There is a lot of confusion in the body of Christ about whether or not it is God’s will to heal people today.

Maybe you have been told that God doesn’t heal or that the age of miracles has passed. The truth is, there never was an age of miracles, only a God of miracles. He will never pass away, and His desire to heal has not changed. Healing is available to you!

Salvation and Healing

Many Christians are not aware that Jesus’ death on the cross paid for more than the forgiveness of sins. The psalmist referred to this when he wrote, “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).

God so loved you that He sent Jesus to die on the cross in your place. He wanted you to have access to the fellowship and benefits that were lost as a result of sin. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” That word “saved” comes from the Greek word, sozo, which means “salvation from sin and its penalty.”  Sozo literally means “wholeness and healing, both in the physical and the spiritual,” and it is used throughout the New Testament to express the far-reaching nature of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. It is the same word used by Mark when he said, “As many as touched Him were made whole” (Mark 6:56).

Healing is not separate from salvation; it is part of salvation. When the prophet Isaiah foresaw Jesus’ suffering and death 700 years before it happened, he wrote, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). It is just as much God’s will to heal you as it is to save you!

Sickness Is Not From God 

Many people believe everything that happens to them is God’s will, but you need to know that Satan is the one who brings about sickness and destruction. Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

James 1:17 tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Good and perfect things always come from God, and He does not change. Since Deuteronomy 28 identifies sickness as being part of the curse and Jesus links sickness to oppression in Luke 13, it is clear that neither sickness nor disease come from God.

Actually, if we believe that sickness is from God or that it is His will for us to be sick, why would we pray for healing? James wrote, “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 will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14,15).

Healing Is God’s Will

Jesus healed multitudes of people during His earthly ministry. He never once turned anyone away or did anything to demonstrate that it was not His will to heal them. One time, a leper came to Jesus saying, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing, be cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2-3).

Acts 10:38 records how Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” He visited villages and towns, “healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35). Notice that it says he healed every sickness and every disease. That means that if you had been there, He would have healed you, too.

We know from Hebrews 13:8 that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” If it was His will to heal then, it is still His will today. Neither His will nor His ability to heal is limited by time or geography. He is still willing and able to heal you today.

In Exodus 15:26, God went so far as to say that His name is JEHOVAH RAPHA (in the original Hebrew), or “I AM the LORD who heals you.” How could He reveal His intentions any more clearly? Not only is healing His will, it is His name. It is who He is and what He does!

Receiving Your Healing 

3 John 2 says, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” God wants you well, and here are some points that will help you walk in the healing Jesus purchased for you at the cross:

(1) Draw near to God – God’s will is to heal, but things like unconfessed sin, disobedience, unforgiveness, or doubt can hinder your ability to receive. James wrote, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7-8). Resist the devil by turning away from sin and disobedience. Forgive those who have wronged you, cast doubt aside, and stir up your faith in God. As you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.

(2) Focus on God’s Word – Locate, read, and meditate on God’s promises to heal you. His Word reveals His will for you. As you concentrate on what Jesus’ blood purchased, your faith and confidence in God will increase. The Bible says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Every word from God is powerful. Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” Since God’s words are life and health to us, we should always take daily doses of them!

(3) Pray in Faith – Place your faith in what Jesus did for you on the cross. He paid for your healing and made it available to you. How do you receive it? The same way you received salvation. In Mark 11:24, Jesus said, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Prayer is the point where you say, “I believe it, and I receive it.”

(4) Watch Your Words – Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” While it is definitely beneficial to make a list of Bible promises that you confess on a daily basis, it is just as important to watch your words the rest of the time. You certainly don’t want to eat the fruit that comes from saying, “Everyone in my family dies of cancer, I probably will too.” The fruit will be much better if you say, “Thank God, I’m healed by Jesus’ stripes.”

Revelation 12:11 tells us, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Like those early believers, your words should line up with what the blood of Jesus has purchased for you, not what the devil wants to put on you.

(5) Keep Believing – Many people don’t receive healing because they give up on their faith if they are not healed instantly. Much of the time, healing is a process and takes place gradually, so be patient. “Do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12). Focus on seeing yourself well as you thank and praise God for your healing.

God’s Word is true, and He will faithfully do what He said He would do. HEALING IS FOR YOU!
We recommend Pastor Duane Vander Klok’s audio series, “The Word on Healing”, if you would like additional teaching on this topic.

(All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.)