- Mar 22, 2011
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I've seen too many miracles in the videos, often with the fruit of people turning back to God, to doubt that they occur. But the underlying question isn't whether a particular healer is honest or not, or whether the videos are accurate, it's whether the Lord heals. Matthew, whose Gospel was primarily directed to Jews, writes:
That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” --Matt 8:16-17
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” --Matt 8:16-17
Here Matthew explicitly ties physical healing (as well as deliverance from demons) to the Isaiah 53 passage in question:
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed -Isa 53:4-5
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed -Isa 53:4-5
The Hebrew word for grief there is literally 'sickness', and many of the literal translations accordingly render it as sickness, disease, infirmities, afflictions, etc.. And the word for sorrows is 'pain', which can be spiritual, emotional or physical. So Matthew's use of the verse is entirely legitimate. Physical healing is part of the atonement.
The problem, as I see it, is that we often see physical healing not happen in our lives, and so we adjust our theology to accommodate it, rather than hold the Word to be true and press on into the healing. We sometimes can form a hard shell of unbelief, all the worse for being draped in our own private theology, that prevents the Lord's healing grace from penetrating. It is just like it was with some people in the Gospels.
I'm in the process of dealing myself with an area where healing didn't happen the way I wanted, and in the time frame I wanted. But rather than abandon belief in the healing, I'm pressing on, looking for the dietary changes that will cooperate with God's will to heal me, which I still affirm. This not only keeps me in line for the eventual healing, it gives me spiritual protection in the now. Even some of Jesus' healings were done as a process, so we shouldn't be surprised that things aren't always instant.
God allows troubles into our lives to teach us things, to bring needed change, and to build character. But His will for our wellbeing does not change. Sickness has no inherent good purpose, so the sooner we move into the faith realm, the sooner we can shed useless infirmities for the wellbeing our good God wants for us.
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