Divine Healing Small Group Study

Joyce Webb 2011

1. How do we understand the teaching of divine healing with the fact that there are sincere, strong Christians who pray continually for healing but never get healed?

Job 2: 3-8 New Living Bible

In Chp.1, Satan comes before God. The Lord asks him if he has noticed his servant Job. God is bragging about Job. Satan says he only fears you because you protect him and you have given him so much. If he would lose it all, he will curse you.

The Lord gives Satan permission (lets him) to take away Job’s things.

Notice: Satan stirs up the neighbors to steal his donkeys, and oxen. Then he makes “fire from heaven” fall on the sheep and the servants. The other people come and steal the camels and kill the servants. The Satan causes a “great wind” and it crushed the house where his sons and daughters were having a party.

So we see that Satan was given some power over nature such as the wind and storms. Maybe Satan was given power over nature for this one time, or maybe, he has some power over nature for other times, too. I guess we do not know.

One day the angels came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan the Accuser (One who blames) came with them.

“Where have you come from?” The Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” (Notice, Satan can only be in one place at a time. Sometimes we have this notion that he is all knowing. Of course, there are many evil spirits out there who help him.)

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—-a man of complete faithfulness. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil. And he has kept being faithful even though you talked me into letting you harm him without cause.”

Notice: God said, “without cause” Job had things bad things happen to him for no reason that was Job’s fault. Remember, God was the one who spoke to Satan about Job because he was very pleased with Job.

Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin—-he blesses you only because you bless him. A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But take away his health, and he will surly curse you to your face!”

“All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan, “But save his life.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot.

Job said, “Though he slay (kill) me, yet will I trust in him: but I will keep mine own ways before him.” Job 13:15

As we read Job, we find verses where Job tells his friends that God had no reason to let all these bad things happen to him, because he had always tried to do what was right.

Job friends, like many of us today, thought that if bad things happen to you—-then you must have done something that God was not happy about.

Finally, the Lord talks to Job and he tells Job how in God’s wisdom he has made the world, the stars, the animals, etc. and did God need man to question what he did?

The Lord answered Job: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?” Job 38:1

The Lord answered Job: “Are you going to discredit (take away my credit) my justice and condemn (blame) me so you can say you are right?” Job 40:7

The Lord continues: “Who will confront (speak to) me and remain safe? Everything under heaven is mine.” Job 41:11

Job answered God: “I was talking about things I did not understand, things far too wonderful for me.” Job 42:2

The reason Job suffered, was at the pleasure of God. He was pleased with him because of he was faithful.

As humans, we would never have our loss or pain was because of God’s pride in us or appreciation of us. We would have thought we were in His disfavor.

God is king over all. He can do as he wishes. We may not know what his reason is. Job did not know God’s reason. If Job had known God’s reason, he may have felt differently about it. But God does not have to tell us his reasons. It could be that we would not understand his reason if we knew.

God has his reasons as to why things happen in the lives of people. We may never know until we get to heaven. But He is God and He can do as He will.

Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh”. He asked the Lord to remove it 3 times.

Paul said the reason he had this problem was: “To keep me from getting puffed up with pride, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud.” II Cor. 12:7,8

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is enough for you. My power works best in your weakness.”

Paul had to depend on God more because of this problem—-whatever it was.

He was always reminded that he was weak and he needed God’s strength.

God wants us to remember that we need his strength.

2. How can we answer people who believe that if a Christian gets sick it is because of sin in his or her life?

Paul “thorn in the flesh” is one example. Paul pleased God and was doing God’s work, but he still had a problem.

John 9: 1-3 Story of the man who was born blind, Jesus healed him. His disciples asked: “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Jesus said, “Neither sinned; but that the works of God should be made manifest. (shown)”

Sickness is because of sin in the world. But it is not because we personally are sinning.

It is possible that we cause our own sickness. Sickness can come to us if we smoke, drink, do drugs, are with other people who are sick, —–or eat in a way that is not healthy, Many things in our world (environment) are not healthy—we are learning that many things cause cancer.

3. Should we seek medical help?

Yes, God has given men the understanding of many things about the body and medicines. We should use it.

Luke was a physician. Col.4: 14

Paul told Timothy: “ Do not drink water any more, but take a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your often infirmities.” I Timothy 5:23

4. How does divine healing help emotional wounds and depression?

Psalm 147:3 “He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.”

The Holy Spirit is our comforter (one who gives comfort) and he will lead us into all truth. He will teach us about ourselves and help us learn how to think in ways that are healthy.

“Be careful for nothing; (do not worry) but in everything by prayer and supplication (deep sincere asking) with thanksgiving let your request (wants and needs) be made known to God. And the peace which passes all understanding, shall keep your heart and minds, through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4: 6, 7

“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching for those things which are before, I push toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Phil. 3:14

Be this minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall show it unto you.” Phil. 3 15

“Finally, brethren, Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, if there be any virtue (good in it) , if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Phil. 4:8

“I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13

“My God shall supply all your need as to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. “ Phil. 4: 19

 

Do the things you can to be emotionally healthy, if there is a chemical imbalance, get medical help. Talk with a godly counselor.

 

5. What should we do when we have illness or other health problems?

James 5: 14-16 “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church: and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed (done) sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much. (Sincere, deep prayer)

6. Why do we get sick?

We get sick because we eat and live in ways that are not beneficial to good health.

We get sick because we live in a fallen world—sin brings sin. Disease brings disease. Earth itself has been cursed.