“I have been asking God to heal me for years. I don’t understand why He hasn’t me. I guess it’s not God’s will for me to be healed.”
If you’ve been following this short series on prayer, I’m hoping you can spot at least two things wrong with these statements. First, it is always God’s will to heal the sick just as it is always His will to save the lost. Jesus died to save us and His atonement provides for our forgiveness, healing, deliverance and provision. Second, there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done. As we saw in Part 1, Jesus instructed us to “heal the sick,” not “ask God to heal the sick.” And as we saw in Part 2, Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.
On my journey I have discovered that there is a huge difference between the traditional view of prayer and what the Bible teaches. We have already looked at six differences. Here is one more:
Traditional: Sometimes the answer is no
Biblical: God is faithful!
Some people will tell you that God hasn’t answered your prayers because you are not doing enough works. They’ll say you’re out of fellowship with Him or you haven’t pounded the gates of heaven or you haven’t confessed all of your sins. Others will try and manage your expectations with doctrine based on their experience rather than His word. Listen to these sorts of people and I guarantee it’ll neutralize your faith.
We need to rest in Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask in His name we shall receive (Jn 14:13, 16:24). “Ask me,” says Jesus, “and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). What is the key to doing the works and greater works of Jesus? It is simple faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:12). But sometimes we pray and there is no immediate manifestation. The sickness lingers. Does that mean God said no? Not according to Matthew 21:22 and John 16:24. Let God be true and every man a liar! God’s faithfulness is the one constant in the equation. He is the Rock on which we stand.
Daniel famously prayed two prayers that were both answered instantly. But the manifestation of one prayer took a few minutes, while the other took three weeks (Dan 9:23, 10:12). What was the variable? Not God! In Daniel’s case there was demonic resistance to the second prayer.
One reason why our problems sometimes linger is because the enemy is challenging our authority. He wants to see how serious we are. What should we do? Should we quit? Should we ask God to take over? No. Be encouraged. The devil will flee when we resist him and we do that by submitting to God and His rock-solid promises (Jas 4:7). That sword in your hand isn’t for decorative purposes. Use it! Here’s Andrew Wommack in his book A Better Way to Pray:
“When I minister healing to someone, I’ll pray for them two, three, four, or more times. I don’t care! I’m willing to pray for them until I rub all the hair off of their head! However, I’m not going back to God and saying, ‘Father, it didn’t work the first time. Let it work now, please!’ No! I believe it happened because God is faithful. He gave, but something’s wrong with our receiver. So I work on it. If the devil withstands one dose of the Holy Spirit, I’ll shoot him again! Just like Jesus did with the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), I pray until I see the answer manifest. You need to get this attitude that God is faithful and He’s already met your need before you ever had it.” (p.125)
Understand that we’re not fighting to get the victory; we’re fighting to enforce the victory that Christ has already won. Satan and sickness were disarmed at the cross (Col 2:15). That’s why we’re called to stand rather than advance (Eph 6:13). We’re not taking ground, we’re holding ground that’s already ours through Christ. So stand firm and declare God’s word over your circumstances. Your tongue holds the power of life and death (Pro 18:21), so proclaim life and grace and health and freedom over your situation.
If the devil’s one variable, guess who’s the other? We’ll find out in the fourth and final part of this series.
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Related posts:
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“The devil will flee ‘unless’ we resist him and we do that by submitting to God and His rock-solid promises (Jas 4:7)” – might check this – typo?
Comment by pmh — March 13, 2011 @ 3:09 pm |
That was a deliberate mistake (now fixed). I put these in some times to see if my readers paying paying attention. Congratulations Pat – you spotted that one within 16 minutes of publication! You’re E2R’s Reader of the Week!
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 13, 2011 @ 3:28 pm |
Garsh and aw shucks – in my best Goofy (Disney) voice……
Comment by pmh — March 13, 2011 @ 3:31 pm |
See, now this approach you offer is a better perspective on healing prayer and delayed manifestations. I agree about the battle we are in needing to exert our authority. I’m confused about something you said though and not sure if it was another typo, or if I’m misunderstanding you. You said, “… there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done … Jesus instructed us to “heal the sick,” not “ask God to heal the sick.”” and then you said, “We need to rest in Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask in His name we shall receive (Jn 14:13, 16:24). “Ask me,” says Jesus, “and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). What is the key to doing the works and greater works of Jesus? It is simple faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:12). But sometimes we ask and there is no immediate manifestation.” So which is it?
From what you said, in one part it appears that you’re saying there’s no power in asking, and in the next part you’re saying that we need to ask in faith. Can you elaborate? In the first part, do you mean maybe a different type of asking, where people are approaching it from a perspective of it not being accomplished or hoping it’s God’s will? The second part asking being a simple matter of “asking” in faith according to what we know God’s will to be? I remember one time I was helping a friend move, and we were on our last load and it started raining with no sun in sight. I sent up a prayer something like, “Lord, it’d be really nice if you could hold off on the rain for a bit.” I felt in my spirit a response, “Why you asking Me? You tell it to quit.” So I did. I went in for another item to carry out to the truck, and when I came out, the rain had stopped and sunlight was breaking through all over.
Comment by Brandon — March 13, 2011 @ 4:52 pm |
Brandon, perhaps I wasn’t clear. I do ask for things – these days I seem to be asking for a lot of wisdom! – but I don’t ask for things provided in the atonement. Let me give you an example. The other day I had a pain in my body, so I prayed much like I’ve described in these last two posts. I thanked God for the healing and I rebuked the pain. I declared life and health over that part of my body.
However, even though the pain wasn’t bothering me at the time, I didn’t feel like I could stop praying just there. I had a sense of “wait, Son, I’ve got something special just for you.” I didn’t know what to do next, so I asked the Holy Spirit for insight. I also began to pray in tongues. Within 10 seconds a scripture address came to mind. I read it and saw there was a part that I had never noticed that spoke exactly and specifically right to my particular need. Call it a revelation, a rhema, the result was I was super-encouraged. I began to declare that particular promise over myself with boldness. I hope you’ll understand when I say it just “felt” powerful. (There’s no rhema without power – Luke 1:37, ASV.) So the short answer to your question – do you ask or declare? – is, it’s both: I have faith in His finished work but there are plenty of times when I ask for direction, insight, understanding on how to tackle a particular problem. It just seems to be the smart thing to do because while we only ever have partial knowledge, He knows exactly what’s going on in a situation and why things may be taking longer than they should.
NB: I don’t think what I wrote originally was contradictory, but to sharpen the meaning I’ve changed one of the words “ask” to “pray.”
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 13, 2011 @ 6:58 pm |
Yeah, I didn’t mean to suggest that it was contradictory. It just didn’t have the clarification to it that you provided now. I figured it was probably something like that, just couldn’t tell from the context what you meant. Your answer makes sense and is along the lines of what I was hoping you’d say in response.
Comment by Brandon — March 14, 2011 @ 10:57 am
God is faithful. That’s why sometimes He says no. Lk 22:42.
Comment by Lance Ponder — March 14, 2011 @ 4:49 pm |
God is indeed faithful. With everything He’s promised the answer is always ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ (2 Co 1:20). With regard to salvation – forgiveness, healing, deliverance, provision – He never says no. How could He when He’s already said yes?
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 14, 2011 @ 4:54 pm |
Oh? And sometimes there might not be a higher purpose? What about Paul’s thorn? 2 Cor 12:7-9.
Comment by Lance Ponder — March 14, 2011 @ 5:03 pm
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2Co 1:20).
“Praise the LORD, O my soul… who heals all your diseases” (Ps 103:1).
“Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows…” (Is 53:4, AMP)
Scripture doesn’t leave a lot of room for exceptions.
Regarding Paul’s thorn, I recommend reading this or this.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 14, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
Loving this page but how can I suggest it to my friends?
Comment by Josephine Martin — March 15, 2011 @ 5:15 am |
Hi Josephine, thanks for your question. At the bottom of every post are several share buttons. If you are a Facebook user, click the blue button marked “Facebook” and this will take you to a ready made wall post. If you like how it appears, click the blue share button on the bottom right. If you’re not a Facebook user, you will find other sharing options under the button marked “+ Share.” And if none of these work, you can click on the title of the post, then cut and paste the link you see in your browser into just about anything.
Comment by Paul Ellis — March 15, 2011 @ 7:25 am |
Hi Paul,
I’ve been struggling for healing this last 2,5 years, i listen to grace sermons, Joseph Prince, Andrew Wommack etc. I believed everything they said, and searched for more in the Bible myself. I felt my mind has renewed and I am eager to receive everything that Jesus has done for me on the cross. I truly believed i’m already healed but the manifestation of my healing hasn’t arrived. In the meanwhile I saw people around me who believed all the wrong things and they got healed. People who mocked my faith, and told me to do this, and do that. They all receive. You said “there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done”. But i really need to know where have i gone wrong… Wouldn’t a Father react when he saw his daughter need help?
Comment by elodie — May 28, 2011 @ 3:08 am |
Dear Elodie, I understand your frustration. Never forget that there are two variables in this equation. We are one, the devil is the other. You have a blood-bought right to healing. You did nothing to earn it – Jesus did it all. I think you know this already. But the enemy is no great respecter of rights. We have authority, but sometimes we have to resist him before he flees. Or we might get a victory and he comes and sows weeds and there’s a setback. If he can get you to blame God or yourself for his handiwork, then he’s succeeded. Have you read Wommack’s God Wants You Well? (I have a review of this book going up soon.) It’ll help. I also recommend Cornel and Simon’s free healing manual found here.
Comment by Paul Ellis — May 28, 2011 @ 2:38 pm |
Hi Elodie
Don’t take this the wrong way, but trying to figure out where you have got is wrong is exactly where you’ve got it wrong. Healing is not a product of our ability to follow a formula but of faith. In your comment you listed everything you have been doing and then basically asked what else you have to do or what have not yet done. Healing has got little to do with what we do or don’t do but about what Jesus has done. Faith in that is what pulls the reality of healing into our bodies.
Gal 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, [does He do it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
My advice to you is to not try and do as much as you know what others say to do to get healing, but to make your faith effective.
Phm 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Make your faith effective by acknowledging every good thing that is in you in Christ. Your Father has already reacted to your need. I don’t know why some people get healed instantly, why some recover over time, and why some seem to make no progress. What I do know is God is not the variable. Don’t give up, don’t give fear and doubt a place. Keep fighting the good fight of faith.
Comment by Cornel — May 29, 2011 @ 2:35 pm |
All good advice Cornel. However, there are some times when faith isn’t the issue, but it’s also not an issue of where she got it wrong. Sometimes people have the faith, but the enemy is standing in the way of the healing. There is often a spiritual warfare going on that gets in the way. At that point, it moves beyond faith and becomes something we have to contend for in persistence.
Comment by Brandon — May 30, 2011 @ 1:26 pm