The Book of Exodus records God telling the Israelites that “IF” they listened carefully to His voice and obeyed His commands He would not bring on them the diseases that He brought on the Egyptians: “For I am the Lord who heals you.”
So obedience to God is a precondition to healing though not all diseases are due to disobedience. Generally speaking it was sin that brought in sickness and suffering to humanity.
The Book of Isaiah looked forward to the Suffering Servant Jesus. It said of Him, ``Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows . . . and by his wounds we are healed.” Thus the suffering of Jesus on the cross has opened to us the possibility of divine healing in our lives.
In the same Book it is written, “Your God will come.” And the accompanying signs of blind eyes being opened, deaf ears unstopped, the lame leaping like a deer and mute tongue shouting for joy were all fulfilled when Jesus walked the earth.
The healing ministry of Jesus was holistic. That is He dealt with whole person than the disease. He forgave the sins of many before He healed them. From some others He drove out evil spirits which brought them wholeness. Those affected with leprosy, He touched. That touch gave them worth in their own eyes. It was more than a physical healing. In all these, He was filled with compassion!
The Book of Psalms records: “He sent forth his word and healed them.” So God’s Word can bring healing. Many times a word from Jesus brought miracles of healing. At the same time the Bible talks about other methods also used by God.
King Hezekiah was given an extension of fifteen years of his life. But Prophet Isaiah asked to prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil by which Hezekiah recovered.
Jesus once spit on the ground and made some mud with the saliva and applied it on a blind man’s eyes and asked him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. James tells us that when a prayer of faith is made over a sick man and he is anointed with oil in the name of the Lord by the elders of the church, he will be made well.
Faith in God definitely plays a major role in the healing process. But disease is not always a sign of God’s displeasure. It can come as a natural result of aging as in the case of Prophet Ahijah who could not see.
Another classic case is that of Elisha. The Bible says, “Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died.” See Elisha had done some mighty miracles. But God did not heal him neither does it seem that he prayed for healing.
Paul was given a thorn in the flesh (most likely an illness) to keep him from becoming proud by the great heavenly revelations he was shown. He prayed and pleaded for its removal thrice; but God told him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Healing is also one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is given to people by the Holy Spirit as He determines. As we look at the Book of The Acts of the Apostles we find that the apostles were primarily concerned with speaking God’s Word with great boldness. They exalted Jesus Christ first and foremost. Miracles of healing accompanied their preaching!
One promise in the Book of Psalms is reserved for those who have regard for the weak: “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” Let your focus be always on God; and pray like Jeremiah prayed: “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”
Yes, He is Jehovah-Rophe, the God who heals.
