Countering Objections to Healing
A few months ago, and in an effort to share the truth about God's healing through faith with an associate, I shared a testimony of how the Lord used me to bring complete healing to someone. The following (below in quotes) is his response, which caused me to write this article to counter this man's "perverted theology" concerning healing. I will deal with his statements, dividing them into four sections. It is sad to say that the vast majority of Christians today have the same theology, which is why we aren't seeing people being healed as they should.
“Thanks for sharing the testimony of the guy God chose to heal. We also know that God can heal miraculously and instantaneously, and we've had stories of that taking place on the mission field. It doesn't always happen - God is sovereign and may have another purpose in mind for the sickness - but it is always good to ask, repeatedly, and in faith.”
Part One
“Thanks for sharing the testimony of the guy God chose to heal.”
Sad to say but this way of thinking is common in a great majority of Christian circles and is a reflection of the “Sovereignty of God” doctrine that teaches that God has absolute control over everything in the earth—that God picks and chooses who gets sick, who dies and when, who gets healed, rescued, prospered, etc. to the extent that we play absolutely no role in receiving from God. This is why you hear people praying (asking, begging, pleading) for God to heal instead of utilizing the power God has given us to bring forth healing through the name of Jesus and faith in His name (Acts 3:16).
This way of thinking is not consistent with the Bible, but it’s a convenient theology because if no one gets healed, it’s God’s choice and they are released from any responsibility to believe and receive. Bluntly said, they blame God when someone doesn’t get healed. If this is what you believe, I challenge you to allow the Bible to get in the way of your theology before your theology destroys you.
It is true that God has chosen to provide healing of physical diseases, injuries, and afflictions through the atonement of Jesus Christ, but the choice God made was made before the foundations of the world, just as God has chosen us to be reconciled with Him (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:2).
God said, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, that both you and your seed may live. [Deuteronomy 30:19]
The Bible teaches in the same book written by Moses that sickness is a curse (Deuteronomy 28:59-61) and health is a blessing (Deuteronomy 7:12-15; Deut. 28:4). And since Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law for us, we have His righteousness and therefore the blessings of fulfilling the law (Romans 8:1-3). The Bible also says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs upon a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. [Galatians 3:13-14]
It is clear throughout the Bible that God has made the provisions of all grace, which includes eternal life: i.e. forgiveness of sins, physical and emotional healing, deliverance from all bondage and oppression of the devil, joy, peace, faith, love, and all the fruit of the Spirit, through Jesus and this grace has appeared to all men (Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 8:17; Acts 10:38; Titus 2:11; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Peter 1:3).
Furthermore, Jesus taught that it was our choice to enter into life as it is written, Enter in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. [Matthew 7:13-14]
I know there may be many of you who will argue that the Lord is talking about salvation here, and I agree with you. However, where you and I part is that I believe eternal life is salvation; and contained within eternal life is everything God has promised to us by His grace. Therefore, in this context, physical healing is in the atonement of Jesus Christ and is the same as salvation. In fact, the Greek word sozo was translated saved AND healed depending on the context. If you read my teaching called Healing is Part of the Atonement of Jesus Christ you will see that the Scripture refers to salvation as everything Jesus died to give us.
The Bible is very clear on many occasions that healing of diseases and sicknesses is directly related to the forgiveness of sins. Psalm 103:3 outlines God’s benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases…
Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4 says, Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows… which Matthew quoted: When the even was come, they were brought unto him many that were possessed with devils; and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. [Matthew 8:16-17]
Jesus used healing of physical diseases to prove He had the power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:1-12). Jesus declared a lame man’s sins forgiven (v. 5) and the religious leaders standing by began questioning what Jesus was doing. And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Your sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, take up your bed and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he said to the sick of the palsy) I say unto you, Arise, and take up your bed, and go your way into your house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Note: The Scripture says that God was glorified by the healing—not the sickness of this man. God is not glorified by death having reign over His people.
The apostle Peter also relates forgiveness of sins to healing of sickness. 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 you were healed. [1 Peter 2:24]
James makes this correlation as well: 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. 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. [James 5:14-15]
Note: James writes, Is any sick among you? And the prayer of faith shall save the sick. There is no asterisk next to the word any, indicating this passage is for anyone who is sick. Secondly, the prayer of faith SHALL save the sick. There is no maybe, or phrase, “if God chooses to…”. It says that the prayer of faith shall save the sick, meaning that it’s a done deal, provided the prayer of faith is made.
How many witnesses do you need to convince you of this truth? Jesus said that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established. [Matthew 18:16]
I have cited six scriptural applications to this truth—both from the Old Testament and New Testament, but yet why don’t most people believe this—that inasmuch that Jesus died and bore our sins, He also died for and bore our sicknesses and diseases. Why do people fight so strongly against the good news?
Because sin entered the world by man (Adam) life could only come through a man (Jesus Christ); and since we have the gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace, we should be reigning in life through Jesus Christ our Lord. However, most Christians are allowing death to reign over them, which includes sickness. This is what Paul was teaching in Romans 5—that in Christ we should be letting eternal life reign over us instead of submitting to death, seeing that Jesus has accomplished victory over sin and death. Sickness is death—a wage of sin, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus (Romans 6:23). And since eternal life is a gift, it is not based on our performance—neither good nor bad.
Here’s a profound truth: As sin is sickness to the spirit, sickness and disease are sin to the body. And please know that I am not condemning anyone who is sick—that they are in sin because they are sick. However, the Bible clearly states that whatsoever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Sickness is not of faith in God’s word since God has provided the remedy for all sickness. Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. [John 10:10] Sickness is death, not life; and since sickness came as a result of sin, when we submit to sickness, we are submitting to the wages of sin and the author of sin—Satan. The Bible instructs us to glorify God both in spirit and body, which are His (1 Corinthians 6:20). Sickness in the body is just as un-glorious as sin is.
I was on a radio show a few years ago and one argument from the Bible was made against the fact that healing has already been provided by God through the atonement of Jesus. The person cited Romans 9:15 where Paul refers to Exodus 33:19 when God said to Moses, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will have mercy.
The apostle Paul used this passage to illustrate why Israel had been temporarily blinded to the truth of the gospel so as to include the Gentiles in God’s grace (Romans 11:25-36). And it has been misinterpreted to mean that God chooses to have mercy on whom He will have mercy, and to curse whom He wants to curse. This is not in line with Scripture—even in the Old Testament where God said to Moses, For you have found grace in my sight, and I know you by name. [Exodus 33:17]
God’s mercy is part of His grace and since the Bible is very clear that God’s grace has been extended to ALL PEOPLE (John 3:16; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:10; 2 Peter 3:9), His will is to have mercy. The good news is that because of Jesus, we have all found grace in God’s sight (2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Luke 2:14; Isaiah 40:1-2) In fact, this is what the Scripture says, For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. [Romans 11:32]
God has made the provision of eternal life through Jesus Christ and it is up to every individual to choose life over death, blessing over cursing, health over sickness, light over darkness, heaven over hell, Jesus over the world. This, my brothers and sisters is what the Scripture describes as being a joint-heir, a co-laborer, and ambassador of God. God has done his part—and it’s up to us to enter into His grace through faith in Jesus Christ as the Bible says, For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. [Ephesians 2:8] Grace is God’s part and faith is our part, of which comes from hearing the gospel (Romans 1:16; Romans 10:17).
Part Two
"We also know that God can heal miraculously and instantaneously, and we've had stories of that taking place on the mission field. "
The basic belief in God infers the truth that God certainly can do anything. However, where the differences lie are in whether it is God’s will to release His power on a person’s behalf. Many Christians will quote from Ephesians 3:20 that says, Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think… to support this truth. I have witnessed prayers, especially for healing, asking God to release His power that go something like this, “Oh God, Grandma is sick with cancer and she’s gonna die if You don’t move and heal her. Please, Lord, we ask You to heal her… if it be Your will.”
It grieves me whenever I hear this kind of prayer because it tells me three things: 1. This person is clueless about God’s will concerning healing. 2. They have been influenced (infected is a better word) by incorrect religious teaching. 3. They have absolutely no concept of what Jesus endured and suffered on our behalf.
The problem with this kind of prayer is that whatever faith that caused them to even seek God for healing is made null and void by such a disclaimer like, “If it be Your will.” That’s not faith in action—that’s unbelief, which is why people who pray those prayers don’t get any results. And to make matters worse, the statement, “If it be Your will…” places the responsibility back on the Lord to choose instead of where it rightly belongs—with us. Remember… God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing, and even tells us His will (to choose life), but ultimately it up to us to choose (Deuteronomy 30:19). Again, I challenge you to let the Bible get in the way of your theology before your theology destroys you (Matthew 24:4-5; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Colossians 2:8; Ephesians 4:12-15; 1 John 4:1-3).
We have an instance in the ministry of Jesus where this same thing occurred and we can learn a lot from it. In Mark 9, Jesus took three of His disciples (Peter, John, and James) up to the Mount of Transfiguration. Upon returning, they saw a crowd of people and out of the crowd a man approached Jesus, saying, Master, I have brought unto you my son, which has a dumb spirit. And wheresoever he takes him, he tears him; and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth, and pines away. And I spoke unto your disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answered him and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it has cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. [Mark 9:17-23]
The father of this boy was seeking God’s help, but questioned God’s willingness to release His power and help them. He had mistakenly placed the responsibility upon Jesus to affect this cure, and Jesus corrected him by saying, “No, it’s not up to me. I know what I can do and My will is to do it. If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
And just as the statement, “We also know that God can heal miraculously and instantaneously…” acknowledges God’s ability to bring forth healing, it is incomplete and reveals a total misunderstanding of how healing takes place. I quoted the passage from Ephesians 3:20, but I left out an important part that confirms this truth: Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. (Note that it does NOT say, “according to whether God chooses or not”) God’s will is clear as reflected in the ministry of Jesus who said, For I am come from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. [John 6:38]
The last piece of the puzzle concerning the appropriation of God’s power has been conveniently omitted in order to shirk our responsibility to believe and receive, which again, is why folks who cling to this false teaching get little or no results.
If you were to go back through the gospels and examine the healing ministry of Jesus, you will see that with each and every healing there was faith on the part of another person present, which activated the power of God. It wasn’t just up to God to heal. He needed someone to cooperate with His ministry in order for His power to be released. This is the essence of the power of agreement that Jesus taught, Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. [Matthew 18:19-20]
Here are some examples from the mouth of Jesus in support of this principle:
- Your faith has made you whole. [Mark 4:34]
- As you have believed… [Matthew 8:13]
- According to your faith… [Matthew 9:28-29]
And just as a side note to this incident… when Jesus heard that His disciples could not help this boy, the Lord’s reaction was not, “Oh well, you tried. It’s going to be okay now.” Rather, Jesus scolded His disciples, O faithless and perverse generation. How long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?
The Lord was not pleased with His disciples’ inability to affect this cure. Because they were not representing His Father correctly, Jesus called them perverse. If you look in a thesaurus, you will see that the word perverse means contrary. I truly believe the Lord is speaking these very same words to those who are not willing or seeking to represent Him the way He wants to be represented in this earth. O faithless and perverse generation! To their credit, at least the disciples made an effort and afterward asked why they couldn’t cast out the demon, to which Jesus replied, Because of your unbelief. [Matthew 17:20] Notice that Jesus did NOT say, “Because it was not God’s will” or even “Because of your little faith…”. It was evident they were operating in faith because they would not have even tried to help the boy, and certainly would not have asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the demon (Mark 9:28).
[For lack of space I encourage you to read the following passages of Scripture that prove that God has given us the power to heal all sickness and diseases through Jesus and faith in His name: Matthew 10:1, 7-8; Mark 6:13, Mark 16:17-18; Luke 9:1-6; Luke 10:9; John 14:12; Acts 2:43; Acts 3:6, 12; Acts 4:33; Acts 5:15-16; Acts 6:8; Acts 8:5-7, 13; Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Ephesians 1:19-20; Ephesians 3:20; James 5:14-15.]
Today we have so-called disciples of Jesus Christ who wouldn’t even attempt to minister healing to a person; and even if they did pray for God to heal, they are not surprised at all when it doesn’t come to pass—because “after all, it’s up to God. God may choose NOT to heal.” The reason most Christians are so amazed when they witness the power of God in manifestation and not surprised to see it NOT happen is because they are not expecting God’s power to be released. And then, when healing doesn’t happen, they put the responsibility upon God, saying, “It must not have been His will.” If they were truly believing for it to happen, they would be shocked that it didn’t.
God is faithful to His word and NOT slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness. In fact, He has magnified His word above all His name (Psalm 138:2); and even hastens His word to perform it or see it fulfilled (Jeremiah 1:12). Here’s another passage that supports God’s faithfulness to His word: God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent. Has he said, and shall he not do it? Or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good? [Numbers 23:19]
A grave mistake is that we relate God’s faithfulness to our own. That way of thinking is a disaster waiting to happen; and even though no one would admit it outright, this is what they are saying. They are saying that God is not faithful to His word—that He is schizophrenic, fickle, and apt to change His mind like the wind. The bottom line is: GOD IS FAITHFUL! And this is true regardless of whether you believe it or not.
Here are a few passages of Scripture that come to mind concerning the knowledge of God’s will:
- Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. [Ephesians 5:17]
- My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. [Hosea 4:6]
- Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God. [Romans 12:2]
- Brethren, be not children in understanding. Howbeit in malice be children, but in understanding be men. [1 Corinthians 14:20]
Here’s the truth that is revealed from the ministry of Jesus Christ—He NEVER refused to minister healing to anyone. It is so clear from the Scripture that it was always God’s will—and always has been His will—for people to be healed of sickness and to live lives free from disease. It has always been man’s choice to rebel against the will of God—first through sin and all the death sin brought, which was by man (Romans 5:12). Death, sickness, and every other byproduct of sin were NOT in God’s plan for us. Jesus said several times that He had come not to do His will, but the will of His Father. He also said that what He was doing always pleased His Father (John 5:17; John 6:38; John 8:20) Therefore, if Jesus healed, then we know that is God’s will to heal. The only alternative to this is to call Jesus a liar to say such things. I will deal with the expected objections to this statement in the next section.
Part Three
"It doesn't always happen - God is sovereign and may have another purpose in mind for the sickness –"
It is true that healing doesn’t always happen, but it is NOT God who is responsible when it doesn’t. In the same way that salvation (forgiveness of sins) is offered to every person, we know that NOT everyone will be saved. Does that make the word of God that says, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. [2 Peter 3:9] a lie or of no effect? Of course it doesn’t!
Here’s what the Bible says, For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true and every man a liar, as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged. [Romans 3:3-4]
The teaching of the sovereignty of God in today’s church is in my opinion the most offensive to the character and nature of God, the most damnable heresy, and the most destructive to God’s people I have ever known. Because of this belief that God is in absolute control over everything that happens in the universe, many Christians are passive and ripe prey for the enemy who goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. To even suggest that God is responsible (either by His direct will or allowance) for all the wars, murders, rapes, child molestation, starvation, babies being aborted or born addicted to drugs or infected with HIV, and every other rotten thing that happens in this world is a terrible indictment of His character. Everything the enemy and mankind have produced has been attributed to God because of this false teaching.
If God is “sovereign” in the way many believe, that would mean that God is responsible for sin as well. And if God is in complete control over EVERYTHING that happens, then the fact that you are reading this is God’s will too. With this way of thinking you must draw the line somewhere—that God is not the author of any of the rotten things in this world, or even for why you are reading this teaching. If you draw a line, then God is not sovereign as you say. Either He is sovereign as you say, or He’s not! Either He’s responsible for EVERYTHING including sin, or He’s not.
Here’s the truth: God leads—He does not control. He desires you to submit to His will, but gives you the choice. This is the essence of love—that love is not true unless one has a choice NOT to love and so on. We are not robots or pawns in the hands of God. In fact, one of the fruit of the Spirit is “self-control”. I imagine the sovereignty of God doctrine followers pervert this passage as well. God could’ve created robots that would bark out, “I love you!” at His command, but this isn’t true love. And contrary to the world’s definition, love is a choice—not an emotion or feeling.
In the ministry of Jesus, there are several accounts where it is clearly said that Jesus healed ALL that were sick. Several others infer that all were healed.
We do have one instance where the Bible records people not being healed in the ministry of Jesus and this instance is recorded in both Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels. And the Bible is very clear concerning the reason people weren’t healed—and it was because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6). In fact, the Bible says that Jesus could do no mighty works. It doesn’t say Jesus would not do any mighty works, indicating it was Jesus’ will to do mighty works in Nazareth, but because of unbelief, He was not able.
Many people gasp at this passage, saying, “That’s not true! God can do anything! It must really be that He chose not to do any mighty works.” Yes, God can do anything, but He will not violate His word, nor alter the thing that has come from his mouth (Psalm 89:34-35). He gave us the power to choose life or death, and the Scripture says that unbelief prevents the promises of God from being fulfilled in a person (Hebrews 3:12, 18-19; Hebrews 4:1-11; Psalm 78). God is faithful to His word, even at the expense of His promises NOT being fulfilled in His children, and despite what His desire is. In the case of heaven or hell, God honors our choice to enter into life or death. Again, this is how faithful He is to His word.
For what purpose does the Bible teach concerning God using sickness against people? In the Old Testament, God put sickness on people for ONE purpose—and this was for punishment. Therefore, because Jesus took our punishment and the Scripture says that He bore our sicknesses and carried our diseases (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:17) it is clear that God has absolutely no purpose for sickness. Jesus NEVER put sickness on anyone. He NEVER cursed anyone with sickness! He NEVER told a sick person that God had some redemptive or character-building purpose for sickness! Jesus NEVER told a sick person that their sickness was for God’s glory, or in order to draw the sick person closer to God. He didn’t tell them that sickness was a method of teaching them either. Rather, Jesus healed ALL that were sick, and God was glorified when people were healed—NOT sick!
Many people misinterpret Jesus’ words in John 9 when He referred to a man having been born blind so that the works of God could be made manifest in him. They reason that God made this man blind for the purpose of God’s work to be revealed in him. I don’t believe this is true—God doesn’t make imperfection! This man was born blind—NOT because of his own sin, or the sins of his parents, but rather, he was born blind because we live in a fallen world. What the Lord was teaching was for the disciples to move from the cause of the blindness to the cure, which was healing. I blame this misinterpretation on the breakdown of the verses. Here’s how I see the exchange:
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth, and his disciples asked him saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents. But (so) that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. [John 9:1-5]
In other words, Jesus was saying, “Stop debating about what caused this sickness. Let’s focus on doing the works I came to do!” Doesn’t that make more sense and present God in a greater light than what is commonly believed?
And even IF the common belief were true—that God actually made this man blind so the works of God could be made manifest in him, we must conclude that the “works of God” can be only healing as this is what Jesus did for the man. You cannot plug other “works” into this philosophy because we know from Scripture that Jesus never inferred any purpose of sickness other than being healed from it.
David the psalmist proclaimed, I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the LORD. [Psalm 118:17] It is clear that healing of the sick was the works of the Lord as Jesus proclaimed, My Father works hitherto; and I work. Verily, verily I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do. For whatsoever he does, these also does the Son likewise. [John 5:17, 19]
Either Jesus is a liar, or the work of the Lord is to heal. There’s no middle ground here. God is glorified when we declare His works—not the devil’s!
Many people might argue that getting and remaining sick is all a part of the ministry of suffering. Why, if Jesus suffered for our sicknesses and diseases, would He want us to suffer with them? That would mean that what Jesus suffered wasn’t enough! This would also be the same as saying that it is God’s desire that we suffer or tolerate sin.
Any suffering on our part always refers to persecution and other hardships because Jesus didn’t redeem us from persecution, ridicule, rejection, etc. In fact, Jesus promised we would have those things, and the apostle Paul said, Those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. [2 Timothy 3:12]
But we do have many promises concerning healing of sickness and disease in this present world. Again, Jesus NEVER mentioned this “ministry of suffering” with sickness and one would think if it were to be such a prevalent doctrine, He would have mentioned it at least once.
Even in the case of Lazarus (John 11), whom many believe Jesus allowed to be sick and die from this sickness, you must conclude that if God allows someone to be sick and dies, then the only solution is for God to raise them from the dead. And this does not refer to the new birth in Christ or the resurrection from the dead, because Lazarus could not have been born again, and later by all accounts, Lazarus died again—this time for good.
If you believe that Lazarus was sick for the glory of God (John 11:4) you would then also have to accuse Jesus of not glorifying God when He healed others. God was NOT glorified in Lazarus’ sickness nor his death. Rather, God was glorified when Jesus raised him from the dead. In fact, Jesus reminded Martha about the glory of God just prior to raising him from the dead, Said I not unto you that if you would believe, you should see the glory of God? [John 11:40]
Now some of you may bring up Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12) saying that God refused to heal Paul from an infirmity in his flesh. For the sake of repeating myself, I simply suggest that you read my teaching The Truth About Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh. However, I will say that the Bible makes it very clear as Paul wrote that the thorn in the flesh was the messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he be exalted above measure because of the revelations given to him (2 Corinthians 12:7)
It is clear from what Paul wrote of previously (2 Corinthians 11) that this thorn in the flesh was persecution and hardships at the hands of people. The term “thorn in the flesh” is an Old Testament term that always referred to people who would cause trouble for God’s people. It was definitely NOT sickness!
For those who adhere to the doctrine of the sovereignty of God and the ministry of suffering that includes sickness, I want to make sure you’re not a hypocrite. If God is sovereign like you say, or you believe sickness is part of the ministry of suffering, or that God may have some redemptive, character-building, or humbling purpose (I heard Billy Graham tell Larry King that God was using his Parkinsons disease to “break him” of pride), or that He may be using sickness to draw you closer to Him, then PLEASE tell me that you are not seeking medical attention and in rebellion against God’s will for you! PLEASE tell me that you’re not fighting against God’s purposes for you!
If God is sovereign like you think, then He is in complete control of your sickness, and once He has accomplished His purpose for your sickness, then perhaps He will choose to bring healing to you. Therefore, please do not go to the doctor or seek relief from God’s will for you. And also, please don’t relieve the suffering of your children from sickness, because if they’re sick, it must be God’s will for them to be sick as well. And, I also hope that you see the entire health care profession (doctors, nurses, druggist, researchers, scientists, hospital employees) as being of the devil, and antichrist, because if people are sick, it must be God’s will that they are sick, and if they’re trying to make people well against the will of God, then they are of the devil.
People like this place so much faith in this “sovereignty of God” doctrine until they are faced with such bold words.
Part Four
"but it is always good to ask, repeatedly, and in faith."
Let me first give you the biblical definition of “asking”. The Bible teaches that asking is based on a confident expectation of receiving a positive response to a promise previously given. Jesus said, Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. For he who asks receives; and he who seeks finds, and he who knocks it shall be opened. [Matthew 7:7-8]
The human concept of asking is seeking something without an expectation of a positive response, with an equal chance that the answer will be “no.”
After teaching the biblical principle of asking, the Lord then compares our responses to God’s by saying, Or what man is there of you whom if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good gifts to them that ask him? [Matthew 7:9-11]
Ask, seek, and knock are repetitious in the sense that they all come with the promise that when you ask, it SHALL be given, when you seek, it SHALL be found, and when you knock, it SHALL be opened to you. As the apostle Paul wrote, For all the promises of God are in him Yes, and in him Amen to the glory of God by us. [2 Corinthians 1:20] This states that God is glorified when His promises are fulfilled in us (John 14:13; John 15:7-8).
John wrote, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask (seek) anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that hears us, whatsoever we ask (seek), we know that we have (present tense) the petitions that we desired of him. [1 John 5:14-15]
The Bible reveals the will of God concerning healing of the body as much as it reveals His will regarding the forgiveness of sins and regeneration of the spirit. God need not give any special revelation outside His written word when it is clearly revealed in His written revelation. He has promised healing for you!
The concept of “asking repeatedly” is not taught in the Bible because does not harmonize with faith. Faith demands that you believe your request has been answered by God, and that you have whatsoever you asked Him. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [Hebrews 11:1]
The thought that you must repeatedly ask for what is clearly revealed in His word insinuates that God is the variable regarding our prayers being answered. Many Christians (who are supposed to actually know God’s will) will say, “You never know what God is going to do.” They may even quote the Bible when it says, Eye has not seen nor ear has heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for them that love him. [1 Corinthians 2:9] However, they fail to complete the apostle Paul’s thought in the next verse that says, But God has revealed them (the things God has prepared for them that love Him) to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea the deep things of God. [1 Corinthians 2:10]
I can assure you of this… God is NEVER the variable concerning His promises. His promises are just as they seem—they are promises that whosoever will seek Him diligently, they will be rewarded with their fulfillment, which pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). If any of God’s promises are not fulfilled in your life, God is not the variable because He is always faithful. Again, let us allow the Bible to dictate our theology!
The Bible says, Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is NO VARIABLENESS neither shadow of turning, of his own will he begat us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. [James 1:16-18]
Many have been taught the concept of “storming” the throne of God with your requests to God, to keep pestering, and nagging God with incessant cries and pleas for your prayers to be answered. They may even refer to Jacob, who prevailed against God when he wouldn’t let go until God blessed him (Genesis 32:24-26). And as silly as this seems, this comes from Scripture—albeit a misinterpretation of two parables Jesus taught.
In Luke 11, Jesus taught a parable that is parallel to His teaching in Matthew 7 concerning asking and receiving. In Luke’s gospel account, Jesus teaches this parable immediately prior to saying, Ask and you shall receive…
We begin in Luke 11:5-9, And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give to you. I say to you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity (impudence) he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
And I say to you, Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you…
Many are taught that since Jesus is teaching this, He is describing the character of God in His response to your impudent prayers—that He won’t answer them because He is your friend, but because of your boldness, He will give to you.
You must pay attention to His words because Jesus is comparing and contrasting man’s response to your requests, and God’s. The key is located in verse 9 when Jesus says, And I say to you… stressing this is what He would do. While the person will respond out of impudence, God responds out of His love and desire to give good gifts to His children with a guarantee that you will get what you ask for, and find what you are seeking.
The second incorrectly applied teaching of this is found in Luke 18:1-8, which is called the parable of the unjust judge: And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint, saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall not God avenge his own elect who cry day and night to him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?
Simply because Jesus refers to this judge as “unjust” it should be clear that He is not equating him to God. Rather, as He did with the neighbor, the Lord was revealing an absolute contrast. Again, the Lord clearly states what the unjust judge did, and then declares what God would do, which was to answer immediately although they are not living up to their potential.
Where most people slip in this teaching is in the first verse that says, And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not faint. Most people interpret praying always as “repeated asking” and not fainting as “never giving up” while praying always in this context means that we should always be in fellowship with God, to pray without ceasing. And “not fainting” refers to faith of which Jesus wonders whether there will be any faith upon His return (v. 8).
Jesus is VERY clear that God’s response will be speedily, and is teaching them to never stop believing this promise—even when the answer isn’t manifested in the natural. Any prayer “asking” God for something you have already requested in prayer is a prayer of unbelief, and implies that you are not believing God has answered your first request. This is unbelief to the tenth power! With this way of thinking, it’s no wonder people who follow this doctrine rarely receive anything from God, because God’s power is always accessed through faith (Romans 5:2; James 1:5-8).
The Bible teaches that we already possess God’s promises to us in Christ as it is written, According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue. [2 Peter 1:3]
John wrote that we are to be confident in God’s promises that are in God’s word. Our confidence lies in the fact that God hears us, and that if he hears us, then we know we have whatever we are seeking from Him (1 John 5:14-15).
The Bible says, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. [Hebrews 10:35-37]
Faith demands that when we seek a promise in God’s written word—His will, we should know that we have what was promised. Therefore, the manifestation of this promise comes through knowledge and relationship with God (2 Peter 1:3).
And when we are seeking something that is not plainly stated in God’s word, we should ask or seek in faith that God answers instantly and not to waver in doubt and unbelief, because as the Scripture says, For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. [James 1:5-8]
In regards to healing, it is absolutely clear from Scripture that it is a promise of God to anyone and everyone; and the way of this promise being profitable to anyone is to mix faith with it (Hebrews 4:1-2). There is no reason to “ask” in the human sense because God has given healing to us by promise, and through the redemption that is in His Son Jesus. Therefore, all we must do is after hearing the good news, confess with your mouth what Jesus did for you in regards to healing, and believe in your heart that His resurrection is what sealed this promise and you shall be healed (Romans 10:9).
In other words, the Bible says, But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must believe that he is the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26), the one who bore your sicknesses as well as your sins (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24), and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and that He is faithful to hasten His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12; Isaiah 38:7; Ezekiel 12:25) and that His word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what pleases God (Isaiah 55:11).
Note: This material will be included in my book Above All Things: God’s Desire for Health and Healing.
