The God Who Heals!

The God Who Heals!

Healing: Observations from the Bible

1. Healing is based on who God is! (Healer is one of His titles, Jehovah Rapha. Exodus 15:26 I am the LORD, who heals you. Also, Heb. Shalom means peace, completeness, soundness, health, safety, prosperous. Jesus came as the Prince of Shalom- completeness, soundness, peace, etc.)

2. Healing is one of His benefits: Psalm 103:2-3 2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

3. Healing is based on what Jesus did! (His stripes- Isa. 53:4-5; Mt. 8:17; 1 Pet. 2:24)

Isaiah 53:4-5 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

4. Healing confirms the truth of the Gospel: Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

Hebrews 2:3-4 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

5. Jesus healed all who came to Him. Matthew 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Matthew 12:15 Many followed him, and he healed all their sick,

Matthew 14:35-36 People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Mark 6:56 And wherever he went-- into villages, towns or countryside-- they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Acts 5:15-16 people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. (Peter and apostles – all of them healed)

6. Healing often happens in response to one’s faith: Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Matthew 9:29-30 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; 30 and their sight was restored.

Acts 14:9-10 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

7. Unbelief can interfere with healing. Matthew 17:16-20 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him." 17 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith.

Mark 6:4-6 4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.

8. Healing is often administered through physical touch: Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

Matthew 9:21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

Matthew 14:36 all who touched him were healed.

Mark 3:10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.

Mark 5:22-23 Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23 and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

Luke 4:40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.