Healing is one of those topics I never really thought about too much growing up, even in church. I just sort of assumed that whoever God wanted to heal He would and if He didn't there must be some reason for it. But the older I get, the more I study, and the more I experience, the more I am convinced that the fault lies not with God but with us. I don't say this to heap blame and shame on ourselves, but rather to help us step out of lies and darkness and into truth and light.
So here are a few thoughts I've been mulling over. I'm writing them primarily to help me sort them out and organize them in a coherent way, but thought a few of you might like to read them as well. Here goes.
Bill Johnson is fond of saying, "Jesus Christ is perfect theology." The way Jesus lived and ministered is a perfect representation of the nature and character of God. He came to not only save us, but to model a life we're all meant to live. So let's consider Jesus' standard when it came to healing (emphasis added).
"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people." (Matthew 4:23)
"When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick." (Matthew 8:16)
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness." (Matthew 9:35)
"Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled,
the mute and many others, and laid them at His feet; and He healed them." (Matthew 15:30)
"And wherever He went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed
the sick in the marketplaces. They begged Him to let them touch even
the edge of His cloak, and all who touched Him were healed." (Mark 6:56)
"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." (Luke 4:40)
"A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people
from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and
Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all." (Luke 6:17b-19)
I cannot find a single instance in Scripture where Jesus didn't heal someone. It didn't seem to matter the person's condition, their history, their genealogy, their age, their character, their righteousness, or even what day of the week it was. Jesus' standard was to heal
all who came to Him.
Oftentimes there were crowds of thousands mobbing Him but still it says He healed everyone.
Without exception. He didn't go down the line praying for person after person and say, "Be healed. Be healed. Be healed. Sorry, this is for your character. Be healed. Be healed. Could you come back Tuesday? Be healed. Be healed. Um, first you need to learn this lesson then I'll heal you. Be healed. Be healed. Be healed. Oh, I can't heal you until you repent and become righteous." Seriously, can you imagine Jesus doing that!? He never picked and chose who to heal. Yet, I find this is exactly how many of us believe. We might not say it out loud, but if we really examine the way we think about our own sickness or someone else's we find that's what we subconciously believe.
Do you believe Jesus wants to heal everyone, right now? Jesus seemed to hold that opinion. When He sent out the disciples in Matthew 10:1, He "gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to
heal every disease and sickness." He didn't tell them, "OK, go heal only those who are righteous." Nor did He say, "Before you pray for someone, be sure to ask the Father first if He wants to heal them. God might be teaching them a lesson or building their character."
Again, the fault lies not with God. God is good all the time. 2 Corinthians 6:2b tells us that, "now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." Most Christians have no trouble believing that Jesus wants to save all people, all the time; that it is His will that none be lost. But when it comes to healing we think He suddenly gets picky. Imagine applying this same faulty standard to salvation that is applied to healing. "Well, Jesus will save you as soon as He's done developing your character." "Jesus will save you right after you learn that lesson." "Jesus will save you right after you stop sinning and become righteous." Doesn't that sound ludicrous!? So why is healing any different? Psalms 103:2-3 says, "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all
his benefits who
forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." Salvation and healing go hand-in-hand. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that "He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Jesus died both to save everyone
and to heal everyone. It's a package deal: body, soul, and spirit!
I confess that I have been guilty in the past (and sometimes even now) of focusing on excuses for why people didn't get healed instead of focusing on why God
wants
to heal people. Ephesians 4:27 commands us, "do not give the devil a
foothold." All authority in heaven and earth was given to Jesus and
then He gave it to us, so the only authority the enemy has in a
believer's life must be what we give him. If we entertain thoughts that are
contrary to the revealed nature of
God in Jesus, then we create a place in our mind and our theology that
gives the enemy legal access to keep us from experiencing all Jesus has
for us.
What's the remedy? I have to stop believing lies about the character and nature of Jesus. By believing a lie I am agreeing with the father of lies and giving him permission to keep me bound. First, I need to repent for thinking that God's love expressed through healing is somehow conditional or performance-based. Second, I have to confess the truth that God is good all the time, Jesus healed all who came to Him, and that the price He paid on the cross is more than enough to both save
and heal.
It's time to stop making excuses. If someone doesn't get healed, I can't begin justifying and rationalizing it. Instead, I have to cling to the standard set by Jesus and proclaim His will until I see,
"Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Comments (1)
I love that we have a savior who heals. Yes, there is a balm in Gilead!