having them even go out into battle in the first place? If I were to use the same reasoning that is presented here, and an act of God has to invariably be "miraculous", then one would have to conclude that the examples I have given were not as supernatural or full of the grace of God as say manna falling from heaven, etc. which I would say is a misnomer. Who created the laws of the universe? Who gives man ability and insight and wisdom? Who allows a medication to be effective for one and not another? In whom do we have our breath and life and being? Is it any less in accordance with faith to believe that God can heal me through the hand of a physician as from the prayers from a healing minister? Who are we to judge hearts and claim to know what is in the mind of people when they go to God given medical people and institutions for care? Where did we get this erroneous and manmade idea that a bonafide healing from God has to necessarily come from unexplainable sources? Whether I eat or drink, or go to visit a doctor, I do it in faith and acknowledgment in whose hand my life rests because ALL good and perfect gifts come from the Lord.
Hi Abide,
On other occasions he didnt,he just healed
Yours Staff
Two books I'd highly recommend on this subject are:
1)Healing and The Scriptures by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones
Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988, 192 pp.
Ed Payne, M.D. in his review of this book writes,
"This book is a jewel! It is written by a man who is quite
familiar with both medicine and theology. Dr. D. Martyn
Lloyd- Jones was trained as a physician, but early in his
career answered (what was for him) the higher call of
preaching the Word of God. He continued, however,
his interest in medicine with regular reading of the
medical literature."
"The chapter, "The Supernatural in Medicine," is one of
the best treatises anywhere on the interface of
miraculous, supernatural, and medical healing. He
covers false claims of miracles, the probable cases of
true miraculous healing, his understanding of the Biblical
principles for modern times, the reality of
psychosomatic and psychophysiologic disease, the gift
of "healings" (I Cor. 12:9), and the so-called "prayer of
faith" that is supposed to guarantee healing. The book is
worth its price for this chapter alone."
"I highly recommend this book. It is a must for all who
are seriously evaluating the practice of medicine from a
Biblical perspective. It is a rare book that has so much
theological substance on medical issues. While I do not
agree with Dr. Lloyd-Jones at every point and do not
think that he has applied needed Biblical principles at
some points, I have deep respect for his theology and
insights. I do not readily cast our disagreements aside,
but use them in the hope that God will continue to refine
us all in our understanding and application of His truth."
Dr. Payne is Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga.
One reader of this book writes,
"Book was fascinating and excellent. I'd recommend this for any Christian with a serious mind toward healing."
2)"Miraculous Healing," Why Does God Heal Some and Not Others? by Henry W. Frost, first published in 1931, 128 pp.
Henry W. Frost,a Canadian,examines the question of why God heals some and not others.
Why does God heal some people, and not others? This question has been the subject of a great deal of heart-searching throughout history. Henry Frost's book has been a touchstone of authority on the issue of miraculous healing since its initial publication in 1931. Henry Frost was the first National Director of the China Inland Mission in North America, and a friend of Hudson Taylor.
Of this book D. Martyn Lloyd Jones writes,
"Ever since I first read it,I have felt that it is easily and incomparably the best book I have ever read on this subject. It is the book,therefore,which I have always recommended to those who have been anxious for help on this matter."
One reader of the book wrote,
"This double-edged sword of Scripture and personal experience cuts through thickets of error and misconception to present one of the clearest discussions about miraculous healing of which I know"
This book is available to read online at the following link:
Mike wrote:
"Jesus said on several occasions where he
healed the sick: "be it done unto you
according to your faith." Healing is in
the Atonement, and healing must be
appropriated by faith.
Once we are convinced by the scriptures
that just as Jesus bore our sins, he also
bore our sicknesses and diseases, we will
no longer pray "if it be thy will", but we will
know that it is God's will, and pray with faith
and confidence."
__________
Though some Christians teach that God does not ever want us to endure sickness, no biblically informed person would argue that God does not wish for any Christians to endure other kinds of trials, like persecutions, martyrdom, etc.””which can often be much more painful and devastating than many sicknesses would be. Jesus' conversation with Peter at the end of John's Gospel gives the clear impression that Peter's eventual martyrdom (in contrast to the prospect of John never dying) was a matter entirely of God's will for those two men, respectively (John 21:23). It seems clear that the same God represented in the story of the prodigal son actually does lead his children through painful (and even deadly) experiences. What is there about that story (or any other biblical teaching about God) that would represent, as consistent with the character of God, the allowance in His childrens' lives every form of excruciation and death, except for those forms that involve microbes or physical injuries?
Consider the following list of trials that godly people have had to endure””some of them qualifying as "sickness;" some of them not in any sense "sickness;" and some of them "borderline" between the two. Consider the difficulty in deciding between those on the list that qualify as things a loving Father might choose as instruments of instruction, testing and improvement of His children””and which things would totally be unacceptable:
*Long-term incarceration in a disease-infested third-world prison
*A really ugly nose, a cleft palate or other disfiguring and unattractive natural features
*Dismemberment or blindness resulting from torture by interrogators
*Lung cancer from doing missionary work in highly polluted regions of China
*Loss of reputation due to slander
*Death by firing squad (involving organ damage and blood loss from bullet wounds)
*Malaria from mosquito bite
*Accidental or malignant decapitation
*Loss of marriage due to spouse's adultery
*Stubborn teenage acne
*Infection from wounds received during torture
*Starvation due to persecution
*Automobile accident resulting in internal injuries
*Diabetes
*Leprosy (or ebola)contracted while serving lepers or ebola victims
*Loss of home and possessions due to natural disaster
*Broken bones from stoning
*Death in one's sleep by failed 90-year-old organs
*Lung failure from smoke inhalation while burning at the stake
*Food poisoning from contaminated food
*Pneumonia from exposure after shipwreck
*Getting mugged and beat up by street thugs
*Downs syndrome
*Albinism
*Paralysis from spinal fracture
*Bankruptcy resulting from employee embezzlement
If one wishes to say that physical illness can not be included among the trials that God might wish to use in the believer's life””I would be interested in knowing which of the above list are and which are not consistent with the doctrine of God's goodness and love to His children. How many of them fall under the moniker of "sickness" (i.e., how about fractures, starvation and organ failure)? I would also like to know in what sense the "kosher" trials differ from those that God would never choose to allow in the life of a believer””and why He would permit the ones He permits and would forbid the ones He would forbid. From where I sit, prior to hearing this explanation, the difference seems entirely arbitrary.
Perfect physical health is indeed guaranteed in the atonement, the same as immortality and a glorified body are guaranteed in the atonement and will be fully realized in eternity. I think a careful look at this verse should put an end to the idea that physical healing is guaranteed in this life for the believer:
"No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities."-1Timothy 5:23
Paul clearly says there that Timothy had frequent infirmities, frequent physical ailments or illnesses. If healing is guaranteed in the atonement in this life through faith, why didn't Paul instruct Timothy to have more faith, or to get rid of any sin that might have hindered his healing, or to repent of his lack of faith? No, Paul instructed Timothy to take a little wine for medicinal purposes for his frequent illnesses.
Paul begged God three times to remove a thorn in his flesh and God did not remove it but instead told Paul He would give him the strength to endure it (2 Cor. 12:7-10). I know it's debatable as to what exactly that thorn in the flesh was but the same principle or truth applies nonetheless. The truth is that it is not always God's will to remove thorns in our flesh, whether they be physical illnesses or any other kinds of suffering. What God does guarantee is that His grace is sufficient to see us through all manner of suffering in this life if those sufferings are not immediately removed from us.
Yes, we can and should pray for healing and deliverance but if it doesn't come as we'd like it to come we shouldn't lose heart. God is still on the throne. He knows what He is doing and is working all things together for our good and His glory. We should be thankful that God promises to see us through any form of suffering by His all-sufficient grace. We can praise Him in the storm. He is still worthy no matter what we face in this life.
The idea of healing being guaranteed in this life is a form of prosperity teaching imo. Instead of the health and wealth prosperity message it's just the health prosperity message, the prosperity of the body.
TMK, excellent post!
Oracio, I absolutely agree with the points you made.
If healing was in the atonement in the sense that we can have it now by faith, then (a) we would never get sick and die, or (b) if when we got sick it is possible to always be healead and therefore never die. I don't see either of these two have ever occured.
The healing prosperity message is just man's desire to live forever in this life and not taste death. It is what drives most of mankind who have no hope for resurection and eternity.
Coming back to the original question. I think there is a big difference in scripture in praying (asking) God for healing and a believer actually doing the healing beacause they have that gift. We don't see much today of the latter, which us what the apostles did.
Mark 2:2-5
2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven.”
When Jesus saw THEIR faith... The friends had to have enough faith to take him to Jesus & see that there was no room to get their friend in, then to climb up on the roof, then to dig the roof up and finally to lower him down in to Jesus!!
My pastor/mentor always said, "It's easier to get six men to carry you to the grave than get six to pray for you."
When we find six who will stay by the stuff and pray, healings will happen! IMHO
God bless,
Lisa
QUOTE:
______________________________________________________________
the reality of psychosomatic and psychophysiologic disease,
______________________________________________________________
May I suggest that our emotions can be the cause of more illnesses then we want to admit. If we have deep abiding anger, e.g., within it will weaken our immune system where it can no longer fight the disorders that lurk therein. Some will argue that mental stress will cause an imbalance in the body's defense system rendering it incapable of maintaining proper health.
I suspect that if a person addresses the abiding sin within it will result in a healthier body. It is noteworthy, I think, that whenever Jesus healed he would address the sin problem. Too many moderns want to be healed but still hang onto their favorite sin because of the pleasure derived from it.
A testimony: I used to have severe sinus and breathing problems. I would get spells where I could not get my breath - I about suffocated. No fun, not at all. Miserable. Then I learned that I was not casting ALL my cares upon Him..Oh. oh...I learned to do it and these problems became history. No spectacular healing but they just were no longer an issue I had to deal with. Later I had bursitis in my shoulder. Same song, second verse. Surrendering your cares to the One true God can and will go a long way in maintaining health.
My understanding and experience.
Sandra
I used to pray about this for years and years. Wondered about it as written in the NT.
God heals today. We don't see the results the way we want; instant and quick. All believers have been healed of unbelief. That's quite a miracle. The Holy Spirit spoke to me recently as I was heading to assembly and calling me by name, He said that he could make all things new again, but it would just go back to the way it is today. I think we all have a problem with suffering or escapism. We want to be raptured. We want instant gratification. That's how the world functions. God supplies what you need, not what we want. We all lack patience
I agree, Roger. We all hanker to be delivered from this sin-ridden world because its consequences are painful. And that is the way it should be.
John, have you read this thread? It may help you with your question.
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=42606&forum=35&6
Good link and article. I've seen healing. It's when there is much prayer and dependence on God and not our bank account. We always have a back up plan like the Israelites, i.e If God doesn't come through, we'll try Baal.
Jesus healed many helpless people. Not people with headaches. They were set free. Being set free to them was quite a miracle and brought praise to the Lord.
I believe that physical healing is part of the atoning work of Christ. There is just too much scripture that says this, and in very plain language. For example, Isaiah says prophetically of the atonement in Isa 53:4 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Matthew offers commentary and interpretation on this when he says: Mat 8:17 "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." Jesus said that He only did what the Father told Him to do and that He did the will of the Father. Jesus never declined to heal saying, "I will not heal because it is the Father's will that I do not heal." However, there were several times when people were not healed and once when Jesus Himself was hindered because of the unbelief of people. So, I am firmly convinced that it is God's will to heal physically and that it is not God's will that His children, believers, be sick.
But we cannot overbalance this truth to the exclusion of other truths that we know. Our salvation is not yet complete. We are born again in spirit, but we still live in a body corrupted by the effects of sin. Barring the return of Christ, I will one day die as will everyone that lives. Sickness is usually part of that death process in one form or another. God's perfect will in this area is not automatic anymore than God's perfect will that no one perish but that all come to repentance is automatic. Just as people will not be born again, people will be sick. And it does not shake my faith nor does it condemn me for a lack of faith if I do experience sickness. I will continue to believe God and stand in faith for healing regardless. I know my faith is not perfected, nor will it ever be. Condemnation for this fact is like condemning a child for not being an adult yet. Silly really! But my faith in this area grows as I renew my mind and draw closer and closer to the Lord.
I remember one time I was on a break at work sitting in my car and got a severe pain in my stomach to the point that I couldn't go back to work in that condition. At first I simply prayed for healing appealing to God's mercy. After a while of noticing no relief, with my hands on my stomach I prayed something like this and meant it, "Lord, I know I deserve much worse than this pain; I know I deserve to be burning in hell right now for all my sins against You, but I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins through the cross, and I worship and praise You in the midst of this pain whether you heal me or not. You are still worthy." Right after praying that the pain left. I don't share that to recommend that kind of prayer as some kind of guaranteed formula but just to point out that it goes against much of the teaching on praying for healing heard taught today.
I love that story, Oracio!
My mother in her later years was in quite good health, but she told me that she went forward for healing every time she was in some service where that invitation was given. She said that most often she would leave the meeting feeling better, as if little by little she received measures of healing. She never expected to feel like she was 20 in a 90 year old body, but was able to function with considerable dexterity, clarity in her mind, a smile on her face, and all without pain. Her gratitude overflowed, and she told her story to any who wished to hear it.
One Sunday she was walking toward the car from the restaurant where she and Dad had eaten after church. Someone called to her, she turned around and lost her balance, fell backward and smashed her head on the parking lot. She never woke up and died the following Wednesday from massive brain damage and bleeding- but she enjoyed her health to the last minute. She was 95.
There were hundreds who came to her funeral service, most were young. She was a friend of God, knew Him well, and passed what she had to a lot of people along the way.
I believe healing is in the atonement because I watched it in action.
Encouraging story Tom!
While we're at it I'd like to share another testimony. For years I suffered from severe sinus congestion and constant sneezing especially during allergy season. I'd spend about 30 bucks a month on Claritin-D pills, which the Lord did use to help clear up the congestion and restrain the sneezing. As I'm sure by now at least some here are aware, I don't believe in guaranteed healing this side of heaven based on the atonement. So when praying for healing for my sinuses I would often include in my prayer, "If it be Your will." After years of not getting healed I sort of left it in the Lord's hand. Then I started noticing that I did not need the Claritin-Ds anymore and stopped buying them because my sinuses were cleared up without them. It's been about three years since I last bought a pack of those pills and my sinuses have been cleared and the constant sneezing has stopped. To God be the glory!
Right now I have a pretty bad case of scoliosis in my spine for which I've been praying for ages it seems for healing. Thankfully I'm able to lift heavy packages at work using a strong back brace that does a good job of supporting my spine.
I just came across this and found it peculiar. It has a link to click on for a free book to read about why some are healed and others are not. I plan to read this and see what he has to say.
Anyone heard of this before?
http://www.hopefaithprayer.com/the-real-faith-charles-s-price/
This thread caught my attention because I've wondered about it a lot. I agree with everyone's thoughts on the matter and I wanted to add my own...
Of course God never said we wouldn't suffer--He said we would! Instant gratification IS a problem with us Americans but for so many people, their request for healing is just NOT that. And of course God's people are supposed to help each other in need. The fact is, healings DO occur; I've witnessed it. They just don't happen as often as we pray for them.
And then there's that big word, but...
What about all the many promises that say, point blank, if you do this, I will do this. It seems to me we are awfully good at explaining them away (me included). Ask and it shall be given you. Delight yourself in him and he will give you the desire of your heart. Is any sick? let the elders come and pray...and the prayer of faith shall heal him and he Lord shall raise him up.
...And on and on the promises go, my time is short so I must go on. It's so hard to find anyone who REALLY believes those promises. Just as hard to find someone who has the faith that if God wanted a mountain moved, they could speak and it would move. It's radical crazy faith that says no matter what, I still believe that God meant what He said when he said it. But what do we say instead? We try to cover for God when it doesn't go as we asked for: "Well God's not healing you because he wants Himself to be glorified in your suffering." I understand the thought, but WHAT ABOUT GOD PROMISED? I get so tired of Christians smoothing everything over, instead of getting to the root of the issue. If there's something amiss, it has to be with US, not with God, but what is it?
And just as true as those promises are the words of Jesus to Paul, my grace is sufficient for you. In other words, No. I suppose Paul could have backtalked and said, but You said ask and it will be given you! If I was Paul, I just might have done that. I know we don't always know what's best for us and I certainly know the school of suffering has been God's very best for me. BUT, but, but, how do you answer those questions?
Ask and it shall be given you. I can't get past it. I want to believe no matter what. I think of my friend who needs Jesus to heal her. This isn't just a selfish prayer--there are so many others so much worse off than me. So I believe and ask. I've asked, I'm asking, and I'll always ask, because no matter how contradictory things SEEM to turn out, because even though I can't figure out the answer to all the questions, "To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" I'm staking my life on Him.
What do y'all think?
.
Hello Everyone
I believe 100% God heals as i have seen it personally. the sadist thing i have seen in the churches that i have been around over the last 20 years is how so many people aproach this. God wants to heal hearts and if we are not walking by the instruction of the holy spirit then we are walking by the sight of our flesh or some ritualistic method made by men. there are so many reasons why someone is sick and it takes the surgical precision of the holy spirit to hit the right area. when someone comes to me for healing i never pray for healing, i pray for God to bring his light to what he wants to accomplish first. SOme people have spirits that need to be cast out, some need to forgive and some are just sick to allow God to work a miricale in their lives. It is so damaging to our spirit when someone prays for healing over someone and they are not healed. I've seen so many people hurt by this and it makes me question the spiritual authority of that person who prays and God doesn't act on his prayer.
my sister who had a brain tumor and was dying asked for prayer and i didn't know what to do the day before i met her the lord told me to tell her she needed to forgive someone. i told her this and she knew stright away what i was talking about and in about 15 minutes she was healed and still is today.
My mother was dying of lung cancer, i never recieved a word from the Lord and she passed away but i had about 12 hours to talk to her and ask her to let go of all the hatred she had for others and run into the lords arms. she died with a smile on her face.
At the end of the day God is rightious in all that he does and we need to know his will towards that person. just my thoughts not going against any one elses beliefs.
Hello everyone, hope everyone is having a blessed day.
Crusader, you bring out some good points. However we must remember the words of Jesus Christ. Consider these following verses:
Mark 10:51-52 KJV
And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. [52] And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Matthew 9:21-22 KJV
For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. [22] But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Luke 17:18-19 KJV
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. [19] And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
---------------
If you read the accounts in the Bible where people received healing from Jesus. You will see that Jesus told them all the same thing, "thy faith hath made thee whole." If that person that asked Jesus for healing would have not had the faith to receive it, they would still be sick and stuck in their condition.
Remember when Jesus Christ Himself was in His own hometown? The Bible said
Mark 6:4-5 KJV
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. [5] And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them .
Jesus Christ Himself, the very Son of God could do no mighty works, because of their unbelief. Let me ask you, would these people not getting healed cause you to question the spiritual authority of Jesus?
The same way a lack of faith will prevent someone from being saved, a lack of faith in Jesus and The Word of God will prevent one from being healed.
One might ask, how do I get faith? The Bible says in Romans 10:17 so then faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.
In order for one to receive Christ, They must accept the Word of God. Christ is the Word made flesh. So if one doesn't accept the Word of God, they are ineligible to receive the promises in the Word of God.
People today live in bondage, and defeat because they place their trust in their own thoughts and opinions or in the interpretation of some organization , rather than in the Word of God.
Because of this no one receives healings, or deliverance. But all of this and more is obtainable to those who are willing to fully accept Christ and apply the Word to their lives.
Love you all.
Good points, crusader and manofGod... There's so much to be said on this subject and thought through...
I would recommend Keith Daniel's message, Ask and it Shall be Given You https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=16289&commentView=itemComments
He seems to have a good grasp (or balance?) of all the different concepts and scriptures on healing and answered prayer. What's most inspiring is the stories...though he says he's seen it and knows it that not all are healed. (Which is helpful to hear from a preacher...It sometimes takes a lot of confirmation to get the lie out of your head that if you're sick you're not right with God...) The phrase I took away with me from this mssg... "KEEP ASKING!" It's our privilege, don't waste it!
When so many in the Word of Faith stream started with telling people to consider themselves healed despite their symptoms, trouble rolled through the ranks. Fingers of blame were pointed, churches split, lonely and hurting people were ushered into the wilderness of doubt and resentment as their symptoms remained and their "first love" affections were sucked into the darkness.
Healing became a church lingo toxicity, and even today it is a hard topic to discuss. Messages of clarity and wisdom are welcome!
Somehow, I feel like the continual asking fits the way Jesus taught, and was a source of healing for my mother as I believe I have discussed previously. She lived out her 95 years in great health, but never returned to be an athletic super-model. Well, spiritually she was a super-model, but that is a different story!
I concur with Man of God about the passage in Mark where Jesus was unable to heal many people because of their unbelief. Jesus seemed very pleased to be able to say to those who were healed that their own faith had made them well. Working from that, and acknowledging that Jesus certainly expected His followers to continue with healing works, we would be foolish and faithless if we departed from the ministry of healing.
If I pray for people and they are not healed, I can at least be consoled that Jesus apparently experienced that too. He didn't let that quench His Spirit, and we shouldn't either. In my humble opinion...
I read again a book that I have had in my library for years now. It has been several years since I opened it. I would recommend it as a resource for anyone considering the question of physical healing.
Christ the Healer by F.F. Bosworth
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