Does God Really Want To Heal You?

“And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” – Acts 10:38.

God is our healer. If you don’t believe that because of your experiences or the experiences of others, then believe it because the New Testament teaches that the Spirit gives this gift (and others) to the church: “The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.” (1 Corinthians 12:9)

We learn many things about Jesus, His nature, and power as we read through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Throughout the gospel stories, we see Jesus healing the sick. He had compassion for the afflicted, those tormented by sickness and evil spirits, and He would heal and deliver them. These repeated stories from the Gospels leave us with an undeniable truth, that God in Heaven is a God of compassion whose ultimate desire is to alleviate all pain and suffering on earth when Jesus returns.

When God heals, it is always intended to glorify Jesus Christ and point us to believe in His gospel. None of us has authority to heal a body, only the Creator does: “…and why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this… (Acts 3:12–13). That’s why we always pray in Jesus’s name.

God obviously doesn’t answer every prayer for healing. The ultimate reason is that He is God and knows best. He distributes this gift according to His will (Hebrews 2:4). God uses illnesses and afflictions to build our faith, cultivate our humility, experience His strong, sufficient grace, and heighten our joy.

Do we have the boldness to ask Him in faith for the gift of healing? Or do we avoid seeking this gift because we don’t believe God will answer and we don’t want to look powerless?

We should pray for healing. The Bible provides a few models but no formulas. Basically, ask God. It’s the prayer of faith that heals the sick: “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” (James 5:15).

When God touches you in healing, don’t forget to thank Him. “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.” Psalm 50:14) And don’t forget to thank those who helped you when you were in need – those who prayed for you, supported you, or provided material or practical help.

Discussion Questions:

Do you believe that God is in the healing business and wants to heal you? Why or why not?
If you feel like God is not answering your prayer for healing, take a few moments to reflect on where He is providing for you in ways you have not expected.