Psalms 34:19: Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
The healing ministry of Jesus is foretold in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 35:4-6:
(4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
(5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
(6) Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah 53:1-5:
(1) Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
(2) For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
(3) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Malachi 4:2: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Christ suffered and shed His blood not only for the salvation of the soul but also for the healing of the body.
Isaiah 53:4-5:
(4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Psalms 103:2-3:
(2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
(3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Matthew 9:2-6:
(2) And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
(3) And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
(4) And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
(5) For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
(6) But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
Divine healing is part of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 4:23-24:
(23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
(24) And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Matthew 8:13-17:
(13) And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
(14) And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
(15) And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
(16) When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
(17) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Christ gave the power of healing to the twelve apostles.
Matthew 10:1: And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
He gave that power to the seventy.
Luke 10:1, 8-9:
(1) After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
(8) And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:
(9) And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
He gave that power to Stephen, Paul, and others.
Acts 6:8: And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Acts 14:8-10:
(8) And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
(9) The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
(10) Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Acts 28:8: And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
The gifts of healing are given to some in the true New Testament church.
1 Corinthians 12:9: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
What should we do in case of sickness?
James 5:13-15:
(13) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
(14) Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
(15) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
What if there are no elders (ministers) present?
James 5:13: Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
John 15:7: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 14:14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Conditions for divine healing:
1. Faith.
Matthew 9:28-29:
(28) And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
(29) Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
Matthew 21:21-22:
(21) Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
(22) And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mark 9:23: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
2. Sometimes importunity (an insistent or pressing demand) or perseverance.
Matthew 15:22-28:
(22) And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
(23) But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
(24) But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
(25) Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
(26) But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
(27) And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
(28) Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Mark 10:46-52:
(46) And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
(47) And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
(48) And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
(49) And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
(50) And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
(51) And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
(52) And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Luke 18:1-8:
(1) And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
(2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
(3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
(4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
(5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
(6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
(7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
(8) I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
3. Sometimes patience.
Hebrews 6:12-15:
(12) That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(13) For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
(14) Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
(15) And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Psalms 40:1: I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Sometimes faults or wrong attitudes between brethren need to be confessed and forsaken in order to be agreed in prayer.
James 5:16: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
How do we know God will hear us and answer prayer?
1 John 3:21-22:
(21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
(22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1 John 5:14-15:
(14) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
(15) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
The day of healing is not past.
Mark 16:17-18:
(17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Jesus Christ still has the power and willingness to heal those who ask in faith believing.
Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
His power and ability is the same.
Matthew 28:18: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Luke 5:15-17:
(15) But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
(16) And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
(17) And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Ephesians 3:20: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
His willingness is still the same.
Matthew 8:1-7:
(1) When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
(2) And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
(3) And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
(4) And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
(5) And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
(6) And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
(7) And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
His compassion for the sick and suffering is still the same.
Matthew 14:14: And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
Divine healing glorifies God.
Matthew 15:30-31:
(30) And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:
(31) Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.