HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 167
page A165
• J O H N 5 :6 -9 | When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him,
“Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said. . . . Jesus told him, “Stand up,
pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed!
Jesus’ healing of this lame man demonstrated that God loves those who are sick or have
deformities as much as he loves those who are healthy. In Jesus’ day, many physical
deformities were seen as making a person unacceptable to God. When Jesus touched
this man, he revealed both God’s power and his compassion for the whole person. God
can and does heal today—through the body’s natural processes, through medical science,
and through miraculous means. But the greatest disease is sin, which disfigures the soul.
Jesus heals the disease of sin by his forgiveness and grace. Have you allowed him to
touch that part of your life?
• J A ME S 5 :1 4 -1 6 | Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come
and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered
in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any
sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that
you may be healed.
• PSA L M 1 0 3 :3 | He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Sin can make you sick, literally. There are times when repentance and God’s forgiveness
can pave the way for healing.
• PSA L M 1 1 9 :9 3 | I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.
Following God’s direction can bring healing in your life. God’s Word shows you how to break
free from the stress, pressure, and unhealthy practices that undermine your health.
Why doesn’t God always heal people?
• MAT T H E W 4 :2 3 -2 4 | Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee . . . And he healed
every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon
began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they
were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all.
• R E VE L AT I O N 2 1 :4 | “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death
or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
• R E VE L AT I O N 2 2 :1 -2 | Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the
main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with
a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
God has full authority over all sickness. He can heal whoever he chooses. But why he
heals some and not others is not known. Sometimes it is his will to release a person from
their suffering and sickness through death. Eventually, he will remove all sickness and
suffering from his children for eternity. You will live in heaven forever where there will be
no sickness or disease.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 2 :9 | “My power works best in weakness.”
We do not know why God heals some and not others. But we do know that God’s power is
magnified through our weaknesses and infirmities if we allow him to work within us. If you
have been praying to be healed, or praying for a loved one to be healed, and God has not
done it, trust that he has something even greater that he wants to accomplish through the
illness.
How do I deal with it when I’m not healed?
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 2 :1 0 | I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships,
persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.
HelpFinder
• PSA L M 3 2 :3 -5 | When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all
day long. . . . Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said
to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
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The Lord often uses others to give you his gifts—including healing. He has given authority
to church leaders to be vessels for this special work. While you may not feel worthy or
capable, pray for one another in obedience to God.