By Bob Vaughn - uca@uncommonanswers.com
"Contending for the faith once delivered to the saints"
Uncommon Answers Home Page
GOD'S HEALING
I believe divine healing is ordained by God for the church today.
In the Bible I don't find the slightest hint that it should be
otherwise. This
precious gift that God has given to the church has been misunderstood
or
misused by so many, that much of the church today shuns its
practice. Might we now seek truth, build faith, and dispel fear
concerning God's healing.
Sickness and disease do not always relate to our spiritual condition.
Some causes are natural (contagious diseases), some accidental
(infections entering in skin breaks, etc.), and some emotional
(psychosomatic, or depression, worry, fear, rage, jealousy, resentments
all cause alterations in our organic function). Natural, accidental and
sometimes emotional causes of sickness or disease strike Christians.
When such happens what should the Christian do? It is always right, if
the particular situation warrants such, to take immediate action such
as stopping bleeding, lowering a high temperature, etc. But the primary
move towards healing should be prayer. Prayer by the individual is
often all that is needed for healing; but if the sickness or disease
persists the elders of the church (Titus 1:5-9) should be called for
(James 5:14). They--anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord
and praying the prayer of faith--should initiate healing in the
Christian.
Often as a result of
natural sickness or accident, bodies are left crippled (blind, deaf,
lame, etc.). These are not sicknesses and therefore are not to be
prayed for by the elders as such. These are afflictions (hardships) and
are to be prayed for by the individual (James 5:13). Even so, with Gods
leading, a
person may minister with the gift of miracles or gift of faith and pray
for
an afflicted person. THEY WILL BE HEALED.
When a man is following the leading of GOD'S Spirit there is no
failure. Gifts operate in the individual ministering and do not depend
on the person being prayed for, as with Peter and the lame man in Acts
3.
Another cause of sickness, disease and afflictions is super
natural. The devil, as God allows, imposes such (Luke 13:16) and
God at times does also (Acts 13:11, II Kings 5:27, I Corinthians
11:30).
Some say that sickness is never "for the glory of God", but Jesus
taught differently, saying, "This sickness is not unto death, but for
the glory of God" (John 11:4). In scriptures there do seem to be times
when it is not God's will to heal at that time, but later on, after His
purposes have been fulfilled, and sometimes never. Examine these
passages: John 11:4, John 9:3, II Kings 13:14, II Timothy 4:20, I
Timothy 5:23. Not always knowing God's plan for the individual's life,
we should pray for his healing if it be God's will. This "if" does not
negate our faith in God to heal but is the expression of our desire for
God's perfect will in the individual's life (Matthew 8:1-5).
Contrary to the scriptures just cited and contrary
to my experience, it is often taught that healing is available at all
times to every Christian. Verses often used to try to
prove this are, "by whose stripes ye were healed" (I Peter
1) I PETER 2:24-25:
"Who Himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we,
having died to sins, might live for righteousness: by whose stripes you
were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now
returned to
the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--There are two types of healing
that we should consider here - spiritual and physical. From the
context, the
healing appears to be spiritual, being healed from the guilt and power
of sin. But even if it is physical healing it
indicates
that men are healed because of Jesus' stripes, giving no hint of the
absolute availability of healing to all Christians at all times. If the
healing is physical then when Christians are healed supernaturally it
is because of the stripes Jesus bore for their healing. Healing is not
taught to be available to all Christains at all times without
regard for God's will.
2) MATTHEW 8:16-17:
"And he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all who were
sick: that it might be FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the
prophet, saying, He Himself took our infirmities and bore our
sicknesses."--Matthew attributed Jesus' healing the sick at
If a person doesn't receive his healing he should consider why. Some
hindrances may be:
1) WRONG MOTIVES:
James 4:3, "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lust." When we pray and ask God to heal us we
should desire that God be glorified. It should be our intention if God
heals us to use the renewed health and strength for His service.
2) LACK OF
PERSEVERANCE: The apostle Paul prayed three times concerning the thorn
in his flesh before he got an answer (II Corinthians 12:8). Jesus said,
"Men ought always to pray, and faint not. (Luke 18:1).
Persistance demonstrates our confindence in God to answer.
3) LACK OF FAITH:
Some Christians are not sure that God will heal. Some feel their
problem is too big or small to carry to God. Have honest faith--even if
it is not perfect. Mark 9:24: "Lord, I believe, help thou mine
unbelief."
4) SIN: "He who
confesses and forsakes his sin shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). "If
I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18).
In some cases, physical sickness is a chastisement by God for sin (I
Corinthians 11:29- 32). In that case, healing will not come until we
judge that sin ourselves, confess it to God, and put it away. "Confess
your faults to one another and pray for one another, that ye may be
healed" (James 5:16).
5) UNQUALIFIED
ELDERS: The elders of the church in James 5:14 - ordained elders,
bishops - must be qualified (Titus 1:5-9). If they are not and we
know it, should we expect anything from God? Any church with qualified Elders
can have a healing ministry.
