There are some who teach that we are never to be sick and God always wants to heal. What does the Bible say?

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Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. - 2Corinthians 12: 10 (KJV)

One very appealing false doctrine that continues to grow in this country is the notion that it is always God's will to heal us. That God has already decided that He will always heal and if we find ourselves in a place of not being healed, then it must be our fault somehow. We either did not have the right measure of faith, were harboring a secret sin, or maybe were unforgiving. This is an extremely damaging doctrine for many, especially those who are still babes in Christ. It is simply reprehensible to promise someone who is ill that God will always want them healed and then blame the sick person when that healing does not come to fruition. From a spiritual perspective, the more damning thing is that this belief completely robs God of His sovereignty. The arrogance is stunning to suggest that God no longer has a say in whether He wants to heal someone.

Wait a minute preacher! Are you suggesting that God may decide to deliver sickness upon someone? Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. God's sovereignty, is either in His implicit will or His permissive will. God is in control of everything. I am sure most of us know people who finally came to Christ because of a serious illness. Many come to Him as the thief on the cross did, at the last possible second. So, would God use an illness to have someone avoid the eternal damnation of hell? Absolutely. His desire is that none perish eternally, not temporally. We keep valuing the wrong life. I know people who were so impacted by the death of someone that they changed their life and finally came to the cross. Sickness and death will often force us to consider the fragility of life.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. - Jonah 1: 5 (KJV)

The sailors thought the ship was going down and all started crying out to the gods they served. Such is the human condition. There are no atheists in foxholes. Yet despite this there is a flawed theology out there that insists on perpetual, pre-decided healing. Here is Bill Johnson trying to explain this position:

"How can God choose not to heal someone when He already purchased their healing? Was His blood enough for all sin, or just certain sins? Were the stripes He bore only for certain illnesses, or certain seasons of time? When He bore stripes in His body He made a payment for our miracle. He already decided to heal. You can't decide not to buy something after you've already bought it." - Bill Johnson

I first find it interesting that someone who actually espouses this belief system wears prescriptive eye glasses like Bill Johnson does but we will put that little nugget away for now. The miracle Christ purchased for us is eternal life, not temporal healing on demand. Is healing available through the atonement? Absolutely, but that does not mean it is always guaranteed. God is still God. Johnson's understanding of Scripture and theology is, as usual, very poor. Let's take a look at some examples in the Bible that reveal this never get sick/mandatory healing doctrine as false.

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. - Philippians 2: 25-30 (ESV)

First up we have Epaphroditus. From the text we can see he was certainly a believer. He was a brother. He was a fellow worker. He was someone who meant enough to Paul to actually be mentioned by name. and what do we see? He was ill! Not only ill, but the illness almost took his life. He was seriously ill! But wait a minute. According to the Bill Johnson's of the world, God always wants to heal. Now they may say, but look he was healed! Yes, but how long did it take? His illness almost killed him! Was God just toying with him and Paul? Waiting for the right measure of faith to be shown? Is that the god Bill Johnson wants to serve? This is no small point to forget. In order for this to be true, God turns into a cruel entity waiting for some magic combination of faith and works before healing someone He already decided He wants to heal? Yikes. What about Timothy?

(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) - 1Timothy 5: 23 (ESV)

Paul has to give some practical advice to his younger protege because apparently, Timothy was rather sickly. That is odd considering some today think that we should never be sick and if we are, it must be our fault. So in order for Johnson to be correct, we would have to believe that Timothy was constantly leading a sinful lifestyle or in some manner kept allowing sickness to pervade him. Johnson must be leading a much more holy lifestyle. Unless you count all the false teachings, false signs and wonders, the heretical school of the supernatural he runs and the "grave sucking" anointing his pupils engage in. No, I think we will stick with the Bible here. Timothy was somewhat sickly. He was given to stomach ailments. That does not speak to his faith, his walk, or anything else other than the state of decay we are all in since the fall of man. What about Trophimus?

Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. - 2Timothy 4: 20 (ESV)

The Bible never says if Trophimus ever was healed. The larger point however is these examples seem to destroy the notion that we are never supposed to get sick. Also notice that Paul does not lay hands on any of these people. He does not try to heal them himself. The other doctrinal error in this theology however is the notion that if we do not receive our healing that it must be a problem on our end; such as a lack of faith. Then why wouldn't we see someone perpetually living? On the day Bill Johnson passes, what will have happened to his faith? This theology does not pass the logic test; or hold up under the light of Scripture.

The key verse today comes at the end of the section dealing with the thorn in the flesh for Paul. Many theologians have speculated that this thorn was in fact a physical ailment of some form. Is it so out of the realm of possibility? That God would say to Paul that His grace is sufficient for him to deal with his affliction? Do we honestly believe that Paul lacked faith somehow? Even if the thorn was not a physical ailment, the key verse plainly states that he will take pleasure in his infirmities because when he is weak - Christ is strong. Why would Paul, who wrote most of what would become Christian doctrine, make such a statement if all infirmities were guaranteed to be healed by God? Why wouldn't God specifically state such doctrine if that was his intent? How many theologians throughout history suffered from various sicknesses? Charles Spurgeon constantly battled depression. Martin Luther was very sickly, suffering from Menière's disease, vertigo, fainting, tinnitus, and a cataract in one eye. Towards the end, he also developed kidney stones, arthritis and a ruptured ear drum. Horatio Spafford, who wrote "It Is Well With My Soul", died of malaria. The list can just go on and on. Were all of these people just lacking faith? It defies reason to think so. For a more contemporary example I present Justin Peters.

Justin Peters is a fierce minister today, open critic of the word faith heresy, and was born with cerebral palsy. This confines Justin to a wheelchair or the use of crutches. His testimony reveals that as a young child and teen, he wanted to get rid of his CP. He wanted God to heal him of it. He would go see renowned faith healers only to still be disabled. Here is an excerpt from his testimony:

Another reason is that by going to see faith healers, I was, in effect, telling God that I was not satisfied with my life. I wanted to be healed of my CP and did not see it for what it was -- something which, in His sovereignty, God gave me. I was seeking supposed gifts and not the Giver. Granted, I was only 16. Nonetheless, my attitude was essentially one of selfishness and was not indicative of one who had truly experienced God's regeneration. Even if only 16, had I been regenerate, I would not have been seeking healing from charlatans. - Justin Peters

Thankfully, Justin would become saved and is passionately doing God's work today. His view however of his own condition should silence and put the Bill Johnson's of the world to shame. Does Justin Peters have a lack of faith? A secret sin? Unforgiveness? Or is it just possible that in God's sovereignty, He decided Justin would walk his road on wheels? That he would inspire others who may suffer to view their afflictions in a way that helps the kingdom and brings souls to the cross.

Before we examine the way forward, there is one other false claim often made by people who espouse this theology. That claim is that Jesus healed everyone He came in contact with. In the same comment from earlier, even Bill Johnson seems to believe this:

The only time someone wasn't healed in the Bible (gospels) is when the disciples prayed for them. - Bill Johnson

Sometimes we read something like this and blindly accept it as truth but we really need to do the work of Berean. First of all, the Gospel accounts were highlights, not an exhaustive minute by minute account. It is said that if the true ministry of Christ were ever recorded the world could not contain the books that would be required. It is not surprising then that in these "highlights" there would be a focus on healing and not every piece of minutia. Even still, did Jesus always heal everyone in the recorded record? The answer surprisingly is no:

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed.One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. - John 5: 2-9 (ESV)

There were a multitude of invalids but Jesus healed one. The one He knew would bring glory to God. He even allowed His good friend Lazarus, who was also sick, to die in order to bring glory to the Father. So what is the proper way to view healing? It clearly exists. It is listed even as a spiritual gift. The Bible instructs us to seek the elders of the church for prayer if we are sick. Let me start be affirming the one thing the false preachers got right. Faith is critical. God can heal but we must believe that He can. Throughout the ministry of Jesus we see Him saying that people were healed because of their faith. I have seen firsthand the damaging power of doubt. You have to believe but that does not mean that you belief trumps the will of God. His ways are higher than ours. His plan is so far above the way we think. The problem again with this must-heal theology is that it values the wrong life. That this life is so worthy of continuing that God must have decided already to heal everyone! Nonsense! We certainly mourn our loss temporally but the saved person is with Jesus upon death! So we start with faith and a respect for the sovereignty of God. The Bill Johnson's of the world honestly believe you should never pray "thy will be done" when praying for healing. In the same comment he says:

Take risk -- pray for people (NOT -- "if it be thy will" kind of prayer. In the thousands of people I've seen healed, I've never seen anyone healed from that kind of prayer.)

This really cuts to the heart of the spiritual problem with this false theology. It is no longer about God's will; it is about ours. Sure it is carefully couched that we have figured out God's will and are merely applying it but you can see through this paper thin thinking. It has nothing to do with God. Even when Jesus was facing the cross He prayed, not my will but Your be done. Yet according to Bill Johnson, no one will get healed by asking for God's will to be done. Think about the staggering arrogance and utter stupidity of such a blasphemous statement. Johnson's church produced the heretical worship outfit known as Jesus Culture and they spread the same false gospel. Here is a link to the end result of teaching people to ignore what God's will and sovereignty has to say when it comes to healing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIgncKNHUU

This man was not healed. He almost passed out from the exertion of being dragged around by people who had no clue what they were doing in the spirit realm. Who had no clue about the sovereignty of God. Who had no clue about true healing.

Beloved. We need to believe that God CAN heal. Not that He MUST. We must have faith and yet respect for who God is. I wish I knew the exact reason why someone is called home before we think it is their time. I wish I knew why some have to suffer from cancer, diabetes, or anxiety. I wish I knew but I have to trust God at the end of the day. That is what faith is. Faith is a 16 year old kid with cerebral palsy realizing God gave it to him for His reasons. It is not a display of faith to declare healing; it is arrogance.

Now I know well intended people who have seen miracle healings from Christ in their lives and have embarked on "healing ministries" and the like. I do not question their heart; only their theology. Because we do not make doctrine out of our personal experiences. If God decides to heal me in His sovereignty that does not mean everyone else must be healed too. We do not make doctrine out of our experiences for two reasons. First, we are too subjective to make that determination. The heart is wickedly deceptive, our flesh is always leaning towards sin, and the devil is always seeking to whisper lies into our ears. Not a good mix when you are trying to create theology. The second reason is more important though. We do not have to. God already gave us doctrine in the Bible. If God wanted us to know that we are never to be sick, He would have said so! He certainly would not have included reference after reference to strong believers who were in fact sick! He would not have had Paul say that he will take pleasure in his infirmities! Our doctrine on healing is fairly clear in Scripture. It exists. It requires faith. It ultimately is up to God. Remember, the Lord desires none to perish. That means none to die unsaved. If sickness brings someone the foot of the cross that should be celebrated not mocked. Believe in healing. Respect God's sovereignty. Not my will but Yours be done. Amen.

Reverend Anthony Wade - September 27, 2014

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.