False Teaching About Healing
copyright David Brandon 8/04/08
Hi friends,
God is the great physician. I believe He heals people every day and prayer changes things. But I vehemently disagree with the notion that God is absolutely obligated to heal anyone.
Today I heard a sermon which I found very disturbing. The speaker, whom I shall not name, proclaimed, as I have so often heard, our healing is in our own hands. "If you want to be healed," the preacher said, "cast away those humble prayers. God has no use for them. Take authority over things and claim your healing in Jesus' name."
Authority? Who has it? Do we or does God? Are we sovereign or is He? To hear some preachers tell it, we are. If we just use our faith properly; if we get the formula right, then God can not say no. He is under obligation to do our bidding. Failure to be healed is always a failure of our faith.
This is not so. People who believe it have probably never suffered from a protracted agonizing illness, which they prayed for God to relieve day after day. It is a sanctimonious hoax. God is not our genie in the bottle.
The Bible does not say God will say yes to every prayer uttered in faith. He will only do this if it is His will. If God said yes to every prayer uttered in faith every saint you know die at a ripe old age and do so without suffering; every child of every saint you know would either never get sick, or always get healed.
I know there are those who go around looking at terminally ill church goers, shaking their heads and inwardly clucking their tongues, thinking, "She looks good but something must be wrong inside of her. Her faith must be flawed." People who think this way are victims of bad teaching. The very attitude should offend us. Its pious outward appearance shelters hidden pride which implies, "if I were the one who was ill I would have enough faith to get well."
God answers faithful prayer. But sometimes the answer is no. What did He say to Moses when Moses wished to enter the Promised Land? "No!" How did He answer David when the he entreated Him to allow his firstborn with Bathsheba to survive? "No!" How did He answer the Lord when Jesus asked if it were possible to please remove the burden from Him? "No!" Jesus, however said, "Thy will be done." What did He say to Paul when the Apostle implored him on three occasions to remove the thorn from his side "No!"
We ought to consider these things when we hear the false teaching that we can truly take authority over our destiny. God is in control always, not us. We can entreat Him and sometimes it does make a difference. But He may say "no." And if He does it does not mean we are to blame.
The next time you hear a preacher teach that sickness is always the result of a lack of faith, walk away.
Love, your brother in Christ,
David
When you reach the end of your rope
you will find the hem of His garment.
I have often felt that many things that bring us to our knees,
teach us while we are down there to learn to pray.
These possibilities are open to everyone.
Don't tell God you are not good enough, do what He asks.
Don't tell God to send someone else, He asked you.
Don't tell God you don't have time to pray, He said seek me first.
Don't neglect the things of God. He said we are to
pick up His cross daily and follow Him.
Don't tell God anything is bigger than His ability.
God is the Great I Am, I am whatever you need.
There is no pit so deep, God's love is not deeper still.
Not my will but thine oh Lord.
´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·°°´·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God
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