Today we look at the healing of the leper.
If you doubt God’s willingness to heal, then your faith will fail you. After reading today’s post, you will have no doubts in the goodness of God and His desire to heal you.
If you don’t believe in God’s willingness, then you don’t believe in God’s goodness.
Here are 3 reasons proving God’s desire to heal you.
When the doctor says ‘there’s nothing more we can do for you’, the distress and disappointment is heartbreaking.
I have clients who are in this place, it’s scary, it’s feels soul destroying. I’ve been in this place too. Few things are worse than knowing you’ll be suffering for the rest of your life or that you’re dying.
Thankfully no matter how impossible an illness, the Lord Jesus will never say those words to us.
THE HEALING OF THE LEPER
In the healing of the leper, Jesus says ‘I am willing’.
When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Matt 8:1-3
The Apostle John says:
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
The apostle John knew Jesus better than anyone so he is a reliable source. He tells us that Jesus’ will, above all else, is for us to prosper and be in health. Healing is His priority.
Are you sick in your body today? Put yourself in the shoes of the leper. Hear Jesus saying those comforting and reassuring words to you too.
God is no respecter of persons, if Jesus cleanses the leper, he is willing to heal you as well.
In the healing of the leper, we don’t learn much about the leper. I’m sure he wasn’t perfect, I’m sure he had all sorts of flaws and failings but this was irrelevant.
God is a God who loves, even the worst of us.
I say this because it’s easy for us to see our mistakes and sins and think they’ll hinder us in receiving.
But Jesus had such compassion on this man in his suffering. Any failing on his part is irrelevant.
WHY WE DOUBT
We all know people who believed and had faith for healing yet they still died. This causes us to doubt, then we conclude it must have been God’s will.
Oftentimes our healing doesn’t happen in our time frame and we interpret that therefore it isn’t God’s will ‘otherwise he would have done it by now’
Just because something goes wrong in the natural doesn’t change the truth of the Word of God. Rest assured God wants you well more than you do, it’s one of His many promises.
I will restore you to health, And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the LORD
Jer 30:17
In the healing of the leper, we see the leper having those same doubts. He knew God was a healer, but doubted of his willingness.
I think God forknew that most of us have those same doubts. We’re programmed to think we need to earn blessings or that we couldn’t possibly be one of the lucky ones.
We need to understand that healing really isn’t about us. It’s all about Him.
Just how willing is He?
1. HE IS OUR LOVING FATHER
The fact God gave up His only begotten Son to save us is proof of His heart towards us. Let me ask you this. Why would he want to save you from eternal damnation, but not want to deliver you from sickness?
He’s already given us the best, why would he fail to give us all the rest?
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32
If I ever had a sickness as a child, my mother would always say ‘I wish I could have it instead of you’. Of course she was powerless to change places with me.
Jesus however is all powerful and this is exactly what happened on the cross. Healing is part of the Atonement.
Please don’t listen to those myths that your sickness glorifies God or that He has some kind of divine purpose in your suffering.
In Scripture, God calls sickness ‘a curse…being in captivity…an oppression’ See THE ENEMY WANTS TO KILL, STEAL AND DESTROY…
2. HE HONOURS HIS SON
Surely our sicknesses he hath borne, And our pains — he hath carried them. Isaiah 53:4 (YLT)
Jesus carried your pain, your sickness or your disease on the cross. Healing is not just an added extra or a fringe benefit.
Healing and forgiveness go hand in hand.
Imagine if you had the power to take away your child’s illness yet you decide not to? Of course His will is for you to be healed. He is your perfectly Heavenly Father
The Bible tells us that we’re forgiven for His name’s sake. (1 John 2:12). In other words, God forgives us, not because of our goodness but because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
It is the same with healing. He is willing to heal for Jesus’ name sake.
Jesus went to a lot of trouble to see you healed. God wants to honour what His Son did for us. He wants you healed more than you do.
3. HE PERFORMS HIS WORD
God said to Moses ‘I am the Lord who heals you’ in Exodus 15:26. Psalms reminds us that God ‘forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases’, Ps 103:3
Jer 1:12 says “I am ready to perform My word”.
If this were not the case, then God’s whole character is in dispute. In fact, we could no longer trust in the Bible at all.
Imagine if you promised to take your child to the toyshop, but then didn’t fulfil on your promise.
As a loving parent you would honour your words, how much more will God honour His words.
Sometimes it’s a matter of deliberatly choosing to believe that God will do what He says. He promises to be faithful.
Remember the former things long past,….. For I am God, and there is no other; Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass; I have planned it, surely I will do it.
Is 46:9-11
In Joshua chapter 3-4 we see God causing the Isrealites to cross the river Jordan on dry ground. He then instructs the Israelites to build a mound of stones in memory, so they and future generations would never forget what He did for them.
When we keep a record of answered prayers or a gratitude diary, it feeds our faith and reminds us of what God has already done for us.
When we remember all God has done, for ourselves and for others, faith is increased. If He’s done it before, He’ll do it again.
We may break promises and let people down, but God is not a man that He should lie. (Num 23:19)
Can you imagine the difference it would make to your faith in God for healing if you truly believed in his willingness?
If after reading this, you’re still doubtful, can I encourage you to take some of the healing verses and spend some time meditating on them.
I hope this helps you today.
For more in this series:
THE HEALING TOUCH OF JESUS (PART 2)