Several Reasons We Can Be Confident That God Heals

Many people question if God wants to heal and/or if still heals today. Here are a number of proofs showing that it is God's will to heal, He still heals today, and that He uses us in the healing of others.

1. One of God's names is Jehovah-Rapha. The meaning of this name is "The Lord Our Healer" . One of the scriptures where this name appears is in Exodus 15:26 - "He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to all His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the disease that I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.'"

2. God is unchanging. While many people limit God and think that healing is limited to the Bible and its time period, or shortly thereafter, the truth is that it is a promise for yesterday, today and the future. Hebrews 13:7 says: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever". His promises do not change because He does not change (Malachi 3:6).

3. Healing is a part of the Great Commission. We are commissioned to preach the gospel throughout the world and baptize those who believe, AND we are to lay hands upon the sick for healing. Mark 16:18b says: ..."they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

4. Jesus promised that we would do as He did. So, because Jesus healed, we also are used by Him to heal. John 14:12a says: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing."

5. God wants to heal us. John 14:12-13 states: "You may ask anything in my name and I will do it." Luke 5:12-14 says: "While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered in leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean'. Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' And immediately the leprosy left."

6. God's will is that ALL people who ask Him be healed. Matthew 8:16 says: "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick". Also, about 30 years later, the Apostle Paul was used by God to heal all the sick. Acts 28:9 states: "And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured", (ESV).

7. Jesus bore, not only our sins, but also our sicknesses and infirmities on the cross. Isaiah 53:4-5 states: "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." See also Matthew 8:17 & 1 Peter 2:24.

8. We are instructed to ask the elders of the church to anoint us and pray for our healing. James 5:14-15 says: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up..." God wants leaders to be used in healing and for us to go to our leaders and ask them to be used by God to heal us.

9. God has given the gift of healing to be used by people in His body, the church, along with other gifts to edify and strengthen. 1 Corinthians 12:8 - "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit..."

10. God has appointed leaders in the church and given some to have gifts of healing. 1 Corinthians 12:28: "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing..." It is clear that God intends that there is to be manifestations of healing in the church.

11. Sickness is a curse and Jesus came to free us from the curse and all its effects. Acts 10:38 - "...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil..."

12. Our salvation includes the promise of healing. The Greek word for "salvation" is soteria. Our salvation includes many promises including spiritual and eternal deliverance, as well as healing, safety and health. See Vine's Expository Dictionary for further information and verification.

Note: All scriptures above, except where noted otherwise, are from the New International Version Bible.

Healing Scriptures

The following scriptures are some of many that we should meditate upon, stand on, and claim for our lives when we are in need of healing. As we petition God, we should spend time praying His Word so it deeply penetrates our hearts, saturates our minds, builds our faith, and opens our spirits to fully receive from Him. We should also remind Him of His Word and promises to us. This builds a connection of faith, humility, as well as dependence upon Him. It also serves as a pleading which He hears because of His mercy. When we do these things watch His grace and mercy flow into our lives and situations. Since we must pray according to His will, praying His Word is powerful and effective for healing, breaking bondages, and seeing Him move on our behalf.

Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

Matthew 8:17 - This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases".

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.

Matthew 21:22 - If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Mark 11:23-24 - I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea', and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.


Exodus 15:26 - "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and so what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commends and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you".

James 5:14-16 - Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Psalm 30:2 - O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.

Psalm 103:2-3 - Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

Psalm 107:20 - He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Proverbs 4:20-22 - My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

The Word Is The Seed Necessary for Harvest

Jesus said in Luke 8:11, "The Word of God is Seed". In this portion of scripture, He talked about how the Word of God, as seed, can produce a good crop in our lives.

Seeds, by their very design, contain the genetic code to promote and propagate life. Until a seed is planted in the ground, it will not "activate" the life it contains. Archaeologists have found seeds that have been dormant for thousands of years, yet when these same seeds are planted in soil, they germinate and grow. Amazing, isn't it?! (See article for more information - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1122_051122_old_seed.html). It is the same with the Word of God - it lies dormant until planted.

The Word of God contains the "genetic code" for us to live life eternally, as well as to live life abundantly (Jn 10:10). Yet, if it is not planted and cultivated in our lives, it will not do us any good. No matter what type of seed it is, if it isn't planted, there's no future harvest. However, when we plant God's Word in our hearts; by reading it, meditating upon it, being obedient to it, this "seed" is then activated and begins to grow. This is absolutely necessary for seeing the promises and God's will fulfilled in our lives.

The Word is not firmly planted in us until it is placed in the "fertile soil" of a heart that has belief and trust. Without such a heart, there is no fertile soil in which the seed can grow. A heart of faith is an absolute prerequisite for seeing a future harvest brought forth through faith.

After being planted, seed for crop must be watered and maintained and requires exposure to sunlight and fed fertilizers to keep the soil rich with nutrients. It is the same with the seed of the Word of God planted in our hearts. We must cultivate our faith by hearing and reading the Word of God continually (Romans 10:17), trusting in God and His faithfulness (Proverbs 3:5-6), and obeying what He commands (John 14:21). As this happens, our seed of faith will grow.

Concerning healing, the same dynamic is at work because it is received by faith. We must first believe and understand, based upon the Bible, that it is God's will to heal us. As we cultivate our faith for healing by knowing and standing on God's promises, this will produce the necessary nutrient-filled soil for the Word of God to take hold in our lives and bear abundant fruit.

Planting the Word of God as seed in our lives is a necessity either before or at the time we pray for, or receive prayer for, our healing. Proverbs 4:20-22 says: "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body".