From a pastor-friend:

Healing

There are no easy answers. I have come to the position of believing that if we are sick, God calls us to bring our need to him in prayer (James 5:13ff). I see various models of such prayer in the New Testament (use of oil and spittle, words, laying on hands, etc.) This variety of methods reminds me that the healing is not found in a technique (or ritual) but in God. I do not understand why some people are healed while others are not. I try to leave that mystery with God – the answering is his business; the asking is ours.

It seems to me that there are examples of Jesus healing some and not all. Notably Jn.5:1ff. Jesus healed one among a large crowd. Why? The passage indicates that the healing came as a result of Jesus’ initiative, not the man’s. So why didn’t Jesus approach them all and clear the pool deck? The answer to that is provided later in the chapter – vv.17ff. The Son follows the Father’s lead. So maybe instead of presuming that God will always heal, we first need to seek his leading, then pray accordingly. From memory that was John Wimber’s model. (See also the familiar response to Paul’s prayer in 2Cor.12.) This reinforces the primacy of relationship with God. I don’t buy the line that God has given us the right to heal separate from his will. Healing, like all ministry gifts, is a manifestation of the Spirit (1Cor 12:7) – an expression of relationship with God, not something we do on our own (see Jn.15 re needing to abide in the Vine etc.).

In regard to “blockages” to healing, James 5 may hint at two. One is sin, hence the link with confession/forgiveness. The other could be a lack of faith (see v.15). Though note that the reference is not to the faith of the sick person, but rather the faith of those praying for them. There might be less abuse of sick people by those who consider themselves more “spiritual” if this was borne in mind.

Regarding the link between faith and healing, it seems to me that it is not as simple as “if you have enough faith you get healed”. The Gospels contain examples of faith being commended; faith being incomplete and faith being absent – I mean the faith of those who get healed. Again this throws me back to centring on God rather than people – his sovereignty rather than our faith. (Does anyone seriously believe that God sits in Heaven saying: `If only you could raise your faith intensity another two degrees I would heal your cancer. I’m helpless until you do.’?!!)

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