Whether we are sick or well, we still pray and are still prayed for. But what is the relationship between prayer and healing? Can we pray for healing and expect physical
1. God does not heal all cases of sickness.
Paul, Timothy, and Trophimus are three examples of godly, believing, and prayerful people who suffered physical ailments which had not been healed
2. Miraculous Powers Did Not
In the time of those mentioned above, many Christians possessed miraculous gifts of healing. Yet godly people still suffered illness. Miracles were to confirm God's word, not to banish physical illness from the world, or even from the church
3. Jesus did not die
Some in the "Charismatic Movement" teach that Jesus died for our physical healing as much as for our spiritual healing, and we have the same right and power to claim physical healing by faith, as we have to claim forgiveness of sins. But this is not true. The scripture which says, "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses" was not fulfilled at the cross. It was fulfilled in the healing ministry of miracles which Jesus did among the multitudes
4. We cannot always know
In some cases, we may have insight into why some must suffer sickness. We know for example that one man was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him
In pointing out these negatives, we are by no means discouraging you from praying to God for healing. Nor are we denying that physical healing can be granted through prayer. Indeed everyone has the ability and the right to pray for physical healing, both for themselves and for others. No special gift of healing is required for this. Our expectations of God's response to such prayers should however take into account these negatives, as well as the positives
1. God can heal through prayer
God is the Creator of the human body, as he is of the entire cosmos and the life that inhabits it. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and he made man both male and female
The human body has amazing powers in itself to heal itself. The "immune system" is an example of the mechanisms within the body designed to fight disease. Other organs of the body, combined with the powers of the mind, contribute toward health and healing. As the inspired poet exclaimed, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well"
Because healing of this kind occurs mechanistically, that does not mean we should not consider it an answer to prayer and praise our Creator for it. The providence of the eternal Creator, which he bestowed in his great design "in the beginning", is no less an immediate blessing in our lives, and we should give thanks for it when we
2. God can heal through
There are times when the body needs assistance through the physician and healing practitioner. We live in an age of wonderful drugs and healing technology. And still the ancient healing arts such as acupuncture and homeopathy bring relief to many. We hear predictions that both nature and new science will provide marvelous new remedies for our children.
Jesus in one of his proverbs, acknowledged that sick people need a physician
3. God can heal directly
Although nobody can demonstrate the gift of healing (one of the New Testament's spiritual gifts) today, it remains as true as ever that prayer can bring healing directly from the hand of God. The
4. God can Grant Courage
When we pray for the physically sick, God may know better than to grant them healing. This definitely happened in Paul's case, and the reason was made clear
Some examples in the Bible of people who prayed for physical healing, show that it is right to do so, and that God will honour and answer such prayers in a
1. Paul prayed for healing.
If it is wrong to pray for healing of "a thorn in the flesh" then Paul was wrong, and he was wrong three times, because he prayed three times for healing
2. John prayed for the
John wrote to Gaius, "I pray that in all things you may prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers"
3. Hezekiah's prayer
Perhaps the Bible's best example of praying for healing is Hezekiah's prayer when he was sick and was told he was going to die
God never does anything without reason. If he does not grant healing of a physical illness when we ask him to, he will have good reason. Likewise, if he does grant healing, he will have a good reason for that too.
We cannot always understand God's reasons, yet on the other hand there are some reasons we can well understand. For instance, there are certain commandments of Christ which we want to obey, but we may be hindered from doing so if we suffer serious and debilitating illness. Among these commandments are those that exhort us to earn a living, pay our debts, raise our children, be rich in good works, teach the gospel, lead a quiet and tranquil life, be happy, attend church meetings, and so forth.
God will certainly understand our inability, however he will also understand our distress in not being able to serve him and others as we would like. For this reason, he may have mercy on us, and answer our prayers for healing by giving us relief.
The earlier example of Epaphroditus shows some reasons why God healed him.
From what we have studied in this lesson, we conclude the following:
It is right to pray for physical health and healing.
God is not restricted in the means he can use to grant physical healing.
When there are good reasons for health and healing, God in his mercy will grant it.
When there are good reasons for a sickness not to be healed, God in his mercy will grant the grace, strength, and assistance to bear it.
If we pray, fully trusting in God, he will never fail to give us sufficient for our wellbeing, whether cure, or courage, or a mixture of both.