[The text below represents an edited transcript of the TV version of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Seven Reasons to Hope for Healing

Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and a multitude of other maladies plague our modern world. Why? And what can you personally do about it?

Sadly, many of you watching this program are afflicted with chronic medical issues from which you are suffering—perhaps for years. A television ad for a new drug shows happy vibrant actors, giving great promise, yet telling you in a pleasant voice all the side effects that may create greater problems. Then comes the next ad from a law firm looking for victims of the side effects to sue big pharma over the last miracle potion.

Is there not a better way?

Jesus’ Ministry of Healing

The Bible tells us that healing was a major part of Jesus’ ministry. People flocked to Him to be relieved of every kind of sickness and infirmity.

So here are some serious questions:

• Were those accounts genuine miracles? Or were they made-up stories?
• Did Jesus and His apostles really bring about such miracles?
• Do you, dear friends, believe those accounts of the blind, the lame, and the deaf being healed to see, walk, and hear—in some cases for the first time in their lives?
• Can these biblical accounts be relied upon? And if not, what else can you discard from the pages of the Bible?
• Are you one who has suffered from an affliction for years?
• Have you gone to doctors and not found lasting relief?
• Are the drugs you are taking helping with one problem, but creating another?

If so, you’re hardly alone. Now, I could give you a litany of statistics, but the fact that millions of others suffer from a similar problem does nothing to solve your problem.

Healing Is Part of Preaching the Gospel

If you’ve lost hope, I’m here to say there is hope. And today I’m going to give you seven points that can restore hope. So let’s get started.

• Point #1: The Gospel Christ preached was accompanied by healing.

The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) record many instances of miraculous healing—far too many to cover here. Notice this account in Matthew 4:23-24.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them (Matthew 4:23-24).

Here is another example—this time found in Luke 4.

Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them. When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them (Luke 4:38-40).

Jesus Sends His Servants to Heal the Sick

But was Jesus the only One to heal the sick? The answer is not at all.

And that brings us to:

• Point #2: Jesus commanded others to preach the Gospel—and to heal the sick.

It is evident from Jesus’ commands to His disciples in Luke 9, beginning in verse 1, that preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God was to be accompanied by healing.

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.... So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere (Luke 9:1-2, 6).

But was it Jesus and His Apostles only who were sent to heal the sick? Not at all! Note this little-referenced passage found in Luke 10, beginning in verse 1.

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest…. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:1-2, 9).

Yes, healing was a major part of first-century Christianity.

1. The gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and heal the sick.

But did divine healing cease upon the crucifixion? Or was it to continue?

Healing Goes With Believing the Gospel

Following His resurrection, Jesus told His Apostles to preach the gospel to all the world, and that miraculous signs would follow those who believe. Note it in Mark 16, beginning in verse 15.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:15-18).

Was Jesus promoting snake handling and drinking poison as some unbalanced and deceived individuals have taken this commission? Not at all. He never intended His followers to tempt God in this manner, but don’t take my word for it. Prove it for yourself out of your own Bible.

Jesus Himself never tempted God. It was the adversary, Satan the Devil, who challenged Christ to show His faith by tempting Him—Matthew 4:5-6.

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

But what was His response to this challenge?

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’” (Matthew 4:7).

So what did Jesus mean by taking up snakes or drinking poison and not being harmed? The Bible explains itself, sometimes by examples, and we have an example of precisely what Christ meant in Acts 28. We’ll begin in verse 3.

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3-5).

Paul was not going about tempting God to prove his faith.

So, again:

1. The Gospel Christ proclaimed was accompanied by healing.
2. Jesus commanded others to preach the gospel and heal the sick.

Jesus Christ Is Still Healing the Sick

And now for point #3—let’s read it straight from the Bible—Hebrews 13:8.

• Point #3: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Yes, the same Jesus Christ who walked this earth 2,000 years ago and performed mighty miracles is alive today and He has not changed.

When I entered Ambassador College in the fall of 1965, I learned about a faculty member who had been a quadriplegic as a result of injuries sustained in the Korean War. But he had been miraculously healed, not in a tent meeting with cameras running and a lot of hoopla, but in private with a faithful minister of Jesus Christ anointing and praying for him.

The college only had 550 students, and everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew of his miraculous healing. I often saw him dripping with sweat, coming out of the handball court after a vigorous game of handball. In 1974, he visited us in our home in Monroe, Louisiana.

Yes, I knew him well, and I knew men and women who knew him prior to his healing. No one disputed that this paralyzed man was healed by the same Jesus Christ who performed miracles of healing nearly 2,000 years ago. And, I have known many others since that time who have been miraculously healed. Yes, Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday.

Divine Healing Requires Faith

So, why do we not see more genuine divine healings today? The answers are found in our next four points.

• Point #4: Faith is a factor in healing.

I understand that one can point to a handful of situations where faith by the one being healed may not be certain, but in most cases, faith is a definite factor in healings.

Jesus was confronted by two blind men seeking that their sight would be given them (Matthew 9:28-29).

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

“Your Faith Has Made You Well”

Then again He was confronted by another blind man (Mark 10:51-52).

So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Then there was the case of the man in Lystra who was crippled from birth. We read of this miraculous healing at the command of the Apostle Paul in Acts 14:9-10.

This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

On the flip side, when Jesus visited His hometown of Nazareth, those who grew up with Him, could not get past the fact that Jesus was a local and therefore could not be the Savior. We read in Mark 6:3-6.

“Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief (Mark 6:3-6).

So why are there not more healings today? Is it in part, because of the question Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, where He said:

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Obedience to God Brings Healing

Except in unusual cases where another lesson is taught, faith in Christ is a prerequisite for healing, but it’s not the only prerequisite.

And that brings me to:

• Point #5: God hears the prayers of those who obey and do those things pleasing in His sight.

Here it is in 1 John 3:22.

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Consider how many sicknesses are clearly linked to the violation of biblical laws and principles: cancers and other maladies relating to smoking and vaping, damaged minds and bodies linked to the use of “recreational drugs,” and sexually transmitted diseases as a result of promiscuous behaviors.

God tells us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but how many do not take care of their bodies and overeat, eat too many refined foods, and move their bodies too little?

Additionally, there are laws spelled out in Scripture that tell us we should not eat certain meats, but people rationalize—and even take scriptures out of context—to get around God’s clear instructions. The result? Swine flu, Ebola, SARS, MERS, Nipah Virus, and more. All these diseases involve animals God warned against eating. And the 1918 pandemic that killed between 50 and 100 million people worldwide was a swine flu.

Forgiveness and Healing Are Linked

If you are a reader of the Bible, perhaps you remember this famous account found in Luke 5, beginning in verse 18.

Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him…. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’” (Luke 5:18, 20-23)?

This brings me to point #6.

• Point #6: Healing is the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice.

It is widely recognized that Isaiah 53 is a Messianic prophesy. Sadly, the translators of the King James and other versions of the Bible did not translate some words literally, as they should have in the following passage. However, the literal meanings are found in the margins.

Surely He [Christ] has borne our griefs [literally sicknesses], and carried our sorrows [literally pains]; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5).

”By His Stripes We Are Healed”

Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty of sin for us, but why did He have to suffer such a terrible death? Why was He beaten mercilessly? Peter confirms what Isaiah wrote (1 Peter 2:21).

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…. who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:21-24).

Our sins bring about pain and suffering, both physically and spiritually. And sin leads to sickness and death.

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, experiencing sin’s full penalty for us.

Know God’s Plan, God’s Will, God’s Timing

And as I’ve shown, healing is tied to faith and obedience, but perfect faith and obedience do not automatically bring healing.

And that brings us to our seventh and last point.

• Point #7: Healing must fit into God’s great plan for each of us.

The Apostle Paul was facing many trials, and God, out of His great mercy, gave him a most realistic vision of heavenly things. It is in this context that we read that God did not heal him of a grievous affliction. We pick up the story in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

God does not always heal us in this physical life. He worked many mighty miracles through the prophet Elisha, but as we read in 2 Kings 13:14:

Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die.

Romans 8:18 Meaning: We Suffer with Christ

Jesus Christ came with a message about a coming Kingdom that will rule on earth. That message tells us He is working out a great plan that you can be part of, and sometimes we only learn important lessons through suffering. Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the people in Rome.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God…. and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:14, 17-18).

God Heals in His Wisdom and Timing

Before closing, let me say that nothing in this program is meant to say that you should not see a doctor. However, that does not mean you should not go to God for healing. I personally have known of many absolutely miraculous healings that defied doctors’ predictions. I’ve seen people miraculously healed of one painful condition, but not another.

I’ve also known many people who asked God to heal them, but they died.

The reality is that there comes a time for each of us to go to sleep until the resurrection. If we know God, we realize His plan transcends this physical existence.

God does heal today. I know that. I’ve seen it. I’ve experienced it. But God heals according to His wisdom and His plan for each of us. And in the end, it is up to Him as to how and when.

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