Should Christians Always Be Healed?

[Hidden In Him]

I think the strongest faith is in knowing that God is controlling whatever is happening. That when we ask for healing, and we do not see healing, we know something better is coming.

Much love!

I'm doing my preparations fast so I can keep going here, Lol.

Mark, the problem with this type of "faith" is that it can be fatalistic. Go back to what I wrote you in Post #49. If it were simply a matter of "trusting that God is in control of everything," none of that post would be relevant. There would be no need for Jesus to chastise the disciples, saying "Oh ye of little faith"; no need for Him to chastise Israel for their lack of faith; no need for Him to chastise the Pharisees likewise.

While I may not be confrontational about it, I can promise you that this is the VERY argument that drives Faith people crazy. They see it as pacifist, and an excuse for not exercising one's faith in God and believing Him for answered prayers on our behalf; that the believer's prayers and wishes have NO effect in the matter whatsoever, and this is clearly not true from the teachings of Christ Himself. If the believers own wishes have no bearing, He would not have taught them to be like the persistent man who sought the unrighteous judge for bread. The teaching there was to remain persistent in prayer, because even the judge would get up and get it for him if he refused to give up, and by comparison God will do so for us. Granted, the specific subject matter there was seeking him for specific words of encouragement or teaching to give to those we want to minister to (ie. spiritual "bread"), so this was somewhat automatically in keeping with God's will as well. But the parable was teaching about believing God for things that were not something He particularly cared about, maybe because He knew the person in question was not that receptive to Him. Nevertheless, if it meant more to the believer, the teaching was to persist in faith, and God would answer it.

 

[Waiting on him]

The Apostle Paul as far as we know continued to have a thorn of the flesh until his death. I do not think Paul lacked faith.

That wasn’t a physical ailment.

 

[Waiting on him]

Peter explains this,

1 Peter 2:23-25 YLT
23) who being reviled—was not reviling again, suffering—was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously,
24) who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed,
25) for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Much love!

I read that as were healed from our selfishness.

 

[Mayflower]

This is going to take awhile to catch up on, but it is really good. We have been doing a healing series at my church last couple months. I may have a little time when the kids go to bed. I don't right now to share my thoughts. I want to do it scripturally so will need to wait.

One thing I'll say is there is a difference between a miracle and healing. A miracle is a sign for an unbeliever, while healing is always the will of God. Miracles happen for Christians, but they are really meant for unbelievers. It should be normal for Christians, but not everyone believes this way or knows how to speak as Jesus spoke against illness. I know I didn't. I believed God healed, but I believe this in a much more Biblical way now then I did before. I go to a Word of Faith church and I've seen things happen, like my husband's knees being completely healed. I believe it.

 

[marks]

Mark, the problem with this type of "faith" is that it can be fatalistic.

Hidden, you can apply that reasoning to literally anything. It can be misunderstood and misapplied. One can likewise tag the other view as hubris. I'm not saying that, only, yes, there are extremes.

I think the strongest faith is in knowing that God is controlling whatever is happening. That when we ask for healing, and we do not see healing, we know something better is coming.

That's not a cop out. That's an acknowledgment that we don't always get it. What God is doing. Jesus!!! If you had only been here, my brother wouldn't have died!! My sister died! I haven't been healed!!

"It was good I wasn't there", why? Why was it good Jesus didn't show up to heal Lazarus? Jesus! You didn't show up to heal him!

That day the fruit was the witness of a risen man. Another day was the witness of a child of God gone home to her beloved.

Is it a passive faith that watched my sister die from her cancer, and that I not raised her up? Is the peace I have, that I had on that day, my pancea to forget my failure to trust Jesus, and now she's dead? My pretending 'oh, everything's OK anyways . . .' That would be sad indeed! It is sad, for those who do not understand.

Which is a greater faith, faith to rejoice that she was healed, or faith that rejoices when she is not? Because its not about whether I live or die, or whether she live or die, but that we live unto God, and don't need our every whim* satisfied to rejoice in our Beloved. That our lives lead us to rejoice in our Beloved in the warm sun, or the cold darkness.

* I don't mean to belittle anything here, only to express how I prioritize my desires for personal healings.

I believe in perservering in prayer, and I do, but I don't have a trust issue because I don't see this or that happening.

Much love!

 

[Waiting on him]

Scriptures, everyone. No one is going to become any better educated on this matter if we are all just batting opinions around at each other and stating what we "read" somewhere.

Cite scripture.

I don’t see this as physical healing, too me this is all about being reconciled to God through Christ.

 

[TEXBOW]

That wasn’t a physical ailment.

Many believe otherwise. No scripture proves that it was not or hints that it was not physical.

 

[marks]

If the believers own wishes have no bearing,

Very plainly James wrote "you have not because you ask not", therefore some things don't happen if we don't ask. And we most certainly are to trust fully, not doubting, otherwise, don't expect to receive anything.

So I wonder, is it possible that you might ask something of God, not doubting in the slightest, and not receive it?

And if you think that is possible, what should our attitude be in that case?

Much love!

 

[marks]

and by comparison God will do so for us.

In every case? Even if He knows it's ultimately wrong for you? Harmful? Just plain bad for you?

Much love!

 

[Waiting on him]

Many believe otherwise. No scripture proves that it was not or hints that it was not physical.

Try reading the two epistles, the Church at Corinth was riddled with Judaizers that were continually trying to assassinate Paul’s Character.
This was the messenger of Satan.

 

[marks]

Many believe otherwise. No scripture proves that it was not or hints that it was not physical.

The one place in the Bible I can find any clue to what Paul may have meant by "A thorn in the flesh" is that God told the Israelites that if they left any of the inhabitants of the promised land remaining, they would be "thorns in their sides". I don't know if that's what Paul had in mind or not. But if so, I'm thinking this would refer to the Jews who would follow him from town to town stirring up trouble for him.

Paul's description was "a messenger of Satan sent to beat him", and beat him they did.

But I can't say for certain. Like you said, Scripture doesn't really tell us what it was he meant. Just that, a messenger sent from Satan to beat him.

Much love!

 

[Waiting on him]

James 5:15 KJV
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

 

[Waiting on him]

1 Corinthians 9:3 KJV
[3] Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
There were some wolves among the sheep.

 

[Waiting on him]

Paul is continually defending himself in the epistles.

 

[Lambano]

Mark, the problem with this type of "faith" is that it can be fatalistic. Go back to what I wrote you in Post #49. If it were simply a matter of "trusting that God is in control of everything," none of that post would be relevant. There would be no need for Jesus to chastise the disciples, saying "Oh ye of little faith"; no need for Him to chastise Israel for their lack of faith; no need for Him to chastise the Pharisees likewise.

While I may not be confrontational about it, I can promise you that this is the VERY argument that drives Faith people crazy. They see it as pacifist, and an excuse for not exercising one's faith in God and believing Him for answered prayers on our behalf; that the believer's prayers and wishes have NO effect in the matter whatsoever, and this is clearly not true from the teachings of Christ Himself.

You’ve hit one of the paradoxes of faith. I ask God for healing, for someone I care about. God does not grant every prayer for reasons known only to Him. That’s just the way it is. How do we handle unanswered prayer and still have faith?

 

[Waiting on him]

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV
[13] For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. [15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
This is not a physical ailment.

apostate Israel!

 

[Waiting on him]

You’ve hit one of the paradoxes of faith. I ask God for healing, for someone I care about. God does not grant every prayer for reasons known only to Him. That’s just the way it is. How do we handle this and still have faith?

Ask for their salvation/spiritual healing.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Amen! I have also witnessed a sister in Christ suffering in terrible pain for the last few weeks of life, who blessed every one of her many visitors until her time was finished. Her work was done!

Amen. It happens a lot.. And God is more than glorified.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

Maybe because it takes more faith to believe for what we can see than for what we can't and just have to trust God for. Faith teachers will teach this often, and it's true: When you are believing God for healing, your faith runs up against what it can see in the natural. You keep praying, but your body is still sick, so it can appear like your prayers are not getting answered. But strong faith refuses to give up, based on what it is seeing. It refuses to honor what the circumstances look like but continues to trust God, in spite of what it sees in the natural, and eventually receives answered prayer.

Or maybe God already did answer. And his answer was my grace is sufficient. I have a plan for the suffering you are going through I will use it for my good. So my answer is no.

 

[Enoch111]

Jesus healed everyone who asked, so I'm figuring the fellow didn't ask.

Jesus healed many WHO DID NOT ASK and did not expect healing. So that is definitely out of the question. The man blind from birth outside the temple and the cripple at the pool of Bethesda are just two examples. And a multitude of Christ's miracles are not even recorded (as stated by John). What the Gospels show is that ABSOLUTELY everyone who came to Him for healing was healed. Many (including that woman) just touched the hem of His garment without speaking to Him. Even when Christ was inconvenienced He kept on healing.

 

[Eternally Grateful]

This is going to take awhile to catch up on, but it is really good. We have been doing a healing series at my church last couple months. I may have a little time when the kids go to bed. I don't right now to share my thoughts. I want to do it scripturally so will need to wait.

One thing I'll say is there is a difference between a miracle and healing. A miracle is a sign for an unbeliever, while healing is always the will of God. Miracles happen for Christians, but they are really meant for unbelievers. It should be normal for Christians, but not everyone believes this way or knows how to speak as Jesus spoke against illness. I know I didn't. I believed God healed, but I believe this in a much more Biblical way now then I did before. I go to a Word of Faith church and I've seen things happen, like my husband's knees being completely healed. I believe it.

I have seen wonderful healings also. We saw a sister who had emphasima and two holed in her longs and she was told she had less than a year. That was about ten years ago. The holes disappeared and the doctors said it could only be a miracle. She still has emphasima but she is still kicking, not even on oxygen.

At the same time we have a sister at the end of her life. She has dealt with her kidneys shutting down and having to do Dialysys. We pray the same prayers with the same faith. But God has not healed her.

We trust God in both cases, that his will is done.. We do not question him.