Healing

"He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." Matthew 8:17

Healing is part of God's redemption through Jesus. Healing was included in the Old Covenant. And healing is a key part of the New Covenant.

Healing is based upon the substitutionary work of Jesus. In the Old Covenant, a spotless, perfect lamb was the substitute for the peoples sins. The people laid on the lamb their sin, and the lamb was sacrificed in their place. In the New Covenant, Jesus was the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. In taking the sins, Jesus takes all of the effects of sin - death, sickness, infirmity, disease, poverty, depression, defeat - upon himself. We receive forgiveness, life, healing, prosperity, and victory.

Salvation Includes Healing

The original Greek word for save is sozo. It means to save, of material and temporal deliverance from danger, suffering, preserve, from sickness, made whole. A related word, diasozo, means to bring safely through, of the healing of the sick by the Lord.

God's healing is simply part of God's gift of salvation to all who believe in Jesus. It's received by faith.

Healing in the Old Covenant

In the Old Covenant (Old Testament), God reveals himself as Jehovah Rapha - "The Lords who heals you."

If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to his commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you. Exodus 15:26 NKJV

After God brought the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, he revealed himself as Jehovah Rapha. The people came upon a spring of water in the desert. But the water was not good. God showed Moses a specific tree (or piece of wood). Moses threw the wood into the bitter, undrinkable waters, and they became "sweet" - usable.

God used many methods to heal his people. In addition to the wood, he also used a figure of a serpent, and, often, the ministry of the prophet.

Healing in the New Covenant

In the New Covenant - which is a better covenant with better promises - God provides numerous ways to heal His people. No matter the method, the truth is sure: By Jesus' stripes we were healed! 1 Peter 2:24

Lay Hands on Sick

As part of Jesus commission to His disciples, He instructed them to heal the sick.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Mk 16:15-18 KJV

Laying on of hands is a method of transferring the anointing, or power of God from one person to another. In the Old Testament, priests, prophets, and kings were anointed with oil and laying on of hands.

The hands in themselves have no power. The simply are a point of contact to allow the healing anointing to flow. Jesus laid hands on many people during His earthly ministry.

Anointing with Oil

Anointing with oil is similar to laying on of hands. The oil has no special property. It is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit's power that brings healing to the physical body.

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 sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:14-16 KJV

Prayer of Faith

In the passage from James, above, we find a number of key elements in the healing process. In addition to the anointing with oil, the prayer of faith is required. We see a action - reaction sequence: the prayer of faith shall save the sick, the Lord shall raise him up.

It is a prayer of FAITH - not doubt. A prayer of faith expects the desired result. It's not hoping, wishing, thinking, desiring. The person praying in faith is confident that the Lord will do exactly as He said - the Lord shall raise the sick person up.

The Elders of the Church

Another key is for the sick person to call for the elders of the church. This is the church leadership. The elders represent mature, solid, faith-filled men. They are qualified to pray the prayer of faith. New, young, or immature believers may not pray in faith. They may pray after the flesh, or after the senses, not after the Word of God.

In Jesus Name

Notice that Jesus charged the disciples to go "In my name." James instructed the elders to pray over the sick person, and anoint him with oil "in the name of the Lord." We minister healing, not in our own power or authority, but in the power and authority of Jesus - the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. See Jesus' Name for more information.

Faith in Jesus Name

After the day of Pentecost, Peter and John went to the temple to pray. Entering the gate, they encountered a lame man, who was begging. Peter fixed his eyes on the man, grabbed his arm, and declared "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Peter lifted the man up. He started walking, leaping, and praising God.

Peter explained the miracle this way: It's not by our own power or holiness that we made this man walk. It was Jesus. "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong." Acts 3:16 KJV.

By God's Word

Every believer can receive healing by believing God's Word.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 KJV

God's Word does not return void. Void means zero, useless, unfulfilled. God's word works. And God said His Word beings healing:

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20 KJV