We need to get our heads around these truths and let them sink down into our Spirit…
In James 5:15, we’re told,
“…the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
He Touched Me and Made Me Whole
The prayer offered in faith is a prayer based on confidence that God can and wants to heal.
This does not imply that if a person has a sufficient degree of faith, God will automatically answer the prayer.
Rather, it suggests that believers have a right to faith in ALL of life’s situations.
Those who pray in faith receive two promises.
First, these prayers will make the sick person well.
Second, the statement about the forgiveness of sins suggests that in some instances illness may be due to the sins of the sick person.
In such instances the healing provided a sign that God had forgiven the sins.
With these promises God still retains His freedom to do His will and work things out in the ways best for the kingdom.
Prayer can bring healing, but lack of healing does not show that the one praying lacks faith.
Neither does it show that the prayer is somehow invalid or God is somehow incapable of healing.
The promise of raising up the sick person refers to physical restoration to sound health and not to participation in the final resurrection.
The verb for “making the sick person well” is sometimes used in the New Testament to describe “spiritual deliverance.”
The Gospels also use it for restoration to health (see Matt. 9:22).
Sick person describes the experience of weariness (Heb. 12:3).
Raise up describes the increased physical vigor of those who have experienced healing (Matt. 9:6; Mark 1:31).
This seems to suggest that both verses 14 and 15 refer to physical healing and not to spiritual deliverance.
The Bible text here does not qualify the promise of healing in any way.
It provides an absolute promise that the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.
We must always understand that this and other promises of the Bible (see Mark 11:24) contain an implied condition, and that is what we’re praying for must line up with God’s Word.
1 John 5:14-15
Confidence and Compassion in Prayer
14 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask ANYTHING according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, WHATEVER we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” Amen
Even though people may not always be healed instantly; but still the church must continue to show faith through persistent prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit’s healing power.
No matter what the end result may be, God’s people should entrust EVERYTHING to God and consider the situation to be in His hands.
Divine Healing is a part of the atonement of Calvary’s cross and a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4-5.
Matthew 8:16-17
“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.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.’ ”
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GOD DESIRES TO HEAL AS PART OF HIS PLAN
God’s will (i.e., His plans, desires and purposes that reflect His character and goals for humankind) concerning healing is revealed in four main ways throughout His written Word.
(1) God’s own pronouncement, or direct statement.
In Ex 15:26, God promised health and healing for His people if they remained faithful to His covenant (i.e., his “life agreement” with them based on His laws and promises) and His commands (see Ex 15:26, note).
There was a double focus to His pronouncement:
(a) “I will not bring on you any of the diseases [as judgment] I brought on the Egyptians” and
(b) “I am the Lord, who heals you.” God continued to be the physician, or healer, of His people throughout the OT whenever they truly sought a deeper relationship with Him through prayer and obedience to his Word (cf. 2Ki 20:5; Ps 103:3).
(2) Jesus’ ministry — As God’s Son in human form, Jesus was and is the exact representation of God’s nature and character (Heb 1:3; cf. Col 1:15; 2:9).
In His earthly ministry (Mt 4:23-24; 8:14-16; 9:35; 15:28; Mk 1:32-34, 40-41; Lk 4:40; Ac 10:38), Jesus revealed God’s will in action (Jn 6:38; 14:10), proving that it is in God’s heart and nature to heal ALL who are sick, troubled or oppressed by the devil.
(3) The provision of Christ’s atonement (i.e., the “sin-covering” sacrifice of his own perfect and sinless life, which He willingly gave in His death on the cross to pay the price for our offenses against God; Isa 53:4-5; Mt 8:16-17; 1Pe 2:24).
Jesus’ death was more than enough to provide complete freedom and restoration for the whole person–spirit, soul and body.
Satan uses sin and sickness as tools to destroy us, but God provides forgiveness and healing in order to restore our relationship with Him and make us whole–spiritually and physically (cf. Ps 103:3; Jas 5:14-16).
Christ’s followers should humbly and faithfully pray for and accept EVERYTHING that Christ’s sacrifice provides–including the healing of our bodies (see Isa 53:5).
(4) The ongoing ministry of the church.
Jesus commissioned (i.e., assigned a task, along with the authority to fulfill that task) and empowered His twelve disciples to heal the sick as part of their efforts to spread the message of God’s kingdom (Lk 9:1-2, 6).
Later, He sent out seventy of His faithful followers to do the same (Lk 10:1, 8-9, 19).
After Jesus returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower His followers for service (cf. Ac 2), the early church continued the healing ministry of Jesus as part of the ongoing effort to spread the message about Jesus (Ac 3:1-10; 4:30; 5:16; 8:7; 9:34; 14:8-10; 19:11-12; cf. Mk 16:18; 1Co 12:9, 28, 30; Jas 5:14-16).
The NT records three ways that God’s healing power and faith were revealed and passed on through the church:
(a) Jesus’ followers laying hands on others with faith that God would heal (Mk 16:15-18; Ac 9:17),
(b) people confessing any known sin, followed by spiritual leaders anointing the sick with oil and praying in faith that God would heal them (Jas 5:14-16) and
(c) spiritual gifts of healings given to the church (1Co 12:9).
HINDRANCES TO HEALING
Sometimes there are obstacles, or barriers, to receiving healing from God, such as:
(1) holding on to and refusing to confess sin (Jas 5:16),
(2) living in a way that has opened one’s life to the influence or control of demons (Lk 13:11-13),
(3) fear, or deep anxiety, which is the opposite of showing faith (Pr 3:5-8; Php 4:6-7),
(4) past disappointments that block present faith (Mk 5:26; Jn 5:5-7),
(5) other people who try to keep us from getting to God (Mk 10:48),
(6) accepting teaching that is not true or not in agreement with God’s Word as revealed in the Bible (Mk 3:1-5; 7:13),
(7) failure on the part of leaders to pray for people who need healing (Mk 11:22-24; Jas 5:14-16),
(8) failure of the church to accept and use the gifts of miracles and healings as God desires (Ac 4:29-30; 6:8; 8:5-6; 1Co 12:9-10, 29-31; Heb 2:4),
(9) unbelief and lack of faith (Mk 6:3-6; 9:19, 23-24) and
(10) self-centered behavior (1Co 11:29-30).
There are times, however, when it is simply not clear why godly people remain physically ill and are not healed (e.g., Gal 4:13; 1Ti 5:23; 2Ti 4:20).
Yet, in other situations, God chooses to work through difficult circumstances or to take his beloved followers to heaven during an illness (cf. 2Ki 13:14).
To be certain, sickness is not necessarily a result of an individual’s own sin or spiritual failure.
Trouble and suffering affect everyone in this world, which is in spiritual revolt and opposition against God.
STEPS TO TAKE
What can you do when praying and waiting for God to heal you?
(1) Be sure you are in a right relationship with God and others.
Holding on to sin, unforgiveness or a bad attitude will affect your relationship with God and keep you from fully experiencing His purposes and blessings (Mt 6:33; 1Co 11:27-30; Jas 5:16; see Jn 15:7, note).
(2) Pursue a deeper relationship with God through consistent time in prayer and His Word (Ro 12:3; 1Co 12:9; Php 2:13; see Mt 17:20.
This will give you a greater awareness of God’s constant presence in your life, which will inspire your faith and keep you from doing things that are not pleasing to Him.
(3) Fill your life to overflowing with God’s Word (Jn 15:7; Ro 10:17).
Read and study it as much as possible; constantly think about and look for ways to apply the message, principles and promises of God’s Word to your daily life.
(4) If you are not receiving the healing you desire and expect, continue to trust God (Jn 15:1-7).
Examine your life to see what changes God may desire to work in your life.
Consider how you can grow closer to Him through difficult times.
Never give up hope that God will work things out for the best and for His highest purposes (cf. Ro 8:28).
(5) Ask the leaders of your church to pray for you, anointing you with oil as a symbol of the presence and power of God’s Spirit in your life (Jas 5:14-16).
Also ask family members and friends to pray for you.
(6) Attend a service where a person with a respected healing ministry is present (cf. Ac 5:15-16; 8:5-7).
(7) Expect a miracle. Trust in Christ’s power (Mt 7:8; 19:26); He is certainly able to do anything you ask if it is in agreement with His highest purposes for you.
(8) Rejoice about your relationship with God–whether or not healing comes right away (Php 4:4, 11-13).
Spend personal time worshiping the Lord every day.
(9) Understand that simply because God has not answered your prayers over a period of time does not mean that He has denied or said “No” to your requests.
His methods and timing are often not what we expect.
Sometimes God has a larger purpose in mind that, in the proper time, will result in greater honor for God (cf. Jn 9:3; 11:4, 14-15, 45; 2Co 12:7-10) and greater good for us (Ro 8:28).
(10) Realize that if you are sincerely devoted to Christ, God will never abandon you or forget you.
He loves you so much that he has literally (i.e., physically) engraved you on the palms of His hands (i.e., when He was nailed to the cross as He gave His life for our sins, Isa 49:15-16).
SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
May God bless you and keep you always!
Skip 🙏🫶🙏
SB SALT AND LIGHT MINISTRIES 