Knowing the "Will" of God

I grew up in a church and denomination that never prayed for healing. It was a taboo subject. Just like 1 Corinthians Chapters 12-14 were not sermon material. The motto was, "if you don't understand it, let's just not talk about it". Well maybe they prayed for "God's will to be done" concerning an illness or disease, but it never gave me any confidence that this person would ever be well.

One time in a small group ministry meeting the leader was praying for one of our team members that had a large cancerous tumor on her kidney. She was getting ready to undergo surgery to remove it. She was a young woman in her early 40's, a new Christian, and desperately needed and wanted God to step in and heal her. The leader prayed for God's "will" to be done, but in the process prayed for her to be ready to die if it was her "time to go" and peace with that prospect. After that meeting my friend came up to me and said,
"Well, cr*p, I might as well just sit here and die!"


How many times have we wanted to pray for someone that was desperately needing healing, but we were a loss for words, because we didn't really "know God's will for healing". Maybe we didn't pray, or we took the "safe" route and just said "God's will be done" with that huge spiritual question mark just hanging there. Not knowing God's will is a dangerous thing. You can die from it.

Luke 22:41-43
41. And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and [began] to pray, 42. saying, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done." 43. Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.

The only time that Jesus asked for God's will to be done concerning Himself was when He was in the Garden of Gethsemene. He needed to know God's will for Him at this agonizing time before His arrest and crucifixion. The word

"Will"  in the Oxford Dictionary is stated as a strong desire or intention, premeditated purpose, and a legal document that expresses one's wishes to be carried out.


Foundation Scripture
New American Standard Version
Mark 1:40-42


40. And a leper came to Him, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41. And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42. And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

I mentioned a few posts ago, that back in 2006, God gave me a Bible Study on Physical Healing, I was hoping that we would be able to study from it in this Bible Study. Today I want to share the portion I received concerning "Knowing the Will of God" for our physical healing. What follows is scripture and commentary on it.


This study is meant for a group or an individual. Looking up the scripture for yourself will be a great study tool. Now is when you may want that notebook or journal. There is a wealth of scripture and revelation to be had in the following verses. I'm encouraging you to read them and jot down thoughts and your own prayers. If you don't need physical healing or know anyone that does, then read and study knowing these scriptures pertain to more than just that element. We can use them for anything that we might be going through. We all have problems and situations in our lives that we need God to take over, for Him to touch our hearts concerning, and maybe you will feel more prepared the next time you have an opportunity to pray for someone.

Knowing the Will of God

Is it “God’s Will” that I be healed?

Our ability to pray in faith goes only as far as what we know God’s will to be for our lives.
We cannot have faith for God to heal us until we are sure that it is His will. We can believe for something if we can be sure that it is what God wants; but if we are not sure, then we are crippled with doubt. “Maybe God wants me to be sick. Maybe He heals others but not me. How can I know for certain?” Many people have been prayed for, and at the end of the prayer, as if an afterthought or excuse, we hear, “…if it by Thy will”. Let’s look at scripture and see what it says concerning God’s will for healing.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 “I know the plans I have for you;…a plan to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.”
Does this sound as if God wants you to be sick; that it might be a good plan for you? That he might just want you or a loved one to die, or to be without hope? It says to me, that He wants you to be moving forward, doing good things, working for His kingdom. I’ve not heard of anyone who was sick or dying that wasn’t harmed in some way. I know that God can take our sickness and turn it around, bringing something beneficial out of it, as it says in Romans 8:28, but to say he caused or wanted us to be sick is not His plan.


Exodus 15:25-26 “For I am the Lord that heals you.”
God has called Himself, Jehovah-Rapha; “I Am Your Physician, Your Healer”. This is one of the names of God. If it is one of the names that God gave Himself, we should believe that healing is what He wants and intends to do.

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”
This verse is saying that we are not to be fearful as we walk through the valley. Even if “death” is hanging over us casting a big shadow, we are supposed to walk through it. Not give up or camp there. We are to keep moving, knowing God is with us.


Psalm 103:1-5 “…forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your sin and heals all your diseases.”
It is a benefit we have in Christ that He not only has forgiven all our sins which brings us salvation, but He also has made provision for our health and healing.


Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely He took up our infirmities (sickness) and carried our sorrows…He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed”.

I have found many people who automatically believe that salvation is for them, but they have not been told or taught that healing is part of our salvation “package”. If we are not teaching this in our churches is it no surprise that God is not thought of as our Healer?


Matthew 8:16-17 “…He healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah; ‘He took our infirmities and carried our diseases’.”
These two scriptures together tell us that when Jesus died on the cross He paid the price for our sins and gave us salvation of our souls, but he also endured the wounding of His body (the beatings and whippings) so that we might be made well in our physical bodies. Many people argue with the idea that Jesus gives us healing in our body with His death and resurrection, because they do not see this happening in the church today, but when you see these two verses together, there it is. He healed people so that He would fulfill prophecy concerning Himself.

2 Corinthians 1:22 " ... He put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is  to come."
God gave us the Holy Spirit as a “deposit”; a guarantee, of what is to come, meaning salvation and eternal life. In a time of seeking the Lord for a scriptural basis for healing, the Lord spoke to me that just as we receive a new heart and are transformed from death into life, (at the time of our salvation) by the Holy Spirit, our healing has also been given as a “firstfruits” (a “deposit”) of our glorified body that we will live in for eternity. I believe that being healed and walking in divine health is a “deposit” or, “firstfruit” of what is to come in our glorified bodies that we will live in for eternity.



Hebrews 4:14-16
14. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as [we are, yet] without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.
Be confident of God's will in healing or any other prayer request. Ask God to confirm His will to you. He will do it.

 Matthew 8:3 “Jesus reached out His hand… I am willing, he said”.
This statement shows us what His will is. It is today, as it was 2000 years ago. “I Am willing”.
Malachi 3: 6 "I the Lord, do not change."


Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today and forever."
Jesus doesn't change. We change, mankind has changed, but Jesus never will. What He did for us 2000 years ago, still stands.

1 Corinthians 13: 8-13 “…when perfection comes”
If you have been taught that this scripture refers to the completion of “the canon”, let me testify that the Lord is still speaking today. He still asks us to pray in tongues, heal the sick and cast out devils. (Mark 16:17-18, Luke 9:1-2) If you believe that all God has to say has already been said, then I will ask you to ask the Holy Spirit right now to reveal truth to you, because you have heard this taught by someone who does not believe it is still possible to hear the Lord (except through the scriptures) . God speaks to His children every day and gives miracles. God has not changed, we have. Let us not let go of scripture, but let us also know He is still speaking and moving mightily in our day as in the days of Moses and Daniel and of the original apostles. Jesus has not changed.

_______________________________________________

And my friend with the kidney cancer? We sat down and prayed together. I asked God to reveal Himself to her through not only His Word, the Bible, but I asked God to give her confidence before Him, that He would speak to her personally and give her assurance of His great love and His awesome will for her life. She had her surgery, and was cancer free.

There is a lot of scripture here to look over. I know this is a busy time, but there is a purpose for us starting this subject of "Healing" at this time. Spend as much time as you feel comfortable with. I'm not trying to place a load on you. Just know God has a plan and purpose for this to be "out there" now.

Please leave any questions or start a line of commentary. I'll do my best to answer. (I'll answer back here on the comment page) I will have this post up for several days, that way you will have time to read and reflect.

I'm restudying this subject and scripture for my own benefit. As many of you know, God healed my life threatening, impending problem, but I still have some physical things I am walking through. But, God is with me, so I trust and have faith in Him.

Blessings and love to you all,

Debra

UPDATE:
The following is a comment I left on this post on Dec. 6 at 9:35 pm. I thought about putting this in a new post, but I just added my comment for you to read first.


Debra @ Common Ground said...
I know this last post has a lot to think about and pray over. That has been my intent. I didn't grow up with this understanding (of healing), and had never heard it taught. I'm not asking that you believe it because I said so, I'm just asking that you be open to think and pray about it. This is a time when God is revealing Himself to His Church and in doing so He is revealing "mysteries". This is not a "new" teaching, but one that defines who Jesus is. So don't feel threatened (or be offended) or think that I am some sort of "religious" kook. Hang in there and be open to this concept of healing. Take the scripture and pray about what I've said. Open dialogue and discussion is a good way to investigate.
I know this has probably taken some of you by surprise. It's one thing to have a miracle happen to ourselves or someone we love, but I needed to know why. I wanted to know the doctrine and the theology of miracles and I prayed for the understanding concerning them. I feel that God has shown me a little of it.
I don't claim to "know it all", not by any stretch of the imagination. I have had people linger in illness and death in my family that was so devastating. This is a deep subject and it is not black or white. I'm just hoping you will be open to listen, to think, and then to pray about it.
So don't walk away, there's more to come.
Debra
December 6, 2009 9:35 PM