The Bible discloses one of the names of God as Jehovah Rapha, which means “The LORD our Healer”. We find elsewhere that God indeed is the One who heals all of our diseases. In the New Testament we find listed in the gifts of the Spirit “the gifts of healings”.
Undoubtedly, God is our Great “Physician,” by which title Jesus said the skeptics referred to Him. Realizing that the purpose of healing is to promote health so as to prevent death, we also realize that our greatest sickness is that which is spiritual.
Jesus indicated that healing spiritual sickness was the purpose for which He came. In a world of shattered hopes and dreams, Jesus still is the champion of healing broken hearts and binding up those wounds of hurt and pain.
While Jesus was on earth He performed a series of healings and exorcisms which were the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies. Sadly, some people use that last passage as a “proof text” for physical healing being God’s will for every saint. This has birthed a lot of guilt and condemnation. Does God heal today? Yes, absolutely! Does God heal everyone? No, absolutely not. Paul never received his healing but he was given something far greater – abundant grace. Timothy had chronic stomach problems and was told by his mentor Paul to use a little wine to curb this condition.
Face it, we all have questions about physical healing. The faith that pleases God is the faith that trusts the Lord at all times, whether or not we receive our healing. Today, just as 2,000 years ago, multitudes still flock to Jesus to hear His word and for physical needs.
May each of us trust God’s decision, knowing that He never acts outside of love, grace, or mercy. Every doubt and mystery about healing here will be removed in eternity future, when we will no longer see through a glass darkly.
At a recent Father’s Heart outreach one of the brothers was ministering to a man who could not hear well even though he wore a hearing aid. The brother prayed with him for Jesus to heal him. The man’s eyes then bugged out. Next thing you know, he took the hearing aids off and said he could hear perfectly. He had been wearing hearing aids since he was a kid. His testimony was captured on video and posted on Facebook.
Wow, praise God. Another brother serving said: “Don’t know if I believe that really happened… I’m a cessationist…” Lovingly I said to him: “So do you think that our omnipotent God, maker of heaven and earth is unable to heal that man?” After a pause he said “Don’t know, just sayin’…”
We did not conduct a hearing test, nor validate the gentleman’s story of his deafness since he was 13. The man accepted Jesus as Savior. Which brought to mind the words of Jesus: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Whether the man passes an audiometric test matters not. He now hears.
Blessings,
JoseM