I am always amazed at how offensive it is to tell someone

“God wants you well”  them’s fightin words let me tell you.

I have pondered this often..   it is not that God wants to heal people well that is offensive, it is the subtext that is automatically attached to this statement that has caused so much harm and hurt.

What they are often hearing “If you had enough faith or didn’t have some horrible sin issue, you would be healed, but since you clearly aren’t.  You are sick due to your own shortfall or sin issues”   And we all know how this went down when this attitude was first written down and described in the book of Job.

So, for the record..  Biblically, it wasn’t the sick person’s faith or faithfulness that produced healing in the sick.   God put the burden of healing the sick on the elders, on the shepherds and on those who were spiritually mature and in a position of strength.  It is cruel to add this burden to the sick and there is NO biblical precedent for doing so.   There is actually NO biblical account of sister such and such sitting and home and having enough faith to get healed.   It is not cuz God’s Word hasn’t made provision for that.   But this was never what Jesus himself or His disciples modeled.

The Bible does give us reasons why the disciples failed to heal the sick.

1. Lack of knowledge and/or understanding (see Proverbs 4:20-22)
2. unbelief of those ministering (see Matthew 17:20)
3. Sin issues in those ministering to the sick (a careful reading of James 5 reveals that it is the confession of those praying, not the confession of the sick person that is essential)
4. General unbelief surrounding the sick person (Matthew 13:58)

Thank God in His infinite wisdom that He knew exactly what we would be up against and provided more than one pathway to healing.  Here is a summary of some of the ways in which God healed people in the Bible.

God’s plan for healing

1st.  level of provision.   Mark 16:16. All believers can lay hands on the sick and the sick will recover (Awesome, but requires that the one laying hands on believes and receives this ability the same way they need to believe and receive the gift of tongues).   Imagine if all believers were able to operate in this gift.   You would just turn to your hubby, neighbour, sister or friend and be healed.   I think this is cool.. really, would mean none of us have very far to go to get fixed:)

when this isn’t possible

2nd level of provision.  James 5:13-15.Go to the elders and be annointed with oil.  Again it is the prayer of faith that heals in this case.   (also says sins are forgiven in this case… very powerful promise)

When this doesn’t work ( for example if the faith of the elders is lacking or an environment where there is extreme lack of faith like Nazareth).

3^rd  level of provision. Luke 9:1

The gift of disciples or those with a gift of miracles.   those annointed to cast out all demons and heal all diseases as part of their gifting.

If none are available or if their faith, etc is not sufficient as in the case with the little boy with epilepsy there is yet another path.

4^th  level of provision.  Proverbs 4:20-22. The Word of God which is quick and powerful and holds the keys to every person’s healing.    The Word is so readily available, and yes this one requires a process, a time of meditating and growing in knowledge, wisdom, discipline etc.  But it is available to all who can get their hands on a copy of the Bible and promises radiant health to all who can understand.

Here is what’s awesome about this one, is it provides the missing link for all three of the first levels of provision.   So this one can heal the person and raise up believers who can operate and heal others now with the first 3 levels of provision.  The main reasons why the first three don’t work, lack of knowledge or teaching, lack of faith, lack of righteousness etc and or a pervasive culture of unbelief, are all fixed by the 4th.   This deals with things like lack of sanctification, sin issues etc…  Anyone can choose to enter into this pathway to healing at any time…  Keep studying His Word on healing and His love etc and He has promised/guaranteed that the end harvest will be health to your body.    This one takes time and rhema revelation requires us to commit to studying and seeking until we find.

 

5th level… John 5:1-10  when someone is isolated and has no way of hearing the Good News or being taught or touched by one of the above. There is always God’s grace, compassion and mercy,.   This reminds of the man crippled for 38 years waiting on the waters to bubble up.   He wasn’t seeking, wasn’t looking, had no reason to hope and yet Jesus met him where he was.

Someone asked last night why Jesus didn’t heal all who were waiting there and chose just to heal the one.   Two things were jumping out to me by this morning.   1st..  None of them were seeking Jesus for lack of knowledge or hope or understanding…  He healed all who sought him, so to not seek him was a block to healing..   I think that first part is important, seeking God for healing, crying out to him.   In showing up and healing this one man, Jesus revealed to all who were there that God now had a new plan for healing.   So each one there was able to witness or hear of the miracle that had happened and now, in spite of their circumstances and being cloistered away from the world, they had now witnessed first or second hand the healing power of Jesus Christ.   In healing the one, he revealed himself to them all.   At that point, each person had a choice to make, to believe and seek the one who healed, or to keep fixated on the bubbling water for their healing.

 

6th level- by great personal faith…Matthew 8:5-11.  Now depending on your present level of faith, this one is either one of the most encouraging or can feel like one of the most discouraging.   Keep in mind that it is your guarantee that even if all you ever have is a copy of the Bible yourself, you have what you need to receive from God…   The faith that God will develop in you and His Word are in themselves sufficient to heal you and restore you to wholeness.   We have the example of the centurion.  We have the examples of the disciples themselves who at times lacked this kind of faith, so maybe, just maybe it’s a little cruel and unkind to put this kind of burden on your average everyday Joe.  We also know the scripture about faith the size of mustard seed being able to move mountains…  Jesus clearly didn’t expect this kind of faith as it amazed even him and yet this is such a commonly repeated refrain to those who are sick.

 

God is sovereign, and these are just some of the ways expressed in the Bible.   Praise God, He is infinite in His loving kindness, His faithfulness, His compassion, His Mercy and His Grace.    His ways are higher than ours and words will never be sufficient to express the limitless ways in which He meets us each one in our place and times of need.