The best way to answer this question is to look at Jesus Christ. He made the following statements concerning Himself:
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth (the reality), and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” (John 14:8-10 NKJV)
“So Jesus added, When you have lifted up the Son of Man [on the cross], you will realize (know, understand) that I am He [for Whom you look] and that I do nothing of Myself (of My own accord or on My own authority), but I say [exactly] what My Father has taught Me.” (John 8:28 AMP)
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38 NKJV)
“Then I said, “Behold, I have come, In the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God.’ ” (Hebrews 10:7 NKJV)
Jesus presents us with a perfect picture of the Father’s will. If we want to see the Father’s will we can see it clearly in the ministry of His Son on earth.
Did Jesus make people sick?
Did Jesus ever refuse to heal those who came to Him?
Did Jesus teach that sometimes sickness is sent to teach us a lesson?
In answering these questions we can establish the will of God concerning healing.
The Bible says the following concerning the ministry of Jesus:
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38 NKJV)
Even a cursory reading of the gospels make it abundantly clear that a major part of Jesus message and ministry was the healing of the afflicted. Again and again we are confronted with accounts of Jesus healing the sick and the demonised, raising the dead, opening blind eyes and unstopping deaf ears.
Consider and briefly discuss the following eyewitness testimonies of the Lord’s ministry on earth
“And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.” (Luke 6:17-19 NKJV)
“Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.” (Matthew 4:24 NKJV)
“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,” (Matt 8:16 NKJV)
“But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.” (Matt 12:15 NKJV)
“When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.” (Luke 4:40 NKJV)
If Jesus is the ‘express image of God’s Person’ (Hebrews 1:3) what do the above verses indicate concerning God’s will regarding physical and emotional healing?
In fact, questions concerning God’s willingness to heal are not a modern invention. One time the question is asked of Jesus Himself, His answer was immediate and unequivocal.
The account is found in Mark 1:40-42:
“Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.”
Is it still God’s will to heal today?
What of Jesus’ ministry today? Can we expect Him to heal today or has His will changed? Again we will look at the Scriptures for our answer.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Heb 13:8)
When Jesus ascended to the Father He commissioned His disciples to represent Him and continue His ministry on earth through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus commissioned the disciples to preach the gospel and to heal the sick during His ministry on earth:
“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” (Matt 10:1 NKJV)
Healing was also integral to His final commission:
“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” (Mark 16:15-20 NKJV)
The disciples ministry as described after the Lord’s ascension, bears a striking similarity to the accounts we have just discussed regarding the Lord’s own ministry:
“Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5:16 NKJV)
God’s will concerning healing has never changed. Both Old and New Testaments bear witness to God’s desire and ability to heal all who come to Him in faith.
Jesus, who operated as a prophet under the Abrahamic covenant, showed the perfect will of God under the Old Covenant. He declared that healing existed for those in covenant with God, even under inferior covenants to the one we now enjoy:
“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”” (Luke 13:16 NKJV)
How much more now can we expect under a better covenant with better promises!
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6 NKJV)
