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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
Many years ago when I read the scripture containing this statement (Psalm 103:1-4), I had great expectations regarding this statement. I knew many who really needed immediate healing of their diseases, but were not being healed, at least very quickly. Eventually I realized to whom this statement was made. Then I began to understand why so many were not receiving the kind of healing they desired. Many believed in miraculous, instantaneous, divine healing, but were not seeing it.
Paul healed, by the power and authority of Christ. Jesus certainly healed many. Paul also was not healed on several occasions. But he was also healed - perhaps raised from the dead, least once when he was stoned by the Jews. Paul's co-worker Timothy was not healed, at least not of all his infirmities. God certainly can and does heal our spiritual diseases. If He can heal these, He certainly can and does heal our physical diseases. He can. But He does not always do so. Everything needs healing - all things, including the earth beneath our feet. And they will be. In time. God's time. In God's infinite wisdom, there are as many reason not to heal as there are to heal. Sometimes, a physical condition is deemed by Christ to be the whole or part of the cross that must be borne for the ultimate good of one, or many. If so, there may never be healing of this until the resurrection.. It may never be healed in this world.
There must be genuine faith for there to be genuine healing. For "without faith, it is impossible to please Him" Paul explains in Hebrews 11:6. Faith may be pictured as a giant umbrella that over reaches all of the promises of God, including the promises in His Word concerning healing. The results of faith are controlled and timed according to the will and plan of God. We have faith, but that faith is still under God's power and control. We do not have the authority to dictate the timing or the results of our faith in our life. All things, including what our faith (which is His gift to begin with) produces, and when it produces it, remain under God's sovereign power. Jesus has said that after His resurrection, all power in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. So it is He who directs the timing and the extent of all of results produced through our faith.
Jesus is the power in the existence and function of all things. Regarding healing, in reality all restorations to functions of our bodies are "healing". The body will often recover its normalcy when certain actions are taken by the one who needs healing, or an outside influence of doctors, medicines, etc. Yet it is not the body "healing itself". Jesus Christ is the power behind all functions in the physical and spiritual realms. If the body seems to be healed through indirect agencies, He has empowered that agency. Therefore, it is He who has healed, regardless of the actions of other influences.
It was mentioned above that there are as many reasons for not being healed as there seems to be for healing. God very often does not heal, or delays healing, either miraculously or through other agencies, so that those unhealed situations may contribute to the spiritual growth of the individual. Not healing is one of God's most effective tools for developing patience, humility, and character in His children. In order for us to grow up into Him (Christ), not healing is much more effective and for our good than healing, miraculously or indirectly through other means. When these things are considered, we can see that God often heals partly, that is, things get better, but not healed completely. In other instances, Christ has honored the faith of many over a long period of time. A friend once said to me after waiting for a time for Christ to heal him, "I think God has healed me!".
Regardless of what we would like to believe about faith and physical healing, we must be honest - as honest as we can about the whole issue. Yes, God can heal. He does heal. He can heal miraculously, and instantaneously. He can and does heal slowly - sometimes very slowly. Sometimes he heals through other agencies, medicines, doctors, vitamins, etc. Sometimes, there is no healing or improvement at all.
We can summarize these questions and issues this way. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore, without faith, there will probably not be healing, at least directly by God. He often allows other agencies to do all they can to help those who have no or very little faith in Him. God is still merciful, loving, and patient with all. For those who have genuine, living faith in Jesus Christ, He may or may not heal directly, for more reasons in His perfect wisdom than we can know. Regardless, true Christians must understand that all that God does, or allows, is for two reasons: His glory, and our ultimate good. Sometimes, the absence of God's healing is designed as part of the cross that each of us must bear. The afflictions that are allowed to continue are most often designed by Christ to help perfect our imperfect character, to spur us to greater effort to overcome sins, and to grow in holiness. Sometimes, if we refuse to grow under our unhealed afflictions that Christ has allowed or put upon us, He may allow those afflictions to grow worse.
Healing, and lack of healing by God, directly or indirectly, are divine tools of a loving God to help bring us to spiritual maturity. We must remain faithful to faith, and patiently yield to His perfect wisdom, and allow Him to do a perfecting work in us.
"Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak ]in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." - 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (AMP)
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