Should Christians Always Be Healed?

[Paul Christensen]

First faith prayer WILL always come to pass, always! Second, the teaching of being healed when you pray as the bible teaches, is not dangerous, but, it is when people substitute presumption for faith that is dangerous. When I was healed of seizures, I knew I was healed, I wanted to stop taking my meds. My mom convinced me to still take them for the time, I honored her, and still took the meds; but I still said I was healed, even tho I did not feel healed. One day at school, I got so dizzy that I almost fell down the stairs; I went to the doctor, and he told me my meds were to strong, and to stop taking them.

I knew I was healed, not because I felt anything, but just because the bible said I was healed.... but like when Jesus sent the lepers to the priests to show that they were clean, I let the doctor prove what I already knew, and then I stopped taking the pills.

There are 3 main reasons why prayer is not answered.

1) It was not prayed in faith
2) There is something blocking the answer, like unforgiveness...
3) You gave up to soon; often just before the answer arrives.

Your three points are the usual excuses that are given when a sick person is not healed. It blames the person for not being able to achieve something they have no control over. There is no doubt that you were healed through the sovereignty of God, that in your case, He decided to grant your request for healing. But your healing happened by God's free, unearned grace.

Here is my answer to your three points:
1. If there is enough faith to ask God for healing, there is enough faith to be healed. Faith can be weak or strong depending on a person's level of dependence on God's Word; but faith has to be linked to a definite promise.
2. There are plenty of sick people who don't have a problem with unforgiveness who have not been healed. Healing, when it comes, it comes through God's free grace, and not dependent on the believer's performance.
3. Divine healing is instantaneous, otherwise it is not divine healing. A person can believe they are healed while the symptoms are still present, and they may hold on for quite a while and then the symptoms disappear and so they claim divine healing, but the healing could have come through the natural process anyway.

As a matter of interest, find a New Testament Scripture that gives a clear promise that a Christian believer will be automatically healed through prayer. I already know the James reference about calling for the church elders. That one says that the Lord will raise the sick person up, but it doesn't say that it will happen on the spot. It just means that they will not get sicker, and their health will improve.

God doesn't have to heal anyone who is sick. He is under no obligation. If He decided to leave a person sick, He would still be totally righteous in His dealing with that person.

 

[Paul Christensen]

Actually it does, at least for me. I have not had a cold in a very long time, but every once in a while a headache tries to attach itself to me. I speak to the headache like Jesus spoke to the fever, and tell it to go in Jesus Name. And it always gos.

Of course in these days of Covid where people wear masks, it would be quote normal for a person to avoid contracting a cold. I haven't had a cold for two years, because I have had to stay at home during lockdown, or wear a mask when I go anywhere. It has been through commonsense keeping myself safe. If I get a headache, it goes very quickly after I have taken a couple of Panadol tablets.

 

[Paul Christensen]

When my father-in-law was dying of lung cancer, many well-meaning people brought stories of friends and relatives who beat cancer or who God healed of some sickness or other. I can still hear my wife’s plaintive cry, “But why won’t He heal my dad?” Then she broke into tears.

These friends were nothing but Job's comforters. To do that to your father-in-law and wife shows a disgusting lack of compassion. If your father-in-law was converted to Christ, then as soon as he was absent from the body he was present with the Lord, and I'm sure that he won't be complaining at all!! The best thing for your wife is for her to be assured that her father is not rejoicing in heaven with the Lord and although he won't be coming back to her, she will going to where he is one day and they will share eternity with each other and with the rest of your saved family.

"Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

 

[Paul Christensen]

You can't separate the two, God is a God of faith, it is impossible to please God without faith, and the righteous live by faith.

The context of these verses is faith in Christ for salvation, not healing.

 

[Lambano]

These friends were nothing but Job's comforters. To do that to your father-in-law and wife shows a disgusting lack of compassion.

Oh, not at all. Their intent was good, I’m certain of that. I’m more than willing to cut them some slack. But if the stated principle that God always desires healing in this world is false, it leads to cruel situations like this.

Where I’m still unsettled is that I have to acknowledge the necessity of faith as stated by Hidden in Him, Mayflower, and Faithbuiders, while knowing empirically that miraculous healings are (almost by definition) rare.

[Epilogue: @Paul, your current signature is delightfully ironic considering the topic. The Psalmist sounds like he could be one of Job's friends.]

 

[Berserk]

First, there are no venomous snakes on Malta!
Second, venomous snakes bite and quickly release. This snake here did what snakes typically do--wrap its tail around Paul's hand.
I guess you people eisegete the same false presumption into the story of doubting Thomas. The text never says that Thomas accepted Jesus' invitation to touch His wounds. Actually read John 20:27-28. Jesus' offer was sufficient for Thomas to believe.

 

[Paul Christensen]

Oh, not at all. Their intent was good, I’m certain of that. I’m more than willing to cut them some slack. But if the stated principle that God always desires healing in this world is false, it leads to cruel situations like this.

Where I’m still unsettled is that I have to acknowledge the necessity of faith as stated by Hidden in Him, Mayflower, and Faithbuiders, while knowing empirically that miraculous healings are (almost by definition) rare.

I have no doubts that their intent was good. So was the intent of Job's friends. They were sincerely trying to help him come to terms with his condition.

No one enjoys being sick. A sick person desperately wants to be healed. There is no doubt about that. Also, a sick person is too involved trying to cope with his illness to have much faith, because the illness dominates his thinking. So, it is quite unfair to expect a sick person to have strong faith, if strong faith is essential for healing. The Scripture says: "Be not anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." So, what is guaranteed in the first instance as the result of supplication, is anxiety is replaced by the peace of God that passes all understanding. It is that peace that enables a sick person to have the faith and patience to endure until he is made well by the Spirit, or recovers through natural or medical means. It also assists a terminally ill person to come to terms with his illness and prepares him for the time he goes to be with the Lord.

 

[Paul Christensen]

First, there are no venomous snakes on Malta!
Second, venomous snakes bite and quickly release. This snake here did what snakes typically do--wrap its tail around Paul's hand.
I guess you people eisegete the same false presumption into the story of doubting Thomas. The text never says that Thomas accepted Jesus' invitation to touch His wounds. Actually read John 20:27-28. Jesus' offer was sufficient for Thomas to believe.

How do we know that 2000 years ago there may not have been venomous snakes on Malta?

Luke, and the 200 others who were around the fire would testify that Paul was actually bitten by the snake. If it weren't so, they would not have reacted the way they did. They would not have expected Paul to swell up and die and painful death.

 

[Lambano]

Clarke’s Third Law as applied to this topic: Any sufficiently advance medical technology is indistinguishable from miracles.

C’mon, I’m joking. I hope nobody jumps on me for making fun of God’s healing work.

 

[Lambano]

The Faith position does not simply roll over. It will accept things if it does all it can and healing never comes, but it fights against the enemy to the last breathe unless otherwise told not to.

I’ve been having this weird feeling that I was sent here to learn something. I was wondering if this was part of it.

 

[Raccoon1010]

I found that hacking away at poison oak with a weed-whacker while wearing shorts is a really, really bad idea. The weed-whacker chopped up the leaves and sputtered the oils up and down my legs, and the doctor at the Urgent Care said it was the worst case he'd seen in 27 years of practice. And the insomnia that was a side-effect from the cortisteroids he prescribed kept me awake for a week. However, during that time, I had a prayer experience that provided a spiritual healing that I really, really needed.

I once ran threw stinging nettles. Stinging nettles are a tall sprout about the height of a man or taller and grow in patches with leaves that have barbs on them like a black berry bush. The barbs release a toxin like a bee sting. Needless to say I was swollen for a while and in a lot of pain. Not as bad as poison Oak. But I learned an important lesson.

 

[Lambano]

I once ran threw stinging nettles. Stinging nettles are a tall sprout about the height of a man or taller and grow in patches with leaves that have barbs on them like a black berry bush. The barbs release a toxin like a bee sting. Needless to say I was swollen for a while and in a lot of pain. Not as bad as poison Oak. But I learned an important lesson.

Okay, that looks horrible. Did that ooze like poison oak? The doctor had to wrap both my legs in gauze to contain the oozing. Otherwise, my slacks would stick to my legs.

 

[Raccoon1010]

Okay, that looks horrible. Did that ooze like poison oak? The doctor had to wrap both my legs in gauze to contain the oozing. Otherwise, my slacks would stick to my legs.

just bumps. That sounds terrible.

 

[Lambano]

just bumps. That sounds terrible.

Dante had the damned souls in Hell's Pit of Liars afflicted with the most horrible diseases known to man. I am convinced poison oak's blistering, oozing, and intense itching that cannot be relieved no matter how much you scratch originated in that Bolgia.

 

[Raccoon1010]

Dante had the damned souls in Hell's Pit of Liars afflicted with the most horrible diseases known to man. I am convinced poison oak's blistering, oozing, and intense itching that cannot be relieved no matter how much you scratch originated in that Bolgia.

Yes and stinging nettles have poisonous barbs to protect themselves from bad little children that use machetes to make trails in the woods for fun.

 

[Faithbuilders]

The context of these verses is faith in Christ for salvation, not healing.

No! Faith in every area of life, faith in God just to get up in the morning. Salvation in your context is the start of the righteous life, but the Bible say that the righteous live by faith. That means everything you do, is by faith.

By the way the word "saved or salvation" in the Greek also means healed!

 

[Faithbuilders]

Of course in these days of Covid where people wear masks, it would be quote normal for a person to avoid contracting a cold.

I agree, but I have not have a cold more than 5 years.

 

[Faithbuilders]

Your three points are the usual excuses that are given when a sick person is not healed. It blames the person for not being able to achieve something they have no control over. There is no doubt that you were healed through the sovereignty of God, that in your case, He decided to grant your request for healing. But your healing happened by God's free, unearned grace.

Here is my answer to your three points:
1. If there is enough faith to ask God for healing, there is enough faith to be healed. Faith can be weak or strong depending on a person's level of dependence on God's Word; but faith has to be linked to a definite promise.
2. There are plenty of sick people who don't have a problem with unforgiveness who have not been healed. Healing, when it comes, it comes through God's free grace, and not dependent on the believer's performance.
3. Divine healing is instantaneous, otherwise it is not divine healing. A person can believe they are healed while the symptoms are still present, and they may hold on for quite a while and then the symptoms disappear and so they claim divine healing, but the healing could have come through the natural process anyway.

As a matter of interest, find a New Testament Scripture that gives a clear promise that a Christian believer will be automatically healed through prayer. I already know the James reference about calling for the church elders. That one says that the Lord will raise the sick person up, but it doesn't say that it will happen on the spot. It just means that they will not get sicker, and their health will improve.

God doesn't have to heal anyone who is sick. He is under no obligation. If He decided to leave a person sick, He would still be totally righteous in His dealing with that person.

It is not excuse, it is the truth; you eliminate the 3 I talked about, and you will be healed every time! It does not mater if you have an incurable sickness, that the doctors gave up on, Jesus as already healed you more than 2000 years ago, all we need to do is take it by faith! By the way God is bound bty His own Name to heal you....One of Gods name is Jehovah Rophi - the Lord that healeth thee! God is bound by his promise to heal you "God is no respecter of persons, what He has done for one (if He healed one), He WILL do for another (He WILL heal another)!"

There is a forth block that I forgot, and you reminded me of with your 3ed point!

4) Not giving God glory for your healing can block the healing, and allow the devil to put it back on you!

 

[Bob Estey]

This subject came up in a recent conversation on another thread, and I realized I don't think it's ever been discussed here on this forum before.

That said, the above is a Faith teaching, with which I am familiar. Be advised: I want all contributions to this thread to be respectful of the other people's positions. If not, you may be reported by yours truly. But there is both truth and falsehood in Faith teaching. Any post given should have a scriptural basis, so please post in full the verses you are using to establish your argument.

God bless,
Hidden In Him

I think when we repent of our sin, the Lord heals us (Matthew 4:17).

 

[Hidden In Him]

To me this is the act of faith, the sign of a trusting spirit. No matter what it looks like, just shake it off and keep on with your work.

I suppose we can get all worked up over, Oh will He heal my arm???? Will He?? Won't He?? Should I be faithing for my healing or not?

He just shook it off and went on.

That's more my take on things

Yes, Mark. This much is good. And the reason it should be as simple as this is because we are walking in obedience to His will. This is when there is no doubt and there is no question. Not that I am Paul, but the above is the approach I take to all negative situations that might threaten my health or welfare. Anything that would hinder my calling I simply shake off and keep moving, because while I am not prefect, I know I am on track with what He has called me to do and it is in His will that I stay there.

So the above is a good way of looking at it, IMO. The trouble is when people are walking in sin that God cannot tolerate. Then the questions start entering in.