Overview: Merriam Wester’s Dictionary defines the word healing or heal as follows: 1a: to make sound or whole <heal a wound> b: to restore to health 2a: to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome 3: to restore to original purity or integrity <healed of sin>
intransitive senses: to return to a sound state.
The actual words heal or healing can be either physical or spiritual. As we explore the Bible we find from the beginning of time in Genesis through the New Testament God has encouraged us to ask for, accept and pray for healing. Abraham, Moses and David spoke of God’s healing powers.
Genesis 20:16-18 To Sarah he said, "I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated." 17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again, 18 for the LORD had closed up every womb in Abimelech's household because of Abraham's wife Sarah.
Exodus 15:26 And Moses said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians.For I am the LORD who heals you.
Psalm 103:2-4 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies.
When Jesus lived on Earth He came to restore spiritual healing and physically healed thousands of people wherever He went.
Matthew 4:23-24 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.
After Jesus was crucified and was resurrected into heaven, His apostles continued to perform physical healings through the name of Jesus and offered spiritual healing to the sick and the lost.
Acts 3:1-8 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer–at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
Acts 3:11-16 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
Acts 28:7-9 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.
From the writings of Solomon in the Old Testatment through the Book of James around about 12 years after the resurrection of Jesus we are encouraged to pray for the sick, as God hears the prayers of His children.
James 5:15-17 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. 16 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. 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
Proverbs 15:28-29 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. 29The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
As Isaiah and the Apostle Peter, writing 800 years apart they both point out in his letter, Jesus Christ, died for our spiritual healing as well as for our physical healings
Isaiah 53:3-6 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
I Peter 2:23-25 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24He 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. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Unfortunately, it is not always God’s will to heal us, as even two of the strongest witnesses for Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul and Timothy were sick and were not healed.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I Timothy 5:22-23 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure. 23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.
Sometimes God’s purposes are beyond our understanding, and suffering, pain, trials and even death come to those who deeply love the Lord. God, sometimes allows suffering to strengthen, purify and to perfect us as we learn to rely on God’s grace, even when we aren’t healed.
Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Conclusion: Healing, a word that is electrified with the hope of overcoming physical circumstances, sometimes happens and sometimes it doesn’t. Should we continue to pray for physical healing ? According to the Bible, absolutely yes. But we are to realize that the healing that occurs could be a deeper inner spiritual healing, that strengthens the faith of the believer and draws them into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. This type of healing can even be more powerful because in the midst of pain and suffering, if we can praise God in spite of everything happening to us, the world witnesses the power of Jesus Christ in our life.