Does God Cause / Allow Sickness?
06.27.09
Does God Cause / Allow Sickness?
Isa 53:5 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 (NKJV).
At the cross Jesus was made to be sin for us (even though He had no sin), so that we can become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21). At the very same cross He was also made our sickness & disease so that we can walk in complete health and administer divine healing to all those people who are afflicted with infirmities. People who question that it’s God’s will to heal the diseases of ALL people should therefore also question that it’s God’s will to forgive the sins of ALL people.
Do you think there is any sickness in Heaven? No. Sickness is so foreign to God’s holy perfect nature, that if He were to touch for example a lump of cancer, it would instantly disintegrate into nothingness. Sickness can not co-exist in the presence of God. Jesus died so that we could walk in perfect health!! He bore our infirmities and by His stripes we were healed (1 Pet 2:24)!! So if He did all this for us, we should then ask why would He still make us sick and thereby cancel/void the work of the cross? Does God have a split personality? Is He double minded? Of course not.
No, sometimes sickness comes on believers because we allow it. God gave all authority on earth to mankind, we were told to rule the earth (Gen 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth”). Jesus came 2000 years ago to restore the authority that God gave to mankind, but which was lost by Adam in the Garden of Eden. Jesus took back this authority from the devil and disarmed him completely, and gave this authority back to the church. And Jesus also gave specific commands regarding healing: Matt 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Did Jesus say “pray for the sick?” No! He said “heal the sick”. Now why would Jesus tell us to do something if it would be impossible for us to do it?
Right now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. What is He doing there? Heb 10:12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. Jesus is waiting for you and I to step into what we were called to be: Ambassadors of His kingdom clothed with the presence and authority of our King. By administrating God’s healing to people’s diseases, casting out demons and advancing His kingdom, we are making the devil God’s footstool.
The world is also waiting for something. Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. From these verses we can see that creation is waiting for the sons of God to be made manifest in the earth. Until the day we, as the church, begin to step out and start bringing heaven to earth through faith, this world will be subject to frustration. The sons of God are you and me. (Gal 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Also see, Gal 4:6 & Heb 12:7). We walk in His calling as sons of God when we allow the mighty Holy Spirit to work though us to bring heaven’s influence into the earth. Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
God does NOT use sickness to test our character or to bring Himself glory. It is God’s will for ALL to be healed. Sickness, depression & death are all from the enemy, but health, joy & life are gifts from God. Jam 1:7 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. God doesn’t need to “test” the faithfulness of anybody’s heart with sickness, because God has already approved of us – He is perfectly pleased with us through the obedience of His Son Jesus on our behalf.
Yours in Grace
Andre van der Merwe
www.NewCovenantGrace.com
that is good to hear- because I’m still hearing the opposite a lot not always in an out and out way, but even among ‘grace’ friends the message that we suffer and are tested are still prevalent and it just doesnt resonate with me, never has and even less has since growing in grace and understanding his finished work! So thanks for this.