Jesus Healing the Sick
There is nothing more important than God’s will being done in the earth. When we, as Christians, say to God “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” at the forefront of our thinking should be a desire to see that God is glorified. God being glorified should be the primary cry of our heart!
Jesus said in John 14:13:
And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
God is glorified when we receive what we ask of Him in Jesus’ name according to His will. His will and desire to heal is emphasized consistently through the Bible starting with God creating Adam and Eve in perfect health and intending for them to be that way forever. We thwarted that plan for our lives temporarily by our sin but God never changed His mind. Read through the Gospel’s and see how many times it says “and He healed them all.” The only time people did not receive healing was because of unbelief.
Mark 6:4-6 (New King James Version)
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.
Immediately after this, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and preach the Gospel and heal the sick. Verse 12-13 says:
“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
In Matthew 10:7 As Jesus gave the disciples this commission He said:
And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
In Luke 6:6-10 Jesus compares with-holding healing to doing evil or destroying life and He compares healing the sick to doing good and saving life.
6 Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Jesus indicated in Luke 13:10-17 that healing is a covenant right of every believer.
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
Most Christians have no idea how our covenant relationship with God works. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego understood their covenant relationship with God.
Look at Daniel 3:13-18:
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
When King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to kill them they responded in verse 17 “If that is the case,.” which was a response to the king’s threat. In other words If you decide to kill us our God is able to deliver us and He will deliver us! Then in verse 18 they said “But if not,” which is tied to “If that is the case,” In other words “If you don’t follow through with your threat to kill us, we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Because Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (their Hebrew names) were in a covenant relationship with God they never considered that God wouldn’t come through for them. They declared that God was not only able to deliver them but that He WOULD deliver them. Most Christians believe that the statement “But if not” means that these Hebrew men entertained the thought that God might not come through for them but they would serve God anyway – but that doesn’t make sense. If I told you that I knew that you were having a hard time paying all your bills and I said “I am going to pay your bills this month… but even if I don’t…” my words would not mean much to you. Most Christians don’t take God at His word like these men did. This is why we don’t see God move in our lives – either we are so apathetic about our faith or we don’t believe God’s Word about healing. God has done somersaults to try to convince us that He will do what He says He will do. In addition to His initial promises He says “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us!” 2 Corinthians 1:20
