Does God Heal?

God's Promise to Heal Does God miraculously heal people? All healing comes from God. God designed our bodies to heal injuries and to heal from sickness. But does God intervene and heal us beyond our natural abilities and the wisdom He has given doctors? We know He does not always heal during this life. We do not understand all His ways. But He has promised healing for His people. Let us look at one passage, James 5:14-16: Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James says God will heal. The sick will be made well. The Lord will raise him up. We may be healed. He is the LORD our healer who heals all our diseases. God heals in response to prayer. It is the prayer offered in faith. It is the prayer of a righteous man, righteous through faith in Jesus. James continues beyond our text to illustrate the power of prayer with the miracles that came through Elijah's prayers. Some teach that miraculous healing is not for today. They suggest that James is telling the elders to treat the sick medically with olive oil or that James is only promising health at the resurrection or that James is speaking only of spiritual weakness being healed. But is God not healing today? The promise is for physical healing now. The verb "to raise up" in verse 15 is frequently used for resurrection of the dead, but it is also used of physical healing by Jesus and the apostles. The verb "to make well" in the same verse means to save or preserve. It is commonly used of deliverance from sin or danger, but it is also used of physical healing. The verb "to be healed" in verse 16 means heal, cure, or restore. In secular usage, it meant to heal medically. The adjective "sick" in verse 14 does mean weak or powerless, but its primary usage is bodily weakness due to sickness. It was commonly used of people that Jesus healed. The word "sick" in verse 15 means weary or fatigued, but also meant ill and even to die. Every word in this passage fits a promise of miraculous physical healing. The following examples of physical miracles in verses 17-18 support this. Why anoint with oil? Oil was used medicinally for surface issues such as wounds. But olive oil was never a cure-all. Church elders are not called to practice medicine. Oil here seems to be symbolic of a reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit. Anointing is an action of obedience expressing faith that God will heal. In Mark 6:12-13 we see the Twelve healing by anointing with oil in the context of casting out demons by God's power and authority. Surely, they did not take authority over demons and then just use first aid for the sick. We must not explain away God's promises to heal. Instead we should reach out to God in faith to receive healing. Let us recognize that there are unstated conditions for healing just as the various prayer promises never express all the conditions for answered prayer in any one text. But let us believe that God has a general willingness to heal when we come to Him in faith. Out text does teach that God's priority is cleansing us from sin. The words "if he has sinned" in verse 16 tell us that some, not all, sickness is a result of a specific sin. When specific sin is involved, it must be confessed and forgiven in order for healing to be received. But the primary condition for receiving healing in our text is faith expressed in prayer. The calling of elders teaches that an individual does not always have the strength of faith needed, especially when sick. But we can balance this with Jesus' teaching that faith as small as a little seed can move mountains. Anointing with oil is an aid to faith. Calling in the elders is another aid to faith. If one needs healing, both are recommended. But it is faith that receives healing, and that faith is to be expressed by prayer. Do you need healing? Believe God's promises. Put your faith in Jesus. If you know of any sin involved, confess it and receive forgiveness. Call on the elders of your church to pray for you. Ask them to anoint you. But even if elders or anointing is not available, put your faith in God and His word and ask for healing. Jesus has made it possible. Trust in Him and receive.