When God Doesn't Heal

A look at how Jesus and the disciples heal and a discussion on whether supernatural healing still exists today.

[Watch the Video]

Outline:

• Introduction
• Death Was Promised
• Jesus Healed by Forgiving Sins
• Sickness For God’s Glory
• Authority Given to the Disciples
• Conclusion

Scripture:

• Romans 6:23
• Luke 7:46-50
• Luke 5:19-25
• Mark 6:4-6 (NASB)
• John 9: 1- 3
• John 20:22-23
• Mark 6:7;13
• Acts 3:3-6

Introduction

Could Jesus forgive sins before He was resurrected?

• Could the disciples forgive sins?

Did the Disciples / Apostles pray for people to heal them?

Review

God’s Responses to Prayer

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

When God is Silent

1. When Biblical Promises Don’t Come True
2. When God Doesn’t Heal

Does God Still Heal?

I wish sometimes that we had the power that the apostles had

• Peter’s shadow healed people (Acts 5:15)
• Paul’s handkerchief healed people (Acts 19:12)

Does supernatural healing still exist today?

Stories: supernatural healing (on video)

• mom died 9 times and came back to life
• mom lived because son kicked her in the stomach
• breast cancer healed

Death Was Promised

The Penalty of Sin

What is the penalty for sin?

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death is a promise

• This was promised after Adam’s sin
• Death is not the penalty of a specific “big sin” but the consequence of being a sinner 
• If we have ever sinned we are destined to die at some point. 
• We do not get to determine when that time is

Aging, sickness and disease are the process which God has put into place to accomplish this promise.

Death is God keeping His promise

Jesus Healed by Forgiving Sins

Could Jesus forgive sins before His death and resurrection?

Luke 7:46-50

46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.

47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

48 Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."

49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?"

50 And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved [sozo] you; go in peace."

Yes, Jesus forgave sins prior to His death and resurrection

Healing Was a Sign that Sins Were Forgiven

Is there a link between forgiving of sin and healing?

Luke 5:19-25

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.

• His sins were forgiven because Jesus saw their faith
• Notice that the faith of the man’s friends is mentioned  as well

What did they have faith in?

• That Jesus was the Messiah

Why did Jesus heal the man?

24 “ so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...get up”

• So they would know that Jesus could forgive sins
• So they would know that Jesus was the Son of Man – the Messiah

What happened

• The healing was a sign
• The healing proved that Jesus had the authority on earth to forgive sins
• The healing wasn’t just because the man had been good
• The healing wasn’t just about the man’s faith

The main reason that Jesus healed was to prove that He had authority to forgive sins

This meant that He had authority over Satan

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

God Got the Glory

The man “went home glorifying God”

Notice that the result of the miracle was that the man gave glory to God

God receiving glory is a big reason for the signs

It wasn’t about the healed person

The miracles were to bring God glory not to fulfill the desires of the faithful

• Not to ease suffering
• Not to prevent mourning 

The faith of the man was not the reason why Jesus healed him

• It was actually the reason why Jesus could heal him

Without Faith Jesus Couldn’t Heal

If a person had faith that Jesus was the Messiah He could forgive their sins which would heal their disease

Jesus Couldn’t Heal in His Hometown

He couldn’t heal when He went to Nazareth

Mark 6:4-6 (NASB)

4Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” 5And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And He wondered at their unbelief.

      And He was going around the villages teaching.

The people from Jesus’ hometown knew Him before He was walking in His gifting so they were not able to accept the “new” Jesus

Summary

• Jesus healed people by forgiving their sins
• The ability to forgive sins proved that He was the Messiah
• Jesus only forgave the sins of those who had faith that He was the Messiah

Note: there are weather conditions under which Jesus can heal…

Sickness For God’s Glory

John 9: 1- 3

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

• The disciples assumed that the man’s blindness was caused by sin
• The blind man didn’t ask to be healed
• We don’t know if He had even heard about Jesus

Two types of sickness / disease / ailment

1. That which is caused by sin
2. That which will give God glory

Disease Caused by Sin

• Healing involves forgiveness of sins
• Healing is achieved by someone’s faith

Disease Caused For God’s Glory

• Not necessarily caused because of sin
• Healing doesn’t require faith of the believer
• Healing does not require the forgiveness of sin

Example: Job

You May be sick not because you’re out of God’s will, but because you’re in it 

Authority Given to the Disciples

The Disciples healed...does that mean that they could forgive sins?

The Disciples Could Forgive Sins

This occurs after the resurrection

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.”

• Does this mean the disciples could forgive sins?
• Is this a promise to us too?

This is when they first received the Holy Spirit

• Not at Pentecost
• This is where they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit

The forgiving of sin was linked to believing that Jesus was the Messiah

Authority Over Demons

I always thought the disciples healing and casting out demons was a result of the impartation of the holy spirit

• That doesn’t seem to be the case
• They could do that before the impartation

Mark 6:7;13

7And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits;

...

13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

• They cast out demons with the authority given by Jesus
• They cast out demons “in the name of Jesus”

Not a Spiritual Gift

• This is before the Holy Spirit had come
• The oil represents the Holy Spirit

In The Name of Jesus

They cast out demons and healed “in the name of Jesus”

Acts 3:3-6

3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”

Did they pray for healing?

• No they commanded it in the name of Jesus
• The apostles never prayed for healing
• They either cast out the demons in the name of Jesus

Performing Signs and Wonders

The healing and casting out demons done by the disciples was

• Done in the authority of Jesus
• Was not done through prayer
• Was done as signs

The apostles healed as a sign that Jesus was the Messiah

• Not because they would miss the person if they died
• Not just to heal the sick person
• It was to glorify God

Summary

When the disciples healed

• They commanded healing and deliverance in the name of Jesus
• The signs and miracles were intended to prove that Jesus was the Messiah
• They didn’t heal because of the relationship they had with the sick person

Note:  This is not to say that we shouldn’t pray for healing for ourselves and our loved ones

• It is just pointing out that our motives and circumstances may be different than the apostle’s

Conclusion

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

When Jesus or the apostles healed

• The result was that God got the glory
• Their signs and miracles were intended to prove that Jesus was the Messiah

• It wasn’t about them or the healed person

If your goal is for God to get the glory the question is how can God get the most glory

My Daddy’s Funeral

• Brother worked at Paramount
• Many of his Hollywood coworkers came to the church to support him
• Some were atheist and hadn’t been to church
• Others said it was the best Church service that they have ever seen  

• It was a celebration of life.

My Mother’s Funeral

• church split
• Family split

Helping Someone Else

God may get the most glory because now that you have gone through a loss you can relate to and help someone else through it

It’s hard, but we want to pray that whatever will give God the most glory be done

Ask God to be with you as you go through it 

Instructor: Michael Leadon

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References

Your Sins Are Forgiven

https://www.gotquestions.org/your-sins-are-forgiven.html

When God Doesn’t Heal

https://youtu.be/kmR7IwipcRc

Extra

Death Was Promised

The Bible says that God warned Adam about eating the forbidden fruit: 

Genesis 2:17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Genesis 3:3

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.

Did they actually die when they ate the forbidden fruit? The Bible says that they did not physically die the moment they ate the fruit but lived on many years afterward. Is this a contradiction? The answer is, No. There are several ways in which to understand the sense in which Adam and Eve died.

As Surely As You Eat of It

Idiomatic Expression

The phrase “the day you eat of it” is simply a Hebrew idiom meaning as surely as you eat of it. Other biblical examples are provided to show what the phrase means in other contexts. 

1 Kings 2:37

For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your head.

As Certain As

In both of these passages, the expression in the day means simply as certain as. If we apply this to Genesis 2:17 we do not need to explain that Adam and Eve experienced death that very same day they ate the forbidden fruit, but rather their death sentence was something for certain.

Jesus Healed By Forgiving Sins

Angel of the Lord

Exodus 23: 20-21

20“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21“Be on your guard before him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in him.

Does God Cause Sickness

 In this study we examine the methods Jesus and the apostles used to perform healing.

Watch the Video 

 Scriptures:

• Matt 1:21
• Eph 2:8
• James 5:14-15
• Matthew 9:20-22
• Act 14:8-10
• Luke 8:26-36
• Mark 9:25-27
• Matthew 12:22-23
• Acts 8:4-7
• Matthew 10:1
• Mark 11:20-25
• 2 Kings 6:15-17

When someone asks Jesus to come into their heart do we tell them to ask God to send His son down to be crucified so their sins will be forgiven?

• No
• Why not?
• He already did it

What if there are other things that Jesus’ death gave us access to that we aren’t aware of

Sozo

The Greek word sozo is translated save, heal, and deliver.

This word is used 110 times in the bible.  

Strong's #4982: sozo (pronounced sode'-zo)

from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saos, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):--heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

This same word used to describe our salvation is also used to describe healing and deliverance.

Salvation

Matt 1:21

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

• the word save is the Greek word sozo

• What do we need to do to be saved?
• believe that Jesus is the savior
• have faith
• Do we need to ask God to do something in order for us to be saved?
• no, He’s already done all that He needs to do

Eph 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

• saved is sozo
• so sozo is not the result of our works
• Where does the faith come from?
• It is a gift from God

Healing

James 5:14-15

14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

• “make well” is sozo
• what type of prayer is needed?
• One offered in faith

Matthew 9:20-22

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

• “healed” is sozo
• What caused the healing?
• Her faith

Act 14:8-10

8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

• “healed” is sozo
• What brought sozo to the man?
• his faith
• What did Paul notice about the man?
• That he had the faith to be healed
• Did Paul give the man the faith?
• no
• Where did the faith come from?
• It was a gift from God

Even though Paul saw that the man had faith to be healed, the man wasn't healed until Paul had him stand up on faith.

So you might say that the gift of healing is the ability to identify and activate the healing faith in others.   

• This explains when Jesus couldn’t heal anyone in His home town

In the church today the gift healing is often looked at as there are some people who can beg to God better than others

Could this mean that, similar to salvation, our physical healing is dependent on our faith?

There is a type of healing that's activated by the faith in the healed person.  

Deliverance

Luke 8:26-36

26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[b] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.

• the word “cured” in v36 is sozo

• Why was the demon scared of Jesus?
• because He knew Jesus and knew Jesus was more powerful than Him

• If the same word used for healing is used for casting out demons what does that imply about some sicknesses or diseases?
• It can be caused by the devil or demons

Could some sickness be caused by Satan or demons?

• Yes

Sickness from Demons

Many of the cases where Jesus’ healed the sick were actually accomplished 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.

Blind and Mute

Matthew 12:22-23

22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?

Paralyzed and Lame

Acts 8:4-7

4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 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.

Giving Access to the Enemy

Last week we talked about different ways in which you give the enemy access to your life (e.g. sex outside of marriage, abortion, etc).   When you do those things you give the enemy permission to introduce sickness into your body.

• In those scenarios we have given control over to the enemy

God has given us control in some areas

• His will is that we give up control and turn it back over to Him
• Sometimes we maintain control
• But sometimes we give up control and give it to the enemy

The consequences that occur after we've given away control are not necessarily God's will

So sickness is not always a trial or test from God to build our character, or punishment for something we did wrong.  It can be a direct result of our actions.   

Example: Two people go out into the snow.  One has a jacket and one doesn’t.  The person without the jacket gets sick.  Was it God’s will that that person got sick and not the other?

Jesus Gave Us the Authority

Jesus gave the disciples the authority to cast out demons.  

Matthew 10:1

1Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

• Did Jesus tell them to come get Him if they ran into any demons or sick people?
• no He gave them the authority to handle it
• What does it mean that Jesus gave them the authority to do it?
• Jesus has authority over the demons because of His rank in the spiritual hierarchy.  He elevated the disciples position to the same level as His for this purpose

example: you were made a police officer

• even without the uniform if you’re on duty
• if someone wears the uniform and criminals know they aren’t real
• 7 sons of sceva
• saying “in the Name of Jesus” isn’t enough
• you have to have been given the authority

What would happen if  you were made an officer but didn’t know it?

• Do you have the authority?
• Yes
• Would you operate in it?
• No

you can’t act in the authority of Jesus if you didn’t know Jesus gave you authority

Guess what!?

• Now you know it!

There's a type of healing that's activated by using the authority that Jesus gave us over the cause of the sickness

Speak to Your Mountain

Mark 11:20-25

20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Trulyf I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

• we unforgineness can hinder answered prayer
• Did Jesus say to ask God to move the mountain?
• no, He said to speak to the mountain

Sometimes you don't talk to God about your mountain,you  talk to your mountain

• you talk to the mountain about your God

Example: kid keying your car

we need to walk in the authority we’ve been given

Walking by Faith Not By Sight

2 Kings 6:15-17

15 When the servant of the man of God [Elisha] got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

• What does it mean that the servant’s “eyes were opened”?
• He was allowed to see into the spirit world
• When Elisha said “those that be with us are more than those that be with them” was it true?
• yes
• If the servant had faith but hadn’t had his eyes open and said the same thing would he be saying something that isn’t true?
• no

Walking by faith and not by sight doesn’t mean saying something that isn’t true in hopes that it will eventually become true?  It means saying something that is already true in the spiritual world but not yet manifested in the physical world.  Faith is not denying what is happening physically.  Faith is the ability to trust beyond what's in the physical world and holding to a belief in what God has promised is true.

Most Christians live based on their senses just like the world does.   If we can't feel it, taste it, or smell it, it doesn't exist.  We need to graduate from that.   Most people assume every physical problem is natural, and don’t recognize that the enemy has a hand in things.

Conclusion

We looked at two types of healing:

1. Achieved by the faith of the healed person
2. Achieved by taking authority over the cause of the problem

We can pray for God to heal our sickness, but that’s not what Jesus or the apostles did

If the sickness is not God’s will then we can pray against it or use our authority to cast it out

• the apostles never prayed for healing
• they either
1. cast out the demons in the name of Jesus
2. activated the healing faith in the person

Both of these are based on our faith that Jesus already died for it.

• both are done in the authority and “name” of Jesus

you've already been:

• forgiven
• healed
• delivered

if you knew what you had, you wouldn't doubt that you'd get it

if you were convinced that you had it, you wouldn't quit trying

if you keep pursuing it, you will eventually see a physical manifestation

Example: looking for a job

you were already healed 2,000 years ago

• you need to respond to what He's done
• you shouldn’t be trying to use your faith to make God do something
• faith is not getting God to do something
• it’s responding to what He’s already done

God moves by grace

• faith receives what God already did

God doesn't respond to your faith

• your faith is a response to what God already did

Discussion Question

Is healing and delivering only possible if it’s God’s will?

Or is it always possible unless it’s against God’s will?

Presenter: Michael Leadon