Divine Healing

God is the Great Physician. His knowledge of the human mind and body is complete. He can do more for the sick and the diseased than can all earthly doctors and surgeons combined. He created us; is it not reasonable, then, to believe that He can heal us when we are sick?

Christ’s suffering and death purchased healing for us-physically, mentally, and spiritually. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows With his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). This promise definitely includes physical healing, for the Gospel of Matthew says this passage was fulfilled by Christ healing of people who were sick: “He cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:16-17). (See also 1 Peter 2:24).

The healing ministry of Christ did not end with His earthly life; it is part of His work in the church today. He promised, These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils . . . “they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). Listed among the gifts of the Spirit for the present-day church are gifts of healing (I Corinthians 12:9).

James 5:14-15 presents God’s plan for divine healing: “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.” Laying on of hands and anointing with oil usually accompany prayer for healing, in accordance with God€™s Word and to focus faith.

Faith in the Lord is the key to receiving healing. The Gospels record that Jesus healed people according to their faith. (See Matthew 9:29;13:58; Mark 2:5; 5:34, 36; 9:23-24;10:52.) By the power of God the Apostle Paul was able to raise up a lame man at Lystra because he perceived that the man had faith to be healed (Acts 14:8-10).

Prayer for healing, like all prayer, must be offered by faith in the name of Jesus, with proper motives, from a repentant heart, and in submission to the will of God (Acts 3:16; James 4:3; I John 3:21-22; 5:14-15). God does not always answer in the manner and time that we expect, but we must always keep our trust in Him, even when we do not understand circumstances. Moreover, whatever healing or release from handicaps and weaknesses that Christians do not receive in this life, they will obtain in the resurrection, for their mortal bodies will be glorified and given immortality, and death itself shall be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26, 49-57).