Divine Healing

Article Index

Isaiah 53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he hath done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Alternate renderings from the Amplified Bible follow: v3 sorrows - and pains grief - sickness v4 griefs - sicknesses, weaknesses and distresses v5 iniquities - guilt peace - well-being with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole v10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to bruise him; He has put Him to grief and made Him sick v12 He let Himself be regarded as a criminal.

Matthew 8:16,17 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

1 Peter 2:21-25 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. v24 [Amplified Bible] By His wounds you have been healed.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: [Amplified] - is crucified.

Deuteronomy 21:22,23 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

The foregoing Scriptures have reference to the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Divine healing is included in His substitutionary work on the cross of Calvary.

Everything the first Adam lost (in the Garden of Eden), the last Adam gained, purchased, restored at Calvary. This work lies at the very heart of Christianity.

Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. There is no argument here. What raises contention is that the work of Jesus at Calvary embraces divine healing: that healing is included in the atonement.

God declares, "the stripes that brought bruising to Jesus, bring healing to us." Can it be shown in the Bible that Jesus was beaten?

Matthew 27:16 (b) and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

The word scourged is derived from the Greek word phragelloo, from a presumed equivalent of the Latin, flagellum; to whip, i.e., lash as a public punishment.

The official Roman scourge consisted of 39 stripes.

Paul suffered this treatment at the hands of the Jews five times!

2 Corinthians 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

Dr S.I. McMillen, in his enlightening book, None of These Diseases, declares every disease known to man has its origin in one of 39 roots.

It is certainly no coincidence that Jesus received 39 stripes and every disease known to man has its source in one of 39 major roots. God made him sick: surely God laid on Jesus every known disease at the whipping post: surely the stripes that brought bruising to Him bring healing to us.

And just what did Adam loose in the Garden of Eden? What did he expose the entire human race to?

Prior to the original sin of Adam and Eve, the earth was a replica of heaven: Man and animals lived in harmony; there was no sickness, no sin, do disease. Creation existed in perfect peace.

Then came sin. For the first time in his life man knew discord, the fear of animals, the mark of sin, the effects of disease, the working of death. He was paying the price for his disobedience. God had told him, " in the day you eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall surely die"; and die he did.

To deny divine healing is included in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, is to do despite to the Spirit of grace, to smite again the Lord Jesus, and to fly in the face of the Almighty.

The evil sin of unbelief reared its ugly head in the Garden and has pursued every individual human being since. It is evidenced in the statement, "Divine Healing is not included in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ."

 

The Body and Blood of the Lamb

God's provision for His New Testament people is likewise the body and blood a Lamb!

The Lamb of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Under the Old Testament, the blood of the lamb provided for sin: the body of the lamb provided healing.

Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

Psalm 103:2,3 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Many Christians do not understand all God's benefits of the New Covenant. In communion they realise the purpose of partaking of the cup: this deals with sin; when confessed and forsaken it is forgiven; yet they fail to perceive the purpose in partaking of the bread. Eating the bread deals with sickness: healing is the children's bread.

Matthew 15:26, 27 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.


 

H ealing Scriptures

Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Mark 16:15-20 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Mark 11:23, 24 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Matthew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Acts 19:11, 12 God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

 

S in and Sickness Related

Mark 2:1-12 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether it is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thy house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

James 5:14-16 Is any sick among you? 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 shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Though sin and sickness are related here, such is not necessarily the case: because a person is sick, it is no proof that that person is involved in sin.

Consider Job.


P aul’s Thorn in the Flesh – Was it Sickness?

2 Corinthians 12:5-11a Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me:

2 Corinthians 11:18,22-30   Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and day have I spent in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory in the things which concern mine infirmities.

Though the word infirmity embraces sickness, its presence cannot be detected in the two Scriptural passages quoted above.

We are told that the thorn in the flesh is a person, the messenger of Satan. Its purpose is to buffet; to rap with the fist, to curtail, to chastise, to punish, to reserve for affliction.

Numbers 33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Vex means to cramp, adversary, afflict, besiege, bind up, distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait, trouble.

Joshua 23:13 Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.

Judges 2:3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

Galatians 6:11 Ye have seen how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

Galatians 4:15 ... for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

 

W hy Christians Are Sick

Unbelief is a major reason why Christians find themselves in poor health.

Hebrews 4:1, 2, 6, 11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

"If it be thy will" are the five words that will crucify a Christian's faith more effectively than any other. The Bible is the revealed will of God. Not knowing the will of God cripples belief. The will of God must be ascertained before prayer can be made in faith: ignorance paralyses faith.

Ignorance is a reason for sick Christians.

"I am sick for the glory of God" is another classic. Glory only came to God when Lazarus was healed and raised from the dead.

James 1:5-8 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

" God can heal me anytime He wants to." Resignation to fate will never bring healing.

1 John 5:14,15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

James 4:2, 3 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, and yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest unto me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Sin is the prime reason Christians are sick.

Isaiah 59:1,2 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Incorrect teaching, overwork, improper diet, lack of exercise are other contributing factors.