By John David Hicks, Evangelist/ Bible Teacher © 2002
“Since faith comes by hearing the word of God, then, if we expect the people to have faith to receive God’s divine blessing of physical healing, we must teach them these scriptural truths which alone can build faith for this blessing,” says T.L. Osborn in Healing The Sick. He continues, “How many would be saved if they never heard a message on salvation? Or if, when the subject of salvation was addressed, the main points were:
- Maybe it isn’t God’s will to save you.
- Perhaps your sin is for God’s glory.
- Perhaps God is using this sin to chastise you.
- Be patient in your sin until God wills to save you.
- The day of miracles (conversion) is past.
How many would receive faith to be saved through such messages? Yet these are about the only points many sick people hear concerning God’s provision for physical healing. It is easy to understand why many are not healed today.”
I believe in Divine Healing because the Scriptures declare it and the atonement of Jesus Christ provides for it (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Pet 2:24; Ps. 103:1-5). Jesus began His ministry by announcing the arrival of the “Kingdom of God,” which means “the rule and reign of God.” The Kingdom of God has come to you in power (Luke 10:18-24). This kingdom has broken into history (Luke 4:21) and its fulfillment will be at the second coming of our Lord. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power (1 Cor. 4:20).” Down through the centuries many have experienced divine healing. God honors his Word by healing as He promised. All instruction on this subject must line up with Scripture. Listen to what God’s Word says about Divine Healing.
1. God gave His word and made covenants with his people to Heal them. (Lev. 26 & Deut. 28). He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you (Ex. 15:26).” “Worship the LORD your God and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span (Ex. 23:25).” “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases (Matt.8:16-17).” “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (1 Pet. 2:24).” “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:14-16).”
2. God keeps His word and Heals. Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Ps. 103:1-5).” “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave (Ps. 107:20).” “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him (Acts 10:38).”
3. God promised health when we keep his commandments. (Ps. 91; Isa. 58). “… keep my commands… Trust in the LORD… This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones (Prov. 3:1-8).” The Holy Spirit uses your mind as a way to employ your beliefs. Your speech reflects what you believe in your heart and expresses that by your words and action says Jesus in Matthew 12:34. Speaking evil, judging and condemning others with your tongue affects your Healing. “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Prov. 12:18).” “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin (Prov. 13:3).” “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit (Prov. 15:4).” “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts… From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Prov. 18:8, 20-21).” “For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it (1 Pet. 3:10-11).” “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 1:2).”
4. Jesus Christ told His disciples to Heal the sick. “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness… As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give (Matt. 10:1, 7-8).” “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you… At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father (Luke 10:17-22).”
5. Jesus Christ commissioned His disciples and confirms His Word by healing. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt. 28:18-20).” “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: …they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it (Mark 16:15-20).”
“Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people (Acts 6:8).” “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:6-8).” “By the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ… I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ (Rom. 15:19, 29).”
The disciples had faith in God’s Word! FAITH BASICALLY BELIEVES IN THE RELIABILITY OF GOD TO KEEP HIS WORD: to save, heal and deliver. God is your source and supply. You are confident that He will keep His word. “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thess. 5:24).”
Adam Clarke’s Commentary gives the laws of faith that apply to salvation, healing or deliverance: “There FIRST must be, a conviction of the want of it: this begets, TWO. A prayer, or warm desires, in the heart: then THREE. The person asks, i.e. makes use of words expressive of his wants and wishes: FOUR. He believes the word of promise, relative to the fulfillment of his wants: and FIVE. He receives, according to the merciful promise of God, the salvation which his soul requires.” (See the next step, 2 of 4, How to Receive Divine Healing).