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.