Can God Really Help You?

Most people would agree that God can heal. Most of these people would also add 'if it is his will'. But, if the truth be told, most people tend to think that generally he doesn't heal and it is more important to suffer gracefully, bringing glory to God in the peaceful way death is faced. This may be very noble, but it is not what the Bible tells us.

The Bible is absolutely clear that it is God's will that we live a long and healthy life and that supernatural healing is available to us.

In the Old Testament there were examples of supernatural healing, but more importantly God repeatedly told his people that it was his will that they lived long and healthy lives. He offered protection from pestilences and plagues. In psalm 103 we are specifically told that God not only forgives our sins, he also heals our diseases. However, as we move into the New Testament, the stakes are raised. Along comes Jesus, telling us that he does his Father’s will and healing people. Jesus never refused to heal anyone. He occasionally had some difficulty when faced with doubt and unbelief, but he never said “it is not my Father’s will that you are healed”, or “this sickness has been sent to teach you a lesson and make you strong”. No, he healed them all.

After his resurrection and before his ascension into heaven Jesus gave the Great Commission to his followers. He set the church against sickness.
       He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.” Mark 16:15-18

So, if Jesus healed, and the same Jesus is alive today, and he set the church against healing, then why aren’t we seeing more supernatural healing? Doubt and unbelief are the biggest hindrances to receiving healing, and unfortunately they both have a stronghold within many of the modern day churches. The situation becomes self perpetuating. Healing doesn’t happen because of the doubt and unbelief, so doubt and unbelief increase.

You can live a long and healthy life. If you are unwell you can receive healing, as can your loved ones. However, you have to stop looking at what is happening around you and fix your eyes on Jesus. You have to make a decision that you can and will be healed, regardless of what anyone else tells you.

1. Recognise the lies.
a. God is teaching us a lesson.
One of the biggest deceptions in the church is that problems, sickness and temptations are sent by God to teach us lessons and develop and strengthen our character. Or, even worse, they are sent for someone else’s benefit (maybe they will become a Christian when they see how I face death). This is a great big fat lie. It is a deception created to stop you resisting. If you think God is behind something, either by commission or permission, you will not stand up to it and resist it. A house divided against itself cannot stand.  God put everything on Jesus on the cross. He is not mad anymore. God blesses, he does not curse.
b. The way we handle sickness brings glory to God.
Sickness does not glorify God. If sickness brought glory to God, cancer wards would be filled with God’s presence as people drew near to him. The world is tired of sickness and disease. It wants to see something different. It needs hope. Health and healing glorify God, not disease and death.
c. It was just Jesus that healed when he was on earth
When Jesus went around healing he hadn’t yet been to the cross. He was still operating under the old covenant. The cross was the ultimate victory and gave us more than we can ever hope to appreciate. If he healed before the cross, he definitely heals after. After his ascension to heaven, people were still being healed. People brought their sick to the apostles and they were all healed. (Acts 5:15-16) Nothing had changed, people were still being healed.
d. Healing disappeared with the apostles
Jesus said “as the father has sent me, so I send you”. Jesus gave the Great Commission that included healing the sick. The Great Commission was his set of instructions for how Christians were to behave until he returned. It is as real today as it was in the first century. He told his disciples, they told their disciples and so on.

2. Convince yourself that healing is God’s will
a. Why would it not be?
The Bible tells us that God loves us so much that he sent his only son to die for us. He didn’t just die for good people, he died for everyone. Jesus’ death made it really simple, it doesn’t matter how bad you have been or what you have done, all you have to do is believe that he was the Son of God and that he took your sins on the cross and you will go to heaven. God wants to spend eternity with you. Why would a God who loves you this much not want you to be healed? What’s the point of sending Jesus to die for you; to set you free and give you an abundant life, if it is not his will that you are healed? (Unless of course, you believe the lies listed above).
b. The Bible tells us so.
Throughout the Bible we are told time and time again that it is God’s will that we live a long and healthy life. It is part of the blessing given to Abraham, the very same blessing that Christians inherit through Jesus’ death on the cross. Not only is healing God’s will, it is our inheritance.
Christians believe that Jesus died for our salvation, but tend to think that just means forgiveness of sins. Salvation comes from the Greek word sozo, this is an all encompassing word that means so much more than forgiveness of sins. It means healing, prosperity and deliverance. If you believe that you are saved then you have to believe that you are healed.
One of the most powerful scriptures for healing is 1 Peter 2:24, “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”. Jesus bore our sicknesses and diseases on the cross. Healing is God’s will, he sent his son to die, so that we might receive healing.