Praying For Health

Praying for Health

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalm 103:3

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, a belief that the gospel of salvation is “only spiritual” developed. Never mind that the prophets talked often about tangible justice, that Jesus healed physical diseases, and that New Testament writers and apostles cared a lot about material needs (Acts 6:1-7; James 2:16). The divergence in recent history between a “social gospel” that meets physical needs and evangelistic missions that focus exclusively on spiritual needs set up a false dichotomy that isn’t visible in Jesus’ ministry. He forgave sins and healed bodies even in the same scene (Mark 2:1-12). Why? Because God created whole beings and is concerned about whole lives.

Yes, our bodies eventually waste away, and spiritual salvation is the priority. But emphasis on an “only spiritual” salvation undermines our faith when we pray for health and healing. Many Christians forget that Jesus talked often about the Kingdom of God and demonstrated its comprehensive nature. Some have been led to interpret verses like Isaiah 53:5—“by His stripes we are healed” (NKJV)—exclusively as forgiveness of sin, even though Matthew applied it very physically (Matthew 8:17). Many have assigned the healing work of God to biblical times and decided, quite against the testimony of history, that it rarely applies today, even while we add sick people to our prayer lists and desperately pray for God to heal them. Numerous believers today have lost any sense of expectation that God might actually heal in response to our prayers.

He does, of course. Even when we can’t explain the times he doesn’t, we’ve been on the receiving end of his healing touch and heard ample testimonies of restored health. We have everything we need, through the witness of the Word and the healed, to have confidence when we pray. When we ask God for restored health in our bodies or others’, we can pray in faith, passionately and persistently, trusting in his goodness for however he responds. We are encouraged to come boldly (Hebrews 4:16), pray with conviction (James 5:15), and press in with determination (Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 8:43-48; 18:1-8). God is far more willing to do great works than we are to expect them. Fuel your faith with anticipation of his healing power.

The healing acts of Jesus were themselves a message that he had come to set men free.