Introduction

Wikipedia reports heart decreases (followed by Lung deceases, Diabetes, Influenza/ Pneumonia, and Alzheimer’s) are the leading cause of death in the United States of America while firearms are the least.

I don’t intend to condemn modern medical science but had the author of Ecclesiastes lived among us today, he would have written that all the advancements in medical science are utterly meaningless because clearly, the battles mankind has lost to deceases outnumber the ones it has won.

The Bible, however, tells us God is our divine healer and there’s hope to anyone that comes to him. So today’s sermon is about how you can receive this healing.

1. Why do I get Sick?

Western medical science views the cause of sickness and disease as physiological and psychosomatic while eastern medicine teaches the loss of balance between the three basic elements of the human body known as air, bile, and phlegm are responsible.

The Bible has a different argument. It tells spiritual causes are the underlying or basic problem, (note: the Bible acknowledges the proper use of medical care. Matthew 9:12; Luke 10:34; Colossians 4:14) These spiritual issues are 2 fold. First, is the sin that has affected our spiritual and physical makeup, (John 5:14).

Secondly, Satan and his works, (Mark 9:17; Acts 10:38; Luke 13:11). Although every ailment is not the work of Satan he uses it very often to inflict harm upon us. Let’s explore these issues further to gain a better understanding.

A. Sin

The Bible says sickness and death entered this world through the original sin of Adam and Eve, (Romans 5:12).  My personal sin also invites divine judgment on my life in the form of sickness, (ex: sexually transmitted deceases). The man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda proves this argument, (John 5:1-14). We read that Jesus warned him saying, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin anymore, lest anything worse happens to you.”

B. Satan

Sickness is one of the many ways Satan carries out his attacks on humans, (John 10:10). Not just on an isolated and personal level but on a grand scale such as plagues, (ex: The Bubonic Plague claimed at least 25 million lives in Europe in the year 1738). The Sri Lankan folklore directly attributes certain illnesses to demonic deities and demigods.

2. What is Divine Healing?

Divine healing can be defined as a supernatural act of God that resolves a physical, emotional, or even a spiritual problem, often through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Divine healing is the fruit of Christ’s sufferings and death on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-5) through which God dealt a lethal blow to sin and the work of Satan, (1 John 3:8).

3. Why am I not Healed?

Although the Bible has promised divine healing to those who ask, all of us come across accounts of people who were never healed. In the Bible, we find three reasons why some people are not healed.

A. Bitterness

We notice that the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda had become bitter with others, (“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, someone else goes down there before me.” – John 5:7). Bitterness among the other things damages our relationship with God and keeps his healing power away from us.

B. Unconfessed Sin

Unconfessed sin is another reason why some people are not healed. It permits Satan to have a foothold in me and hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. In Mark 2:1-12 the fact that Jesus granted forgiveness to the paralytic before he actually healed him confirms this argument.

C. Glory of God

Sometimes God purposely delays answering my prayers for healing because he has a larger purpose in mind that when realized results in greater glory. In the Bible, we can find plenty of evidence to support this argument also, (John 9:3; John 11:4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

4. What must I Do?

The answer is tricky unless you are a born-again Christian. Now Jesus’ ministry wasn’t limited to Jews. He blessed anyone that came to him given they believed, (Mark 7:25-30; Luke 7:1-10). As a Pastor, I have eye-witnessed God healing many people regardless of their religion. Whether you are a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, or even an atheist I am sure God will heal you if you just believe. But that’s not all.

Unfortunately, physical healing doesn’t guarantee the salvation of one’s soul unless he realizes his need for a savior and surrenders his life to Jesus Christ, (Luke 17:17-18; 2 Kings 5:15). So if you are an unbeliever what matters most is not what you must do in order to be healed but what will you do with Jesus after you are healed.

There are few things born again Christians can do if healing takes longer than their faith permits.

A. Reconciliation

Be sure you are in a right relationship with God and others, (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 5:23-24)

B. Confess

Sin has control over my health only as long as I don’t confess. Confession is a very powerful act of God that destroys the bondage of sin and its consequences, (James 5:16). Therefore choose a mature Christian leader whom you can be transparent with and confess. You will have your miracle.

C. Persist

Jesus told the man born blind to wash from the pool of Siloam. Another inconvenient task for a blind man but he could see as soon as he followed the instructions, (John 9:7). Elisha told Naaman to dip himself seven times in the river of Jordan and Naaman wasn’t cured until he obeyed, (2 Kings 5:11-14). Both of these incidents record a sense of persistence and God was glorified in both occasions, (John 9:35-38; 2 Kings 5:17). Jesus also provided us with very clear instructions in this regard, (Luke 18:1-8; Matthew 7:7). The point is when we are not persistent we are being disobedient and disobedience thrashes the miracle.

Conclusion

Now I am also familiar with situations where healing never happened despite prayers and one may ask why he should pray if God doesn’t heal everyone. Nothing much can be said about this accept healing actually belongs to God and in his sovereignty decides what to do with it.

Skeptics call this blind faith, but the human mind simply cannot fathom the way God works. Still, we can always have faith in God’s goodness and love because Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” I said this in the beginning and I say it again. Anything is possible with God if we just believe.

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