Healing Belongs to You

Physical healing was paid for by Jesus!

It is part of our redemption today as much as forgiveness, righteousness and the new birth. We see divine healing offered along with salvation in several instances in the book of Acts. Jesus included divine healing as part of the Great Commission in Mark 6. The command to preach the gospel was followed by the command to lay hands on the sick with the promise that they would recover (Mk. 16:18).

Divine healing has been called the gospel dinner bell and has undoubtedly drawn millions of people to the Lord over the last 2,000 years. Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly,” (Jn. 10:10). It will be very difficult to get rid of sickness and disease if you are not sure where it came from. If there is any hint of concern that it came from God, faith is hindered until this doubt is removed.

There was no sickness and disease on Earth before Adam sinned. There is none in heaven, and there will be none after Satan is cast into the lake of fire. We see very clearly in the Book of Deuteronomy that sickness and disease is part of the curse of the law, which is the result of sin (Deut. 28:21-61). After a pretty exhaustive list of sicknesses, the Bible says, “Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law…,” (Deut. 28:61).

Thank God, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. The curse was a result of sin.

In many cases, sickness and demons go hand in hand:

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. —Acts 10:38 (NKJV)

Jesus healed a woman who was bowed over and couldn’t lift herself up. After her miracle He said:

“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” —Luke 13:16 (NKJV)

We see evil spirits mentioned again in Acts chapter 19:

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. —Acts 19:11-12 (NKJV)

Notice what happened when Philip preached to the Samaritans:

For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. —Acts 8:7 (NKJV)

In these cases, the sicknesses, infirmities and devils all left at the same time. Jesus paid the price for our healing; when healing comes in, sickness and disease and everything associated with it must go!

It’s important to understand that healing is the will of God for all His children. Jesus never turned anyone with sickness away by telling them it wasn’t God’s will to heal them. There is not one case in which Jesus used sickness and disease to teach someone. If using sickness to teach someone a lesson is as common as some people teach today, you’d think we would have had at least one example of it in the New Testament. 

Not knowing for sure that it’s God’s will to heal undermines faith and makes it almost impossible to receive divine healing.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” —Mark 1:40 (NKJV)

He didn’t know the will of God, but he soon found out. Jesus said:

“I am willing; be cleansed.” —Mark 1:41 (NKJV)

He is still willing today!

In many instances He healed them all:

And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. —Luke 6:19 (NKJV)

If healing wasn’t God’s will for everyone, why did Jesus heal them all?

He didn’t separate them into two groups. He didn’t put the people God was willing to heal in one group and the people God was not willing to heal in another. He healed them all!

Matthew 12:15, 14:14 and 14:34-36 also speak of Jesus healing them all. These examples provide further proof that healing is God’s will for everyone.

Mark 6:56 says, “And as many as touched Him were made well.”

He healed them all because it was God’s will to heal them all.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. —James 5:14-15 (NKJV)

Notice, James didn’t say “If it’s God’s will, He will raise them up.” He said, “Is anyone sick among you?” It is implied here that healing is the will of God for any sick person. He didn’t say this would work for some sick people or certain sick people. He made the offer to any sick person.

Not only does God heal the sick today, but healing was purchased for us by Jesus Himself. Healing is part of our redemption.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. —Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)

Every Christian believes that Jesus suffered so forgiveness could be offered to the whole world. The gospel clearly reveals that Jesus paid the penalty for sins. Isaiah 53:5 not only says the price for sins was paid, but it also says the price for healing was paid.

If we can believe that Jesus’ suffering purchased forgiveness, why can’t we also believe that His suffering (the stripes He endured) has purchased our healing? The Bible often puts healing and forgiveness together.

Healing and forgiveness were purchased at the same time, in the same work of redemption.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.  —Psalm 103:2-3

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. —1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV)

Notice how, in the previous two verses, healing and forgiveness were mentioned together. Healing is part of our redemption. It was never supposed to be separated from forgiveness. They were purchased together and they are supposed to be offered together. The Great Commission begins with “Preach the Gospel to every creature” and it ends with “Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”

There is another example in Luke 5 when the paralytic was let down through the roof as Jesus taught the people. Not only do we see someone receiving healing by faith, but we also see Jesus put healing and forgiveness together to the astonishment of the crowd.

Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”— He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” —Luke 5:23-24 (NKJV)

Jesus offers both healing and forgiveness because they are both included in His redemptive work. It was true then and it’s true now. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

Many who came to Jesus received their healing by faith. In fact, those who practiced the principles of faith when coming to Jesus for healing received their answer every time. If we learn to do as they did, we can get what they got.

When the woman with the issue of blood was healed, Jesus let the whole world know why she received her miracle:

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” —Mark 5:34 (NKJV)

If her faith could make her whole, your faith can make you whole!

Notice His words to Jairus, after it was known that his daughter was dead:

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” —Mark 5:36 (NKJV)

He told the father who had a son with a deaf and dumb spirit:

“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” —Mark 9:23 (NKJV)

Two blind men came for healing:

And Jesus said to them, “ Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”  —Matthew 9:28-29

There are other methods Jesus used to get healing to people which include, gifts of healings and the working of miracles, etc. However, receiving healing by faith worked each time it was attempted. Those who received by faith didn’t wait for God to touch them; they touched Him. They didn’t wait for an invitation or a visitation; they chose the time and the place where they met Jesus and received their healing.

People are still being healed by faith today, and so can you. God is no respecter of persons. These examples and others in the Gospels serve as divine encouragement for us to stop doubting and start believing for the blessings of God.

Divine healing is part of our redemption, and it belongs to you! That’s Good News!