When Bev was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in March, 2014, it
broke our hearts. I researched every bit of information I could find and
quickly realized that the prognosis was not good. Because of the advanced state
of her cancer, I knew she would die unless there was a miracle of healing. We prayed earnestly for that, while engaging
in the best medical practices available to us.
She did recover her health for a time, but a year after her original
diagnosis and treatment, the cancer recurred. Her life on this earth ended 8
months later. That experience made the debates about divine healing more than theory
to me.
How do faith and prayer work together?
Why are some healed and some apparently do not recover?
My understanding of the Scripture and other experiences
convinces me that part of the work that Jesus did for us in His incarnation,
death, and resurrection involves healing. Christians believe that He died to
restore us to our Father, to provide a final sacrifice for sins, once for all
people and all time. That sacrifice is
complete on our behalf, received by faith, and we have the assurance of eternal
life because of Him. I also believe that
He made healing possible through His atoning work.
Both Peter and James were inspired to tell us that healing
is both for our spirit and our body. "When
they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he
made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He
himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter
2:23-24, NIV) "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church
to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the
prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him
up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." (James 5:14-15, NIV)
I have been healed by the Lord numerous times in my life and
have witnessed indisputable miraculous healing in others. But, there are also many occasions on which prayers
for healing have gone unanswered, if one understands an answer as being only the recovery of physical health,
which I do not believe. Parallel to the
promise of healing the Bible includes many passages about suffering, about
trusting God in sickness, and
allowing Him to do His work in our weakness.
We have much too limited view, in my opinion, of the healing
work of the Church. We should not just
pray for symptoms, we should always seek wholeness, leading others to live in
ways that honor God with the body. God can heal people as we pray over them, following
James’ instructions to anoint with oil.
Our Lord will lead us to create 12 step groups to help people recover
sobriety, to encourage godly discipline about diet and exercise so that chronic
health issues do not development. Strong Christians will be encouraged to avoid
addictions – a source of many illnesses.
The Church brings healing by teaching discipleship, helping people to
avoid debilitating stress by developing comprehensive faith that builds strong loving
families where emotional health is nurtured. As we lead people to forgiveness through
Christ, finding that He loves them and thus frees them to radically love
others, there is a kind of healing available to them that is truly miraculous!
Yes, I believe that Jesus’ work of salvation and healing
should cause us to work at creating a culture
for health and wholeness to be nurtured and fostered by positive, Christ-honoring choices about
food, money, relationships; all of life!
Healing is more than crisis intervention
by a team of elders when sickness arises. Healing is at the very heart of God. "I am the Lord, who heals you"
(Ex. 15:26). The healing theme woven throughout the story of the Bible from. I believe in the healing, restoration,
reconciliation, and transformation of God's people in spirit, soul (mind, will,
emotion), and body through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The question remains about the timing and completion of healing. Bev died. Does this mean she was
not healed? In one sense, the honest answer must be yes. Her life ended prematurely
(by human estimation) because of disease. There is no way to avoid the fact. A monument
in a cemetery is mute testimony to that. And yet … she did know a healing that
is larger than this temporal life. She knew her Savior, trusted in His grace,
and entered into eternal life. It is a
glorious healing, though not the one I would have preferred. I have many friends who are Christians of
solid faith, who continue to wrestle with implications of chronic illness, with
bodies that are imperfectly made, who suffer. Is their sickness indicative of a
lack of faith in God? Not at all and
anyone who says that is misreading the whole of the Bible. Our experience of the Kingdom of God is incomplete
this side of Heaven and until Christ returns for the Second Time. So, until
then, I will pray actively for healing – body and spirit; I will trust when I
cannot understand. I will follow Him
radically, and by His grace – healing will come, now or in Heaven.
Receive the word from the Word with faith and obedience. "Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel
great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint
you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and
Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be
forgiven—healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your
sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole
and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful
to be reckoned with." (James 5:13-16, The Message)
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