Does God heal unbelievers or is this a privilege for Christians?
Perhaps you’re believing for a friend’s healing but you have doubts because he’s not a Christian as yet. I hope this post will encourage you in your faith as you stand in the gap for your friend.
Yes I believe God does heal unbelievers!
Today we look at the example of Naaman, who worshipped a different God and so represents the world of unbelievers. God heals him from leprosy even though he isn’t an Israelite.
We’ll also look at how unbeliever’s receive healing so you’ll have a greater understanding the next time you pray for someone.
Does this mean that God will still heal unbelievers today?
Of course Christians didn’t exist prior to the Cross, so you could argue that no-one Jesus healed was a believer.
However, we know that God’s people at the time were the Jewish community. Even so, Jesus still healed the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
DOES GOD HEAL UNBELIEVERS?
The Syrophoenician woman who needed healing for her daughter was a Gentile. (Matt 15) , as was the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant. (Matt 8). Neither were God’s chosen people.
(Jesus) went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil
Acts 10:38
Jesus healed all. There is no mention that this is only referring to Jews. All means all. If God is the same yesterday, today and forever, then surely this means He does still heal unbelievers today.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Matthew 10:8
This is our commission: to heal the sick. Nowhere does it say here that we’re to heal the believer’s only. This suggests that God expects unbeliever’s to receive healings too.
When the disciples tried to cast out the demon from the young boy with epilepsy, they could not. Jesus rebuked them because they had “so little faith” casting no blame on the boy or his father.
Again suggesting that it is the believer’s faith in question, and not the person receiving prayer.
When Jesus healed the 10 lepers, the one who returned to thank him wasn’t a jew but a Samaritan.
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan
Luke 17 15-16
THE FAITH OF OTHERS CAN HEAL
Without faith it is impossible to please God and whenever God heals, faith is always present. But it doesn’t have to be the faith of the one who is unwell. It can also be the faith of those praying.
We transfer the power of the Holy Spirit onto the person we’re praying for. This is why we lay hands.
they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.
Mark 16:18
Again, this verse makes no suggestion that we’re only to lay hands on believer’s. So strictly speaking, that person doesn’t need to have faith in God.
However, the person needs to be willing.
I have a friend who isn’t a Christian and when she needed healing for her child she asked me to pray. My friends and I prayed for her and she received her healing. Praise God!
My friend didn’t have faith but she was open and willing for us to pray for her. She submitted herself to the power of God; she cooperated with what God wanted to do.
If my friend had thought ‘this is ridiculous, what a waste of time’, then I believe her thoughts and beliefs would have stopped the healing.
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and so will never force his healing on anyone who doesn’t want it. In Nazareth, Jesus only did a few miracles because of their lack of honour.
Andrew Wommack uses the example of a car in neutral without the handbrake on. It’s easy to push. However if the car has the brakes on, it’s unlikely anyone will be able to push it.
Likewise, my friend was ‘in neutral’ so we were able to pray for her and she received.
“Sometimes unbeliever’s have less unbelief than some Christians…I’ve prayed for many unbeliever’s to be healed and I get more results with them than some Christians who have been messed up by religion.” A. Wommack
HE DIED FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
I don’t know if you have ever been to a healing conference or to a church service dedicated to prayer for healing.
I have been to plenty.
I’m sure we all know people who had a strong faith, yet never received their healing and we don’t know why.
Yet others do receive and sometimes it really is those you least expect. Healing is always to do with Jesus and what He has provided for us.
See IS IT ALWAYS GOD’S WILL TO HEAL?
Jesus died for the whole world John 3:16. This includes those from other faith traditions and those who have no faith at all.
He wants you well even if you are not a Christian.
Can you imagine what life would be like, if all Christians let go of the theology that healing is only for believers. I don’t think there is any evidence in the Bible for this.
If God only healed those who believe in Him, this would not attract people to Him.
He is a good God.
I hope this encourages you to pray for those in your world today, despite their beliefs.
Have a great day
Lorna x
Have you read the first part in this series on Naaman?