“Who his own self bare our sins in his (Jesus) own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” -I Peter 2:24. Name added.
We can see from the above scripture that healing from God is a finished work, accomplished through the sufferings of Jesus. Yet today believers often struggle with the idea of supernatural healing, and some have even said that God won't heal in this way any more. This rationale doesn't come from the Word of God, which makes it clear that Jesus is still the same (Hebrews 13:8).
Yes, divine healing still takes place today, but the faith to actually believe God for this is seriously vanishing. I would like Christian believers to know that God still does this, and they should not give in to discouragement from infirmities.
What we want today are instant healings, without waiting, and without the need for our obedient participation. GOD IS NOT A GENIE! He will answer our prayers in His time and way.
Look within the gospels at the healings/deliverances that Jesus worked while He was here in the flesh, and you will see that they were not all instantaneous.
Mark 10:46-52. Blind Bartimaeus first fought the discouragement of nay sayers, and had to persist in crying out before Jesus could actually hear & answer his request.
Luke 17:11-14. Jesus sent the ten lepers to show themselves to the priests, and they were healed as they went. These were steps of faith, for they had to believe they were cleansed in order to get that confirmed by priests.
Matthew 15:21-28. The woman of Canaan made three petitions before her daughter was healed. Jesus ignored her first request, denied her second request in a rude way, and then finally answered after the third. Here you can see the need for importunity (Luke 11:5-8), with persistent faith.
Mark 8:22-26. To heal the blind man of Bethsaida, Jesus first led him out of the town; then He had to touch his eyes TWICE, before the full healing came. After this Jesus told him not to go back into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. If you see Matthew 11:20, you'll know that Bethsaida had been rebuked because they did not repent, so you can see there was a negative spiritual influence that had to be overcome. I have also had healings where the infirmity returned, and I had to pray again & again before it was final, and I don't know why.
Please don't think that there are never any instant healings, for there certainly are. But God's ways are infinitely higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9), and as His children He will grow and mature us in His own way (Psalm 25:12). I have said that God is no genie; but this applies to our prayers, as well as the answers. We mutter a quick 10 second prayer, and expect a quick answer. God wants a relationship with us! We need to develop a deeper dependence on God through prayer, and when we are sick it is a natural time to increase our prayers. It is well to start our prayers with GRATITUDE toward God for all the goodness and health He has shown us already.
Of course we do not only pray for ourselves, but for others, also. I have done this and seen prayers answered, and seen them unanswered. Why? This is likely a matter of faith from the recipient of the prayers (Acts 14:9). If they ask you to pray, there is likely faith enough there. But if you ask to pray for them, they may well accept out of politeness, without really believing. So be slow to offer prayer for others, but if you do, challenge them by asking if they really believe God will answer.
There are a few other points I see that may have caused divine healings to dwindle. The first one is money, for the age we live in. If we look at the church of the Laodiceans, a church age I believe we are in, you'll see they were lukewarm; and due to be vomited from Jesus' mouth. Why does Jesus call them lukewarm? Because they say they are, "...rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..." -Revelation 3:16,17. We see medicine, and technology, and can find cures for almost anything-which is why we are slow to pursue the ways of faith, when our "cures" are easy to see right in front of us.
Another possible reason I see can be found in the Galatians 3:10,11;
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Bold type has been added to emphasize.
The book of Galatians was written to a group of Christians that were falling back into a works-based salvation, a condition I see being widespread today. Therefore if we are trusting in our own goodness, and good works, we are no longer saved by the grace of God through faith; which would undermine the whole concept of divine healing, and would be under a curse.
Chastening is another reason why healing may at least be slow in coming. This may not strictly be punishment, but God refining us, or trying to show us something specific. The Lord has done this numerous times in my life, and His healing often confirms that I have finally understood.
"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." -Hebrews 12:5-11.
But this article wouldn't be complete without addressing the need for, or use of doctors. I believe there is a sure need for doctors, but it is the LORD we must trust in above all else. The Bible acknowledges the place of physicians, but it does downplay their importance. Physicians are mentioned 12X in scripture, and only 4X with regard to active treatment, 2 of those being the same account (Mark 5:26 & Luke 8:43 are same person, then 2 Chronicles 16:12 & Job 13:4). Twice in Genesis 50:2 the physicians are embalming Israel's dead body.
In all of the "treatment" references the use of physicians has a negative result! Luke, through whom came the gospel of Luke and Acts, is known as the beloved physician in Colossians 4:14. Luke travelled with Paul's group, but there is no Biblical record of Luke ever treating anyone! So we can gather through the Bible's accounts that while doctors are acknowledged, they aren't touted. Yet a doctor's examination may glorify God, because they can diagnose the real illness; and when it is healed divinely, it may glorify God all the more!
Brethren in Christ, please don't lose faith in God to heal. Have patience, have persistence, dig deep in prayer. God gave His own Son for our salvation while we were yet sinners-so what will He not do for us now? (Romans 8:32)
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." -Hebrews 10:35,36.
Here is a link to the YouTube video I did on this subject https://youtu.be/gEmVdrTpfEQ
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