We must see that God uses death, and disease even for his own purposes, and that healing is not necessarily an entitlement within the atonement itself. I know the scripture " By His stripes we ARE healed!", but does that mean one and all at all times?. Just because this is written, can we own it as our possession? ..or, does it belong to God and we receive it, as He chooses.
" And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath."
God passes by many sick, and His purposes are above the need of the individual, even the faithful.
" Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."
There was never a hint of why? Elisha was allowed to perish from disease, but he did. God had a greater plan.
Sometimes, there are very apparent reasons why people do not get healed.
" For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
Weak and sickly mean diseased; "SLEEP" means die. Why? "Not discerning the body of Christ, in which we ALL our members." This discernment means how we love, or do not love, or respect, even the least of the brethren. Have we disrespected a meek or poor member of God's Holy church, and brushed them off, as a nobody? Have we refused to show mercy, or forgive any bloodwashed children, for any reason? Have we been greedy or selfish as to our possessions, or time, to a member of Christ's body?
This is "not discerning the Holy body rightly", and in this, multitudes will offend, not fearing or understanding the Word, and will not be healed, no matter how much they pray or fast. I have warned many, over and over to repent of such sin, for if you do not, and are guilty, your guilt remains, and you are under a curse, that God will refuse to deliver you from, lest you repent.
I ask everyone I pray for to consider this, and give them time to search their hearts, and repent....for the cup, the blood, will be useless to you if you have not loved, or walked in mercies, and yet offended any the belong to Christ, no matter how lowly you may think of them.
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."
This is the reason we wait for one another during the time of Common-Union, for the commandment to show love, and mercy is not an option, and we will be condemned if we do not obey. The only sin the Lord will not forgive, is the refusal to forgive another after you are forgiven.
" For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
In this sense healing is bound in the atonement, and we only qualify for mercy from God when we are seen to give it by the Father. Those who refuse this, are left out of healing, and even then, it is no guarantee. He is Sovereign. Consider some holy ones who die prematurely
"The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart;
And devout men are taken away, while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from evil, He is taken into Peace."...Isaiah 57.
I see healing in the same way that Jesus put the infant child in the midst of them, and said; "Such is the Kingdom!" We receive as helpless ones, without hope unless God delivers, and heals us. Here is the heart of meekness He so honors, but even then, He does as He wills, and is Sovereign for His own purposes, no matter our own state.
"Fear God and keep His commandments!"