The
Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New
Course: The Gifts of the Spirit
Lesson
5 (Questions)
Lesson Title: The Gifts of Healing (1 Corinthians 12:9).
Questions related to healing in the body
of Christ.
1.
Why are only some people healed?
Faith is not presumption.
Faith is not afraid to recognise
symptoms.
It is wrong and dangerous to deny the
existence of sickness or the symptoms of sickness.
God is sovereign in all things.
Jesus conquered death on the cross but sickness and death will not be removed until Jesus comes.
When the Lord Jesus returns then the body of Christ will be changed into His likeness but until then our bodies are mortal and corruptible.
Is it God's will for His people to be in
health? Yes - John writes in 1 John v2, 'Beloved, I wish above all things that you
may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers'.
But there may be a reason for the disability
or sickness according to God’s sovereign will.
Sickness and disability can be the means of
bringing great blessing, and can open tremendous doors for the gospel.
People with disabilities and ailments have
been greatly used by the Lord.
As Christians our primary concern should be that the Lord will fulfil His plan and purpose for our lives. The plan and purpose of God may mean that we suffer in life knowing that we shall also reign with Him in eternity, One example of a woman greatly used of God is Fanny Crosby who was blind. The words of Fanny Crosby have been sung by millions of people and have been instrumental in bringing many to Christ.
But there can also be something
hindering our prayers.
It can be the result of personal sin which the person is not willing to turn away from. The sin could be unforgiveness, worry, or overwork.
There may be a barrier of unbelief that
prevents the person from receiving the provision of God. (Matthew 13:58). Unbelief will stop the
sick person from seeking the Lord for healing (2 Chronicles
A person may enjoy the benefits of being
sick.
The sick person may not want to be healed. The sick person enjoys the security, the benefits, the sympathy or possibly even the suffering of being 'a sick person'. Jesus asked the sick person 'do you want to be well' (John 5:6). God will not heal if a person does not want to be healed.
There can also be other reasons
It can be a time of chastisement because of sin towards others in the body of Christ - 1 Corinthians 11:23ff. 'For this cause many are sick…'
It can be a temporary time of sickness or infirmity that will bring great victory. A person who is forced to remain in a sickbed can be greatly used of the Lord for instance through intercessory prayer. We must walk in love towards the body of Christ, learning to depend upon the Lord in times of trial so that even in sickness our life brings glory to the Lord.
Sickness has sometimes been the result
of God's judgment on sin but these are rare occurrences.
It can be a permanent sickness resulting
from deliberate sin such as asking for personal reward for the manifestations
of the Holy Spirit. The leprosy of Gehazi (2 Kings
The leprosy of Gehazi was an exceptional
occasion and Gehazi lived with his sickness in the knowledge that it was the
consequence of his sin. Even afterwards
Gehazi had influence with the King and God used him to benefit His people. (2 Kings 8:4-6).
2.
What is the relationship between faith and gifts of healing?
Faith is a necessary requirement in
operating gifts of healing.
The gifts of healing operate through believers, Mark 16:17.
The sick person must respond in faith, Matt. 9:22, Matt.9:29..
All prayer must be in the name of Jesus, prayed in faith, and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
Faith – let the sick call; let the
elders pray, James
5:14-15.
The sick person must call for the elders in faith, James 5:14.
The prayer of faith is prayed by the elders, James 5:14-15.
3.
Is there a 'double cure' for sin and sickness through the atonement?
In this life we have corruptible and mortal bodies so there will always be the possibility of sickness or death.
Christ conquered death on the cross and sickness is due to death being in our natural bodies.
From the moment we are born it is known that our bodies will grow old and die.
The body deteriorates because it is corruptible.
An accident may kill or severely injure a person because our bodies are mortal.
This will not change for the believer until this life is over.
When will this change? At the resurrection (1 Corinthians
Jesus was never sick and only died
because He chose to lay down His life.
Question: Are we like Jesus in this respect? No we are not.
Jesus was in all points like us but without sin. He was the sinless Son of God. Jesus never had a bad thought about anyone. Death did not reign in His body. When we receive Christ our sins are dealt with through the blood and we are able to overcome sin in our lives, but we must always beware the danger of sin because it is still in us.
Sin no longer reigns in the believer, but it is in us.
Church History
Wesley’s teaching on Christian
Perfection
John Wesley taught the doctrine of Christian perfection in which he taught that it was possible for a person to attain a place of perfection in this life.
The holiness movement of the 19th century developed from Wesley's teaching of Christian perfection.
The great healing evangelists of the 19th century applied Wesley's teaching to healing by taking the view that if a person can be free from sin then he or she can be free from sickness.
A B Simpson did not accept Wesley’s teaching but he also taught the doctrine of the 'double cure' that the atonement was for sin and sickess; 'He was …bruised for our iniquites, …wounded for our transgressions, …by His stripes we are healed'.
It is interesting to note that when Matthew
quotes Isaiah 53 in regard to the Lord healing the sick he does not quote by
'His stripes we are healed', but he quotes an earlier part 'That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our
infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.' Matthew 8:17
There is no doubt that Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses, but as long as we are in these earthly bodies there is always the possibility of sickness or death.
4.
Can I trust the Lord to heal because of the blood of Jesus?
Yes, we can trust the Lord because the promises of God are our inheritance in Christ. But healing is not guaranteed because of the promises of God.
Jesus conquered death on the cross, but the
possibility of sickness
will remain throughout our life or until Jesus returns. It is then that our mortal body will be
resurrected to immortality and incorruption. No more
sickness, no more death.
Sickness is a consequence of death still
reigning in our bodies but the same Spirit that will quicken our bodies at the resurrection dwells
in us right now.
Romans
8: 11 ‘But if
the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwells in you.’
Does
the Lord heal today? Yes.
Are
all healed who believe? No
Why
are some healed and not others? It is as
the Holy Spirit wills.
What
should we do? Give thanks because of all that Jesus Christ has done for us and
rest in His plan and purpose for our life. He will never fail us. In sickness
or in perfect health we know that in Christ we are children of the living God.