The Author hereby grants permission to reproduce the text of this article, without changes or alterations*, as a ministry, but not for commercial or non-ministry purposes.

As we begin our exploration of this very practical and personal subject, the first thing we must do is to define what is meant by "divine healing."

We start by eliminating what "divine healing" is not. Divine healing is not "faith healing." Faith is a condition of divine healing, but faith is not some mystical force that by itself heals people. For example, when Jesus said to the woman who had suffered for years from chronic bleeding, "Your faith has made you whole" (Matthew 9:22), He did not mean that her faith in itself did the healing. He only affirmed that her faith fulfilled a necessary condition on her part to receive her healing. God did the healing, in response to her faith.

Divine healing is also not "mind-over-matter." Mental health plays an important role in physical health and also in the natural healing process itself. The Bible has some pertinent things to say on that subject, as we shall see; nevertheless, divine healing in itself is a supernatural act of God that is distinct from the therapeutic benefits of any natural factors. It is not a mentally induced or enhanced state.

Also, divine healing is not "psychic" healing. It is not a mystical "field force" that a person taps into. It is not some human "magnetism" that is supposedly transmitted from some so-called "energy areas" of one person's body to another person's body.

Finally, divine healing is not cultic "spiritual" healing. Satan is a master counterfeiter. He is an expert at fabricating "lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9). He does this to deceive people and lead them into error. Jesus said that people err because they do not know The Scriptures nor the power of God (Matthew 22:29).

Many people who are desperate for a cure will try anything that promises them hope. Satan takes advantage of this to ensnare and ultimately to destroy them. People are vulnerable to demonic deceptions unless they know God and His word.

Divine healing is exactly that. The term defines itself. It is a supernatural act of the loving, personal, self-revealing God that restores a person to health and wholeness. In some cases it is instantaneous; in others it is an accelerated process. Either way, God's power is directly present and active, working either independently of medical science and the body's natural healing processes or beyond the limits of those natural means.

For convenience, miracles of healing have been categorized as "class A" and "class B." Class A miracles are defined as direct and outside of natural causes and processes. The instantaneous healing of a physically handicapped person is an example of a class A miracle.

Class B miracles are the result of God's power working with but beyond medical science and the body's healing processes. An accelerated, highly unusual recovery in answer to prayer, one that amazes the medical personnel and has no scientific explanation (and perhaps even happens contrary to the way medical science functions), is an example of a class B miracle.

Four Views Of Divine Healing.

Popular thinking about divine healing falls into four general categories. At one end are those who reject divine healing altogether, either because they do not believe that God even exists as a personal being or because they believe that God acts exclusively through natural laws and processes.

Next are those who believe that God can heal and sometimes does, but it is unusual for Him to do so. They believe that supernatural divine healing is the exception, not the rule. These believers pray that God will heal the sick "if it is His will," but who in reality expect God to give the sick persons the grace to go through their sufferings in such a way that will strengthen their Christian character and glorify God. Theirs is a genuine though passive faith.

A third position is held by those who believe that it is God's will to heal, and they pray and believe for the healing of the sick on that premise. They believe that divine healing is the rule, not the exception. They pray and believe for healing until God either heals or in His loving and wise sovereignty does otherwise. This is active faith.

At the other end are those who believe that it is always God's will to heal. No exceptions. They take an absolute position when they pray for the healing of the sick. If and when the sick are not healed, either their faith is devastated or they blame themselves (and/or others) for what they perceive to be personal spiritual failure.

The third position is the one taken here as the most Biblical, reasonable, and realistic.

Divine Healing And Medical Science.

It is important to understand that no conflict exists between divine healing and medical science. The two are not antithetical. They just operate with different dynamics.

Some see a conflict between divine healing and medical science in 2 Chronicles 16:12, where it records that late in his reign king Asa "sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians" (KJV). Asa's error was not that he sought the help of the physicians, but the fact that he did not seek the Lord. King Asa rejected God's intervention because his heart had turned away from God. So this example would not apply to people who seek proper medical care, unless at the same they refuse to believe God and seek His intervention. Some see in Asa's actions an embracing of some of the superstitious and perhaps even occult practices of the "physicians" of his day. Whatever the case, it has no applicability to modern medical science.

In the ultimate sense, whether natural or supernatural, all healing is from God. The Creator built into the biological organism the ability to heal itself. It has been said that doctors perform procedures, but God provides the healing (naturally and/or supernaturally).

Researchers develop pharmaceuticals; physicians prescribe them. The industry develops diagnostic and surgical equipment; technicians and surgeons learn how to use them. The ability of modern medical science and technology to make such amazing progress is a clear demonstration of the creative intelligence that God Almighty conferred on human beings when He created us in His image and after His likeness (Genesis 1:26).

The human beings thus created and endowed certainly ought to acknowledge their Creator and honor Him as the source of their own intelligence. To fail to do so is a most unreasonable and inexcusable violation of that God-given intelligence.

In the most productive arrangements God and human beings work together. In healing, this synergism of supernatural and natural, prayer and practice, faith and medicine, spirit and body, best serves the whole person.

The sick need a physician (Luke 5:31), and the physician needs God. Rare is the doctor who has practiced medicine for a length of time who does not have in his or her record cases of healing and recovery that could not be explained medically. And it is not coincidental that the recurring constant in these cases is that the patients were the subjects of earnest, believing prayer. A serious study of these cases should demonstrate a significant coefficient of correlation between prayer and dramatic and/or unexplainable recovery. "Spontaneous remission" or "cause of recovery unknown" in the medical records are oblique statements that mean nothing and do not address the issue properly.

The Basis Of Divine Healing.

The ultimate basis of the provision of divine healing and health is the very nature and character of God Himself. God revealed that a component of His self-revelatory Name is Jehovah-rapha, "the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). That is, it is part of God's covenant name precisely because it is part of His immutable nature and character. God does not change. He is the God who by His very nature brings about wholeness.

Why is this so? Because God's moral character is summed up in the full meaning of one word--love. God loves people. God heals because it glorifies Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. He heals because it confirms His word, brings people to believe (Mark 16:20; John 20:30, 31), and establishes the faith of believers in His power and not in human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:5). Still, the most direct and immediate reason that God heals is that He loves people. God the Father has provided healing through the stripes of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:4, 5 with Matthew 8:16, 17). He has literally a "God-size" compassion for the sick and suffering.

Oh, that humanity would grasp the breadth, length, and depth of the foundational motivation, the ultimate cause, of all that God does and allows to be done--His infinite love! God's infinite love directs His infinite power according to His infinite wisdom to secure the highest and greatest possible amount of good, all things being considered together. How wise, how great and wonderful, is our loving God!

It might seem to some that a consideration of the causes of illness is an unnecessary study of the obvious. But if we are going to be thorough, we must take into account this very pertinent part of the subject. A review of the causes of sickness and disease helps to give perspective to our understanding of the role of divine healing in physical wholeness.

Some people are asking God to heal them when in reality they just need to change their unhealthful physical and mental lifestyle. They need discipleship as much as deliverance.

I am very well aware that I am writing this chapter as a non-professional in the non-spiritual categories. But the concepts are not technical, and I believe that they can be addressed here adequately as they relate to our larger subject.

In the process of praying for the sick, it is not uncommon to oversimplify the cause of illness. Some blame it all on God. Others blame it all on the devil. Still others blame it all on personal sin or spiritual failure.

As we know, health problems have a variety of "causes." We will endeavor to place them into broad categories.

Poor Personal Habits.

The first category is poor personal habits, broadly defined. The word of God informs us that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and it commands us to glorify God in our bodies and in our human spirits (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Our bodies and our spirits belong to God both by creation and by redemption. In that sense the human body is sacred. There is nothing secular about human health and healing. This implies that medical science is not strictly a secular discipline. Health care professionals are working on and in God's temples. In that sense they are working together with God and under accountability to Him.

As an aside, think of the implications this has for euthanasia, so-called "doctor assisted suicide," and the other trite clichés that flow out of the totally erroneous premise that "it is my body." It has implications also for another practice that results from the same erroneous premise--abortion.

Our bodies are intended to be our servants, not our masters. We are to keep our bodies under discipline (see 1 Corinthians 9:27); to eat and drink to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31); and to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). We are commanded and also morally obligated to use the members of our bodies as "instruments of righteousness" instead of tools of sinful indulgence (Romans 6:12, 13).

If we recognize these established principles, we have a higher motive in caring for our bodies than merely enlightened self-interest. Realizing that our bodies are not toys, we avoid unnecessary physical risks and "dare-devil" practices. We reject the ascetic abuses of the human body that many have practiced on the erroneous Gnostic assumption that the human body is inherently evil (see Colossians 2:23).

Contagion comes under the broad category of poor personal habits. Contagion is a major source of sickness. We are surrounded by micro-organisms (germs). Infections are brought about by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and even yeast spores.

In the Bible, God gave ancient Israel a set of regulations concerning hygiene that were far beyond the scientific knowledge of the time. A major purpose of these regulations was to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

Years ago I was the pastor of a church in rural southern Oregon. One of the families that included several children were ill and could not get well. Time after time they came forward during the church services for prayer for healing but did not get better. They were renting a house with a well and a large water storage tank. One time when they came forward for prayer God impressed us to ask them if they had tested their water supply and cleaned the tank. They replied that they had not, but would do so right away. They drained the tank and discovered dead rats in the bottom (my apologies to you who are eating lunch while reading this). They cleaned the tank and almost immediately recovered from their illness.

Poor personal habits also includes improperly prepared and preserved foods. These can result in poor health. Some other poor personal habits include: not dressing properly for the weather, and unwise exposure to the weather; overexposure to the sun without sun-screen; handling public or other contaminated objects and then eating and/or touching the face without first washing and sanitizing the hands; neglecting to take care of cuts and scratches; sharing personal items, such as eating and drinking utensils; unnecessary public contact during cold and flu seasons; close personal contact with those with contagion; unsanitized day care centers and nurseries (including church nurseries!); lack of proper rest and/or exercise; careless physical stress and strain; poor posture; poorly fitting eyeglasses (some people get prayer for recurring headings when what they need is new eyeglasses!); and eating disorders that require medical intervention.

No doubt you can add to the list.

Narcotics certainly come under the heading of poor personal habits, even destructive personal habits. These include a whole range of addictive substances, from "hard" drugs to alcohol, to tobacco, to diet pills, to improperly used prescription drugs (including reactions to prescription drugs).

Improper Nutrition.

Another underlying "cause" of poor health is improper nutrition. This includes everything from malnutrition to over-eating. Food fads and diet fads can take their toll on the body. Extremes are not healthy. It is said that some people "get religion," while others "get nutrition!" However, following sound nutritional practices is part of the believers' discipleship to the Lord.

Fat-loaded fast foods and sugar-saturated soft drinks are a significant part of the American and other western diet. Psalm 103:5 says that God fills our mouths with good things so that our youth is renewed as the eagle's. God has provided health-sustaining and health-renewing food sources. Filling our mouths and stomachs with "junk" food does not keep us young and healthy. Some people are truly "digging their graves with their teeth."

A minister was praying for a woman who was suffering from "nerves." He asked her how much caffeinated coffee she was drinking. Her reply indicated that she drank an excessive amount daily. The minister laid hands on her and prayed, "Dear Lord, save our sister from her drunkenness!"

Genetics.

Genetics, including birth defects, is another category. A favorite "trump card" of unbelievers is to point to imperfections in nature, especially sickness, disease, and birth defects, as evidence that God does not exist; or that He did not create everything good and perfect, and therefore He is not a good and loving God.

It is important to emphasize that the physical creation (including the human body and its genetic make-up) is not as God originally made it. Human sin has made it morally necessary for God to limit the human life-span so that individual sinners do not have the opportunity that an extremely long life-span would give them to progress in moral depravity. The entire creation (including our mortal bodies) is under the "curse" (see Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:19-23).

The exceptionally long life-span before the Flood was later shortened by divine decree to about 120 years (Genesis 6:3). This involved geophysical, environmental, climatological, and probably genetic changes that altered the operation of the laws of physics to fit the new physical conditions.

Later, this was shortened even further to about 70 years or so (Psalm 90:10).

So, instead of blaming the Creator, we should look at our own rebellion and disobedience as the ultimate reason for a cosmos that is characterized by entropy and decay.

Instead of progressive complexity, we have progressive randomness. This process operates in the physical body in the form of mutations--those genetic alterations that generally introduce disorder into the orderly biological system. These are often passed on to future generations.

This certainly does not mean that each individual who suffers from a genetic disorder or a degenerative disease is personally responsible. Of course not. It does mean that all of us share the human condition, specifically the results of the curse. Some of the most godly saints have suffered greatly and through no fault of their own (2 Corinthians 5:1-9 would be excellent reading right now).

Also, birth defects are certainly not the fault of the sufferer. Blaming the parents or even the victim was the error in the thinking of the disciples of Jesus concerning the man who was born blind. They asked Him, "Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2). Jesus said neither. It should be noted, however, that mothers can and some do greatly and even permanently impair their unborn children by drugs and other harmful actions.

The same is true of neural and mechanical malfunctions. For some reason the body mechanisms just do not function properly.

The "travail" of the creation will continue until the resurrection.

Aging.

And, of course, the aging process itself brings with it a whole range of geriatric maladies. As we get older, we get the "B's": baldness, bifocals, bulges, and bunions. And these are merely the minor nuisances. The divine decree is: "Dust you are, and to dust you will return" (Genesis 3:19).

Psychological and Spiritual.

Many illnesses have their roots in psychological and even spiritual conditions. We all know what a toll stress can take on our bodies as well as on our minds. Stress-related illnesses are common. We can think and talk ourselves into a psychosomatic syndrome. The well-known story is told of the hypochondriac who had written on his tombstone: "I told you I was sick."

The problem takes on a spiritual component when the stress is the direct or indirect result of personal disobedience to God, or even a deviation from Biblical principles out of ignorance. If it involves disobedience, the inner conflict between reason and rebellion results in the "wretched man" of Romans, Chapter 7.

Proverbs 14:30 reads, "A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones" (KJV). Strife, anger, resentment and bitterness have much the same effect. By contrast, "pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24 KJV).

The connection between mental attitude and physical health is mentioned in The Scriptures. Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV) reads, "A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." And Proverbs 18:14 (KJV) declares, "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?" Many people who have physical ailments rise above them by the inner strength of their own human spirit. But if and when their spirit is "broken," many just give up. That is why believers must remain strong in their spirit through the word of God, prayer, and faith.

Because of the interaction among spirit, soul, and body, the disciplined and balanced emotional development of the inner person is essential to total health and well-being. This begins with a primary relationship with God. The worship of God is the highest human function. In the Magnificat, Mary declared, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46, 67 NKJV). From a personal and vital relationship with God through Jesus Christ flows a healthy relationship with one's self, with other individuals, and with one's social and physical environment.

Even many genuine Christians needlessly suffer from preventable stress because they do not think Biblically. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV). Jesus said to His disciples (and us), "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27 KJV). And look at Paul's inspired prescription for mental and spiritual health in Philippians 4:3-8. These are but a sample of the rich treasure of spiritual preventives of and antidotes to all kinds of inner stresses.

Let it be "shouted from the housetops": A BIBLICAL LIFESTYLE IS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!

Divine Chastening and Judgment.

Sin and sickness often go together in a cause and effect connection, none more so than in the violation of God's natural and therefore moral laws regarding human sexuality.

"Secularists" can arrogantly dismiss God's decrees setting the boundaries of human sexual behavior and His stern warnings about the consequences of transgressing those boundaries. But they cannot dismiss the inexorable laws of sowing and reaping. Reality refuses to be repealed. Romans l:26 and 27 is rooted in the reality of human nature and relationships; therefore it will stand as long as human sexuality shall exist.

We must not overlook or dismiss divine chastisement and also divine judgment as a cause of some sickness. Some who have an incomplete and/or unbalanced view of the character and universal moral government of God will react against this. However, a review of Biblical history will bring out many examples of this very principle.

The sixth plague upon the ancient Egyptians consisted of "boils and blains" (Exodus 9:8-12). Miriam was stricken with "leprosy" temporarily because she rose up against her brother Moses (Numbers 12:10-16).

When king Herod Agrippa I killed the apostle James with the sword and later proudly accepted the adulation and even worship of the people of Tyre and Sidon, an angel of the Lord "smote him with worms and he died" (Acts 12:20-23). On Cyprus Elymas the sorcerer was stricken with temporary blindness when he interfered with Paul's presentation of the gospel to Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:11). Later, Paul wrote to the church at Corinth that many of them were sick and some had even died because they had profaned the Lord's supper (1 Corinthians 11:30-32). Read also Leviticus 26:14-16 and Deuteronomy 28:15-61).

Demonic Activity.

Satanic (demonic) activity is present in some physical ailments. Here again materialists will dismiss this as primitive and "pre-scientific." But those who have encountered demonic activity know that the Bible is "right on" here as well as elsewhere.

Demons often manifest themselves in human disorders, either as the primary cause or to a greater or lesser degree aggravating agents.

Job 2:7 records, "Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head" (NASB). It is important to know from Job 1:12 that Satan could not afflict Job beyond God's specific limits.

Luke 13:11 records that Jesus healed a woman who had a "spirit of infirmity." Jesus said that she had been "bound by Satan" for 18 years!

Acts 10:38 records Peter's familiar declaration that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (NKJV).

The apostle Paul had a "thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan" to buffet him. This was allowed by God to prevent Paul from becoming exalted within himself and by others because of the great and abundant revelations God was giving him (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Here again, Satan could do no more to a believer than God's specific and limiting permission would allow.

This review of the causes of human physical sickness and suffering is general and does not claim to be exhaustive. There is no doubt that health professionals can expand on what has been said here and add things that have been left out. However, it is hoped that it will serve the purposes of our exploration of the subject of divine healing.

We start this chapter by reaffirming that the ultimate basis of the provision and therefore the promises of divine healing is the nature and character of God Himself. He declares, "I am the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15:26 NKJV). What God does is based on who He is.

Besides God's majestic announcement in Exodus 15:26 that embodies His very covenant name, God specifically promised "I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (Exodus 23:25 NKJV). This promise is conditioned upon obedience, of course, just as are the rest of His promises.

One of the blessings that God promised to those who obey Him is recorded in Deuteronomy 7:15. "And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you" (NKJV).

Isaiah prophesied that "the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. . ." (KJV). This is a messianic prophecy, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

And, of course, we know and love Isaiah's beautiful prophecy in Isaiah 53 concerning Jesus Christ, that our Lord fulfilled so completely and in such detail. Part of that prophecy says, "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" (verse 5 KJV).

Peter cites this prophecy and Christ's fulfillment of it in his first epistle (1 Peter 2:24).

Some assert that the passage in Isaiah 53 means spiritual healing only, not physical healing. Few if any would deny that spiritual healing is certainly included; nevertheless, Matthew 8:16 and 17 specifically states that this passage refers to physical healing. "And when the even was come, they brought unto him [Jesus] 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 Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses" (KJV).

The psalmist stated, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction . . ." (NKJV). See also Jeremiah 30:17.

In the New Testament we have the risen Lord's promise: "These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 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" (Mark 16:17, 18 KJV). This quotation is cited without commenting now on its textual issues.

Just before His crucifixion Jesus assured those who believe on Him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:12-14 NKJV). Accordingly, we find the gifts of healings listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to the Church as a whole and individually to believers. (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30).

And so we read in James 5:14-16, "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. Confess our faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed" (KJV).

According to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, the verb sozo, pronounced "sodzo," (save) and the cognate noun, soteria (salvation), include the ideas of saving, keeping safe and sound, rescuing, making well, healing, restoring to health; and (present and future) also making a person a sharer in salvation from sin and its consequences through Jesus Christ.

Closely associated with divine healing is what the Bible says also about what could be called "divine health." God not only heals; He also knows how to keep us well. Of course, there are conditions that God has laid down that we must follow. More about that in the next chapter. Here we call attention to the promises themselves.

Psalm 105:37 records this remarkable fact concerning the ancient Israelites who came out of Egypt: "He brought them forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes" (KJV).

And in Deuteronomy 33:25 we read the familiar promise, "As your days, so shall your strength be" (NKJV).

These promises do not guarantee that believers will never get sick. Human experience demonstrates, and The Scriptures themselves indicate, otherwise. What they do assure us is that God is the sustainer of our health, and also our healer in times of sickness and suffering.

As was said before, there are conditions attached to these promises. These are the subject of our next chapter.

It is important to keep in mind that if we are going to enjoy God-given health, we must follow the God-given principles of health. We cannot violate those principles by poor personal habits and lifestyle choices and then expect God to keep us healthy in spite of our carelessness. That borders on tempting God. God's promises are not a guarantee of good health regardless of how we live.

Years ago a man asked me to pray that God would heal him of emphysema. He was an older man who had been smoking for many years. Before I prayed for him I urged him to quit smoking both as a matter of personal health and also as a matter of Christian discipleship. Immediately I sensed him "freezing up" on me and not receiving my counsel. Trying to be courteous and considerate, I went ahead and prayed for him, but I have to admit that my faith for his healing was about a one on a scale of ten. I almost felt as though God was saying to me, "You're asking for what?"

The apostle John wrote to Gaius, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2 NKJV). If some people prospered and were in health as their souls prospered, they would be broke and sick most of the time!

Still, God is a gracious and merciful God. Grace is getting what we do not deserve, and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. None of us has always made the best or even the right lifestyle choices. Many of us suffer the effects of our past unhealthy choices, effects that we cannot change now even though we have changed our lifestyle as believers. As we increase in light, we improve our behavior. Even some believers continue unwittingly in unhealthy behaviors. Honest ignorance is not a sin, but it can be very harmful nevertheless.

So, God's promises of healing are not just for those who have always done things right. If that were the case, who would ever receive divine healing? It is all by grace through faith.

However, faith is not presumptuous. Faith is honest. Faith obeys. Faith lives up to the light that the believer has. Obedience to the word of God from the heart is essential to health and healing. Proverbs 3:7 and 8 (NASB) says, "Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."

Psalm 41:1-3 (NKJV) reads, "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed."

Do you want to get well? How are you treating the poor?

The prophet Isaiah echoes this same truth:

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen:

To loose the bonds of wickedness,

To undo the heavy burdens,

To let the oppressed go free,

And that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;

When you see the naked, that you cover him,

And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,

Your healing shall spring forth speedily . . ." (Isaiah 58:6-8 NKJV).

The Bible also makes it clear that when we pray for anything, including healing, we must pray in faith. Hebrews 11:6 states definitely, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (NKJV). Here we see two prayer principles working together--faith and diligence.

Unbelief blocks healing just as it blocks the blessing of God in other ways. Jesus went to His home town, "And he could there do no mighty work, save [except] that he laid his hands on a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief" (Mark 6:5, 6 KJV).

We must put our faith in the word of God. Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent his word, and healed them" (KJV).

Faith comes by hearing God's word (Romans 10:17). If our faith is going to grow, we must feed it on The Scriptures, not on all the "fluff and stuff" that bombards our ears and eyes through the media and other sources. A thorough "faith check-up" should start with an honest look at what we are feeding it.

Years ago I was driving up Washington Street in Oregon City, Oregon, when I noticed this sign on a restaurant: "Consume mass quantities." Now, that would be a good motto to put on our Bibles. I do not know of anyone who "overeats" on God's word! By contrast, most of the world is starving spiritually due to an acute lack of Biblical knowledge.

When we feed on God's word, we nourish not only our souls but also our bodies. Proverbs 4:20-22 says that the words of wisdom "are life unto those who find them, and health [medicine] to all their flesh" (KJV).

So, let us trust God fully for complete healing. Jeremiah prayed, "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved . . . " (Jeremiah 17:14 KJV).

And Hebrews 11:35 reminds us that through faith "women received their dead raised to life again" (KJV).

With God nothing is impossible. So let us put our full faith and trust in Him.

The Old Testament records only a few occasions of miraculous healings. The people had the promises of God for physical healing and God's specific revelation of Himself as "the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). How many were actually healed is not known. Jesus did say (Luke 4:27) that there were many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet, but none was healed except Naaman. Naaman the Syrian was the only one healed of leprosy in Elisha's time, and that was ultimately the result of the influence of a captive Israeli slave girl. The event is recorded in 2 Kings 5. We will consider this miracle in greater detail a little later.

From the record it seems that the people in general were at such a low spiritual level most of the time that few of them believed for healing. However, the occasions of miraculous healings that are recorded in the Old Testament, though few, were for the most part very dramatic, "class A" healings.

We have already noted the testimony of The Scriptures (Psalm 105:37) that when the Israelites came out of Egypt, "there was not one feeble person among their tribes." If this is indeed a statement of mass healings among the people, it would lead us to conclude that the Passover lamb provided not only deliverance from divine judgment but also physical healing for the covenant people of God. That would make it a significant type foreshadowing the fact that the sacrifice of Christ provides not only forgiveness of sins but also physical healing for all who will believe.

Let us look at the Old Testament record of miraculous healings.

Miriam.

In Numbers chapter 12 we read the account of the insubordination of Moses's brother, Aaron, and sister, Miriam. As a result of their attitude and actions, the glory cloud lifted off from the tabernacle, and Miriam was stricken with advanced "leprosy" as a divine chastisement. Why Miriam was stricken but not Aaron is not explained. Perhaps Aaron was spared because he carried the office, vestments, and anointing of the high priesthood. Perhaps Miriam was the instigator of the murmuring and Aaron just went along with it (as he did in the outrageous incident involving the golden calf, in Exodus 32). Whatever was the reason, Miriam had a very serious illness.

Aaron immediately humbled himself and begged Moses for mercy. Aaron, the high priest, was acting in the role of an intercessor on behalf of his (their) sister. As with all the priests of the order of Aaron, he needed mercy for himself as well as for those for whom he made intercession (see Hebrews 7:27, 28).

As a result of this offense against Moses and also the divine authority that God had placed on him, God prescribed a seven-day exile for Miriam. This caused the entire nation a seven-day delay in their journey. All of this had the effect of making Miriam's offense a matter of public knowledge and concern, totally humbling her and impressing on the people the seriousness of sedition against God's appointed leader. Seven days gave the people a lot of time to think.

In reflecting on this incident we realize that the chastisement was comparatively light. God healed Miriam at the end of seven days, thus sparing her life and restoring her to full health. Truly, God is merciful, and He does not afflict beyond what is necessary (Job 37:23).

The Brazen Serpent.

We go to Numbers chapter 21 for the next recorded event of miraculous healing. Here the murmuring was widespread among the people. The "soul of the people" was much discouraged (which is much deeper than the passing discouragement of one's spirit).

Now they spoke not only against Moses but also against God Himself. As a judgment on this wicked endemic unbelief, God sent fiery serpents among the people, and many died. Judgment on some brought the rest to repentance. God directed Moses to make a serpent of "brass" (bronze) and set it on a pole. If anyone who had been bitten looked on it, he or she was healed.

Of course, there was no healing power in the metal snake. Later on the people made an idol out of it and began to worship it. So King Hezekiah had it destroyed, calling it "a piece of bronze" to remove all superstition attached to it (see 2 Kings18:4). So often in religion, reality degenerates into ritual. When people lose the substance, they continue to hold on to the form because the form is all they have left. No matter how creatively decorated it might be, an empty milk carton will feed nobody. It does not contain what it claims.

The point in this event is that the people's only hope was to place their full trust in what God provided, and to do so immediately. Delay meant death. It was "look and live,"--or die! It was an act of faith alone, and this pointed to the gospel principle of justification by faith. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14, 15 KJV).

The Widow's Son.

The prophet Elijah raised to life the son of the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-23). Raising the dead is a miracle that, by itself, goes beyond divine healing; nevertheless, it involves healing in that it not only restores the entire biochemistry of the body but also heals the fatal condition that caused the death.

Some would claim that because Elijah "stretched himself upon the child three times" (verse 21), that this was merely a case of primitive CPR and therefore resuscitation. The Biblical account does not state specifically that the boy actually died, but that the illness was so severe that "there was no breath left in him" (verse 17). The mother certainly thought that her son was a "goner." So did Elijah; that is why he prayed as he did: "let this child's soul (Hebrew: "nephesh") come into him again" (verse 21).

The account does say that the soul (nephesh) of the child came into him again (verse 22). Nephesh does have a variety of applications in the Old Testament; however, its primary meaning is the core person [see What You Should Know About Yourself, by Dr. J. W. Jepson]. That indicates that the child had actually died, for the soul leaves the body only at death (see Genesis 35:18).

In any case, this event certainly involved the miraculous healing of the child's body.

The Shunamite's Son.

Next we go to 2 Kings 4:18-37. This event is similar to the previous one in some respects. The time was later, during the ministry of the prophet Elisha, the successor of Elijah. In this case, the Bible specifically states that the child died (verses 20 and 32). The record leads us to suspect a sunstroke and/or some kind of brain hemorrhage.

Here again, some would claim that because Elisha stretched himself upon the child and the flesh of the child became warm (verse 34), this also was a case of resuscitation. But the fact that the record states specifically that the child was dead should settle the question for all who accept the divine inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible.

Elisha's behavior was not the determining factor. His prayer and faith were. Stretching himself on the dead body of the child might have been Elisha's way of making a contact of faith, somewhat like the practice of laying on of hands in the healing of the sick.

Again, this event also involved the healing of the trauma that led to the boy's death.

Naaman.

I wrote an article on the healing of Naaman the Syrian that was published in the February, 1978, issue of The Pentecostal Evangel. With minor revisions, here is the article. The text is 2 Kings 5:1-14.

"THE GENERAL WAS DYING"

Leprosy!

Just the mention of the word stung people of the ancient world with terror. It still does in some cultures.

Incurable, terminal, it was a slow death that respected neither wealth nor position. Striking mercilessly, this dreaded plague ravaged its victims psychologically as well as physically, reducing them to social outcasts, leaving them in many cases to die without the comfort and companionship of family and friends.

One outstanding case involved a high-ranking Syrian military officer. Naaman was no ordinary general. On the contrary, he was a military genius whose successes God used providentially to maintain Syrian national security. Second Kings 5:1 indicates this.

As a result, Naaman rose to the top, becoming the military chief of staff.

But one day , perhaps at the height of his career, Naaman noticed in his body some foreboding symptoms. No doubt he had seen those ugly marks in others and perhaps had pitied the poor wretches who bore them to untimely graves.

Could it be possible that the same fearful disease had now seized upon his own flesh to consume it?

No human being can face such a verdict without getting a sick feeling in the pit of the stomach. Naaman must have felt it as the terrible truth sank down into his soul.

But Naaman was a military man. Discipline was his way of life. He did not rise to the top by surrendering to self-pity! National security was his responsibility. The morale of the armed forces was at stake. He had to be brave.

Still, brave or not, he was sick and getting sicker. His wife needed some help around the house. Some commando troops had just returned from a raid into Israel, bringing back a few captives for use as slaves. Perhaps a little Israeli girl would be just what his wife needed.

God is the Master at taking bad situations and bringing good out of them. And so, He who notices the fall of each sparrow saw that He could do something with this proud but hopeless Gentile militarist. A terminal illness has led more than one stubborn soul to listen to God!

A little maid. The Bible does not tell us her name. What it does tell us, though, reveals a lot about her character. She had every reason to sink into sullen, bitter silence. Why did God allow her to be snatched away from home and friends? Why had she been sentenced to the drudgery of doing chores for a Syrian woman and her leprosy-eaten husband?

She could have fed her spirit on the bitter-sweet flavor of revengeful, hateful thoughts, relishing each malignant morsel as it lingered in her mind. "Leprosy. Good enough for you, mister. Just what you deserve."

Yes, she could have allowed herself to become bitter--miserably bitter. But she did not. Instead, she determined to serve God and others wherever God in His providence allowed her to be.

That is why God could use her. Full of faith and the love of God, she became a shining witness in a foreign land to the healing power of God.

"And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:3 KJV). What faith at a time when no lepers in Israel were getting healed!

Now, faith-talk like that soon gets around. When it reached Naaman, he was ready to listen--and act.

The wheels of diplomacy started turning. Soon Naaman was off to see the king of Israel, accompanied by his servants and carrying a load of costly gifts, plus an official letter.

Pathetic, isn't it? Here is a miserable man totally ignorant of God and of how God works, trying vainly through money and diplomatic channels to secure life and wholeness.

The king of Israel wasn't much better. He knew who the true and living God is, but he did not know Him personally. Having nothing spiritual to offer the man, the king panicked, reacting with fear and suspicion. The whole affair nearly provoked an international incident!

Poor Naaman. Like so many today, he had gone as far as material possessions and social position could take him; yet he was no nearer to the answer to the questions of life and death than he was when he started.

But the prophet of God knew the situation. Elisha knew God and he knew where he stood with God. He also knew that if Naaman was going to receive anything from the Lord, it would be by faith; and the test of faith is humble obedience.

"Let him come now to me," Elisha directed (verse 8). Now, Naaman's pride would have demanded that things be done on his terms. After all, should not this common prophet have been summoned to the royal palace as a matter of deference to Naaman's official position and dignity? Protocol would have so dictated.

But God is not the servant of the proud. He does not bow to the demands of the human ego. If we receive anything from Him, it is on His terms--the humble obedience of faith.

So it seemed like a real concession for this man of position, accustomed as he was to doing things the "acceptable" way, to act outside of his official "class" and go to the house of Elisha.

What a sight Naaman's entourage must have been as it pulled up in front of the prophet's dwelling. If only his peers and subordinates back in Syria could have seen him now! Certainly this was as far as he could reasonably be expected to go in accommodating his dignity to the prophet's requirements!

But what is this? Elisha declined even to come out and meet Naaman in person! Instead, he sent his servant out with this message: "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean" (verse 10).

Elisha wasn't even interested in Naaman's rich gifts. Strange indeed!

It was all too much for Naaman. He got mad and went away. "I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" he fumed (verse 11).

"I thought." Many people are like that. They have it all figured out in their own minds just how God ought to answer their prayers, how He ought to work things out for them.

It is important for us to understand that God is not a "genie" that we can train to be our personal servant and do magic tricks for us at our bidding or coaxing. God is our Sovereign and Lord, whom we are to love, trust, and obey.

Certainly, God loves us, and He is concerned about our well-being. For that reason He wants first and foremost to bring us into a right relationship with Himself. A personal relationship with God is far more important than anything temporal that we can receive from Him. In fact, receiving things from God is conditioned upon a right relationship with God in Jesus Christ. And that involves taking our proper place of humility and submission before Him.

It has been said that God does not want to hurt our pride; He wants to kill it! By pride is not meant self-respect, but rather our insistence on self-supremacy, autonomy, on the imagined "right" to rule our own lives, to be our own little "supreme being."

That attitude places self in direct competition with Almighty God for the place that is rightfully His alone. It is hostility toward God (Romans 8:7). God cannot tolerate it because it is an attitude not only grossly dishonoring to Him but also totally ruinous to ourselves. It is the very attitude that changed Lucifer into Satan; and if pride will change an archangel into a devil, imagine what it does to people. No wonder God cannot allow it to remain in His universe.

God loved Naaman and wanted very much to heal him. But more important, God wanted to straighten out Naaman's heart and mind.

Naaman wanted ceremony befitting his position; the prophet prescribed humility to remedy his spiritual condition. Naaman wanted the benefits; God insisted on the prerequisites. Naaman wanted to be a passive recipient; God required that he be an active respondent. So, Naaman "turned and went away in a rage" (verse 12).

God always provides us with an occasion to reveal what is in our spirit. This was the general's moment of truth, and he reacted by exhibiting pride, national prejudice, and rejection.

Oh yes, he was willing to go part way--to wash, but in the rivers of his own choosing. He reminds us of people who are willing to be religious if they can dictate the terms. They want to play games with God, to bargain with Him. But God is not playing games, and He is not bargaining with human pride and rebellion. He loves us too much to toy with us.

Naaman went off in a rage, creating a spiritual deadlock that closed Heaven against him and left him on his course to certain death from leprosy. By his rebellious attitude Naaman did not put God in a bind, but he certainly put himself in one. We always do that when we disobey God.

It was a standoff. Both sides were waiting it out. But there was one big difference--God had plenty of time; Naaman did not. The general was dying, and a dying man is a desperate man.

Fortunate for him, Naaman had a realistic staff. His advisers mustered up enough courage to make this sensible suggestion: "If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" (verse 13 NKJV).

"Do something great." Oh, how fond people are of "do-it-yourself " salvation schemes. They are willing to do "some great thing" to merit favor with God. They will make pilgrimages, climb stairs on their knees, donate money to religious and charitable causes, pile up "good" works--anything that will bring them a self-achieved sense of peace, rightness, and goodness.

That is, they will do anything except the one thing they must do--admit that they can do nothing to save themselves, surrender to God completely and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from our sins. God's formula is always: "Wash and be clean."

So Naaman surrendered. "Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (verse 14 KJV).

Full obedience. Seven dips; not five, not six. Anything other than full obedience is not obedience at all. Six dips would have been disobedience, not six-sevenths of obedience.

When Naaman met the conditions, he got what was promised. The same principle still holds true today.

Yes, Naaman received his healing. But what is even more important, he had a new heart. He met the true and living God. He was now a whole man, transformed in his soul as well as healed in his body. Instead of pride, pomp, and prejudice, he exhibited humility, obedience, and faith. Five times to Elisha he referred to himself as "your servant."

The prophet's benediction was, "Go in peace" (verse 29).

Peace. He had not even come for that. Many people who have healthy bodies do not have peace. Perhaps you are one of them. You yearn for peace, but it seems to elude you. Naaman found it by surrendering to God.

That is the way you will find it, too. Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (KJV).

God is waiting for you. Surrender to Him now. Believe and be made whole.

Hezekiah's Prayer For The People.

Hezekiah was an outstanding king of Judah. He "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 29:2 KJV). One of the major events of his reign was the renewal of the celebration of the Passover (2 Chronicles 30). During the celebration, Hezekiah prayed to God to pardon and accept every one who had prepared his heart to seek God but who had not gone through the purification rituals "of the sanctuary" (verses 18, 19). Verse 20 reports that "the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people."

The statement is very brief and almost matter-of-fact; yet it records a powerful event. A "wave" of God's healing power swept through the people. It must have been a dramatic scene as people en masse experienced healing and wholeness. One can only imagine the joy and rejoicing. It all presaged the mighty healings that took place during the earthly ministry of Jesus, the ministry of the apostles and others during the early decades of the Church, and wherever people today exercise faith in God for healing.

Hezekiah.

In 2 Kings 20:1-7 the Bible records that Hezekiah himself was healed of a terminal illness. God sent the prophet Isaiah with the message that the king was going to die (verse 11). Hezkiah turned his face to the wall and poured out his heart to the Lord. God heard his prayer, healed him, and added 15 years to his life.

Why did God declare Hezekiah's death at that time? We acknowledge that God knows the future with absolute precision and certainty. God saw that Manasseh, Hezekiah's wicked son, would lead the nation into a depth of sin from which they would never recover short of the Babylonian captivity (see 2 Kings 23:26; 24:3, 4). Later, Manasseh humbled himself before the Lord; but the damage he had done to Judah was irreparable and had brought them past the point of no return.

Manasseh was 12 years old when he began his wicked and destructive reign. It is not difficult to do the math.

Also, 2 Chronicles 32:25-31 records that king Hezekiah's heart became "lifted up" with pride. Later, he humbled himself, as did also the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we cannot help but wonder if that spiritual lapse occurred when Manasseh was a child, and if it had a devastating effect on Manasseh during those crucial formative years. And even though the population of Jerusalem humbled themselves before the Lord, did that period of pride and rebellion sow its bitter seeds in the minds and hearts of those who would be part of Manasseh's future administration?

This is a sobering thought for those who recklessly forsake the Lord and go their own way during the precious period of time when their priceless children are growing up. And what a horrible price those children may have to pay both for time and for eternity.

Not only that, but it was during that 15 years of added life that Hezekiah committed the foolish blunder of showing all the royal treasury to the emissaries from Babylon (2 Kings 20:12-19 and 2 Chronicles 32:31). In that incident "God left him to try him." After all, he had turned to himself and thus away from God. He had left God; so God left him alone so that the king would expose what was in his heart. That and Isaiah's rebuke (2 Kings 20:14-19) might have been the "wake up call" that led to Hezekiah's repentance.

What is remarkable is that, knowing ahead of time what extending Hezekiah's life would lead to, God still granted him healing. Such is the abundant grace of our loving God toward those who cry out to him from an earnest and sincere heart.

This leads us into the heart of the subject of divine healing. The healing ministry of Jesus Christ while He was here on earth contains, embodies, and exemplifies the full range of the principles and conditions of divine healing. Jesus did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19, 20). That showed the disciples what the Father is doing so that they could know and continue to do the same. And it is all recorded in The Scriptures for us so that we as believers can know and continue to do what the Father is doing, and to do so according to the word of God and in the name of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

For these reasons a serious exploration of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ while He was here on earth will comprise the largest portion of our study. Each occasion will be a sub-section of Chapter VI. Some sections will be articles that have been published, just as was the section on the healing of Naaman in the previous chapter.

"Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him . . ." (Acts 2:22 KJV).

"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38 NKJV).

The ministry of Jesus included raising the dead and casting out demons. Although the raising of the dead certainly included the healing of the body of whatever sickness caused the death, and casting out demons removed the demonic factor in the organic and/or functional disorder, these events will not be included here. In cases where Jesus raised the dead, that act in itself is the main focus, and the concomitant healing is incidental. Regarding demonic activity, I address this in What You Should Know About The Spirit World. The healing of the woman with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:10-17) will be included because it tells how Jesus healed the effects of demonic activity rather than strictly the casting out of demons.

Let us follow the footprints of the Master as He brought healing and wholeness to the people by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The Healing Of The Nobleman's Son.

The following was first published in the March 11, 1990 issue of The Pentecostal Evangel. With minor revisions, it is reprinted here. The text is John 4:46-54.

"COME BEFORE MY LITTLE BOY DIES!"

His eyes were closed now, his breathing shallow. The young lad had fought bravely. The physicians had done their best. But raw courage and primitive medical knowledge were no match for this devastating sickness.

Helpless, his father stood nearby. Anxiety and frustration churned inside him as he stared at the prostrate form of his son. The furnishings of the room evidenced that he was a man of position and means. A royal official, he lived in one of the finest houses in Capernaum. He had worked hard and reached the top. But none of that mattered now. His son was dying, and influence and wealth were powerless to prevent it.

Meanwhile Jesus had just returned from Jerusalem. There at the Passover He had caused quite a stir, clearing the temple area of moneychangers and performing astonishing miracles.

But the Lord's heart was grieved. Like Nicodemus, the people believed on him as a "teacher come from God" because of His miracles (John 3:2). But they failed to recognize that His authority and miracles confirmed His deity. Yes, there had been that bright, joyous time in Samaria when the soul-weary woman He met at Jacob's well realized He was her Messiah, and her life was transformed (John 4). But most of the people regarded Him as nothing more than a miracle worker, seeing the display of His power but not realizing what it really said about His person.

Miracles should lead us to believe in Jesus for who He really is. But once established, such faith no longer depends on miracles. It is based instead on the eternal verities of His deity and redemptive work.

Back in Galilee, Jesus decided to visit Cana, where He had changed the water to wine. He had made it clear that a prophet has no honor in his own country. His being a "local" only added one more obstacle to their ever coming to real, saving faith in Him.

However, desperation has a way of driving people to Jesus. They might not have a correct understanding of Him. Their motive might not be any higher than their need of the moment. Their concern is not about Him as the Son of God, Savior, and Lord of life, but only about what He can do right now to solve the pressing problem. Jesus is valuable to them only so far as He is useful. Although this grieves the Lord, it does provide a starting point, an opportunity for Him to lead us from where we are to where we ought to be.

Somehow in the dark hour of his despair this royal official at Capernaum learned that Jesus had returned from Jerusalem. Immediately he set out for Cana, a new flame of hope flickering within him. As soon as he arrived, he began begging the Master to come down to Capernaum and heal his son, by now near death.

Jesus saw in this court official the same attitude He had encountered in so many others. And so Jesus responded, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders . . . you will never believe " (John 4:48 NIV). In essence the Lord was saying, "You believe in Me as a miracle worker, and then only because you see signs and wonders; but you are missing Me."

But the man was in no frame of mind right then to consider the truth about this Jesus of Nazareth. One desperate fact alone dominated his mind--his little boy was about to die.

"Come down," the father begged.

"Go your way; your son lives," Jesus replied.

Immediately this created a crisis in this man's soul. Imagine his agony as he struggled with the divine summons to true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The life-or-death issue was now totally in his hands, depending on his decision either to believe or not to believe.

He had two options. He could give up on this healer in bitter disappointment. Jesus had declined to come; so forget the whole thing. If this is religion, he could do without it. But what would that lead to? Grief and tears, a funeral, a little grave in Capernaum. No, that option is out. Unbelief is a dead end.

But what, then, was the alternative? Believe the word of Jesus and act on it. That meant putting his trust in Jesus' veracity and authority. And that in turn meant facing the issue of who Jesus really is.

We do not grow into faith. Although the process that leads to faith often takes time and involves a growing awareness of the truth, faith itself is a definite step, an act of the will, a decision.

And what was this desperate father's decision? Verse 50 reports the triumph: "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he started off " (NASV). The father's faith went as far as it could go with the light he had, and that was far enough.

He received no word on his son's condition until the next day. Hour after hour he had absolutely nothing to hold on to but the word of Jesus. But that was enough.

The word of Jesus Christ is always enough. We have faith in His word because we have faith in His person. Because Jesus Christ is who He is, His word is true and trustworthy.

Somewhere along the road back to Capernaum the father saw his servants coming to meet him, and they seemed excited.

"Your boy lives!" they shouted.

"What time did he begin to get well?" the father asked joyfully.

"Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him," they replied.

The seventh hour! The exact time Jesus spoke the words, "Your son lives!" It happened when Jesus said it, and it was an accomplished fact from that moment on.

"So he and all his household believed" (vs. 53, NIV). This was a deeper, fuller faith. Our faith grows as we grow in the knowledge of Christ and His word.

"And all his household." We must not miss this result. It is beautiful to see entire families become believers. And this is most likely to happen when dad leads the way. Children and other family members have the best opportunity to make it to Heaven when the head of the household--whoever that might be--makes a total and permanent commitment to Jesus Christ. This is the most serious responsibility resting upon every father and/or mother.

God has ways of challenging us to believe. The crisis points of life become golden opportunities, priceless moments when Christ calls us to Himself. It is a life-or-death issue. Whatever the situation, it is urgent that we answer the Masters' call now.

The Healing of Peter's Mother-In-Law.

The following was first published in the September, 1990 issue of The Helping Hand. With minor revisions, it is reprinted here. The text is Matthew 8:14, 15; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38, 39.

"HEALED TO SERVE"

This turned out to be one of Jesus' busiest days. It seems He had a number of such days. With so many people pressing upon Him with their needs, so much truth to be taught, and such an urgent necessity to spend much time with the Father in prayer, His days were usually filled to the limit.

Jesus Christ is God's fullest self-revelation. He is the Truth. All we need for faith and conduct are revealed in Him and His word. Most of that self-revelation was packed into the short time of His earthly ministry.

A major part of that revelation is about prayer, faith, and the power of God. And much of that came to us through the healing ministry of our Lord Himself. He taught us the principles by demonstrating them. The Biblical examples of Christ's healing ministry embody those principles.

That includes the events of this busy day in Capernaum, recorded for us in Luke 4:33-41 (also Matthew 8:14-17 and Mark 1:21-34).

By expelling a very vocal demon from a man, Jesus had just made the synagogue service that Sabbath morning one they would never forget. Afterward, along with James and John, He entered the house of Peter and Andrew. There lay Peter's mother-in-law, held in the grip of a high fever, caused no doubt by some stubborn infection.

Peter's wife and her mother are among the unnamed but nevertheless important women in the Bible. Peter's mother-in-law was important to her family and friends. Even more so, she was important in herself, a human being created in the image of God.

And she was sick, burning up with fever. Now, she was not a lazy, pampered person. On the contrary, from the picture we get, she was a busy lady, willing and eager to serve. It took more than a sniffle to put her down--or to keep her from the house of worship. So we know she was really sick.

Jesus saw her (Matthew 8:14). Let us not miss that fact. Jesus sees. Jesus knows. Jesus cares. Even if you are all alone and it seems that everyone has forgotten you, please remember this: Jesus sees you; He knows you; and He is right there with you.

Now here is a significant detail. We must not miss it. Jesus did not heal her until they asked Him to do so. True, there was no delay, for Mark informs us that they spoke to Jesus about her immediately (Mark 1:30). Still, asking came before receiving.

Jesus does what He is asked to do. Our Lord wants to do more for us than we realize, but He is waiting for us to ask Him. Certainly, God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8). Nevertheless, asking is necessary, because it shows that we mean business, that we are in earnest. If God gave us everything without our asking, we would become lazy and selfish. We would stop caring about others. But if we really care, we will pray. And how we pray shows how we care. That is important to God. Just as we need people to speak to God on our behalf, there are others who desperately need us to speak to God on their behalf in earnest, intercessory prayer. We must not fail them--and God.

They cared enough to go to Jesus immediately, to urge him to heal her. This moved the Master to take direct and effective action. He stood over her and rebuked the fever (Luke), touched her hand (Matthew), then took her by the hand and lifted her up (Mark). At His word and at His touch the fever broke, indicating that the internal cause was healed immediately. Jesus Christ still heals by His word and by His touch.

Christ lifted; she arose. Here we have faith being induced to act, and responding vigorously. We find this interaction of inducement and response again in Acts 3:7 and 8. Peter took the hand of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple and lifted up. In response he leaped up, healed. Thus faith is encouraged, and acts in response to the encouragement.

"She got up at once and began to wait on them" (Luke 4:39 NIV). She wanted to serve. This reminds us of the importance of the right motive in asking for healing. Jesus heals us not only so we can enjoy life ourselves but also to give us the health, strength and opportunity to serve Him and others. This higher motive must be kept before us in all things.

That evening the whole town was at the door (Mark 1:33). Jesus laid His hands on all who were sick and healed them, and expelled many demons (Luke 4:40, 41). Matthew records the connection between this and Isaiah's prophecy. Quoting Isaiah 53:4 he writes, "This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases'" (Matthew 8:17 NIV).

Some assert that the healing prophesied by Isaiah is spiritual healing only. But Matthew assures us by the Holy Spirit that it includes healing for our bodies. Christ bore our sicknesses as well as our sins. He is the Great Physician.

The healing of Peter's mother-in-law points us to another important truth. Usually, Jesus comes into people's lives because someone brings Him into their lives. It was Peter's and Andrew's discipleship that brought Jesus into her life. What would have happened to her if Peter and Andrew had refused to follow the Lord? What will happen to our children if we refuse to follow Him? What will happen to our parents, our spouse, our friends, our neighbors? We might be their only chance to meet Christ. We must not fail them--and Him.

Have you met the Master? If not, He is waiting now at the door of your heart, waiting for you to invite Him in. Receive Him. Trust Him. He is your Savior.

The Healing Of A Leper.

The following is from an unpublished manuscript. The text is Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5: 12, 13.

"JESUS SAID, I WILL"

In ancient times a number of skin disorders were classified together as "leprosy." Today the term is applied specifically to Hansen's Disease. Under modern medical science it is treatable, but in Biblical times it had no human cure.

And it was widespread. Many lepers were in Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet (Luke 4:27). The law of Moses spelled out in detail how leprosy and other symptomatically associated disorders were to be dealt with (see Leviticus 13 and 14). The most significant provision was the social quarantine of lepers. They had to live outside the camp and to warn others away with their pitiful cry, "Unclean! Unclean!" (Leviticus 13:45, 46).

Besides its hygienic purpose, quarantine served also as an important object lesson. It represented separation from God because of sin. Thus leprosy itself became a type of sin and its consequences: corruption, separation; degradation, hopelessness, death. The Jews considered it to be a blow from God, and the resulting social ostracism gave them a vivid picture of what it is like to be cast out from His presence.

In this context a certain leper came to Jesus. Mark gives us the fullest account (Mark 1:40-45). The event was recorded also by Matthew (8:2-4) and Luke (5:13, 14).

Luke, a physician, reports that the man was "full of leprosy." The disease had become systemic, so advanced that the man and the malady were one. He reminds us of the wretched man who cried out, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). The religious system offered no hope. He was a doomed man.

But often a doomed man is a desperate man, and it is usually not difficult to persuade a desperate soul to come to Christ. One of the greatest needs today is for unbelievers to realize their lostness without Christ. They seem oblivious to their total moral depravity. Often when we urge people to come to the Lord, they seem to think we are asking them to do God a favor. But when the Holy Spirit's conviction grips the conscience, people will flee to Christ, as a man whose clothes are on fire runs to water.

Just so this man came to the Lord. Jesus was his only hope. It was a matter of life and death. So there he was, first on his knees and then on his face before the Master. It was in a city, a place where the law said he was not supposed to be. But he would not let anything or anybody stand in his way. He had made up his mind to get to Jesus, no matter what. He broke through his despair, broke through the barriers of religious rules and traditions, broke into faith, broke into the presence of Jesus Christ! There is where God met him and where His power operates.

"If you are willing, you can make me clean" (Mark 1;40). Christ's ability was not in doubt. That was settled in the man's soul. The issue was His willingness. Though the leper was exercising his faith to its limit, it was still a limited faith.

"If you will, you can." Right here faith stops short. Christ's ability is settled in the hearts of believers. But that is only the "50 yard line." The willingness of God is the higher summons to faith.

True, God is sovereign, and the Biblical promises concerning asking and receiving operate under His sovereignty. We pray in faith and trust God to answer according to His will. But we should not make the sovereignty of God an excuse for weak faith. Instead of assuming that God will not do it unless He wills, the position of faith should be that God will do it unless He indicates otherwise.

"I will." Moved with compassion, Jesus dealt with the leper's uncertainty by divine assurance. Just so He does today. Is your prayer in harmony with the Bible? Will the thing you desire glorify God, edify the church, bring people to Christ, and meet human need? Remember, these are God's objectives, too. Whatever is in harmony with His nature and His word is in harmony with His will.

"I will." Christ's will operates His power, releasing it to glorify God and meet human need. He touched the leper, taking the ceremonial uncleanness upon Himself and thus foreshadowing the cross. Then He spoke the word: "Be clean." Christ's power operates in His word. Immediately the leprosy vanished. Thus we have the divine order: compassion, contact, command, cleansing.

The "I WILL" of Jesus Christ is inherent in the "I AM" of Jesus Christ, expressing His nature, His purpose, His readiness to come into lives with His touch, His word and His power.

"Jesus, save me!" "I will!"

"Jesus, heal me!" "I will!"

"Jesus, fill me!" "I will!"

"Jesus, help me!" "I will!"

Turn your faith loose. Break through the obstacles; break through to Jesus! Lay hold of His willingness. Believe. Trust. Receive.

Jesus changed this man's life completely. In fact, He gave him back his life, restoring him to his family and friends, and also to his responsibilities. He told him to do something. "Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them" (Matthew 8:4 NIV).

Give thanks to God and give testimony to man. What God does will stand the test of examination. Verified miracles glorify Him.

So, what is your need? Even if you feel cut off from God, flee to Christ. He will receive and restore you. He can do nothing for the self-sufficient and self-willed, for they refuse to come to Him. But to the humble and contrite He says, "I will!" Trust Him.

The Healing of The Paralytic.

The following was first published in the June 19, 1998 issue of The Church Herald And Holiness Banner. With minor revisions it is reprinted here. The text is Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:2-12; Luke 5:18-26.

"IN THROUGH THE ROOF AND OUT THROUGH THE DOOR"

Excitement ran high as the news spread quickly through Capernaum. Jesus is back in town! Immediately the house overflowed with people.

As the Master taught, "the power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17). How many received healing we do not know. Skepticism and outright unbelief must have kept some from experiencing God's power. Present that day were scribes and Pharisees from everywhere, including Jerusalem. Generally they were critical observers, and observers usually do not get much out of a church service.

However, outside a very different drama was unfolding. Five men were missing the meeting. One lay paralyzed on his mat. The other four were putting a plan into operation.

It must have been a curious sight--four men sizing up the house from different angles, calculating the exact spot where Jesus was standing.

We do not know how far they carried the paralyzed man. But here they were, and they could not get the man through the crowd around the door.

Now, many men would have said, "We got you here, but there's no way we can get you through that crowd. Sorry, fella, but we did the best we could."

But these men were on a mission, and God knew it. His power was present to heal, and their friend was going to receive his healing! They had a resolute faith, and a resolute faith means a resolute purpose. Nothing was going to stop them. When four men make up their mind to bring another man to Jesus, they will do it!

So the drama unfolds. Calculations completed, they climbed up onto the house and began tearing the roof off--not a little spot, but a hole big enough to let the man and his mat through!

Meanwhile, down below Jesus was teaching. Suddenly, over His head the roof started coming off and the sky opened up. Dust and debris descended. Imagine how difficult it must have been to hold the attention of the crowd with all that going on, especially when a man came down through the roof!

"When Jesus saw their faith. . ." (Mark 2:5). What did Jesus see? He saw action. Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6).

God does not want us to stand by as mere spectators while He blesses others. He calls us to be His fellow-workers, motivated by His love, active in faith, sharing His joy.

Somebody had to care enough to bring this man to Jesus. Somebody had to follow through in faith. Without this four-man team, he would have remained the way he was for life.

We see here the need for unity. The four men had to be in agreement. Dissension and division would have defeated them. If two of us agree about anything we ask for, it shall be done (Matthew 18:19). See what happened when four agreed!

Until now the paralyzed man was passive, at least outwardly. But Jesus must have sensed an inner despondency in him, due in part perhaps to the chronic nature of his illness but due even more to his felt need for forgiveness. He was being brought to Jesus for healing, but what about his sins? He was entering the presence of incarnate holiness, and he felt so unprepared.

Then Jesus spoke the words that awakened his faith. "Son, be of good cheer" (Matthew 9:2). Cheer up, son; your sins are forgiven!

As the man lay there, the scribes were mulling over their theological objections. "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" (Luke 5:21). The statement was correct, but they missed its implications in view of what Jesus was about to do.

"Which is easier," Jesus challenged them, "to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" (Luke 5:23 NIV).

If Jesus falsely claimed to be able to forgive sins, He is not God and He could not heal the paralytic. But if He could heal the man after making such a claim, His deity is confirmed and every denial of His deity is wicked unbelief.

Jesus spoke both forgiveness and healing. Still, the man had to believe in order to rise up. If he had not believed Christ's words of forgiveness, he could not have believed His words of healing. The two correspond. He forgives all of our iniquities and heals all of our diseases (Psalm 103:3).

He believed; and because he believed, he acted. A so-called "faith" that refuses to obey is dead (James 2:26).

Get up and go home! The bed carried you; now you carry it. Don't ask the men who brought you here to carry it for you. You are healed--now accept the responsibilities that go with your healing.

And he did. He came in through the roof but walked out through the door!

Capernaum missed the point of this miracle. They neither repented nor recognized Christ's deity. We must not repeat their horrible mistake.

God's power and our faith operate in concert. This is one of the principles we see in operation in this miracle.

We see also that faith is not an exercise of our inner human strength, but the acknowledgement of our dependency on God. Jesus can help the humble, but not the self-sufficient.

We cannot bring a need to Jesus that is too big for Him to meet. He still has the power to forgive and to heal (Matthew 28:18). Come to Him now in complete confidence.

The Healing Of The Impotent Man At The Pool Of Bethesda.

The following was first published in the July 25, 1976 issue of The Pentecostal Evangel. With minor revisions, it is reprinted here. The text is John 5:2-9.

"DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?"

"Do you want to get well?" Jesus asked.

What a strange question to put to a man who had been crippled for 38 years!

The Lord was at a pool called Bethesda. There a helpless mass of sick and crippled human beings struggled and crawled toward the edge of the pool, desperately hoping to be the first into it the next time an angel stirred the waters. We read the whole story in John, chapter 5.

Probably nobody in that wretched assemblage noticed that the Son of God was moving among them. They had their eyes on the pool, not on Jesus. They were waiting for an angel, not for God.

However, Jesus picked one of the worst cases, made His way to the pitiful man, and asked, "Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6 NIV).

How do you suppose most people in that condition would react to that question?

"Of course, I want to get well! Do you think I have enjoyed being crippled for 38 years, not knowing who would take care of me? Are you making fun of me? Is this some kind of a cruel joke?

The fact is that there is a lot more in Jesus' question than one might suppose. Remember, healing brings responsibility. This man would have to take his place in society, go to work, and take care of himself from now on. No more sympathy. No more feeling sorry for himself. No more idly watching the world go by.

Do you really want to get well?

Years ago another minister told me about an unusual experience in his ministry. One night in a service, he said, the power of the Lord to heal was evident in an outstanding way. Among those prayed for was an older lady who had been confined to a wheelchair for years. Immediately she got up and began walking around the church, evidently healed. Then apparently she suddenly realized what it meant to be well. No longer would she be pushed from place to place. No longer would she be waited on. She would have to accept the responsibilities that wholeness brings. So she walked back to the wheelchair, sat down in it, and remained there for the rest of her life.

Jesus mean it when He said, "Do you want to get well?"

Assuming that Jesus meant soundness of body only, the man replied, "I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool" (John 5:7).

"I have no man . . . ." Why doesn't somebody believe God for me? Why doesn't the pastor pray the prayer of faith for me? If I could just get to Brother or Sister So-and-So.

Let us be sure that we are looking for the right Man. Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). We must look beyond the human agency that God might use, and reach out in faith to Jesus. He is always with us.

Next we see the power of Jesus' spoken word. In this case He did not touch the man, but only offered the power of His spoken word. "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk" (John 5:8 NIV). In other words, "Get out of here. Leave this place of sin, sickness, and despair." It was not a suggestion. It was a command.

Up until this point no faith was required of the man. But as soon as Jesus spoke the word, the man had to do something with it. He must either believe it and act upon it, or stay there in his condition. He could sink down in self-pity and remind Jesus that he was unable to walk. Instead, he chose to obey Christ's command.

All of this happened on the Sabbath day; and what a Sabbath this man had! He was carrying his little mat, but he had lost his real burden!

That is why Jesus told the religionists, when they objected to the man carrying his mat on the Sabbath day, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working" (John 5:17 NASB). Those legalists were concerned about the external burdens the people carried, but they cared nothing about the burdens they carried in their bodies and souls. They failed to understand that God works all the time, even on the Sabbath, to bring people into His real Sabbath rest in Christ, the rest from sin, sickness, and defeat.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NIV).

John 5:14 tells us that later on Jesus found him in the temple. The work was not finished yet. It is not enough to receive healing for the body. The soul needs healing, too. Jesus heals the whole man.

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