"Healing Every Disease"

"And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. (Matthew 4:3 ESV)" This reminds us that God's power to heal was evident then and remains evident today, encouraging us to trust in His sovereignty and timing. Just as Jesus did not heal everyone, neither does God today.

Does God still heal by faith? Yes, He does. Should we expect God to heal our loved ones or us when we are ill? No, we should not. This leads us straight to God’s providence, which so many find difficult to accept. The enemy can even use it to draw believers and unbelievers away, or further away from God.

When we are ill, all we want to do is get better. With everyday illness, we pray and take the medication God has made available to us through others, and we are healed. When we have an illness that cannot be healed, things become increasingly difficult. This is not limited to the effects of the illness, because some can become debilitating. It affects every part of your life, and it can be frustrating because we know we will never get better. We see the impact our lives have on those around us, and, in some cases, as with Job, we may begin to question God.

When we receive a terminal diagnosis, the depth of our faith will be revealed. It is our faith that can serve as a testimony to others. Our strength in suffering can inspire and reassure those around us, showing God's presence in our lives. It is our faith and our strength that will strength those around us.

What did I do to deserve this? Well, you may have done nothing. We all will sin; this is why Christ came in the incarnation, and your sins may not be the cause of your illness at all. Christ came to heal us of the illness of sin, of all illnesses, and to restore us to God through faith in Him in our salvation. What did Jesus tell us? “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3) Sometimes, what we endure, what we go through in our lives, is meant to show the glory of God, nothing more or less.

Does God still deliver miracles? Yes, but they should not be expected. I, for one, have witnessed a miracle healing of a loved one, and in my life, I never expect to see another. This does not mean we do not pray. Prayer is real; it is our asking God to deliver that which we hope to see. As to whether God will answer our prayers, we should pray that His will is the same as our prayers.

Again, this leads us back to God's providence. You were known to God before creation. God planned your life, and as He is the Alpha and the Omega, He knows the end before the beginning, and if you are elected as His child, your life is designed to glorify God. Paul said, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). “Whatever you do, do to the glory of God,” including managing your illness. When we continue, despite the pain and sickness, we are glorifying God. He has provided physicians to help us, medications to minimize our illness, and those around us to lift us in our low times. Yes, it is hard, but as we glorify God, we will actually feel better because in Him, in Christ, we have hope. Embrace Christ, embrace hope, and as odd as it sounds, embrace your illness because in each we glorify God. That is the purpose of all believers, is it not?

Know in all things that God is in control. Even when things are crashing down around us, God is in control. From heretofore, nothing can disrupt the plan of God; He controls all things. Trust in God, He designed you and knows every detail of your life. Job calls God “O preserver of men” (KJ). I like the translation in the ESV, “you watcher of mankind.” Nothing escapes the attention of God, not goodness nor evil. Pray so that God hears your challenges. Continue to praise and glorify Him because His plan for your life is to His glory.

Grace and Peace.