Like, are there limits to what we can and cannot be healed of?
What is our response to people who genuinely ask for healing but do not receive it?
Been a couple of days since I visited this thread my you all of have been busy Ha!
Anyway I have scanned through, but forgive me if I haven't taken every thought in. But I have tried to weigh what others are saying so my own conclusions as to the OPs original questions is as follows.
(1) In regards to Limits.
I think we have all agreed there are no limits as to what God can do if He so desires or if He still heals which is most definitely the affirmative. The disagreement comes as to is that His explicit will every single time, what emphasis we should place on that and if that is the exclusive reason He came. Is that what He primarily focuses on today and is that what He is primarily interested in doing?
Some seem to say yes. I say He is after so much more than just the preservation of our earthly Bodies, He certainly made that abundantly clear in the scriptures don't you think? But it seems others imply we would live forever now if only we believed. Hmmmm? I guess there would be no reason for His return then and restoring creation unto Himself. Which leads me to the second question.
(2) What do we tell people as it relates to healing?
Tell them when Christ walked this earth healing was a huge part of His ministry, no doubt, He still heals today, but here is the kicker. Consider this for a moment. Out of all those people He healed what percentage of them did it change their heart? Almost none! 99.9999% of them when it mattered most chose Barabbas over Christ. At the end of the day the cry of their heart was to yell, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
Healing then helped established who He was, but not why He came. Healing could touch the condition of their body, but it was going to take a far deeper and more miraculous work than that to touch the condition of their souls. He came for the condition of our hearts, not the condition of our bodies.
The Spiritual fact was established when He was here that man was far more concerned about their earthly lives than their spiritual ones. Christ was forever pointing to the condition and need of their heart. But man was continuing to seek a Messiah for the sake of their own lives on this earth. For that they rejected Him And for that He was grieved.
As He approached Jerusalem He wept over the city, and said, if you even you had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes (Luke 19:42).
Job has been mentioned a lot and rightfully so. The Lord said of Job, "There is none like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil." We would all be so grateful to Christ if the same were said about us. But even he was brought through the fiery ordeal to a deeper knowledge of God, and a deeper emptying of self.
Who amongst us would not agree that the Job after the ordeal was far more impacted than before, was deeply and immensely dealt with, was brought to a profound humility and understanding of God and His ways as he never had, bringing him to an even deeper faith and understanding of who He was. This was all done BEFORE Job was healed and restored. The fire had touched the real need in Jobs life, and when that was accomplished the Lord did bless Job and restore His physical needs. The emphasis far more on the former than ever would be on the latter.
So when I encounter people in some sort of Crisis this is the first thing I try to pray through. What is the Lord after here? What is the real need? How would you want me to pray for this person? What would best serve your purpose in this person's life precious Lord? I would tell them I am going to pray that way. That is the way I am going to seek the Lord for their life. I would share with them all the reasons above I just gave for doing so. And I would tell them that after I do this if I still come away with the impression to pray for their immediate healing I will be the first to come and lay hands on them to do so. I would tell them the reasons I take these steps and this approach is it is the way I know to love them through Christ the best. And then I would be with them through it, continuing to encourage them in the fire, rather than getting angry at God for not taking Him out of it if He deems it wise not to do so.
These are the things I think He really talks about in the Bible. I do not succumb to a theology that says it is the Lord's implicit will to heal someone of everything 100% of the time immediately and the only reason there are any sick people in the world is the somehow Satanic work of the devil in people like me who just don't believe enough. Hmmm are we already then in the ages to come one wonders? Don't you think there are some things to yet work out before this is true?
I think that theology is puffed up in pride, a pride that is willing to walk out of one of these vets rooms who we have sent to get their bodies blown up and say your leg would grow back if it were up to me and my walk in Christ, but unfortunately due to your unbelief and the unbelief of others it will not. That is staggering to me. Astounding really. And it is me who needs to repent?
Well it will all get sorted out in the end. There is no doubt about that at least. In the meantime, I am at tremendous peace. The peace that transcends all understanding. Blessings and prayers to you all.
