Does He always heal (Chicago, IL)

Does He always heal

I ve seen this message covered at least two two ways on TV I m talking about physical healing not healing of the soul and spirit there is a difference. This is a very important topic to me and hopefully others. Some say God always heals us physically we should pray and expect it and some say He doesn t heal always. Based on scripture I know and believe He can heal us at His discretion but we must never presume that He must. I borrowed this message about physical healing with which I agree We all know God can and does heal but does He always heal Throughout Jesus s ministry he performed miraculous healings that glorified God and deepened faith (Matthew 4 23 Luke 4 40). The Bible encourages us to pray in earnest (Luke 18 1-8 Philippians 4 4-6). If the Spirit moves us to pray for healing whether for ourselves or our neighbors we should do so with fervor. Yet while we pray we must attend to a critical distinction although God can heal us we must never presume that he must. Death is the consequence of the fall (Romans 6 23). It overtakes us all and most commonly recruits illness as its vehicle. When Christ returns no disease will blot God s creation (Revelation 21 4) but for now we wait and groan as our bodies wither. We may perceive our healing to be the greatest good but God s wisdom surpasses even the most impressive reaches of our understanding (Isaiah 55 8). We cannot bend his will to resemble our own. Time and again the Bible depicts instances when God does not immediately eradicate suffering but rather engages with it for good (Genesis 50 20 John 11 3-4 Romans 5 3-5). A thorn was given me in the flesh the apostle Paul writes of his own physical affliction. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this that it should leave me. But he said to me My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12 7-9). God responded to Paul s prayers for healing not by curing him but rather by working through Paul s suffering to draw him nearer to his glory. In the most exquisite example through his suffering and death Christ redeems us from our sins and pours grace out upon us (Romans 3 23-25 Ephesians 1 7). A Heartbeat to Heaven When we ignore God s work in suffering and cleave breathlessly only to our hope for a cure we forsake opportunities for closure fellowship and spiritual preparation at the end of life. Research warns that those of us within a religious community are more likely to pursue aggressive measures at the end of life and more likely to die in an ICU. If we set our eyes only on a cure rather than on the reality of our physical mortality we may chase after treatments that not only fail to save us but which also rob us of our capacities to think communicate and pray in our final days. We forget that if our healing is not within God s will we will need fortitude peace and discernment to endure. And if cure does not come a single-minded focus on healing strands ourselves and those we love with unsettling doubts about the validity of our faith. The gospel offers a hope that exceeds the reparation of our flesh bodies. This side of the cross even as our vision darkens and the world closes in we need not fear death. Christ has overcome and through his resurrection death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15 55-57). Death is but a momentary breath a transition a heartbeat before we reunite with our risen Lord (2 Corinthians 4 17-18). In the wake of the cross death is not the end. Through Christ s sacrifice for us through God s overflowing and sufficient grace we have spiritual healing to sustain us through eternity even while our current bodies warp and break. So we are left with this We do not know why God allows one to be healed and others not. Many have been touched by situations where it appears to us that God did not perform a physical healing despite the faithful prayers of his people. My words follow Again I know God can heal anyone I should never presume that He must. Many say that it is a weak position that lacks faith but I pray for His desire and will to be done not my desire and will Also when talking about healing we need to distinguish between physical healing and spiritual healing flesh bodies are temporary spirits and souls are eternal. Food for thought Matthew 9 12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a physician but they that are sick. (Jesus explained that those who are well do not need a doctor. He wanted us to know that those who are spiritually dead are those who need the help. These are the lost and the sinners. [Psalm 41 4 147 3 Hosea 14 4 Mark 2 17 Luke 5 31 1 Timothy 1 15]). s www.soulwinning.info fd fake_healing fh.htm (I agree with most of this explanation but not all of it. If the healing is faked then that is something that those folks will have to answer for in front of God. We are not the judge God is the one and only judge we must be aware of deceit in all of its forms [that is called spiritual discernment always verify what is said 1 John 4 1]).