“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). Therefore, saving faith comes by hearing that Jesus is the saviour; and thereby we are saved. Similarly, healing faith comes by hearing that Jesus is the healer, and thereby we are healed: “This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, ‘He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17).
If Jesus bore our diseases then we don’t have to bear them. This is good news. “Then (Jesus) told them, ‘You are to go into all the world and preach (this) Good News to everyone, everywhere.’” (Mark 16:15).
Believe To Receive
If you believe Jesus will heal you, he will heal you. Jesus says: “According to your faith will it be done to you.” (Matthew 9:29).
Some people brought a paralytic to Jesus for healing. They had no doubt in their mind that Jesus was able to heal him, or that he would be inclined to heal him. As a result, they came all the way, carrying the paralytic on his sick-bed, even though this must have been rigorous and exacting for them.
When they got to Jesus, they could not reach him because of the crowd. Nevertheless, they refused to be denied. They removed the roofing of the house in order to reach Jesus. They knew of a surety that, if only they could get to Jesus, the man would be healed. They used a set of ropes to bring the man down to Jesus. Jesus did not see them; he saw their faith and healed the sick man.
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’” (Mark 2:5). Their faith spoke eloquently to Jesus, therefore they did not have to make any other verbal entreaties to him. He healed the man.
Today, we can come boldly to the throne of grace without any hindrance. Let your faith also speak eloquently to the Lord. Jesus asks: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Glory of God
God cannot resist our faith when it comes to matters about our health. You can believe God for a car and you may or may not get a car because it might not be the will of God for you to have a car. But healing is always the will of God for his children.
God is always glorified when his children are healed. But he is not always glorified when his children have material possessions; we are often the ones who take the glory. Therefore, he says: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2). If you have received Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life, then your soul has prospered.
Healing is a promise of God. In Christ, the answer to God’s promises is always yes and amen: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Healing the Righteous
The Lord says if we obey his commands and do what is right, then we will not suffer the diseases of the Egyptians. (Exodus 15:26). In order words, if we are sinless we won’t be sick. God will heal us. Nevertheless, some maintain: “Unlike Shadrach who was healed, I am a sinful man. In my case, I don’t have a fever; I have leprosy. Won’t my sins disqualify me from receiving healing?”
No, they won’t. Simply repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness. Then ask him for healing. Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic. Then he healed him. Don’t allow your heart or the devil to tell you otherwise. Sometimes we don’t receive because we are full of self-condemnation.
John says: “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” (1 John 3:20-22).
Sin and Sickness
There is close intimacy between sin and sickness. In the biblical days, many had no difficulty believing that Jesus could heal the sick. He healed thousands and thousands for all to see. However, they found it difficult to believe he could forgive sin. When he forgave the sins of the paralytic, he was accused of blasphemy.
Today, people have no difficulty in believing Jesus can save. Millions have accepted him as saviour by faith. However, people now find it difficult to believe Jesus can heal. But in the instance of the paralytic, Jesus was at pains to demonstrate he had the authority not only to heal but also to save.
He said to the Jews: “That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins — He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’” (Mark 2:10-12).
Today, it is imperative to know that Jesus (the Son of Man) has power on earth to heal.
Therefore, the psalmist says: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3).
It is the same God who forgives all our iniquities who heals all our diseases. Throughout biblical history, when the children of Israel sinned, sickness often resulted. But when they turned to God in repentance, their sins were not only forgiven, their sicknesses were healed.
Heredity of Good Health
Families have peculiarities often recognised by medical doctors. They ask their patients if certain types of diseases are evident in their family. This is because some ailments are hereditary: if your parents have them, you are also likely to have them. So, for example, if your parents have high blood pressure, you are also likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
The same thing applies spiritually. Spiritually, the covenant of a father or a mother is binding on the children and on the children’s children to the third and fourth generations. (Exodus 34:6-7).
Children resemble their parents. Thus, Abraham was a liar and so was his son Isaac. Jacob deceived his father and his children also deceived him. David’s weakness for women was evident in his children Absalom and Solomon. Since all kinds of traits are passed down by heredity, God established a completely new family in Christ.
“As (Jesus) is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17). Therefore, prayerfully insist on being in good health because Jesus was never sick. Once you have given your life to Christ, it becomes necessary to appropriate all the attributes of your new heavenly family:
“That the sharing of your faith may become effective by the knowledge of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” (Philemon 1:6).
Credit: Femi Aribisala
*If you have not read part 1 of this piece, get it here: God Wants To Heal You, By Femi Aribisala