Read Matthew 11:28-30 & 12:20.

The Gospel message is a healing message, for the humble, the broken, the hurting - healing the broken relationship between people and God, so that they might experience His forgiveness and love. ‘By His wounds we are healed’.
Salvation is more than just eternity with God when you die, it’s salvation from sin, death, satan, and more. It’s salvation to life, peace, hope, love, joy, healing, and so on.
The Kingdom of God is about God’s ruler-ship, His rule in a person’s life or in a situation. Healing demonstrates that rule, God’s power and authority.

When approaching this subject it’s vital that we’re Biblical – and in a balanced way, not just taking one or two scriptures out of the context of the whole and building a doctrine around them. Anyone who starts talking in absolutes like : ‘God always heals’, or ‘a lack of healing is always because of a lack of faith’, isn’t in touch with reality and doesn’t know their Bible, or chooses to ignore some parts.

God does heal. Healing is actually the norm Biblically, when we pray and ask God to heal. It’s something in the Western world that we need to lay hold of in faith.

But remember the practice of healing should be ‘healing’…..right, ….not harming.

Healing is a sign of God’s Kingdom, His authority and rule, and if it has something to do with authority, then it raises the question for those who would ask for it, are we submitted to Him ?
Are we putting ourselves under God’s authority…..or do we just want to be healed so that we can get on with our lives.
It’s not just about submitting our illness to God, He wants our whole being. So if God wants you ill, you are content that His grace is sufficient for you.

Principles of healing :
Righteousness and sin.
Faith.
The Father’s will and work.
Humility and God’s glory.

What about when God doesn’t heal – yes, no, wait, not like that. (e.g. Mud in the eyes and washing).
God’s priorities – He sees everything. (e.g. Paralytic and his friends).

In this nation we seem to have an obsession with the physical, and absence of pain.
Healing, it is not always what God’s will is at a particular time.

Think of what Jesus went through….and yes through His stripes we are healed…..but we are also called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him.

We are to share in Christ’s sufferings.

Read Philippians 2:25-30 & 3:10. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

Healing in Bible is usually in context of outreach/evangelism – a sign of God’s Kingdom power and ruler-ship. A confirmation of His Word and the Gospel message.

Wholeness. A majority of physical illness doctors now acknowledge, has a psychological, emotional, or spiritual element.
Jesus sometimes healed straight off, sometimes He talked or instructed, sometimes He delivered from evil spirits.
This is important – There are no formulas - There is no one reason why someone is ill, and no one way to heal them. We have to listen to God and do what we see the Father doing.

God is concerned for our wholeness, completeness – unhindered by sin and stuff.
Free in God. At peace with Him and with others.
You will find that you are a lot healthier, if you harbour no sin in your heart – envy, jealousy, bitterness, lust, greed, and has the potential to make us ill, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t express you emotions outwardly. Not convinced ? Listen to the Word.

‘Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden to heavy to bear’
– Psalm 38:3,4.

‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones’ – Proverbs 14:30.

‘Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body, and nourishment to your bones’ – Proverbs 3:7,8.

‘A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones’
– Proverbs 17:22.

There is no doubt whatsoever, that your spiritual, psychological, and emotional state, affect your physical health. Get yourself right spiritually before God, that’s His priority….and physical healing often follows.

Conversion – so much would be dealt with if people were soundly converted. Acknowledgement of sin, repentance, forgiveness.

Hanging on or letting go. Staying in prison or choosing to go free.
If you’re a true committed Christian, you are free, a child of God, saved, forgiven, redeemed. God has done it all for you. But you have to receive these gifts from God by faith.
You then, have the power to choose whether to live in that truth or not.
If you’re not a true, committed Christian yet, you may well be trapped by sin, by others, by circumstances, and have no power at all over it. I was. You may feel lost and helpless, but there is an answer…..Jesus. Jesus has the power and will set you free, if you want Him to.

Forgiveness – little it seems is more important in living a free and fruitful life in Christ, and it is the area many struggle with. To believe that you’re forgiven yourself, or more often, to forgive others who have hurt or abused us. But your very salvation is at stake. If you do not forgive others their sins, God will not forgive your sins – Matthew 6:15.

Transformation – God wants to change you, not into a different person so that you lose your identity, but into all that you were intended to be, to reach your full potential, to become in your character like Jesus. But you have to be willing to change. If you don’t want it, God won’t do it. We have to recognise that we need to change, and then be willing to cooperate with God as He does it.

So often not healed because we’re not where God wants us to be, emotionally or spiritually.
Jesus’ likeness in you – holiness, faith, love – these are God’s priorities. ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness’. ‘Fix your eyes on Jesus’.
If healing brings about Christ likeness, holiness, faith, love - so be it. If suffering and sickness, or persecution, bring it about, so be it. We need the humility to say ‘Lord, your will be done’, and to mean it.

We need to make sure that whatever experience of God we may have had in the past, whatever prayers we have prayed……have we been honest before God about our sin ?
Do you believe without a doubt, that without Jesus, you deserve to go into the lake of fire at judgement day ? If not, you haven’t faced your sin and your sinfulness honestly before God.
God is a holy and righteous and just God. The wages of sin is death. Any sin, all sin…..and Jesus has paid the penalty for you, He has died in your place….so that you might be forgiven and your sin washed away.

Is that what you believe ? Without any ifs or buts ? Without trying to justify yourself, ….without saying that some sins are just too serious for Him to forgive ?
Jesus died for your sin, so that you might be free.

Let go of your sin. Let go of bitterness towards others. Forgive.
Receive the Holy Spirit. Let Him minister to you now.