Understanding God's Will for Healing and Suffering

 

Summary

Today, we explored the profound question: Is it God's will to heal everyone? This question often arises among believers, and it is crucial to understand the biblical perspective on healing. The answer is both simple and complex. Yes, God promises healing for every believer, but this promise is ultimately fulfilled in the resurrection. We believe in the resurrection of the body, where every believer will be raised in incorruption, glory, and power, free from sickness and suffering. This is a fundamental Christian belief rooted in scripture and the Apostles' Creed.

However, when people ask if it's God's will to heal everyone, they often mean right here and now. Some believe that if healing doesn't occur, it's due to a lack of faith or ignorance of God's promises. While God does perform miracles today, He does not promise immediate healing for every believer in every circumstance. Aging and death are inevitable, and not all sickness is healed in this life. The Bible shows that even Jesus did not heal every person He encountered, and His disciples, including Paul, experienced and acknowledged sickness.

The teaching that God desires to heal every believer immediately can unintentionally lead to condemnation, suggesting that a lack of healing is due to insufficient faith. This view overlooks the biblical understanding of suffering. Suffering has a legitimate place in the Christian life, as it can build character, perseverance, and deepen our fellowship with Christ. The New Testament is clear that suffering is part of our journey, and God uses it for our growth and to comfort others.

Ultimately, while God can and does heal today, we must accept that not all healing is immediate. We are encouraged to pray and believe for healing, but also to trust in God's timing and purposes. Our ultimate healing is secured in the resurrection, and we can have victory and triumph even in sickness, knowing that our identity is in Christ and not defined by our ailments.

Key Takeaways:

- Resurrection as Ultimate Healing: God's promise of healing is ultimately fulfilled in the resurrection, where believers will be raised in incorruption and glory. This belief is foundational to Christianity and assures us of ultimate victory over sickness and death. [05:04]

- Present Healing and Miracles: While God performs miracles today, He does not promise immediate healing for every believer. Aging and death are part of life, and not all sickness is healed in this life. We must trust God's wisdom and timing. [12:34]

- The Role of Suffering: Suffering has a legitimate place in the Christian life, as it builds character, perseverance, and deepens our fellowship with Christ. The New Testament affirms that suffering is part of our journey and can be used by God for our growth. [49:12]

- Faith and Healing: Some believers may be healed if they have the faith to receive it. While faith is important, it is not the sole determinant of healing. We are encouraged to pray and believe for healing, trusting in God's will and purposes. [41:14]

- Authenticity in Ministry: Authentic ministry acknowledges both the healings and the sufferings. We must be real about the outcomes of our prayers and be willing to apologize when healing does not occur as expected. This honesty fosters genuine faith and trust in God's sovereignty. [44:10]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:02] - Introduction to the Question of Healing
- [02:45] - God's Promise of Resurrection
- [05:04] - Miracles and Present-Day Healing
- [08:13] - Isaiah 53:5 and Healing
- [12:34] - Salvation and Healing: Past, Present, Future
- [17:55] - Jesus' Ministry and Healing
- [26:06] - Heaven on Earth Theology
- [30:47] - Bill Johnson's Perspective
- [34:06] - Creating an Environment of Expectation
- [41:14] - Authenticity in Healing Ministry
- [44:10] - The Unintentional Condemnation of Misunderstood Healing
- [49:12] - The Role of Suffering in the Christian Life
- [54:44] - Comforting Others Through Suffering
- [59:07] - Jesus' Learning Through Suffering
- [01:02:03] - Conclusion and Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 15:42-43
2. Isaiah 53:5
3. Romans 8:16-17

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 1 Corinthians 15:42-43, what transformation does the body undergo in the resurrection? How does this relate to the concept of ultimate healing? [05:04]

2. In Isaiah 53:5, what types of healing are mentioned, and how are they described in the context of Jesus' suffering? [08:13]

3. How does Romans 8:16-17 describe the relationship between suffering and being heirs with Christ? What does this imply about the role of suffering in the Christian life? [49:12]

4. What examples from the sermon illustrate that not all believers experience immediate healing, even though God performs miracles today? [12:34]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the promise of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:42-43 provide hope for believers who are currently suffering from illness or physical limitations? [05:04]

2. Considering Isaiah 53:5, how can believers reconcile the promise of healing with the reality of ongoing sickness and suffering in their lives? [08:13]

3. Romans 8:16-17 speaks of suffering as part of being heirs with Christ. How might this perspective change a believer's understanding of their personal trials and tribulations? [49:12]

4. The sermon suggests that some believers may be healed if they have the faith to receive it. How should this influence the way believers approach prayer for healing? [41:14]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you or someone you know experienced suffering. How did this experience shape your understanding of God's promise of ultimate healing in the resurrection? [05:04]

2. How can you maintain faith and hope in God's promises when faced with a chronic illness or a situation where healing does not seem to come? What practical steps can you take to trust in God's timing? [12:34]

3. In what ways can you support and comfort others who are suffering, drawing from your own experiences and the comfort you have received from God? [54:44]

4. How can you cultivate an environment of expectation for God's miraculous work in your life and the lives of others, while also being authentic about the outcomes of your prayers? [34:06]

5. Consider the role of suffering in your spiritual growth. How can you embrace the lessons God may be teaching you through your current challenges? [49:12]

6. Identify a specific area in your life where you need healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. How can you actively seek God's healing while also accepting His will and timing? [41:14]

7. How can you balance the belief in God's power to heal with the understanding that not all healing is immediate? What steps can you take to strengthen your faith in God's ultimate plan for your life? [44:10]

Devotional

Day 1: Resurrection as the Fulfillment of Healing
God's promise of healing is ultimately fulfilled in the resurrection, where believers will be raised in incorruption and glory. This belief is foundational to Christianity and assures us of ultimate victory over sickness and death. The resurrection is not just a future hope but a present reality that shapes how we live today. It reminds us that our current sufferings are temporary and that our ultimate healing is secured in Christ. This perspective encourages us to live with hope and assurance, knowing that our bodies will one day be free from all pain and suffering. [05:04]

"But someone will ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?' You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain." (1 Corinthians 15:35-37, ESV)

Reflection: How does the promise of resurrection influence your perspective on current physical or emotional struggles?


Day 2: Trusting God's Timing in Healing
While God performs miracles today, He does not promise immediate healing for every believer. Aging and death are part of life, and not all sickness is healed in this life. We must trust God's wisdom and timing. This understanding helps us to navigate the complexities of faith and healing without falling into despair or doubt when healing does not occur as we expect. It encourages us to continue praying and believing for healing while resting in the assurance that God's plans are perfect and His timing is impeccable. [12:34]

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust God's timing more fully, especially regarding healing or unanswered prayers?


Day 3: The Purpose of Suffering in the Christian Life
Suffering has a legitimate place in the Christian life, as it builds character, perseverance, and deepens our fellowship with Christ. The New Testament affirms that suffering is part of our journey and can be used by God for our growth. This perspective helps us to see suffering not as a punishment or a sign of weak faith but as an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper intimacy with God. It challenges us to embrace our trials with faith, knowing that God is at work in us and through us. [49:12]

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: How can you view a current challenge or suffering as an opportunity for growth and deeper fellowship with Christ?


Day 4: Faith's Role in Healing
Some believers may be healed if they have the faith to receive it. While faith is important, it is not the sole determinant of healing. We are encouraged to pray and believe for healing, trusting in God's will and purposes. This understanding helps us to approach healing with humility and openness, recognizing that while our faith is significant, it is ultimately God's power and will that bring about healing. It encourages us to cultivate a faith that is both expectant and surrendered to God's greater plan. [41:14]

"And Jesus said to him, 'If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.' Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you strengthen your faith while also surrendering to God's will in areas where you seek healing?


Day 5: Authenticity in Ministry and Healing
Authentic ministry acknowledges both the healings and the sufferings. We must be real about the outcomes of our prayers and be willing to apologize when healing does not occur as expected. This honesty fosters genuine faith and trust in God's sovereignty. It challenges us to be transparent in our faith communities, creating an environment where people feel safe to express their struggles and doubts. By doing so, we build a community that is grounded in truth and grace, where God's love and power are evident even in the midst of unanswered prayers. [44:10]

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to creating an authentic and transparent environment in your faith community, especially regarding healing and unanswered prayers?

Quotes



Yes. God promises physical bodily healing for every believer. We call it resurrection. We believe in the resurrection of the body for every believer and that every believer will be resurrected in a body that will never again know sickness. It'll never again know injury or deformity or problem of any kind. We know this. We believe this. This is part of basic fundamental Christian belief. I believe in the resurrection of the body is a line in the apostles' creed. This goes back to the scriptures. This goes back to the earliest Christian belief. We believe in resurrection. And certainly resurrection is God's promise of healing for every believer. [00:01:54]

We can say without reservation that perfect, total, complete healing is God's promise to every believer in Jesus Christ, and it was paid for by his stripes and by the totality of Jesus's work for his people. But we must also say that it is not promised in fulfillment to every believer right now, just as the totality of our salvation is not promised to us right now. Do you understand that? I kind of spoke about this at the beginning. We have been justified. We are being sanctified and we will be glorified until we have our resurrection and our glorification. We do not fully possess all of our salvation. [00:12:18]

We are saved past, present, and future. But because the fulfillment of our salvation lies in the future, we do not yet in completeness possess it. Even so, there is a sense in which we have been healed, we are being healed, and one day we will be healed. And as I said before, God's ultimate healing is called resurrection. It is a glorious promise to every believer. And every healing that we receive on this side of eternity is just sort of patching up a tent that's going to be folded up and put away anyway. It anticipates the ultimate healing that will come, but it is not that final healing, that resurrection that God has promised to every one of us. [00:14:15]

Now, some people also believe this, and this is coming because of more what they would say biblical reasons. Some people believe it's God's will to heal every believer right here, right now, because healing is mentioned in the work of Jesus, especially in Isaiah chapter 53, verse 5. Let me read to you that verse, Isaiah 53, 5. It says this, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. Now, that's a powerful thing, isn't it? By the stripes that would be laid upon the Messiah, there is healing for the people of God. [00:07:49]

I think one of the greatest difficulties with this teaching that God wants to heal every believer right here right now it it goes along with the teaching that god wants every believer to be uh wealthy financially you know uh fulfilled in every respect wealthy right now what these doctrines do is there's a lot of trouble with what they teach in themselves and i've talked a lot about that but one of the worst parts about these doctrines is what they do not teach they deny that there's any legitimate place of suffering in the christian life and if you're a believer and nobody's ever explained this to you you might want to sit down for what i'm going to tell you and i hope you don't feel deceived that nobody ever explained this to you before but there is a real place for some suffering in the Christian life. [00:48:40]

Now, I could go on and on, but I hope those eight verses are enough to show you there is a real place that God has for suffering in the Christian life. And here's the fact. We don't get to choose the way we suffer. We don't get to choose our trials. Sometimes we think, well, I could endure suffering as long as I can choose what the suffering is. But that's not how it works in our walk with God. And I think that the place of suffering in the Christian life is something that doesn't get enough attention. There are some people who want to ignore it altogether. [00:50:23]

There is no doubt that God allows suffering in the Christian life to build character, to develop us as disciples. There's no doubt about it in the New Testament, none. But to say, well, there is no way whatsoever that God would allow sickness to be a part of that equation, I just don't see it at all. Matter of fact, in page 18 of this little booklet, Bill Johnson said, we don't ever find Jesus blessing a storm that was coming at him and the disciples. Well, there are blessings and storms. There are things that we learn and gain through suffering. Now, I want to make this very clear. Not all suffering is God's desire for the believer. [00:51:45]

So I'm not trying to say that every occasion of suffering is wanted to be in a believer's life, in the plan of God, you know, for them to endure. No, God may have allowed us suffering to come to the Christian so that he could believe them to get it out. But certainly there are some occasions where God has a purpose for suffering in the life of the Christian. You know, Jesus said, in the world you will have tribulation. Now, praise God, he didn't stop there. He said, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. That's in John chapter 16, verse 33. But it's true. We will have tribulation. It's just part of the Christian life. And it is part of our fellowship with Jesus Christ. [00:53:12]

I want to read you again a verse that I read earlier in those eight verses talking about suffering in the Christian life. Let me read you Philippians chapter 3, verses 10 and 11. The Apostle Paul wrote this. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. You see, Paul knew the fellowship of sufferings, his sufferings being conformed to his death. There are aspects of our fellowship with God that we enter into through suffering. It's just the way it is. [00:53:42]

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. For as the Lord Jesus Christ, are we Além, as the Lord Jesus Christ, Thank you. Now, if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, you will also partake of the consolation. Do you see this? [00:54:44]

God has a place for suffering in the Christian life. Now there are some people who feel that suffering is God's second or third or fourth or fifth best way to teach us. Here's the idea. Well, you might learn something from suffering, but if you really have faith and if you really know the Word, God will never teach you through suffering. He'll just teach you through the Word. I need to tell you, I don't agree with that. But I don't believe that suffering is God's second best way to teach us. No, I don't believe it's the only way that God teaches us. Please, please, please. God does want to teach us through the Word. God does want to teach us through a walk in the Spirit. God has many ways to teach us apart from suffering. But suffering is still a necessary and important aspect of God's toolbox, so to speak, in teaching us. [00:57:15]

Because Jesus learned by sufferings. Let me say this again. Jesus learned by suffering. Is anybody going to look me in the eye and tell me that Jesus was in God's second best? Never. Do you know what it says in Hebrew? Hebrews 5, verse 8. It says this of Jesus, though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Jesus learned obedience by suffering, and Jesus was never in God's second best. Hebrews 2, verse 10 says this, for it was fitting for him, meaning Jesus, it was fitting for Jesus, whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [00:58:14]

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Transcript
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