A POSITION PAPER – DIVINE HEALING
Monday – February 6, 2017
Greetings from The Three Minute Word publication and Eastern Gate Ministries International. I trust that you have had a very good weekend with at least one day of rest as instructed by the Holy Bible.
As we go through our daily lives it is easy to forget that within our circle of friends and acquaintances there may be a diversity of opinion on a range of issues including Scripture. Many times these differences of opinion are immaterial but on other issues it can matters greatly. Sometimes the specific question has just never come up and we have been operating under the false assumption that our friend believes or thinks the same way we do about any given topic. We have a tendency to think that other people are like us and that is a very dangerous assumption. I have recently become aware of an apparent diversity of opinion regarding the topic of ‘Divine healing’. As we look around we see no difference in the incidence or predominance of disease in the world and in the Church. Why is that? Does God heal people today? Does God pick and choose among people as to who He will heal and who He will not for reasons that are beyond our ability to comprehend? Can and should we expect healing personally and is healing a valid doctrine of the Church? Should we become ill in the first place?
First I will speak very briefly about the maintenance of natural health and obtaining natural healing. We are all aware that there are a myriad of books on maintaining health and on facilitating healing of various diseases by natural means. We go to a physician who may give various recommendations and medications or other treatments with the goal of healing the disease or controlling the illness or symptoms. These natural means can bring health and healing to our natural bodies. And, there may even be times when something we are doing naturally is the source of the problem and not a spiritual origin. Of course, if we follow the issue back to the source, God would not lead us into an activity or occupation that would be innately harmful to us so the bottom line spiritual problem is failure to be led of the Spirit. There are many things that we do every day that we have never consulted God about.
Our faith, which is what or who we believe in, is essential to all things in our lives, whether we be Christians or not, whether our faith be in someone or something spiritual or natural. A physical approach to a physical problem like say an antibiotic for an infection may eliminate the infection but one question remains, why did we get the infection in the first place? There is a spiritual root or origin to all natural things including physical illness. To put it another way there is a spiritual illness that precedes the physical illness. If the spiritual illness remains unattended to we are open to recurring illness which will come. The superior realm is the spirit realm and ultimately has the final say in all things.
Scripture is clear that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). The words of our tongue are spirit and originate in our thoughts which are spirit in origination as well. Whatever predominates our conversation may or may not be our core beliefs (faith). However, the thoughts we think and the words we speak that originate from our core beliefs frame our individual worlds. Our words are spirit and can give life or death to us and to others. Jesus said that His Words were spirit and life (John 6:63). Seems like we might want to stick with His Words (whole Word of God). Devine Health for the believer is maintained by good (God directed) natural habits and an unwavering faith in the Word of God.
Proverbs 4:19-24 (KJV)
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Please be well aware that in the foregoing passage verse nineteen is not talking to the heathen and verse twenty to the Church. They are both to the Church or the believer. Sin or wickedness brings increasing darkness into a person’s life born again or not, and confusion ensues. Over the last few years the following Scripture has been quoted frequently generally with regard to our nation. Today however I want us to see how it intersects with our topic and wickedness among God’s people.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Notice that wickedness in God’s people caused the land to be sick and repentance of that wickedness will bring healing to the land and so it is on an individual lives as well. Now back to our Proverbs 4:10-24 passage. As we go from verse nineteen to verse twenty we see the instruction to ‘attend’ which means to pay attention or literally to prick up the ears. This is the way out of darkness and confusion into the light where our spiritual health will be reflected in our physical health. Notice in the following familiar and oft quoted verse the direct connection between financial and physical prosperity in this life and the prospering of our soul (whole spirit man).
3 John 1:2 (KJV)
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
We are to be thinking on the Word of God (Proverbs 4:20-23) and not the problem (Proverbs 4:24). Don’t keep reciting the problem which consolidates the problem and constitutes praise, worship, and acknowledgement of what we have allowed the devil to do in our life. Perhaps we have allowed it due to ignorance or false teaching at our Church but saints it is our responsibility to study the Word of God and it is our responsibility to prove the Word of God.
Now let’s turn our focus to the topic of Divine healing. I looked at three different websites to see what the differences might be between three common denominations concerning Divine Healing.
First, I looked at the Southern Baptist Convention website and there is no mention of divine healing with regards to the Church. You can explore this yourself at the following site. http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp
Second, I looked at the Catholic website and they believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to heal and in the anointing of the sick.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2.htm
Third, I looked at the Assembly of God website for their beliefs concerning Divine Healing and that information can be found at the following website: http://ag.org/top/beliefs/our_core_doctrines/healing/
Divine Healing (Assembly of God website)
“Wherever Jesus went, He ministered with compassion and healed the sick. Christ’s example showed an interconnection with salvation as many believed following their healing.
Our Lord continues to heal today and it is vital that the church preach, teach and practice this biblical truth. Scriptures command believers to pray in faith and trust God for the outcome.”
Jesus certainly ministered with compassion in healing the sick but faith was always present and we have a couple of examples where He could not heal due to unbelief. Jesus said on many occasions that He would come and heal or something to that effect but He made it clear that it was the Father who did the works. Without getting too buried in the weeds let me point out that today we are to do what Jesus did and do it the same way in His name (our authority, power of attorney). People are healed by the power of the Holy Spirit by the will of the Father according to the sick person’s faith through us or in a transaction directly with the Father. Everyone that God leads us to for prayer will be healed. Alternatively, a person in faith may call for prayer and this is an example of what is seen commonly in Churches with many (not one) persons (elders) praying for a sick person.
James 5:14-15 (KJV)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Notice that sickness and sin are intertwined in this Scripture. Sin that can be observed played out in the physical realm starts in the spiritual realm (thoughts). Notice in James 5:15 the word ‘if’. This would indicate that all illness is not the result of sin in a person’s life such as the following example in Scripture.
John 9:1-3 (KJV)
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.
It was clear to the disciples that sin and disease were intimately connected (and there is ample supporting Scripture) one with the other however Jesus gave us this case to illustrate that sin by the individual (or parents) is not always the case. In the John 9:1-3 passage we see that this man was blind from birth. It was impossible for this man to have sinned in the womb and therefore be born blind. There are those that use this Scripture to say that God allows or even causes illness so He can then show His goodness. Does this square with the God of the Bible, the God that you know? The explanation here like much of the illness we see today is attributable to natural factors, genetics, and the curse at work. If Spiritual oversight (Word of God) is not applied by the parents and then each of us individually then these factors will bring havoc in our lives. For example let’s say heart disease runs naturally (genetics) in your family and later in life you have a heart attack. Jesus could say the same thing about you. Knowing this however you can change this risk with the Word of God, you can change the genetic expression you were born with (like the man born blind) and live to be old and satisfied. At the point of salvation we can with the Word of God as new creatures or creations in Christ conquer every physical and spiritual obstacle in our lives.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
To recap to this point, sin (spiritual illness) can directly cause physical illness, sin can accelerate genetic predispositions in our physical body. Genetic predispositions and the curse unattended to will express itself if we are not diligent to apply the Word of God in our thoughts, words, and ways. To study the connection between iniquity (sin) and illness study the following references: Isaiah 53:4-5, Psalm 103:2-5, Exodus 15:26, 1 Peter 2:24, and Psalm 107:17-22. The curse is at work in all of us and includes aging which can be slowed in this mortal body but not stopped. We have a genetic makeup (inherited from our natural parents) that has deteriorated over time and will express itself in catastrophic illness if we do not impose the Word of God. No man or woman of God should leave this life due to sickness, they should leave when their mission is done and they are satisfied. We must be aggressive with our spiritual maintenance (see Proverbs 4:19-24).
I find it interesting that the Catholic and Assembly of God position on Devine Healing are essentially the same. The will of God for all peoples especially His very own children is health not the need for healing. The outcome we are to trust God, the Word of God, for our restoration to health spirit, soul, and body. If we will believe God there is no question we will be healed. There is no place for sickness of any kind in the Kingdom of God. There is no room for God or the Word of God to fail in the Kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 1:18-20 (KJV)
18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
From Heavens prospective we are already healed, when we said yes Lord all of the provision of the Cross were ours. Like everything else in the Kingdom health and healing it is not automatic and is acquired by faith, in love (obedience to the Word). We do not have to labor in prayer to see if it is God’s will for us to be healed.
1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Sin, the curse, has been taken out of the way by our repentance so the Apostle Peter tells us that we are already healed. It is like a store calling and saying our order is in, it is paid for, we just need to come and get it. We then obtain it by faith, we believe them that the item is in and we can in fact just come and get it. When we do the same with our Heavenly Father?
One of the fundamental questions that is heard since most people believe that God can heal is will He heal and does He heal everyone? There is no question that we trust God or believe God for the outcome of everything. The question is this, what outcome are we believing for and how did we come to that conclusion? In the example I just gave of the item at the store, do we go get it or do we say it is in God’s hand if He wants me to have it He will bring it to me. We know it is highly unlikely that a chariot of fire from Heaven is going to pull up to our door and deliver our item from the store. Why do we do this with spiritual items?
Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJV)
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Bold added by Dr. Wood)
When the UPS truck comes up to the house we go boldly to the door and take with confidence the item that is ours. That item however will never get into the house if we do not bring it into the house.
The whole Bible is a teaching tool for the believer, those born again, however the ministry of Jesus is particularly illuminating since we are to act like Him. Just as Adam was created to act just like God so are we to be just like Jesus, just like God. Don’t get in a twist, I didn’t say we are to be God, we are indeed gods (created that way), and we are to be like God (He created us that way on purpose). This is the way we were built by God for His purposes, for His pleasure. Before sin entered mankind there was no sickness and disease, these came with the curse. The Old Testament saints had a modicum of relief with the Atonement but we have a much better Covenant of redemption from all the curse including sickness and disease. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and He succeeded. Jesus gave the following commands.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Mark 16:16-20 (KJV)
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Jesus did not heal everyone He came across. There were times when faith was not present and He could not heal. There must always be faith in God, in His Word, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) for healing to occur. Faith must be present in the one through whom healing is flowing and in the one being healed if being prayed for, however we can be healed in our prayer closet, just the Lord (our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus) and us. Jesus healed according to the leadership of the Father (through the Holy Spirit), He was led to people with faith and people with faith were drawn to Him. The Father led Jesus into situations where there was not faith as a demonstration to us and in mercy to them that perhaps they would choose to believe. Everyone that Jesus prayed for or laid hands on was healed because the Father led Him to lay hands only on those with faith. There are no prayer failures recorded at the hands of Jesus. Why so many today? We pray for lots of persons who do not have faith for their healing only natural hope like pulling the lever of a gambling machine. They may say something like this; “Guess I’ll go up and see what happens.” I can tell you one thing that will happen, you will not be healed. There are no accidental or casino healings. Recall when Jesus came to Nazareth He healed very few (see Scripture below). Notice in Mark 6:5 that Jesus could not heal because of unbelief (Mark 6:6).
Mark 6:4-6 (KJV)
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Why did people that day not receive healings they needed? Their unbelief or lack of faith. Was God the one determining the outcome that day? No, the people who needed healing determined the outcome, just like in the following account of the man let down through the roof.
Luke 5:17-20 (KJV)
17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
The power of God was present to heal whoever would believe but only one man got healed that day, because “they” had faith enough to go to extraordinary lengths. Of course, the faith of the person praying, speaking, decreeing, is important but the key is the faith of the one ill. Notice this is similar to the passage we looked at in James with sin needing to be taken out of the picture in order for the restoration of health supernaturally. Look at the following Scriptures illustrating the importance of faith in the one to be healed.
Matthew 15:28 (KJV)
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Mark 5:34 (KJV)
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Mark 10:52 (KJV)
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Search the Scripture and tell me if you find any place where Jesus asked the Father to heal a person or did He just declare, decree, or confirm the healing, the wholeness? Remember we are to do as He did, that is His command.
We are to do what the Father leads us to by His Holy Spirit and then and only then will the Power of God in us be released to heal the person according to their faith. The Power is present in and with us to heal all but only those with the faith to receive will be healed.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
