Divine Healing

The Bible reveals divine healing as one of the great truths provided by God in and through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53 gives us an exposition of the Messiah's redemptive work. Here, it proclaims that He would remove not only sin, but sickness as a part of the curse of sin which came upon the human family.

1. DOES GOD PROMISE HEALING?--YES! Through Jesus Christ's death on the cross, we can be delivered from sickness and disease because they were laid on Him (Isaiah 53:3-5; Matthew 8:16-17; I Peter 2:24).
2. WHERE DO SICKNESS AND DISEASE ORIGINATE?--SIN. Sin is the cause of:
   1. Misery and sorrow.
   2. Disease and pain.
   3. Death itself.  "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)
3. WHY DO SICKNESS AND DISEASE STILL EXIST?--Because sin and unbelief have not been eliminated. Also, many do not know the provisions that God has made for them in Jesus Christ.
4. ARE THERE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF HEALING?--YES.
   1. Natural - The human body has within itself healing qualities (Proverbs 17:22; 15:13).
   2. Medical - Jesus acknowledged doctors as a source of healing (Matthew 9:12).
   3. Divine - This is provided by God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:24). God goes beyond the limited bounds of both man and nature to bring healing about (Psalm 103:1-4).
5. DOES THE BIBLE CITE ANY EXAMPLES OF HEALING?--YES, both in the Old and New Testaments.
   1. Old Testament
      1. Brazen serpent (Numbers 21).
      2. Healing covenant given (Exodus 15:26).
   2. New Testament
      1. Leper healed (Matthew 8:3).
      2. Jesus healed all that were sick (Matthew 8:16).
      3. Blind healed (Matthew 12:22).
      4. Man with withered hand healed (Matthew 12:13).
      5. Jesus healed the lame, maimed, blind, and dumb (Matthew 15:30).
      6. Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:31).
      7. The infirm man (John 5:9).
6. ARE THERE DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE HEALED?--YES. All come about by faith in Jesus Christ. God is not bound to one method, but there is only one provider.
   1. Personal prayer (James 5:16).
   2. Prayer by the Elders (James 5:14, 15).
   3. Laying-on of Hands (Mark 16:17, 18).
   4. Sending the word (Psalm 107:20).
   5. The Table of the Lord (I Corinthians 11:23-32).
   6. Prayer cloths (Acts 19:12).
   7. Gifts of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:9, 10).
   8. Praise and Worship (Psalm 32:7; 8:1, 2: Matthew 21:12-16).
7. IS ALL HEALING INSTANTANEOUS?--NO.
   1. The purpose of our affliction has yet to be accomplished (Isaiah 54:7, 8).
   2. Sin or unbelief blocks our way to Christ (Isaiah 19:2; Matthew 13:15).
8. CAN ANYTHING PREVENT OUR HEALING?--YES.
   1. Unbelief (Mark 6:5; Matthew 13:58; Hebrews 3:12, 4:11).
   2. Iniquity (Isaiah 59:1, 2; Psalm 66:18).
   3. Not discerning the Body of the Lord (I Corinthians 11:29-32).
   4. Ignorance of the word (Romans 10:17; Acts 13:27).
   5. An unforgiving spirit (Matthew 6:14, 15; Matthew 5:23, 24).
   6. Strained marital relationships (I Peter 3:1-7).
   7. Abusing our bodies (I Corinthians 3:16, 17; I Timothy 5:23).

Not only does the word of God record miracles of healing in the Old Testament, in the gospels and in the book of Acts, but it follows up the record with specific instructions for the perpetuation of the gifts of healing in the churches. People need to be taught that God is still the healer of His children, that Jesus is still "THE GREAT PHYSICIAN," who has compassion in the sick and suffering.

Divine Healing

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(last updated on July 5, 2005)