THE WORD OF GOD, HEALING & FAITH

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THE WORD OF GOD, HEALING & FAITH

Healing and restoration to the realm of God's blessing and provision are part of the gospel (good news). God revealed Himself to the patriarchs as Jehovah Raphah - the God who heals (Ex.15.26) and Jesus demonstrated this in an extraordinary way by the numerous healings that accompanied His ministry. The prophet Isaiah also foretold Yeshua's death in detail and describes Him as being sent by God to bear not only our sins but our sicknesses and pains.
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53.4-5)
The gospels recognize the healing ministry of Jesus fulfills this great prophecy. (Mt. 8.17) Furthermore Peter also recognized Jesus bore our sicknesses on the Cross and that healing is therefore a part of the Atonement. "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." (1 Peter 2.24)

Jesus’ ministry of healing has continued through His followers whom He instructed to "lay hands on the sick" for healing and to proclaim the benefits of His Atonement. As the Body of Christ seeks to restore the healing ministry of Jesus and encourages people to look to the Lord for healing, many people experience God's miraculous healing power.

However the experience of Christians throughout the ages is that not everyone is healed, nor do they experience perfect health this side of heaven. It is evident that divine health is part of our inheritance, but it is not always part of our experience in the NOW. Though the Kingdom of God is 'at hand' it will not be fully realized until the Lord returns to rule and reign on the earth. Until then the whole world (including the bodies of believers) is subject to "the bondage of decay."

"For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." (Rom. 8.20-25)

Many today are hurt and offended by an overboard insistence that everyone should experience healing today. They are told (or it is implied) that if they do not get healed it is their own fault either because they are not believing correctly or are not confessing the word of God consistently. This gives the suffering believer an extra burden of guilt in addition to his sickness. The mystery of suffering cannot be dismissed by simply attributing it to a lack of faith or "right" confession of the word of God

The truth is that all God's promises will be fulfilled in due time - HIS TIME but not necessarily in OUR TIME. That is why we are not only believers but also people of hope. "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." (Romans 8.25)

How do we know if we are not faithful to the Word of God when it comes to teaching on faith and healing? Here are a few signs that can help you discern the answer.

• If you are implying that any person with serious sickness or pain cannot mention their symptoms but must always confess the opposite.
• If you are denying that suffering and tribulation are a part of Christian living.
• If you are making healing something YOU cause to happen by YOUR words rather than something you humbly receive from God.
• If you are attributing all sickness to the direct work of the devil.
• If you are implying that sick people are always out of God's.
• If you are trying to command God with your prayers and words instead of humbly receiving His mercies.
• If you are demanding that God fulfill all promises NOW and ignoring the reality of hope.
• If you are denying that our earthly bodies are subject to "the bondage of decay" until Jesus returns.