Home
Mission Statement
Editorial
Webcast
Multimedia
Newsletters
Church of God
Prayer Requests
Testimonies
Library
Bible School Lesson
About Jesus Christ
Apostle's Doctrine
Apostle's Traditions
The N.T. Church
Church History
Practical Holy Living
Power Point Teachings
Gifts of the Spirit
Songs of Zion
Worldly Church Music
Worldly Music
The Tabernacle
Ezekiel's Vision
Book of Daniel
The Revelation
Book of Symbols
Revelation Charts
The Seven Parables
World Wide Watch
World Religions
False Teaching
Concerning Cults
Social Issues

Divine Healing

The New Testament teaches the  practice of divine physical healing. The gift of healing was placed in the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:18,28) and is a permanent endowment (Rom 11:29). The healing of our bodies may be obtained by praying for oneself (James 5:13), but more frequently by the united prayers of God-called ministers and elders (James 5:14-15; Mark 16:18; Acts 28:8). In case of the impossibility of contacting Bible- believing elders for the laying on of hands for healing, handkerchiefs and cloths may be anointed and sent to the afflicted one, in Biblical tradition (Acts 19:12). Healing is a gift of God, but is not a commandment, and rests entirely on one's degree of faith (Rom 14:22; Matt 9:29; Matt 17:20). The Bible does not forbid the use of medicine or the consulting of doctors. Neither, however, does the Bible encourage their use. Divine healing is not the combined use of medicine and the prayers of the saints, but is the divine intervention of God.

Divine Physical Healing

 

The Definition of Divine Healing:  Divine Physical Healing is healing that is wrought through or by faith in God’s supernatural power, without human intervention.

 

God’s covenant with Israel promised healing. Exodus 15:26.  Obedience was the condition.  The promise was to take away sickness Ex. 23:25.  In Solomon’s prayer of the dedication of the temple, he prayed that healing would be in this temple.  2 Chronicles 6:28-31.

 

Divine Healing in Prophecy:  Healing in Zion Isaiah 35:5,6. 53:4,5.  the fulfillment of God’s promise in Matthew 8:16, 17. (Grief = sickness, and sorrow = infirmity).  In the promise of his first coming, Christ would bring healing with him.  Malachi 4:1, 2.

 

The Healing Ministry of Jesus

(Matthew 4:23-25; 11:1-6; John 9:31-33; 5:17; Luke 9:10,11)

 

The Healing Ministry of the Apostles

(Matthew 10:1-8; Luke 10:1-9,17-20; Acts 5:11-16)

 

It is God’s will to heal. Matthew 8:1-3; (The Leper)

 

How do we come to God for healing?  We have not only the instructions of His power and will to heal, but we see clearly how to come to him.

We are to come to Jesus by the way of faith.  For out of 19 of the most prominent individuals cases of healing in the ministry of Christ and the Apostle, there are 12 of these where their faith is spoken of (the rest are mentioned sufficiently plain to show us that faith brought the healing in every case).  Hebrews 11;6 is the formula.  Everyone who came to Jesus, who diligently sought for it, God, did not disappoint them.  We must have faith in God. Matthew 11:22-26.

 

Faith defined:  Hebrews 11;1 (Faith is the assurance of confidence of things hoped for and the certainty and evidence of things we do not see).  The assurance is God’s spirit bearing witness to our spirit.  1 John 3:19-22.

 How do I get faith? Romans 10:14-17

 Do I need the gift of faith? NO

 

  • What is the different between the gift of faith and having faith? 
  • What is the grace of faith? 1 Corinthian 12:1,9; Eph 2:8

 

There is a different between the gift of faith and having faith, for the gift is exercise by the Spirit through the individual to heal regardless of the sick one’s state or position.

 

The grace of faith is the virtue God gives every believer to believe on his word to be healed.  The grace of faith comes in measures.  Romans 12:3.  Everyone doesn’t have the same depth or measure or degree of faith.

 

  • The Mustard Seed faith Matthew 17:14-21.

 

In many cases people who is trying to exercise healing when praying for an individual fail because they don’t have the Lord’s presence there to heal. There rebukes and emotions outburst are just vain.  Luke 5:17, also see Matthew 17:14-21.

 

Of ourselves we do not have power to heal; we need the Lord’s presence to heal. This he does with the manifestation of himself, “his presence”, in person, nothing less. Hebrews 13:8.

 

There are necessary fruits of faith:

 

  • Obedience
  • Earnestness
  • Confidence

 

No one came to him to be healed without an obedient heart.

 

  • “Go thy way, thy son liveth”
  • “Stretch forth thy hand”
  • “Go wash in the Pool”
  • “Take up thy bed and walk”

 

These are the commandments of Jesus and disobedience would have at once destroyed the power of faith.  There also must be an earnest hear. James 5:16-18.  Blind Bartimaeus cried aloud for mercy, and when some of the people tried to shut him up, “He cried the more a great deal”.  Note: He fought pass the opposition.  Sometimes we must user a “violent” faith. Matthew 11:12.

The woman who had the issue of blood showed her earnestness in pressing through the crowd, even though she was weak and fainting, she said “If I can but touch the hem of his garment”, I shall be made whole>

 Unless we are earnest and diligent enough and willing to overcome every obstacle and obstruction to our faith, the enemy will rob us of our blessing.

Tell the story of the four men who brought a sick to where Jesus was holding a cottage meeting and could not get in because of the crowd.  They took the man to the roof to get to Jesus.

 

  • Brother Faith
  • Brother Love
  • Brother Hope, and Confidence
  • Brother Determination

 

We must have a heart full of confidence, Hebrews 11:6; 10:35-39.

 

  • The woman said “If I but touch him, I shall be made whole”
  • “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed, said the centurion”.

 

Final Thoughts regarding Divine Physical Healing

 

People whose understanding is shallow in regards to the doctrine of “divine healing” as taught in the Holy Scriptures often encounter some difficulty in determining why saints will go to doctors for certain thins and refuse to go to doctors in time of sickness.  In their minds, some people seem to be unable to distinguish the difference. 

 Let’s talk about this:

  

Should Saints go to doctors?

 

The New Testament or teaching of Christ does not teach against doctors.  We are not against resorting to doctors and taking advantage of their skills and knowledge for various “remedial” purposes.  We are not against taking advantage of their knowledge concerning the human body and how it works.  We are not against taking advantage of their knowledge of what foods and vitamins are essential and appropriate to maintain good health.  But while there is a place for saints to resort to doctors and be benefited by their skills and knowledge, there is also a divine plan provided for the cure of sickness, illness and disease which is designed for the benefit and blessing of all who know and love God.  Christ atonement on mount Calvary was effective not only to “take away sin of the world”, but also to heal physical sickness and disease.

 

What is the difference between Remedial and Curative Healing?

 

Although the dictionary definition definitions of the terms “remedial” and curative” do coincide to a great extent, there is also a difference in the meaning of the terms.  To “remedy” may mean to “correct” or “counteract” while to “cure” is to heal, restore to health.  God gives no specific guidelines in His word concerning things of a “remedial” nature.  Let us list a few of them:  the stitching up of an open wound, the setting of a broken bone, the removal of a splinter, the pulling of a tooth, the filling of a tooth, the wearing of glasses to correct the vision, the use of crutches to walk, and perhaps many other situations; the point is He gives us no specific guidelines to follow concerning these things.  Saints often resort to doctors in regards to such things as these in order to take advantage of the skills that they themselves would apply if they had them.  But with things of a curative nature it is different.  God gives us definite and specific guidelines in His Word concerning things of a “curative” nature are “sickness, illness, or disease” and we do have specific guidelines in the Word of God as to what procedure we are to take concerning them. Let us consider some of those guidelines.

Conclusion

 

“Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up…” James 5:14,15.

 

These are very plain instructions, and those who are walking in the full light of the gospel and acquainted with the rich resources of spiritual power that lie within the Church of God and its divinely commissioned eldership are not afraid to obey and follow these instructions and get the desired results.  There are occasions, however, when God reveals that it is His will to take a person from this world rather than heal him.  Like the Apostle Paul, God’s people yet today are ready to glorify God through either life or death, and whatever His will brings is total victory, and never defeat.