Always Willing God

Not only is He the God who heals, but He wants to do it!

Have you ever wondered whether or not God wants to heal someone or even yourself? This morning I was reading Luke 5:12-15. The story is about a leper that approaches Jesus in hopes of being healed. He asked the way many of us ask the Lord things. He was hedging his bets, playing it safe all while petrified with fear. In fact, I think his request was buried in a statement and masked in uncertainty. When the man asked his question, he didn’t need to approach the God who heals with this sort of doubt:

“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

I like the way Peterson’s Message interprets the scripture. In the Message, it states his question as: “if you want to…”

That’s crystal clear, right?

Ignore “teachers” who make healing harder and muddier than it is.

You know, I’ve read articles and listened to sermons that make me question if people are not more interested in knowing about God than intimately know His nature. If they knew Him, no way in the world would they challenge His desire to heal.

I’m also bugged by the people who enjoy making God’s purposes [toward us vague] and almost indiscernible.

That frustrates me to no end. If you know God, you know He is the God who heals and the God who wants you whole. Simple as that.

Let’s get one thing straight…right now about the God who heals

I by no means want to imply that I consistently understand the will of God – far from it. Please!

At the same time, I understand one thing: God loves you and me with an everlasting, compassionate, caring love.

I further understand perfect love casts out all fear. To this end, we don’t need to approach Him being fearful or unsure of His intentions toward us.

I also know all power in heaven and earth dwells in His beautiful, powerful, and almighty hands.

I further understand He means to do me good and not evil all the days of my life. That much I know and understand – no seminary training required. BOOM! Take that, doubters!

Okay. With all this understanding, this comprehension, why would I hesitate to fellowship with Him in prayer? While I’m praying, why would I approach this wonderful God with any wishy-washy prayers?

Why would I EVER waver as I pray for healing for myself and for others?

Jesus has demonstrated time and time again His ability and His desire to heal and make us whole.

When you get a chance, scavenger your Bible looking for instances He healed folks! Examine His attitude (as best you can) when He’s doing it. You will see He is the God who heals and He wants to do it! He demonstrated it time and time again!

In one of my favorite scriptures, He described healing as the bread of His children. He’s a Healer – plain and simple. He is the God who heals – plain and simple. No need to doubt, no need to wonder.

Why didn’t God heal my family?

It’s complicated.

Like you, I’ve prayed for people to be healed only to have God take them home to heaven.

My response? Here it is: it’s complicated (as if I haven’t said that enough:)

As I’ve said time and time again, God still is the God who heals. It’s just a matter of place and space.

God is going to heal in the name of Jesus. That’s what He does. The question is whether He will choose to do it down here on earth or in heaven with Him.

Nevertheless, since He invited me to “make my request known”, I ask God to heal them down here so they may see more warm sunsets and hear the birds sing or even cuddle their grandchildren.

I know God wants to heal and wants what’s best for us.

But, sometimes, he wants His best in the glory and splendor of heaven which is far better. It’s up to Him and if we truly have faith in the Healer, we relent to His sovereignty. We know we are crucified (dead) in Him. If dead in Him, our will is never as important as His.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Click To Tweet

What we want may not be what’s best.

Any parent knows giving our children what they want is not always as simple as it seems.

For example, my kid would eat three bags of candy if I’d let him. When he asks to do so, I really want to give it to him. I want to see him happy. Still, it’s complicated. As much as I love him and want to see that big smile, eating tons of candy is not good for HIm. In fact, it can cause problems in the immediate (make him sick) and in the future (contribute to long-term illnesses). So, I say “no” or “only one, JohnJohn.”

His begging breaks my heart.

He’s still so little and so cute. Mommy wants to make him happy by satisfying his request, but it’s complicated.

I have absolutely NO problem with his asking for what he wants, just like Jesus has no problem with us asking Him to heal our loved ones. None whatsoever! Know, though, it can be more complicated than Him simply saying “yes.” A greater plan is always at work.

That doesn’t mean you cannot ask for what you want.

Look, the scripture confirms it:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6.

Ask knowing God loves you and wants you to be happy. He also wants the person you pray are praying for to be healed.

Go ahead, ask in faith with a clear understanding that He is the God who heals and wants to heal.

Don’t be doubtful just because you don’t know where (here or in heaven) He will heal. That’s not your business. You just pray in faith ‘making your request known.’ Remember, it can be complicated sometimes, but ask anyway, trusting God’s final decision in the end.

“Hmmm…the God who heals” it’s all so confusing to the “human” mind, right?

I know my stance about healing is hard to swallow because each time we pray, we want people to live (on this side of heaven)…. I know I do.

Again it’s complicated.

Did you know most of my family died when I was in my twenties? It doesn’t matter, I’m still convinced of His healing power. It’s complicated. Yet, my faith is in his ability to make all things work together for my good.

In spite of it all, I’m even more resolute than ever to believe in Him and his plans toward me. That’s what faith looks like.

Again, He wants to!

Not only is the Lord Jesus able to bring healing; but let me reinforce the purpose of this blog post: He wants to do it!

We are loved and cherished.

He called us by name and we are His.

He would be an infidel (by Paul’s terms) if He didn’t take care of us. He wants to.

Trust Jesus is fully confident He wants to help you and He is committed to caring for you as a Father can and should.

I hope I stirred your faith in God’s power to heal and deliver.

One more thing I hope I accomplished. I hope you understand just like my 3-year-old, you don’t always get what you want because a greater plan could be at work. As I tell him, “You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit.” I think that also applies to spiritual maturity too. Only the spiritual “babies “pitch a fit” when they don’t get what they want.

All in all, God heals and He wants to do it.

Girl, once God heals, be sure to tell everyone you can, share your testimony like a madwoman! In doing so, you’ll bring glory to Him and build the faith of those around you!

Love you, Christian Woman!

A few scriptures I referenced in this post…

1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear [a]involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

1 Timothy 5:8
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Jeremiah 31:3
3 The Lord appeared to [a]him from afar, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

Psalm 107:20
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their [a]destructions.

Matthew 6:13
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from [a]evil. [b][For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

Mark 7:27-29
27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not [a]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this [b]answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

James 5:14-16
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [a]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer [b]offered in faith will [c]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [d]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [e]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Exodus 15:26
26 And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Romans 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.