Why God Doesn't Respond to Prayer

Some of the reasons that your prayers may not be getting answered.

[Watch the Video]

Scriptures:

• Philippians 2:12-13
• Ephesians 3:20
• James 4:3
• 1 John 5:14-15
• Matthew 7:11
• Proverbs 28:9
• Daniel 3:16-18
• 1 Peter 3:7
• Psalms 66:18
• ‭‭John‬ ‭9:31‬
• James 1:5-8
• Hebrews 11:6
• Isaiah 58: 6-9
• ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:10-12‬
• Matthew 6:12-14

Outline:

• Introduction
• The Answer is Wait
• You Already Got an Acorn
• God is Changing You
• God Has Something Better Planned
• Wrong Motives
• Opposite of God's Will
• Disregard for the Word
• Praying to the Wrong God
• Marital Conflict
• Sin
• Doubt
• You're Not Helping Others
• Unforgiveness
• Conclusion

Introduction

Hearing From God

The greatest feeling is when prayers are answered supernaturally

—Francis Chan

• not a coincidence
• not just the answer
• someone is listening to you

makes your faith “real” to you

Example: my father didn’t exist

• I grew up with him

gives us a GPS to navigate through life

Review

God responds in 5 ways

1. Yes
2. No
3. Wait
4. Confirmation / Direction / Clarity
5. Silence

Why God Doesn’t Respond to Prayer

Cell Phone Reception

There are some places where a cell phone doesn’t work

Example: my house

• Going in garage
• Same with God

We will look at reasons why God may be silent...

The Answer is Wait

• It’s coming

God gave you a seed

• A dream
• A desire
• A hope for healing
• A hope for provision

Faith can be like planting a seed

• Sowing
• Reaping
• Waiting

Sowing a seed means releasing it

• It’s out of my hands
• I need to let go of my agenda
• Let God lead

You Already Got an Acorn

You asked for an oak tree and God gave you an acorn

God already answered you

• It just doesn’t look the way you were expected

God gave you the seed of the dream

• But He expects you to water it
• He expects you to prune the bush
• He expects you to fertilize it

Example: layoff -> diabetes

• time

God is Changing You

Philippians 2:12-13

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure

• The seed sprouts and grows because of the work of the soil
• If the soil isn’t right the seed won’t grow
• The soil is our heart
• God can change the soil after the seed has been planted

You Weren’t Ready Yet

You might not be ready for it when you ask

Exhaust your options

The Seed is Growing Underground

Just like the seed

The struggle could be changing your perspective or your priorities

You know God is working in you not because you don’t sin but because you struggle to sin

• The fact that you have a desire to do good means God is working in you

God Has Something Better Planned

Ephesians 3:20

 20Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us

• He has more than we asked for awaiting

It was technically a “no” 

Example: Jesus and the teddy bear

Because He is good and knows what’s eternally best for us, and doesn’t want us to settle, God sometimes says no or closes a door because He has something better for us that we haven’t even thought to ask for. He is One who can do “immeasurably more” than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Trust His timing. Trust His “no.” And trust His idea of what is eternally best for you. He really is a good father.

Example: when job hunting

• Start to creatively interpret the job description
• Couldn’t get a job in my expertise so why do I think I can in another area?
• God said to stop

But I eventually got a call from a friend

Example: dating

• Same
• “She travels a lot for work so she always near bibles”

** stories **

Wrong Motives

James 4:3

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Example: You want a spouse

• Treated like a queen
• Vs help meet

Genesis 2:20 “for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him”

Should be:

• Help fulfil God’s purpose - strengthen the church
• “Building the Kingdom”

Opposite of God’s Will

1 John 5:14-15

14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Example:  asking for promotion or boss treat you better

• Should be a missionary 

How to Know God’s Will

• You find His will in His word
• Hearing from God

God’s idea of a “good thing” might be different than yours

Matthew 7:11

11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Example: giving a little buy a BB gun

• He will shoot his eye out

You might be praying for a husband, a job you’ve been hoping for, or to win the lottery. Why would God not give you any or all of the three? Because even though you might feel it’s good for you to be married, or to be working in a job you like, or to have more money, God’s opinion might differ.

Just because we think something will make us happy doesn’t mean it’s good for us in God’s eyes. 

• You might be asking for a job that will distract you from your mate
• You might be asking for a mate that will distract you from your calling

You may be incorrectly prioritizing your desires

You priorities your desires

• You want a short commute, but you want a house
• You want to save money, but you want to look cool
• You want to tithe 10%, but you don’t want a roommate
• You want more sleep, but you want to see what happens on your tv show
• You want a 6 pack, but you have a sweet tooth
• You want a good marriage but you have a sweet tooth
• You want a good husband but sometimes you get lonely

God's  Priorities

God answers prayer according to His will.  But just like us, the desires are not all equal.

God has a will too, but not all aspects of His will are of equal priority. For example:

1. Keep His Word
2. Free Will
3. God’s glory
4. Your Desires

Your desires don’t necessarily trump of God’s other priorities

You Chose Wrong Path

Your desires could be out of synch with your free will

• What you’re doing won’t get you what you want

Disregard for the Word

Proverbs 28:9

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,

Even his prayer is an abomination.

• Not just sinning, but you won’t listen

You have created a stronghold that is against God’s word

• ideology
• paradigm

Example:

• The bible is outdated

• That was a different culture
• Same sex abomination thing is discrimination (love is love)
• That stuff about women being submissive doesn’t apply now

• There are multiple paths to Heaven
• Political ideologies

Praying to the Wrong God

Daniel 3:16-18

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

• Faith says: “God can” not “God has to”

Doctrines / paradigm

• If I have faith God will give me whatever I want
• If I do good, bad things won’t happen to me
• If I’m good, God owes me a reward

Some of the problems we have with prayer arise out of a wrong understanding of God. The better we know the God in the Scriptures, the better we will understand how to pray—and why God responds to prayer as He does.

Marital Conflict

1 Peter 3:7

You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Biblical Relationship Wisdom

• Men love your wife
• Women respect your husband

Oxytocin

• Lowers women’s stress
• Increases their happiness

Talking about issues raises men’s stress

• Testosterone turns to estrogen

Sin

Sinful Plans

Psalms 66:18-19

18 If I regard wickedness in my heart,

The Lord will not hear;

19 But certainly God has heard;

He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

• Imagine it
• ^think it’s ok

Regard (ra'ah)

• to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

Thought -> feeling -> act -> habit -> lifestyle-> destiny

Guilt and Shame

• Planned sin
• Guilt
• Doubt that God hears you

Committing Sin

‭‭John‬ ‭9:31‬

“We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.”

Sin no longer completely separates us from God

• We can’t have the type of relationship Adam had

• God is a trinity
• No sin will remove the Holy Spirit from within us

Impacts Your Relationship

It affects your relationship

Example: kid breaking the window

• Don’t get punished (grace)
• Ask for a new bike
• Didn’t even acknowledge the broken window
• Still a son, but relationship is strained

Doubt

James 1:5-8

5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Wisdom

• You need wisdom to make decisions
• You need wisdom when you don’t hear from God

Doubt

• If you doubt you won’t receive anything

 Hebrews 11:6

6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

1. Faith that God exists
2. Faith that God rewards those who seek Him

waiting to punish you 

How do you know God exists

1. Faith - belief
2. Rational / logical
3. Experience

• Hear from God
• Supernatural experience
• Testimony

Testimony

• Angels
• why you believe in God
• Conversion experience

Story: Chinese Hindu

• Raising kids Christian

You’re Not Helping Others

Isaiah 58: 6-9

      6“Is this not the fast which I choose,

            To loosen the bonds of wickedness,

            To undo the bands of the yoke,

            And to let the oppressed go free

            And break every yoke?

      7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry

            And bring the homeless poor into the house;

            When you see the naked, to cover him;

            And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

      8“Then your light will break out like the dawn,

            And your recovery will speedily spring forth;

            And your righteousness will go before you;

            The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

      9“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;

            You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

            If you remove the yoke from your midst,

            The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,

He is asking us to be the hands and feet of Jesus

This is the ultimate test of our Christianity

• Loving your neighbor as yourself

You’re an unbeliever

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:10-12‬

10 For,

“THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,

MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

11 “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD;

HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.

12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS,

AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,

BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”

The only prayer an unbeliever may be assured God will answer—and answer immediately—is a prayer of faith and acceptance of His Son, who died on the cross and rose again, as the basis for the forgiveness of your sins.

‭‭

Unforgiveness

Matthew 6:12-14

12 And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass

 against us.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

• If you don’t forgive then your sins are forgiven
• That push you in the same category as an unbeliever

Conclusion

You Don’t Always Know Why

African Burrito Girl Story

You may not have a testimony, but...

You are a testimony

Instructor: Michael Leadon

References 

Why isn’t God answering my prayers

https://youtu.be/RLfc5Mbn7kY

Can You Hear me Now

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/women/5-reasons-why-god-isn-t-answering-your-prayers.html

5 REASONS GOD DOESN’T ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS

https://waynestiles.com/5-reasons-god-doesnt-answer-your-prayers/

When God Doesn't Listen by Francis Chan

https://youtu.be/TLuVeQVwZUA

What to Do when is seems like God Doesn’t Respond

https://youtu.be/4_0G1-hS1QY

5 Reasons God Doesn't Answer Your Prayers

https://waynestiles.com/5-reasons-god-doesnt-answer-your-prayers/

Extra

You’re An Unbeliever

Proverbs‬ ‭15:8-9‬ ‭NASB‬‬

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves one who pursues righteousness.”

Bible Relationship Quiz

A biblical quiz about dating and relationships.

* Based off of an Unchained Bible Fellowship relationship series (not posted online)

1. Two is better than one because...

1. they have a good return for their labor
2. if one falls down, his companion can lift him up
3. if two lie down together, they will keep warm
4. though one may be overpowered, two can resist
5. All of the above

5. All of the above 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 10For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! 11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 

2. A man who finds a wife..

1. Finds love
2. Shall live longer with the Lord
3. Obtains favor from the Lord
4. Finds the path to wisdom
5. All of the above 

3. Obtains favor from the Lord

Proverbs 18:22

      22He who finds a wife finds a good thing

            And obtains favor from the LORD.

3. In Songs of Solomon the woman says:

  I am _____ but lovely

1. Single
2. Blessed
3. Tired
4. Black
5. None of the above

4. Black

Songs of Solomon 1:5

     5“I am black but lovely,

            O daughters of Jerusalem,

            Like the tents of Kedar,

            Like the curtains of Solomon.

4. Dove’s Eyes

Song of Solomon 1:15 says

      15“How beautiful you are, my darling,

            How beautiful you are!

            Your eyes are like doves.”

What does it mean to have doves eyes?

1. Pretty eyes
2. To be loyal
3. To give a sexy alluring look
4. To have faith

2. To be loyal

Because of the narrow shape of their head, they are only able to focus on one object at a time.  So a dove always has a singular focus.

5. Emotional Men

When a man feels _______ his estrogen levels go up and he gets more emotional

1. Blamed
2. Aroused
3. Depressed
4. Lonely  
5. All of the above

1. Blamed

When a woman brings up an issue the man will often assume she is blaming him and become defensive.

6. You Know My Demon

The phrase: 

“You have chemistry with that person because your demons know their demons”

was talking about

1. Service
2. Love vs respect
3. Shared brokenness
4. Spiritual warfare
5. None of the above

3. Shared brokenness

7. Levels of Communication

The levels of communication are: cliche’, information, and ________

1. Feelings
2. Intimacy
3. Agape
4. Commitment

1. Feelings

Levels of communication

1. Cliché

• Nice weather
• It’s hot in here
• Thank God It’s Friday
• This is a long line

2. Information

• The interview

3. Feelings

• What are you scared of?
• What makes you cry?

8. It’s Not Good

In Genesis, when God said it’s not good for man to be alone, what was his initial solution?

1. Creating Eve
2. Creating Facebook
3. Creating prayer
4. Creating the beasts of the fields and the birds of the air

4. Creating the beasts of the fields and the birds of the air

Genesis 2:18-19

18Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” 19Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

9. Consumer vs covenant

According to Tim Keller what are the two types of relationship?

1. Male and Female
2. Agape and Eros
3. Consumer and covenant
4. Quality time and words of affirmation
5. None of the above

3. Consumer and covenant

Consumer says what's in it for me.

A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties that holds significant weight and has serious consequences.

10. Women’s Complaint

According to researchers what was the #1 complaint women had about their husband after being married for some time?

1. He is bad in bed
2. He no longer shares himself with me
3. He doesn’t do the small things he used to
4. He hogs the remote control
5. He doesn’t put down the toilet seat

2. He no longer shares himself with me

When a woman feels that she can’t get inside of her mate, that is the loneliest feeling in the world.

11. Female Stress

What causes stress to go down for women?

1. Receiving acts of love
2. Talking about their issues
3. Hugs from friends and family
4. Massages
5. All of the above

5. All of the above

The surprising one for men was “talking about their issues”.

This raises stress in men

When God Doesn't Heal Part 2

What does the bible actually say about healing?

[Watch the Video]

Scripture:

• Luke 5:18-25
• John 20:22-23
• James 5:14-16
• Matthew 10:1
• Luke 13:11-13
• Acts 8:6-7
• Matthew 1:21
• Luke 7:48-50
• James 5:15
• Luke 8:36

Outline:

• Introduction
• Review of Part 1
• The Disciples Could Forgive Sins
• Healing By Prayer
• Unforgiveness
• Healing By Casting Out Demons
• Sozo
• 3 Causes of Sickness
• Conclusion

Introduction

Did Peter heal anyone?

Can demons cause sickness?

Review

Series: Hearing From God

God’s Responses to Prayer

1. Yes
2. No
3. Wait
4. Direction / Guidance / Clarity
5. Silence

2 Types of Healing

1. Forgiveness of sins

• Required faith (the healed or loved ones)

2. For God’s Glory

Healing Was a Sign that Sins Were Forgiven

Luke 5:18-25

18And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.19But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24“But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

What do we see

• Because they had faith, Jesus forgave the man’s sins
• The healing proved that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins
• The healing was a sign that Jesus was the Messiah
• God got the glory

Healing proved that his sins were forgiven

• This proved that Jesus was the Messiah

The main reason that Jesus healed was to prove He was the Messiah

Jesus Couldn’t Heal Without Faith (Mark 6:4-6)

It wasn’t that He healed them because of their faith

• It was that he could heal him because he had faith

Jesus Couldn’t Heal in His Hometown

He couldn’t heal when He went to Nazareth because they didn’t have faith

They remembered Jesus as a child and couldn’t accept that He was the Messiah 

The faith they needed was faith that Jesus was the Messiah and could forgive sins

Sickness For God’s Glory (John 9: 1- 3)

Blind Man

• The disciples assumed that the man’s blindness was caused by sin

• It was not

• The blindness was caused for the glory of God
• In this scenario the healing wasn’t based on the faith of the blind man

2 Types of Healing

1. Forgiveness of sins

• Required faith

2. For God’s Glory

The Disciples Could Forgive Sins

John 20:22-23

22And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23“If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

Your Faith Has Healed You

Did Peter heal anyone?

When the disciples healed people they would declare “your faith has healed you”

• Even though they did it
• They did it through the power of the Holy Spirit
• They could heal people because the people had faith that Jesus was the Messiah

It is correct to say either:

• Peter healed them
• Their faith healed them
• God healed them

Perhaps it’s the same with forgiveness of sins

It’s correct to say

• Their sins were forgiven by God
• Their sins were forgiven because of their faith
• Their sins were forgiven by the disciples

Healing Proved Forgiveness of Sins

Jesus said that healing was a sign that sins were forgiven

• The disciples performed that sign
• They commanded people to be healed

Thus it showed that their sins had been forgiven

• Because of their faith

Healing By Prayer

Let’s see if there is anywhere else that talks about sins being forgiven by Christians ...

James 5:14-16

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [having] anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Details:

• Elders
• Anointing with oil
• Prayer offered in Faith
• Righteous man
• Confess sins to one another
• Pray for one another

Forgiving Sins

“if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him”

• The prayers from the elders will forgive sins

Here too, the healing is associated with the forgiveness of sins

Perhaps if the sin that caused the sickness was forgiven

• The natural consequences of that sin will be removed
• The enemy no longer has authority to attack the body

“If”

Notice it says: “If” he has committed sins

It’s not necessarily caused by sin

Unforgiveness

This implies that forgiveness of sin is necessary for some types of healing

Jesus said if we don’t forgive others our sins won’t be forgiven

Could this mean that unforgiveness can impact our healing?

We have seen that healing is related to our sins being forgiven

Perhaps if we don’t forgive others our sins won’t be forgiven so we won’t be healed

Can unforgiveness prevent you from being healed?

Healing By Casting Out Demons 

Disciples Had Authority Over Demons

Matthew 10:1

1Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

What’s an unclean spirit?

• A demon

Demons Cause Sickness

Can demons cause sickness?

Sickness by a Spirit

Luke 13:11-13

11And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. 12When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God.

• Demons do cause sickness and disability in people.
• Some people say all illnesses are caused by demons

Paralyzed and Lame

Acts 8:6-7

6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

• Therefore casting demons out of people would cure their sickness
• Demons cause sickness and disability

Summary

• Demons cause sickness and disability
• The Disciples cast out demons by the authority of Jesus

Sozo

Is there a relation between forgiving sins, healing and authority over demons?

sozo: to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

in the technical biblical sense

• to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment
• to make one a partaker of the salvation by Christ

In the bible, sozo is translated to mean

• Healing
• Forgiving Sins
• Salvation
• Deliverance (casting out demons)

Salvation

Matthew 1:21

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save [sozo] his people from their sins."

Forgiving Sins

Woman Putting Perfume on Jesus’ Feet

Luke 7:48-50

48Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved [sozo] you; go in peace.”

Healing

James 5:15

15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore [sozo] the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

Deliverance

Luke 8:36

36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured [sozo].

The Link

There is a link between

• Healing
• Casting out demons
• Forgiving sins
• Salvation

Disciples Forgiveness of Sins

The disciples had authority to heal, and cast out demons with the power of the Holy Spirit

• They had authority to sozo
• Could they have had the power to sozo but not the power to sozo?

3 Causes of Sickness

Causes of sickness

1. Consequence Sin
2. To give God glory
3. Demonic attack

God Allowed It

• But that does not mean that it was his wheel
• But the healing from God is always God’s will

What about

• Stress
• Unhealthy habits
• Poor lifestyle choices
• Lack of rest
• Climate / weather

These are direct causes, but the other 3 are reasons why they are allowed

Conclusion

We are susceptible to sickness and disease because of Adam’s fall

Jesus said “If I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God is here”

The Kingdom of God was already here when Jesus began his public ministry

At that time Jesus had authority over sickness, death and demons 

He passed this authority to the disciples

3 Means of Healing

• Forgiving Sins
• Casting out Demons
• Praying

Biblical healings were

• Not based on the relationship the healer had with the sick person
• Not primarily a reward for faith
• Signs and miracles intended to prove that Jesus was the Messiah
• Always within God’s will

3 Causes of Sickness

Causes of sickness / disease

1. Sin
2. Demons / Satan
3. To give God glory

We can pray to cover all three

1. Ask God to reveal my sins and give me strength to resist temptation

• Congress the sins and ask for forgiveness

2. Forgive those who have sinned against us

• So that we may be forgiven

3. Rebuke the disease / demon / Satan in the name of Jesus
4. Have faith that Jesus is the Messiah
5. Pray that God’s purpose is accomplished and that His will is done

Instructor: Michael Leadon

References

When God Doesn’t Heal

http://unchaineddisciples.blogspot.com/2019/12/when-god-doesnt-heal.html

Does God Cause Sickness?

http://unchaineddisciples.blogspot.com/2015/10/does-god-cause-sickness.html

Extra

Healing By Casting Out Demons

Deaf and Mute

Mark 9:25-27

25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

The Disciples Could Forgive Sins

Different views of the meaning:

• Catholics use this verse to claim that Priests can forgive sins
• Christians have the authority to pronounce which sins "have been forgiven”
• Church can define what sins are forgiven and which are retained
• The disciples forgive sins indirectly by preaching the gospel
• Christians can announce it to people after they get saved

• In Jesus’ authority

• We can forgive those who have sinned against us

• Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us

Matthew 16:19

19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 

Sozo

Mark 6:56

56 Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured [sozo].