God has the power to heal you of any problem that challenges you. The question is, will He heal? You will be pleased to know that, not only does God heal, He wants to heal.
Healing prayers
Have you wondered why there are so many miracles described in the Bible, but many people today do not experience miracles? Thousands of people pray for healing, but many are not healed.
God heals people, but not all. So the question is legitimately asked, why does God heal some and not others? Have you ever asked this question?
I will show you the Bible verses that explain why God grants the prayer requests for healing of some and not for others. I will also explain how God answers prayer requests and how we should receive His answers.
30 healing events by Jesus
Jesus healed many people while He was on earth as a man. At least 30 healing events are recorded in the Bible, some of which included many healings. Below are 29 healing events with the Bible verse reference.
Healed because of request
- Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida, Mark 8:22-25
- Jesus cleanses ten lepers on the way to Jerusalem, Luke 17:11-14
Healed because request with faith and belief
- Jesus heals two blind men, Matthew 9:27-30
Healed because of request, worship, and desire for God’s will
- Jesus heals a man with leprosy, Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-14
- Jesus casts demons into a herd of pigs, Matthew 8:28-32; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39
Healed because of belief
- Jesus heals many sick in Gennesaret as they touch his garment, Matthew 14:34-36; Mark 6:53-56
Healed because of faith and persistence
- Jesus heals a Gentile woman’s demon-possessed daughter, Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
Healed because of faith and God’s will
- Jesus restores sight to Bartimaeus in Jericho, Matthew 20:30-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43
Healed because of faith and humble unworthiness
- Jesus heals a woman in the crowd with an issue of blood, Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
Healed because of God’s will
- Jesus heals the man born blind, John 9:1-7
- Jesus removes an evil spirit from a man in the Capernaum synagogue, Luke 4:33-35
- Jesus heals many sick and possessed, Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 1:32-34; Luke 4:40-41
- Jesus heals a man’s withered hand on the sabbath, Matthew 12:9-13; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11
- Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead in Nain, Luke 7:11-15
- Jesus heals a man at Bethesda pool, John 5:2-9
- Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for 18 years, Luke 13:10-17
- Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the sabbath, Luke 14:1-4
- Gives fertility to the barren, Luke 1:7, 21-25
Healed because of God’s will in spite of unbelief
- Jesus heals a servant’s severed ear while he is being arrested, Luke 22:50-51
Healed because of intercession and God’s will
- Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law sick with fever, Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:29-31 Luke 4:38-39
Healed because of intercession
- Jesus heals a man of possession and inability to speak, Matthew 9:32-33
- Jesus heals a deaf man with a speech impediment, Mark 7:31-35
- Jesus heals a blind, mute, and possessed man, Matthew 12:22; Luke 11:14
Healed because of intercession, request, and belief
- Jesus heals the nobleman’s son in Capernaum, John 4:46-54
Healed because of intercession, faith, belief, and God’s will
- Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter back to life, Matthew 9:18, 23-25; Mark 5:21-23, 35-42; Luke 8:41-42, 49-55
Healed because of intercession, faith and God’s will
- Jesus heals a paralytic who was let down from the roof, Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26
Healed because of intercession, faith, belief, prayer and fasting
- Jesus heals a boy with an unclean spirit, Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-42
Healed because of intercession and God’s will in spite of unbelief
- The raising of Lazarus, John 11:1-45
Healed because of intercession, worthiness, great faith
- Jesus heals a centurion’s paralyzed servant in Capernaum, Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
Did you read through the verses for each of the healing events listed above? I know it is a lot of work, but it is worth it!
After reading through each event, I wrote down the conditions that describe what made the healing possible. Doing this exercise shows what God requires, or not, in order to grant requests for healing: 1) God’s will, 2) faith, 3) belief, 4) request, 5) persistence, 6) fasting, 7) intercession, 8) humility, and 9) worship. Sometimes these conditions were mentioned, and sometimes they were not. In no instance, were all mentioned.
Let’s prayerfully consider what insights can be gained from these 29 healings mentioned in the Bible.
Healing according to God’s will
Prayers for healing are granted when it is God’s will. God’s will is ultimately required, regardless of anything we do or ask. God heals people when He wants to heal them. The statement in Luke 5:12 made by the leprous man makes this clear.
“And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
In this case, Jesus said that it was His will. He healed the man.
If God does not want to heal someone, it is not going to happen. So then, it is imperative that we seek God’s will when making our requests to Him. More importantly, it is imperative that we accept God’s answer. His will is the best thing that could happen, whether it be to grant our request for healing or not.
Healing of believers may not always occur
Most of the examples in the Bible show that requests for healing were made by believers. God often healed sick believers. This is obvious to most people.
However, not all believers who pray are granted their prayers for healing. This also is obvious.
Most examples in the Bible show believers being healed because there is a purpose to the stories. God wants us to know that He heals the sick and needy. Recording the denials would not have fulfilled this purpose.
The stories demonstrate that God is compassionate and there is reason to hope in Him. But our healing may not take place when we ask for it. Ultimately, if it comes to it, in death we are delivered and made new for eternity. All believers will be healed and delivered from suffering. The question is not if they will be healed, but when they will be healed.
With this in mind, consider the explanation given in 1 Peter 1:6-7 as to why we rejoice in the hope of God’s power to save us.
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
The point is that God will deliver us and heal us, if not now, then later.
Healing of unbelievers may occur
What is not obvious to many is that God does not always require belief of the beneficiary. This is an interesting observation.
Luke 22:50-51 says that Jesus healed the servant’s ear after it had been cut off. The servant was part of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus. He did not ask Jesus to heal him.
Why did Jesus heal the servant’s ear? Jesus did it because He wanted to. Under the circumstances, it demonstrated that Christ came to help even those who were His enemies. This was a dramatic contrast to those who came for Him seeking to harm Him.
Romans 5:8 and 10 say,
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Healing His enemy during the time of His arrest was a testimony of His love and desire to help us. God’s love is greater than His vengeance. He is always willing to forgive.
Another example of healing in spite of unbelief is found in John 11:1-45. This passage describes how Lazarus was raised from the dead even though Lazarus was not alive to make the request. His sisters, Mary and Martha, did not believe Jesus would raise him at that moment, and others derided Christ in unbelief. But Jesus raised Lazarus anyway. It was His will.
This example brings us to the point again that God’s will ultimately determines what He will do. God will always grant prayers that align with His will. And also keep in mind that these examples involve physical healing, not salvation of souls.
Healing of believers
God fulfills His will, regardless of the requests made and regardless of unbelief. I know this sounds startling in light of passages that tell us that we must believe. For example, Matthew 21:22 says,
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
And Mark 11:23 says,
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
How do we resolve the question of whether or not believing is required in order to be healed? The answer brings us back to the will of God.
Matthew 21:22 is preceded by verse 21. Here Jesus says,
“Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
Jesus says “if you have faith.” Faith is the key to determining whether belief will result in your being granted your request for healing. Likewise, Mark 11:23 is preceded by Jesus’ comment in verse 22, which says,
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.”
In both cases, believing is preceded by faith. Why is that? How can that be?
Faith to be healed – Hebrews 11
Faith is commonly thought of as belief. But this is not so. Faith is what you believe in. Hebrews 11:1 explains,
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is the confirmed revelation from God in us that serves as the basis for what we believe. It is evidence given to us directly from God. We will either believe the evidence or not.
This close association between believing and what is believed understandably confuses many. But the two are different. Evidence is not belief. It is what you believe.
In Matthew 22:21-22 and Mark 11:22-23, Jesus is saying that, if we believe what has been revealed to us, we will receive it as a fulfilled promise. In other words, this is a prayer because of revelation. Due to the revelation, we know God’s will, and we know what we can pray for. If we believe that it will be so, our request is guaranteed to be fulfilled. If God reveals to you that He is willing to heal you, if you believe, it will come to pass.
Faith to understand
Faith is revelation from God that is essential in order for us to know what to believe in. It is the personal evidence delivered to us directly from God. It is not empirical evidence that we can show to others. It is personalized evidence that God gives to each of us individually.
Individually, we must accept or reject God’s personal revelation to us. Whether it be a revelation about healing or about salvation, creation, or the existence of God, etc., we must individually accept or reject it. This personal revelation of truth from God removes the excuse that someone failed to convince us of truth. If we reject salvation, for example, when we stand before God, we can’t blame anyone else for the choice we made to reject Him.
Hebrews 11:3 explains that faith (the confirmed revelation from God) gives us understanding.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.”
Revelation and evidence can give us understanding. Believing does not give understanding. Believing is our response to what we understand.
We need faith to understand God’s will. We need to believe to make it happen.
With an understanding of the laws of science today, we are able to conclude that God created all things. But the laws have not always been understood, and they have not been necessary for us to understand that God created all things. That the laws confirm what is understood by faith is not surprising to believers.
I know that some will object that God has not revealed such knowledge of His creation or of His existence to them. Others object, saying that many have claimed to have had revelation from God that contradicts the Bible and science. Unfortunately, these situations do occur. But regardless of the lack of experience or the false claims, God does reveal truth. False claims and lack of experience may add to the confusion of finding truth, but they do not make God’s revelations nonexistent.
Believing in faith to be healed
Assurance in prayers for healing requires faith. Faith is the confirmed revelation from God that gives you the understanding of what you can pray for. When you understand that God has given you permission to make a request to be healed, all you have to do now is believe.
When you understand what God wants you to pray for, this is faith. Even if God does not reveal what you should pray for in particular, you can still pray with the understanding that He wants you to pray.
Praying with certainty
In God’s Word, we are exhorted to pray. Jesus gives us permission to make any request. This does not mean any request will be granted. But we can ask.
First Thessalonians 5:17 admonishes us to
“Pray without ceasing.”
Colossians 4:2 says,
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.”
Through His Word, God has revealed to us that we should pray without ceasing. By His Spirit, He confirms this revelation (faith) that we should pray. And so we know by faith that we should pray.
But believing that we should pray does not mean that we know what to pray for. Likewise, believing that God can fulfill a prayer request is different from believing that God will fulfill a prayer request.
Believing that He can is belief in His power. Believing that He will is belief in His revealed promise. Believing that He can may result in a request granted. Believing in His promise will result in a request granted.
Without faith to know what to pray for, we pray hoping that God will grant our request.
Thus, without faith to know what to pray for, we pray hoping that God will grant our request. Nevertheless, we can pray with certainty, knowing by faith that we should pray. But we pray with uncertainty about what to pray for, not knowing if He will grant the request.
Forcing belief and commanding God
Forcing yourself to believe without faith and demanding that God do something will not make it come to pass. The power is not in your belief or in your commands. The power in prayer is God’s power. The power is in the answer, not in the request.
Forcing yourself to believe in order to make yourself more certain that God will grant a request will not change God’s will. You cannot force God or convince God or influence God to do anything that is contrary to His will. And making yourself believe something that is not His will only leads to frustration and self-loathing and demoralization.
Forcing belief in things that will not happen and that are not confirmed by revelation is not necessarily fake belief. There are many who sincerely convince themselves that God will answer any prayer if they believe. But as I pointed out earlier, the problem in these cases is not with unbelief. The problem is a lack of faith. If God has not revealed what to pray for, then you can ask, but you cannot know what His answer will be until after He responds.
It is okay to pray with uncertainty. What this means is that you can pray with certainty that you should pray, even though you are uncertain whether God will grant your request. After all, how can you know what to pray for with any certainty unless He reveals His will to you.
Don’t force yourself to believe. Just pray. And for those things that God reveals, pray believing without any doubt, and it will come to pass. When God’s will is revealed, you do not have to force yourself to believe.
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” – Jesus, Mark 11:24
Understanding God’s will about healing
God’s will refers to the desire and purpose of God. The Bible clearly shows that God is guided by one primary desire–the salvation of souls. Second Peter 3:9 says,
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
In Isaiah 45:22, the Lord says,
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
First Timothy 2:4 says that God
“will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
God’s desire is to save every soul from condemnation. In the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, we see that God’s primary goal for man is eternal salvation. This one desire guides every decision God makes.
God’s will revealed in the Bible
The first book of the Bible, Genesis, presents the creation story, showing God’s love for man. It shows how God carefully provided for man’s every need. It was utopia. But Adam and Eve chose to sin, and utopia was lost. The rest of the Bible is all about how God works in the lives of people to bring them to salvation.
In the end, as Revelation shows, utopia will be restored. God’s plan for man will be achieved and preserved for eternity. This is God’s end goal, and everything He does leads to this one goal. Everything God does can be understood and explained in light of this one goal, His end goal.
God’s will is all about saving souls
To understand and explain the reason God heals some and not others is very simple. It is all about God’s desire to save souls. With this in mind, it is easy to understand that everything God does is for the purpose of winning the maximum number of souls. This means that He desires to save as many souls from condemnation as possible.
We may not be able to understand how the things God does or allows fulfill His goal, but we can understand that whatever He does or allows is done in order to save as many souls as possible.
As I mentioned already, 2 Peter 3:9 says,
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
This goal is revealed in His Word for everyone to read and hear and by His Spirit confirming in everyone this revelation (faith). The question to ask yourself is whether you believe it.
When a tragedy occurs, do you believe that God is in control and doing that which will lead to the maximum number of souls being saved? I am not asking whether you understand how the tragedy fulfills God’s will. I am asking if you believe that God is in control and fulfilling His goal to win the maximum number of souls.
Accepting God’s will about healing
If God says that He will not heal you, will you accept His answer? This is the test of whether you trust and believe Him. Do you believe only when He fulfills your requests? Do you trust Him only when He does what you want?
Do you complain when God does not fulfill your requests? Do you threaten Him with rejection? Do you try to manipulate Him by believing or withholding your belief based on how He responds to you?
It is easy to rejoice and worship God when you are healed. Anyone can do that. The true test of whether you believe God is when He denies your requests, especially those that mean a lot to you, and especially when a lot of suffering is involved.
When you can receive all of God’s answers equally with acceptance and joy, then you know that you truly believe Him. Anything else is conditional “belief.” It is belief in you as the priority. It is belief in you as the one who knows best. And when you believe this, whether you admit it or not, you are placing yourself above God and judging Him.
The prayer to remember at all times is the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night He was betrayed.
“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” – Luke 22:42
Permission to persist in requesting healing
God may deny your request for healing for the moment. But that does not mean that He will not grant your request if you persist in asking.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus used the example of a woman who was appealing to a judge for help. He denied her request. She persisted in asking. Eventually, the judge granted her petition.
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
Does this brighten your day with hope? Jesus is giving us permission to persist in making a request, even if at first God says no. This means that you can keep asking until He definitively tells you to stop asking or until He grants your request.
By faith, you know that you can keep asking for something until God gives you an answer that you understand without any doubt. Until you clearly know His answer, keep asking.
Persistence does not always result in healing
Does this mean persistence will always result in prayers being granted? No. Jesus asked His Father three times to deliver Him from the impending condemnation He was facing. But He always asked with the qualifying statement, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” Can you pray this way?
Regardless of your request, can you say that what you desire most of all is that His will be done?
Likewise, Paul the Apostle asked God to remove an annoyance in his life. God said no. Paul asked again. God said no. Paul asked again, and God said no, His grace was sufficient. God gave Paul a clear answer that he understood. God’s grace to endure was sufficient. The evil annoyance would not be removed.
How did Paul respond? He writes in 2 Corinthians 12:8,
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”
In verse 10, he writes,
“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.”
Can you do the same as Paul? Can you take pleasure in the will of God, regardless of the answer?
Prayer for healing your soul
King David wrote in Psalm 41:4,
“LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.”
Asking God to heal your soul is the most important prayer you can pray. Asking God to heal your soul will save you from eternal damnation and will result in eternal rejoicing. Unlike healing of the body, which is temporary, healing of the soul is forever.
Why your soul needs to be healed
Being human is more than being a physical body. Being human means, among many other things, that you have a body, a soul, and a spirit.
First Thessalonians 5:23 says,
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your soul is the essence of who you are. Your body and your spirit contribute to what you are as a soul.
The Bible makes a clear case for our desperate need to be healed spiritually.
Romans 3:10 says,
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3:23 says,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Jeremiah 17:9 says,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
And Psalm 51:5 says,
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
These verses show that, as humans, we are born sinful. We are born with a sin nature. This means that our natural inclination is to be immoral and rebellious. Our nature allows us to choose to do wrong. We inherit a nature that has chosen to sin in previous generations. We have inherited our sin nature.
Being sinful means that we disobey God. We do things that He disapproves of. We rebel against His will. We prefer to do the things we think will please us. We prefer to serve ourselves, not God. This is sin.
The problem with having a nature of sin is that being sinful is not the real problem. Being sinful is the problem of what we do. The bigger problem is what we are.
We do what we are. We can try to change what we do, but that will not change what we are. However, changing what we are will change what we do. This means that the healing of our souls is more than changing what we do. It is changing what we are. We need a moral change.
If you inherited your sin nature, then to change it, you will need to inherit a new nature. You need to be born again. Perhaps you have heard this phrase. But you cannot make yourself be born again. This is a serious problem. This is why we need God’s help.
It is imperative to heal your soul
If your soul is not healed by being born again, you are in serious trouble. We are talking about eternal trouble.
Revelation 21:8 warns,
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Romans 6:23 warns,
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
There are eternal consequences for choosing to sin. This is no small matter. It is imperative that you ask God to heal your soul in order to secure your eternal destiny.
Pray to understand your need for healing
You may not be convinced that your soul needs to be healed. But the evidence for your need is in you. Consider what 1 Timothy 1:9-10 says.
“Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”
The law of God was not made for the righteous because they are righteous by nature. Remember, we do what we are. One who has a righteous nature does right naturally. There is no need to be instructed what to do.
The law was made for the purpose of convincing sinners that they are sinners. And as you read through the Bible, there are many sins listed.
Consider the ten commandments. Have you ever lied? Have you taken something that did not belong to you? Have you ever lusted, been jealous, or coveted things that others had? In a sentence, the ten commandments show us that we are rebellious, disobedient, lying, thieving, immoral, adulterous sinners. This is the purpose of the law. It shows what most of us would deny at first. We are sinners.
As I said before, the problem is not what you do but what you are. What you do reveals what you are. What you do reveals what your nature is. The righteous do not sin. The unrighteous sin.
The problem of sin is worse than what it may appear to be at first. Consider the following thought.
God is righteous and holy. This means that He never sins. He cannot sin. He is unable to sin. And He cannot tolerate being in the presence of sin. Are you worried now?
I have heard many people say that they know they are not perfect but they are not that bad. Or they excuse their sins by saying that no one is perfect. Others say they may not be perfect but they are not as bad as most they know. This is wrong, wrong thinking.
It does not matter what others do. It does not matter how much better you are than others. It does not matter that you are sincere and try to do your best. These thoughts are distractions from the real problem.
The real problem is that, in God’s eyes, you are a sinner. In God’s eyes, you are not good enough. In God’s eyes, you are not qualified to go to heaven. In God’s eyes, not yours, you have a serious problem.
Habakkuk 1:13 explains God’s perspective about sin.
“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity.”
If God cannot look at sin, can He look at you? If you are a sinner, can you go to heaven where God lives?
Revelation 21:27 says,
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Do you see the problem? If you are not as good as God, you are not going to heaven!
Do you know anyone good enough to go to heaven by this standard, God’s standard of perfection? Of course not. The reason we do not know anyone qualified to go to heaven is that everyone sins.
Soul healing is the solution to our problem
The solution to our sin dilemma is to be born again. I mentioned this earlier, but let me explain the extent of the healing to expect.
First Peter 1:16 says,
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
Do you think you can be as holy as God? Doesn’t that sound impossible? Who could ever imagine such a thing? That would take a miracle! That would require a work of God!
Job 14:4 asks,
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.”
And Job 25:4 asks,
“How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?”
These questions asked thousands of years ago are the same questions being raised today. The same questions derive from the same problem. Humanity has been faced with the dilemma of sin since the time of Adam and Eve. The same problem raises the same questions. And the same God has the same answer. We must be born again.
Being born again is the healing
We are not born again in order to be healed. Being born again is the healing.
In John 3:3-7,
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
Do you want to go to heaven? If so, you need to be born again.
Pray for the impossible healing
To be born again means that you are born with a new nature. It is a new beginning. It is a new you.
But you cannot birth yourself, so you cannot heal yourself. This is a dilemma. Apart from God, it is impossible to ever hope for the change necessary to go to heaven.
Changing your lifestyle will not make you born again. Controlling your thoughts and attitudes will not make you born again. Sincere and monumental efforts to conform to the law of God will not make you born again.
Remember, the law was not given to show you what you must do to go to heaven. It was given to show you that you are not qualified to go to heaven.
Many use the law as a standard to achieve. But they always fail. Sinners always fail. And that is the purpose of the law.
The law of God was given to us to convince us that we are not good enough to go to heaven. It is given to us to convince us that we desperately need God’s help. We must be born again.
Being healed to be righteous
The Bible says that the righteous shall inherit the kingdom of God. Psalm 37:29 says,
“The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.”
Matthew 13:43 says,
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Jesus is asking. Are you listening? Do you understand? There is only One in creation who is righteous, and that is God. Therefore, it is only God who can make us righteous. By Him and of Him, we must be born again.
As I mentioned before, the law of God will not make us righteous. Romans 3:20 says,
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
We are not made righteous by reason of what we do. We are made righteous by reason of what God does to us. He changes us. Romans 3:21-22 makes this point.
“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”
If you are referring to the law to determine if you are good enough to go to heaven, then you are in serious trouble. The law cannot make you righteous. Only God can make you righteous. This is the reason Paul wrote that “the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.”
Romans 4:2-3 refers to Abraham as an example.
“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Abraham was a godly man in the Bible who is highly esteemed. He is used as an example of what must be done to be justified in God’s eyes. Abraham did not rely on his own efforts to conform to the law. Rather, he relied on God to change Him. He trusted God’s work to fulfill His promise to justify him, not his own works.
Romans 4:21-25 goes further and explains that what happened to Abraham can happen to us as well.
“And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Because there is nothing you can do to change yourself and to justify yourself in God’s eyes, you must depend on Him to do all the work. He alone must get all the credit for saving you. If you believe this, He will save you.
Believing to be healed
Do you believe? This is what is required to be born again. You must believe Him. Believe that His way is the right way. Believe that He will forgive you of your sins. Believe that He will change you. Believe that He will justify you with His righteousness.
Romans 3:27-28 explains that believing in faith (the confirmed revelation of God concerning His promise of salvation) results in being justified in God’s eyes. Only the righteous are justified in God’s eyes. So what must be done? Romans 3:27-28 says,
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
Remember, there is nothing you can do to change your nature. Only God can do this. You must believe that He is the only reason that you can be saved. You must believe that by His work only, you must be saved.
If you think He is rewarding you for being sincere and for demonstrating good-will effort to be good, then you are robbing Him of the credit and honor He deserves. You are relying on your feeble works of goodness to impress God. It won’t work.
Salvation is by the grace of God. It is not a reward for your effort and best attempts to be worthy to be saved. No one is worthy to be saved. That is the reason God must save us by grace. Believe His message, and let Him take all the credit for changing your nature and saving your soul. Just believe, and rest in His promise.
God will heal your soul immediately
The moment you believe, you are changed and eternally secured forever. Upon believing God, you immediately receive eternal life. And that means you will live forever. It is eternal.
According to 1 John 3:14,
“We know that we have passed from death unto life ….”
Knowing that we have passed from death unto life indicates that we know we are saved right now. We are not waiting to pass from death into life. A person is saved the moment he believes. There is no waiting period.
In John 3:18, Jesus says,
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.”
This statement shows that as soon as one believes, he is no longer condemned.
Also, in John 5:24, Jesus says,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
And Luke 20:36 says,
“Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
Believers have eternal life now, will never be condemned later, and are immediately passed into life from death.
Healing the soul doesn’t heal the body
Second Corinthians 5:21 says,
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Once you are born again, you are made with the righteousness of God. This means, as a believer, you have a righteous nature. Your nature is no longer unrighteous.
But this change only takes place spiritually. It is your spirit that is changed, not your body.
In Romans 7:18-22, the Apostle Paul explains,
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”
Remember that earlier I quoted 1 Thessalonians 5:23? It says,
“I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As a complete human being, you have a body, a soul, and a spirit. It is the spirit that is changed, as Jesus said in John 3:6,
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
Philippians 3:21 says of Christ that He will
“change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
When you are born again of God, you are born again spiritually. The nature of your inward man (spirit) is changed and made righteous.
When you die physically as a born-again Christian, your body returns to the dust of the earth. Your spirit and soul go to heaven. Your body was not born again. It was not changed. It is not qualified to go to heaven.
You are born again spiritually. It is your inward man (soul and spirit) that goes to heaven. And then later, you will be given a new, righteous body to replace the physical, unrighteous body. First Corinthians 15:50 says,
“Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
Romans 8:23 says,
“We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
The implications of this change in the spirit and not in the body are profound. As Paul described his experience, though his inward man served God, his outward man (his physical body) served sin.
This means that a Christian is constantly challenged with temptations of the body, even though he is born again in his spirit. Fortunately, whatever the body does cannot change or undo what God has done.
Just as your works could not change your nature from unrighteousness to righteousness, your works as a Christian cannot change your nature from righteous to unrighteous. This is how God preserves you and secures eternal life for you. His change, new birth, is permanent.
An unrighteous body does not justify sin
Though Paul struggled with sin in his body, he did not justify sin, condone it, or excuse it. In Romans 7:17-18, he wrote,
“Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
Paul is describing his experience with sin as a Christian. He is not excusing it. Every Christian has the same experience. Every Christian must resist temptations to sin.
First Corinthians 3:11-15 explains that Christians will be judged for the choices they make. However, in the end, they will still be saved.
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Salvation and justification in God’s eyes are the work of God. This is the foundation He is referring to. This foundation is the work of Jesus Christ. It cannot be altered. It is permanent.
However, what we do as Christians will be judged. And if we do well, we will receive a reward. If we choose to yield to the body of sin, we will suffer loss. But verse 15 says, in spite of the loss,
“he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
The Christian who chooses to live in sin will suffer loss but will still be saved. No work of man can ever change the work of God.
Believe and be healed
Unlike healing for your body, the healing of your soul is guaranteed. In some cases, God may reveal to a person that He will heal them physically and grant their request. When this happens, a person can pray because of the revealed promise. All that is required is to believe that God will fulfill His promise.
Whereas this may happen for some people physically, spiritually God has revealed He will always heal. Everyone can be healed spiritually, if they believe God. This promise is guaranteed. This prayer request for healing will be granted. Believe, and be healed.
First John 1:9 reassures that,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
And 1 John 5:13 says,
“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
And John 3:16 says,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Why you should ask God to heal your soul
Obviously, the most important healing you can ask of God is the healing of your soul. This is all about your eternal destiny. Where will you spend eternity?
Is there any reason not to believe God? Is there any reason to reject Him?
Asking God to heal your soul gives you eternal life and a future of being blessed forever with peace and joy.
Resisting the will of God
Some people do not like God’s way. Most will reject Him. Most will end up condemned.
This was a shocking revelation to me. This idea of condemnation was the opposite of what I used to think. But then I read Matthew 7:13-14,
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Many people just don’t want to do things God’s way. They do not believe His way is the right way. It sounds crazy to me, but many think this way.
Think about Satan falling in heaven. He lived with God and glorified God. He was the leader of angels in heaven. But then he chose sin. And now he is the leader of rebellion against God.
And even after unbelievers experience the judgment of God on earth in the last days, Revelation 9:21 says,
“Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”
Revelation 16:9 says,
“And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”
These people preferred the judgment of God rather than the way of God. It is amazing to me that people will choose condemnation rather than blessings from God.
During the end times on earth, Satan will have a following. People will literally prefer to follow Satan rather than Christ.
Revelation 13:4 says,
“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”
God leaves the choice up to each individual to accept Him or reject Him. It is our personal choice. Have you chosen yet?
Until you choose to accept Him, you are rejecting Him. In John 3:18, Jesus says,
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
An invitation from Jesus for healing
Jesus invites people to receive His promise to heal their souls. Unfortunately, most will not repent and accept God’s gift of salvation. Nonetheless, He continues to reach out to everyone to give them opportunities.
No passage better illustrates God’s will and desire than Matthew 23:37. Jesus cries,
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”
God’s will is to save every soul. But so many reject Him and say no. This rejection makes no sense, but this is the way of proud and stubborn souls.
Prayers for healing that align with God’s will
God will grant every prayer request that is aligned with His will, which is to save as many souls as possible. So this means that, for a request for healing to be granted, it must eventually lead to the maximum number of souls believing in Christ. No amount of belief, persistence, fasting, or demanding will divert God from this goal.
Only God can see the future paths that lead from our lives. Therefore, we need to believe that He always gives us the best answer. An answer of no may not seem good to us at the moment, but the day is coming when all who believe in Him will be healed and delivered from all suffering.
Not diminishing the number of souls saved is one of four conditions involved in having your prayers granted. Other conditions may be required, not for every prayer, but for some prayers, depending on you, the circumstances, and God’s will.
Not only must a request meet the condition of being aligned with God’s will, but the person praying may have to believe, persist, and fast. As I said, sometimes these conditions are required and sometimes not. It is up to you to ask God to teach you how to discern His will in order to pray the prayers that He will grant.
Prayers for healing that are denied
God will reject every prayer request that is not aligned with His will. And as I already pointed out, God’s will is determined by His desire to save the maximum number of souls. Only God knows the path of your life that will have a positive effect on the number of souls who will be saved now and in the future. So then, a prayer for healing that would reduce the number of souls that could be saved will not be granted. In this case, this has nothing to do with you personally. It is about the end result of how many souls will be saved. Since we cannot see the end result, we must trust God to do what is best. And what is best is the salvation of the maximum number of souls.
How to discover God’s will
Why does God want to heal some and not others? His desire is to save the maximum number of souls. This determines the will of God.
To know the will of God requires prayer. You must ask God to teach you how to know His will. He wants you to know His will, so He will grant this prayer request.
James 1:5 tells us,
“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.”
This is the first step to discerning the will of God. This is the first step to knowing how to pray for healing. This is the first step to continue learning about prayer and healing.
Are you ready to discover God’s will and offer prayer requests aligned with His will?
Praying for the sick
When you are sick, you can ask God to heal you. But there is something special about praying for others. Have you ever been told by someone that they will pray for you? How did that make you feel?
We pray for family members and friends who are sick because we love them and do not want to see them suffer. What better way to help those who are sick than to know how to pray for the sick? Ask God to teach you to pray, and reflect on the lessons presented in this article.
If you are going to pray, make your prayers count. Pray well to help those you love get well.
Changing your life for good
If this article has helped you in some way, share your blessing with others. Let me know in what way you benefitted.
Ask God to teach you more about prayer. And search for more articles in my blog for more insights into prayer.
I look forward to hearing from you and reading your comment below.
