Is your faith weak? That’s why your not healed….
How many people have heard that? How many Christians have been caused emotional pain because of that statement? What good could possibly come out of a statement like that, other than the one that needs a healing to take a second look at where they stand with God.
I don’t think a Christian who makes a statement like this means to do harm, but it can. The Christians that usually make a statement like this, are ones that believe when you are filled with the Holy Ghost, you can receive a healing instantly if your faith is strong enough.
Pastors preach hope and faith, that God will heal you. They tell you to believe that God wants to heal you and in His time it will happen. I love hope, nothing wrong with building a Christian up and telling them to have faith. But I would love the pastors to also tell not just a part of the truth, but the whole truth.
1. We are not all meant to be healed…..
Yes, folks, it’s true we are not all meant to be healed. It is not a matter of faith that will get you healed, it’s not a matter of anything other than God deciding if and when you should be healed, period.
2. We cause or assist in suffering….
Jesus told us to love our neighbor. Loving your neighbor means all the commandments God already gave us…. love your neighbor you won’t steal from them, lie to them, covet them, kill them, etc.. When we see a homeless person suffering on the street, do we clothe them and feed them? Do we help them? Do we love them? A complete stranger in need of help, can you deep down in your soul Love that person as Christ commands?
If a person abuses their own body with alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs, and they contract an illness because of their own sin, God isn’t to blame. God will show mercy on who He decides to show mercy. In scriptures it tells you that your body is a temple, you sin against your body, you sin against Christ who dwells inside you. We are told plenty of times in scriptures how to live. God gives man the freedom to make choices, even when He knows it’s a really bad idea. When we sin, we separate ourselves from God and nothing good ever comes from that.
Deuteronomy 31:17
(17) Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?
God gives us a world full of wonderful resources, food, trees, and we all know too well how we as mankind have been destroying our planet. We put pesticides on fruit and vegetables (which is a poison) and then we consume them. Surprised when you get cancer? We breath in smog, pollution, and other chemicals, surprised when you contract a lung ailment, or other disease? We take man made chemicals (medicine) we hope to fix our ailment. Then when you hear the side-effects, may cause nosebleeds, diarrhea, numbness or tingling in extremities, drowsiness, insomnia, frequent heartburn, rashes, loss of hair… wouldn’t it be better to deal with the affliction and ask for God to step in first? Often you hear about medicines they have taken back from the public, due to fatalities or illnesses caused by the medicine that was supposed to help you. Don’t get me wrong, medicine is sometimes a life or death situation but include God and go to Him in prayer, nothing is too big for God.
3. Sometimes we are born with our affliction …….
Sometimes people are born with a disease or illness. Does that mean that before they were born, their faith was absent? How could it be? Or their parents faith wasn’t strong enough? Wrong…God sometimes allows it for a higher purpose.
John 9:1-3
(1) And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
(2) And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
(3) Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The Jews believed that by sinful actions of the parents it could be passed down to the children. Jesus said the man nor his parents were the reason he was blind since birth. He was born blind, in order for that exact moment to glorify God, through Jesus and his healing. Wow, this man was born that way for the glory of God. God had a plan, before this man was born. This man was healed, which caused him to believe, but for others to believe also. So although this man grew up possibly suffering with his ailment, it was for a reason. It was for Gods purpose. Just because you were born with an ailment, doesn’t mean you can’t be healed.
4. Sometimes we suffer because God has a higher purpose through our affliction………
God also allows someone to not be healed, maybe because He knows you would become self-reliant, and not live your life for Him. You say, “Lord, if you heal me I will shout it to the rooftops, I will praise you and tell everyone about you.” God knows us better than we know ourselves, He knows already what we would or wouldn’t do. God may also look down at you and say, I have a purpose for why you are ill.
God could also allow you to suffer because he wants you to lean on Him and knows it will strengthen you spiritually.
Psalms 119:67
(67) Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Paul who helped heal others was afflicted himself. Paul speaks about even though he prayed to the Lord three times to cure him of his his own thorn, God replied;
2 Corinthians 12:9
(9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
He may allow you to not be healed, because there is someone in your life that will be lead to Christ because of your affliction. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but maybe years from now, just like that man who was afflicted with blindness for many years.
5. God may allow us to be afflicted to test us, to discipline us……
Many preachers feel ill at ease talking about someones suffering as a means for God to test you or yes, chastise you. People say, “Whoa, wait a minute, God is a God of love and mercy.” Yes God is a God of love, but he also is our creator, and He knows His creation. He is our Father, and just as a father disciplines his child, God will do the same. We all know the story of Abraham. God put Abraham to the test. Sacrifice your son for me, God says. Can you imagine the pain and agony as a Father to kill your own child? A child you had long to have and when you were finally blessed, God wanted you to end his little life. As pleased as God was with Abraham, he knew he would have to test him on something more than just taking away all he possessed. It would have to be the one thing that meant more to Abraham than anything, his son. God tested Abraham. God also tested Job. That poor man suffered the loss of family members, all that he owned, and his health. He was a mess, a broken man, yet his faith in the Lord was still there. God says that he allowed all these horrible things to happen to Job, simply to test his faith. That seems a little extreme to me, but after all that pain and suffering he blessed him more abundantly than when he began. Then I thought, wait, what about all the death of his family members? He couldn’t get them back… okay, that’s another blog.
Chastisement or discipline because we are doing wrong, or sinning against God. God has caused death, plagues, illnesses and disease. Not only as a sign for the one afflicted but for others to see as an example.
Proverbs 3:11-12
(11) My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
(12) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Revelation 3:19
(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
So in conclusion, are we to sit and suffer and say there is no hope for a healing, NO WAY. But we can also take an honest understanding that when we are not healed when we keep praying and praying, it may not be in God’s plan….YET. Do not ever let someone tell you that your faith is the problem. Paul have tremendous faith, yet he was still afflicted.
I have full faith in the Lord that if he chooses not to heal me at this time or when I want, it’s because he has a higher purpose for my affliction and if it is in Gods will, I will be healed. If I never receive a healing, that’s alright too, because Jesus already gave me the greatest gift, salvation. If I were to never receive another blessing from God in my life, I will still praise Him, because God gave up His only Son. Jesus who was ridiculed, spit on, mocked, beaten, whipped with metal across His back, bleeding, trembling in pain, nailed on that cross to die for you and me, how could I ever ask for another thing? Thank you Jesus for your suffering.
Can we be healed, you bet, please click on this link; “You Can Be Healed”
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Many thanks for this, Allin His name, Christ Jesus!
It seems people tend to go with the easy answer, the easy solution. Does belief in God require “HE” be put into a box contained by faulty human attributes, interpretations and philosophies? To say,”God will do this, or,”God will heal you may not be a literal truth at all. “Healing” in the scriptural sense could well mean healing of the spiritual mind and soul, of eating the bread of life to become healed in the presence of the Divine Eternal.
David
I say, Are limiting the Death of Christ? If you read that He died For all our sins including sickness. Isaiah 53:3-6.
What Does It Say – Part 1. This prophecy is not just about Jesus’ death on the cross for the sins of the world. It covers His life here on this earth. It is very easy to allow someone’s explanation of a passage to influence how we read it.
For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, or appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (NASB) Isa. 53:2-3
Verse 2 starts with His childhood and tells us that he grew up. Since many new plants are started as a “tender shoot,” the Holy Spirit is telling us that Jesus grew up from a young child into adulthood. We are next told that people were not attracted to His physical appearance. Then verse 3 says that Jesus was despised and ignored by people. He experienced sorrow and grief, and people did not honor Him. These two verses speak of His childhood and young adult life. That is all.
When we come to the first part of verse 4, we are told that He ministered to the needs of people. He was the Great Shepherd of the sheep – men and women – and His ministry included the healing of others.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried . . . (NASB) Isa. 53:4a
The Hebrew word for “grief” actually means “disease” or “sickness,” and the Hebrew word for “sorrows” has the idea of “pains” or “sorrows.” They both refer to something we have all experienced – sickness and the suffering that comes with it. The Hebrew word for “bore” actually means “take up” or “to lift.” The final key word is “carried.” The Hebrew word means “to carry away” and has the idea of one who serves another. What did Jesus do? Jesus healed people when He healed their bodies and removed their sorrow.
Matthew 8:17. When we come to Matthew 8:16-17, we are told Jesus had been healing many people and it then quotes Isaiah 53:4a in reverse order.
When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” (NASB) Matt. 8:16-17
The Greek word for “infirmities” in Matthew 8:17 means “weakness, infirmity, want of strength, or feebleness.” The meaning of the Greek word for ‘diseases” means just that – diseases. So the Matthew passage refers to the Isaiah 53:4a passage exactly. Isaiah 53:2-4a predicted that He would grow up, that he would not be attractive as an individual, he would be rejected by others, and yet He would heal many as a servant. Matthew 8:17 reminds us that Jesus fulfilled that prophecy.
What Does It Say – Part 2. The last part of Isa. 53:4 says that the Jews thought God wanted Him put to death, and they were correct according to Acts 2:22-24.
. . . yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. (NASB) Isa. 53:4b-6
Next the prophecy says that Jesus would be pierced, and He was – with a Roman sword. It happened because of our sins or transgressions. Jesus was beaten, whipped, spit on, abused, and crucified for our sins. Then the Holy Spirit says that by His “wounds, stripes, or marks” we have been “healed.” The Holy Spirit is not talking about physical healing. The passage has been talking about forgiveness or healing from our sins. This part of the passage is about Jesus’ death and the forgiveness of our sins – not healing from physical disease. The entire Isaiah 53:2-6 passage has been a prophecy about His life and ministry.
1 Peter 2:24. When we come to 1 Peter 2:24, the Holy Spirit uses the phrase “by His scourging we are healed” in the same way.
. . . He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (NASB) 1 Peter 2:24
The entire passage of 1 Peter 2:20-25 is about Jesus’ death and His ability to forgive our sins. The passage is not about physical healing. In the Greek language there are multiple words which can be used for healing. Three of them refer to healing from disease. The English form of the Greek word for “healed” in 1 Peter 2:24 is IOMAI and it means more than to be healed.The Greek word has the idea of “to heal, and to make well.” It can also apply to healing from sin. The context alone makes it clear that physical healing has not been the topic.
Does it seem strange to talk about the forgiveness of sin as healing? If so, listen to King David’s words when he was in agony over his sin.
As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” (NASB) Psalm 41:4
He asked God to heal his soul – not his body. We must remember that Hebrew expressions are not the same as English. Every culture and language has its unique expressions. King David asked for healing of his soul or forgiveness of his sin. After Jesus’ return to heaven, 1 John was written to Christians for one reason. It was written to help Christians know that they have eternal life (1 John 5:13). Some Christians were afraid or in agony that they were not going to heaven. I still remember that as a little boy I was afraid that I would go to hell. I remember crying on my bed at night because I did not know that I was going to heaven – that I would be with God. I was in grief and anguish.
On the day of Pentecost the Apostle Peter had this to say,
Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs . . . this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. (NASB) Acts 2:22-24
When Peter said the “agony of death,” he was not saying that people would not die. Otherwise, the Apostles should be alive today. No, he was referring to the fear of not knowing where one will spend eternity when one dies. That is the agony of death. Jesus’ death allows our sins to be forgiven and for us to escape eternal punishment.
Conclusion:The current concept that is taught by some that we should never be sick because there is healing in the atonement has missed the fact every apostle is dead. Now that is a problem because death is eventually caused by sickness and disease – even heart failure is a disease. Eventually some day we will live in heaven, and no one will ever get sick! We have also missed Exodus 4:11 which tells us that God makes the mute, deaf, and blind. There is not permanent physical healing in the atonement in this life – but in heaven.
James 5:14-15 tells us that we can be healed by the prayer of our elders (BUT in order to accept such you must stay within Christs footsteps, That means NO Sin This means not one it can only be done by your will to do what Christ has commanded us to do, Preach “THE GOOD NEWS” follow God’s simple ten, and Always repent, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1.10)
Jesus said: “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye *REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13.5)
*REPENT* = discarding sin and our old lives to embrace the love of Christ and escape Hell out of a reverent and obedient fear of God
Repent found in; (Did you know our Lord repented? Genesis 6) when sickness is due to sin. God heals through prayer. This has always been true. Healing is not something new since the cross. This is God’s love and mercy for His children. Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus is an awesome shepherd to us? He not only forgives, but He also heals. Thank you Jesus!
Sorry but the Bible is no short answer to anything this world wants to interpret. Stop the worldly ways!! There is no “connecting” with Christ until we acknowledge our sin for what it is and forsake it under the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why John the Baptist’s cry in Matthew 3:2 was identical to that of Jesus Himself in Matthew 4:17. The church may have changed dramatically over the years but God has not. And, neither has His message to sinful man.
“Repent: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17
Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God ,
of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
And this will we do, if God permit
Hebrews 6:1-3
tHE Physical healing will use the False Preachers now a days to decieved many people …
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24
therefore physical healing is not the Bases.. for we to believed..
REMEMBER GOD KNOWS BEST!
HE HAS A PLAN FOR EVERYTHING ..
Nice Blog! God bless…
whatever happen to your Life if you are a servant of God
that is the Best for you ..
And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
The Romans 8:28
Sometimes God allow his servant to die in any cause.., it Beacuse Has a better Plan!
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
Isaiah 57:1
sometimes God perisheth the righteous to taken him away from the evil to come..
and that is God prerogative
See now that I, even I, am he, And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
Deuteronomy 32:39
we have no rights to Question him..
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
The Romans 9:20
Sometimes God put us into test for him to know if we really Love him!
thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 13:3
all we can say is!
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
II Corinthians 9:15
And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.
I John 4:16
Thank you everyone so much for all your comments. I do think that God can and does heal, Amen.Some statements made by Christians when they don’t understand Gods reasons for things, often think it must be the persons fault… their faith, works, something. And a statement like that, hurts the person, doesn’t help them.
Several situations in Scripture show some reasons why we may or may not be healed, including asking for the wrong reasons; focusing on self, rather than the needs of others; not fully believing in the One who heals, rather than the one through whom He brings healing; and not protecting our bodies as He designed them, as an act of spiritual worship, which is our ongoing offering of being a living sacrifice that too many have not been willing to give up. Is it in vain for us to pray for healing from a disease that we feed by living lives that deprive us of fullness of health, such as by gluttony; overconsumption of alcohol; deprivation of rest; leaving behind our responsibility to seek spiritual sustenance in the Word and in the Fellowship of Believers; among many other examples that show we are not seeking true wisdom as defined by our thriving spiritual identity, rather than a striving spiritual identity? I believe that God desires to be actively involved in our lives, and this brings a thriving reality to our walk with Him, our faith in Him, our fellowship with believers, and our witness to those who should see our lives, and say “they have something that I need.”
I know what I am talking about, as I have endured this type of futility, and with this comment comes a prayer request that God would heal me from the depression that I still suffer as a result. I am tire of striving, but gladly offer this to you, so perhaps you can gain something from my experience, and I from yours.
To say that all are not meant to be healed is the same as saying that all are not meant to be saved. We are healed by His strips and saved by His shed blood. Why do we have enough faith that God desires that all be saved by not healed. Are all healed?….No…..why?….I don’t know. But this will not stop me from praying for healing for myself and others.
I declare just as david did…..Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name and forget not all of His benifits. He who forgives us of ALL of our sins and heals “some????” NO !!!….ALL of our sickness.
In God’s Kingdom there is healing. When we invite the total rule and reigh of God into our life we see His power maniifested through healing.
For more on this go to http://www.thehealedguy.com
Lee McDougald