Necessary Suffering

On Physical and Spiritual Healing

Ken

No doubt, Christ physically healed the sick because the Messiah was promised to be both a physical and spiritual healer. “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, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV). This is the NT demonstration of Isaiah’s prophecy. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). 

Some argue that healing is not to be expected from Christ’s atonement, since all do not appear to be physically healed after receiving the New Birth. But, should the lack of physical healing stop us from trying, any more than the lack of someone repenting and receiving the Gospel stop us from attempting to give them the Gospel? Of course not. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). 

Should the lack of casting out of demons stop us from trying again? No. Jesus corrected the clumsy attempt of His disciples, giving them valuable instruction to do better next time. “And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast it out? So He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:28-29). 

Should we have a greater expectations of physical and spiritual deliverance? Yes. If God’s Spirit is exciting us to pray for that physical or spiritual deliverance, then we should take that as an indication of His willingness to fulfill that request. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).

We need to be constantly in step with the Holy Spirit that we would be so inclined to pray according to His will. “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (8:27). 

We must remember that prayer is not an incantation to change God’s mind to act for us, though He is especially willing to act to defend His glory. “You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you” (Deuteronomy 7:21). 

If God will only do that which is conducive of His highest glory, why would He listen to the prayers of mere men, unless by His Spirit He placed the necessity for the prayer request in their hearts? “Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me” (Isaiah 45:11). 

What if our doctrine and experience falls short of others’ doctrine or experience? “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (Philippians 3:15).

Let us always be open to receiving understanding from the Word of God to improve our conduct. “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). 

May God unite His people in a universal quest to follow Jesus. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21). 

And, if He should choose suffering for us in this particular instance and not healing, let us be willing to suffer. “And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2Corinthians 12:9). 

Life is growing more than dying. May Christ’s Church be  reinvigorated by healing and spiritual deliverance more than succumbing to the death all around us. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). 

Father, cause us to pray-on for spiritual and physical deliverance. We know You are “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9), and “there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14). But, inspire us to “compel [others] to come in, that [Your] house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). Likewise, inspire us to pray for spiritual and physical healing, that You may be glorified for the deliverance. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

My Servant Jōb

Ken

We don’t say it, but it’s hard not to feel, it wasn’t fair for Job, a “perfect” man (Job 1:8 KJV) by God’s own estimation, to be subjected to all the pain, suffering, and deprivation he endured at the hands of the satan. But, doesn’t God the Judge determine what is fair? The same kind of thinking was voiced about the blind man in the NT. “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:2-3). The Almighty never apologized to Job and said, ‘I did it to win a bet with the satan.’ After the Almighty responded out of the whirlwind, Job could only say, “Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:3, 6). LORD, may we be as Your servant Job. Amen. 

What About Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?

Ken

When it comes to healing, what about Paul’s thorn in the flesh? “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2Corinthians 12:7 KJV). First, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh to prevent him from becoming conceited about all his divine “revelations” (12:7). Second, “messenger” (12:7) is aggellos in the Greek for angel, which Paul described as the “messenger of Satan to buffet me” (12:7). This was not poetry or metaphor, but the evil presence of a Fallen Angel. Are all physical maladies necessarily demonic or a demonstration that we sinned? No. “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3 KJV). But, in this instance, Paul’s suffering was necessary in God’s Cosmic War. Remember, at other times, Paul prayed and secured healing for others (Acts 28:8) and encourages us “in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6 KJV). This should not prevent us from seeking in prayer for the Lord to heal us; instead, it only justifies us for the grace, peace, and demonstration of the “power of Christ” (2Corinthians 12:9 KJV) to sustain us, when suffering is necessary. Our godly suffering then encourages the godly and frustrates the Enemy. Remember, our King wins this battle, and whenever we must suffer, it contributes to the Final Victory. Hallelujah!