Hindrances to Receiving Healing

Copyright Loren Davis 2013

With national health care on the scene many prognosticators are saying it could mean less quality health care and much suffering and early death for millions. What are we going to do?

There are answers: eating properly and exercise are good starts, but the main answer is we are going to have to turn back to the Lord and His healing promises to make it. In years past there was a big emphasis on praying for the sick in Christianity, but this has steadily declined and has been put way back on the back burner. Why?

I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER PRIMARILY LOOKING TO THE LORD TO HEAL THEM.

*This is a complex issue.

  1. One hindrance is our dependence on MEDICAL SCIENCE AND MEDICINE. We all know that Medical Science has been a great blessing. Some wonderful doctors and medicines have greatly helped me personally. God has put medicinal plants on the earth to help us. Nowhere in the Bible does it speak against doctors or medicine. I believe that everyone who helps suffering mankind is a servant of God. God has made our bodies to be very resilient with amazing ability to heal itself from different ailments. David said, Psalms 139:14 "For I am fearfully and wonderfully made:"

    But there are many diseases that the body cannot heal itself from. Medical science is doing a great job treating many diseases, but there are many disease they cannot cure. Even with these, there are different treatments that can help people live longer and have a better quality of life. This is very good! There are many god fearing doctors who know that they can't heal and are working in partnership with God.

    Many are looking to holistic healing by eating health foods and supplements which are also helpful. THE MAIN HINDRANCE WITH MEDICAL SCIENCE and holistic healing is that most people today are looking almost exclusively to doctors and natural remedies for healing and are hardly putting God as an afterthought regarding their health. .

    THEOLOGICAL HINDRANCES

  2. MOST MAINLINE DENOMINATIONS TEACH THE ALL SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. How does this hinder receiving healing from God? It hinders because it leads most Christians to believe that faith in God and in His Word are irrelevant to getting healed. The doctrine of Predestination coincides with this doctrine. Rick Warren in his book 'The Purpose Driven Life' articulates this belief system; i.e.: Pg. 195-196 PDL "God's plan for your life is all that happens to you, including mistakes, your sins, your hurts,YOUR ILLNESS, debt, disasters, divorce, and death of your loved ones." On Pg. 81 PDL, he says, "Genuine surrender says…if this problem, PAIN, SICKNESS or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life, PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT AWAY." If God is causing sickness, like Warren and his theological allies are saying, then it would be impossible for you to have faith to ask God to heal you.

    Another aspect of the teaching of THE ALL SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD is that many who believe this theology teach that God puts sickness on a person to teach them a lesson. If that is actually true, then it would be wrong for us to go see a doctor or use medicine to try to get well. This thinking is irrational, unscriptural and faith killing!

    This theology teaches that God can and does heal, but you never know what God will do. This teaching pervades nearly all mainline denominations. Think! If we don't know if it's God's will to heal us, how are we ever going to have faith to receive healing from Him? Then, in effect, getting healing from God would be like trying to win God's lottery. Most who believe in the ALL SOVEREIGNTH OF GOD fight the KJV Bible. They use the NIV and other translations. It is very interesting that the NIV uses the word 'sovereign' or 'sovereignty' nearly 350 times, but the KJV never uses the word 'sovereign' or 'sovereignty' one time.

    Romans 1:25 KJV …"Who changed the truth of God into a lie,"

    (see the article on: 'New Age Bible Translations' www.lorendavis.com)

    We know that God is sovereign in regards to creation; the end time events, etc., but repeatedly the Bible shows that God requires faith to receive salvation (John 3:16) and healing (Mark 13:58). The Ecumenical movement has assimilated the traditionalists. The Pentecostals have changed most Pentecostal denominations into believing the 'all sovereignty' of God theology.

  3. Another hindrance, strangely enough, is THAT PRAYER WILL HEAL YOU. We know that PRAYER is very important to getting an answer from God. The problem is that that it is not prayer in itself that heals you. (Matthew 6:7 "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.)" We for sure are to be fervent in prayer. James 5:16. But it is…'THE PRAYER OF FAITH shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise them up'. James. 5:15. Prayer doesn't heal us. Jesus heal us. Prayer and faith gives you access to Him.

  4. After World War II THE HEALING REVIVALS of the '40's and 50's were very popular. A major thing that went wrong here was that most of the emphasis of these revivals was put on the preacher and healing and little on salvation. This lead to…

  5. Another major hindrance. The CHARLETON MIRACLE MINISTRIES. Many of these so called 'miracle ministries' fake miracles and have learned to put on the 'miracle show'. They use sensationalism making it look like they are the miracle workers and emphasize how much power they have. They don't give the glory to Jesus. Most of these false apostles, prophets and miracle ministries teach that we must SOW A SEED TO GET A MIRACLE. This abuse is wide spread especially on Christian TV and has greatly damaged many people's faith for receiving miracles from God. Those doing this are nothing but hustlers who cleverly pervert the Word of God literally insinuating that people can buy God's healing and blessings.

    1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" KJV

    Sowing a seed to receive a miracle is in effect trying to buy the blessings of God by works. Titus 3:5-6 "NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…through Jesus Christ our Saviour;"

  6. Other major hindrances: The belief that THE GIFTS OF HEALING, MIRACLES, AND THE ANOINTING HEAL US. We know that the Anointing, the Gifts of Healing, Miracles and Knowledge are scriptural and real, 1 Corinthians 12. The problem is that many are looking for a person with the Anointing or Gift of Healing, Miracles or Knowledge to get healing, instead of primarily looking at the promises of God from the Bible and to Jesus. Many so called prophets and apostles are shamelessly faking the gift of knowledge and seducing God's people. The only reason this is happening is because God's people have become too lazy to check out what the Bible has to say about healing and have laid aside the discerning of spirits.

  7. SCIENTOLOGY, SCIENCE OF MIND, AND CHRISTIAN SCIENCE HAVE proliferated because many can't get healing or answers to life's problems from other things they have tried. The 'mind' healers classify their healing as 'spiritual healing'. They teach… 'you are what you think', …'you have what you say',… 'if you are sick, never speak it', etc. The deception of these movements is that most of them will actually quote parts of the Bible, but the bottom line is that they partially quote the scriptures and do not believe in the divinity of Christ. They speak of having the 'Christ Karma' or the 'Christ in You', but they teach that Jesus is no more divine than you are and that you need to discover your own divinity. These teachings come often disguised in 'self help' books.

    They strongly emphasize 'SELF HEALING' through your mind. These cults often look biblical, yet, in reality they are New Age, a pop psychology counterfeit copycat of the Bible. They use half- truths or no one would listen to them. The problem is that they pervert the truth. They do not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ or that He is the only begotten Son of God. (This is where the NIV and other translations line up with them; i.e.: John 3:16 NIV leaves out that Jesus was the 'only begotten' son of God and says He is 'the one and only'. If you don't believe Jesus it the 'only begotten Son of God' , then you must believe that He was just an ordinary man; not born of a virgin, and God was not His Father). They call this 'mind healing' or 'spiritual healing' which confuses people to think it's the same thing that the Bible is talking about when it talks about healing. The fact is, that cosmetically it looks the same, but it's not. It is totally opposite and coming from 'another spirit', a demonic spirit …2 Corinthians 11:4. It leaves Jesus out as our healer and replaces Him with your mind. This is humanist self-healing, mind over matter and cultish. (Some involved in these cults have even rejected medical science).

  8. Another hindrance is the teaching of POSITIVE THINKING which was brought in by Norman Vincent Peale through his book 'The Power of Positive Thinking' to teach Faith to non-Christians. Positive Thinking is important and helps people to achieve a lot of things and to be upbeat about life. Robert Schuller was Peale's student and greatly propogated his teachings. What was overlooked by most Christians, is that Peale and Schuller were not pointing people to Jesus or the promises of God from the Bible to get healing, etc., but were stealthily teaching the exact same thing as Christian Science, Science of Mind and Scientology. Jesus name was being mentioned, but just as a cloak to teach the mind sciences. (It is interesting that Robert Schuller was endorsed by major New Age leader Neale Donald Walsh, who did not believe in the divinity of Christ).

  9. Another major hindrance is the teachings that came in a new wave inside the Charismatic Movement regarding FAITH. This new wave became popular because it opposed dead denominational Christianity, which had rejected the gifts of the Spirit. It appealed to the Pentecostals because they were traditionally poor and many lived defeated lives. This new wave teaches that God wants to prosper us and puts the emphasis on having a good life in 'this life'. It also emphasizes the Gifts of Healing, Miracles and Knowledge.

    (It de-emphasizes prayer and uses Mark 11:22-24 as its landmark scriptures. Its emphasis is on YOUR FAITH and using OUR WORDS to speak into existence what we want just like God did. This new wave mocks the KJV and uses many translations. Using Mark 11:22 they teach to 'Have the Faith of God' or 'The God Kind of Faith' and to 'Have Faith in Your Faith' instead of what Mark 11:22 KJV actually says,'HAVE FAITH IN GOD'. They put the focus on your FAITH and NOT ON GOD. Faith is important because it gives us access to God, but faith in itself does not heal us. JESUS IS THE HEALER! It is Faith in God, faith in Jesus, His words and HIS WILL to heal us.!

    The Faith Movement has virtually copied Christian Science, Science of Mind, Scientology and Norman Vincent Peale's Positive Thinking 'humanistic' type of faith instead of having faith in God. The power to receive supernatural miracle comes from God, not a humanistic type of faith. There are many great pastors in their ranks who don't do this, but they have trusted their leaders and have not really caught on that the spin their leaders give on faith actually emulates Christian Science, and Science of Mind.

This new wave FAITH FORMULA says ; i.e.: 'SAY IT, BELIEVE IT, RECEIVE IT'.

Whereas Mark 11:22-24 is very important, this new Charismatic wave leaves out two major things: Prayer and God. God and Prayer are not in their formula. JESUS IS THE HEALER! Our faith comes from looking at and speaking God's promises from the Bible which is the Word of God. Even if everything else looks scriptural, to leave God, prayer and God's Promises out , is an exact duplication of the New Age( formula). (See the article: 'New Age Faith is Replacing Bible Faith' at www.combineharvesting.com)

Many preachers in this movement promote themselves as prophets or apostles and promote themselves and the Holy Spirit above Jesus.

THE TRUTH IS THAT JESUS, NOT FAITH, IS OUR HEALER.

Exodus 15:26 tells us… for I am the Lord that healeth thee

Psalms 103:2-4, Psalms 103:2… Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

MATTHEW 8:17 …HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND BARE OUR SICKNESSES.

ISAIAH 53:5….AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.

Luke 4:40-41 …Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

Matthew 12:15… and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

Psalms 34:19… Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all .

Jeremiah 30:17…For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord;

MATTHEW 17:14-21… AND JESUS REBUKED THE DEVIL; AND HE DEPARTED OUT OF HIM: AND THE CHILD WAS CURED from that very hour.

HEBREWS 12:1-2… LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH;

Matthew 8:2-3… worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Hebrews 11:6 …HE IS A REWARDER of them that diligently seek HIM.

James 5:14-15… And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and THE LORD shall raise him up;

John 10:10… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

LUKE 13:11-12… JESUS SAW HER, HE CALLED HER TO HIM, AND SAID UNTO HER, WOMAN, THOU ART LOOSED FROM THINE INFIRMITY.

Galatians 3:13… CHRIST hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,

Acts 10:38… how God anointed JESUS OF NAZARETH with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil;

1 John 3:8… For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Acts 4:29-31… grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

Mark 16:15-18… In MY NAME shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 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. KJV

John 14:13… And WHATSOEVER YE SHALL ASK IN MY NAME, THAT WILL I DO, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. KJV

1 John 3:22-24… AND WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE RECEIVE OF HIM, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight

2 Chronicles 32:7-8… but with us is THE LORD OUR GOD TO HELP US, AND TO FIGHT OUR BATTLES.

ISAIAH 41:14… FEAR NOT…I WILL HELP THEE, SAITH THE LORD, AND THY REDEEMER, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL.

HEBREWS 12:1-2 …LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH;

1 John 5: 14-15… And THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE that we have in HIM, that, IF WE ASK ANY THING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARETH US: AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US, whatsoever we ask, WE KNOW that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12… AND THE WORK OF FAITH WITH POWER: THAT THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST MAY BE GLORIFIED IN YOU,

Psalms 98:1… O SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG; FOR HE HATH DONE MARVELLOUS THINGS: HIS RIGHT HAND, AND HIS HOLY ARM, HATH GOTTEN HIM THE VICTORY.

*TO RECEIVE HEALING FROM GOD… we must put aside our traditional religious theologies and New Age Science of Mind psychologies and return to the promises of God in the Bible and ' look unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith'.

(See the article on www.lorendavis.com 'GOD'S HEALING PROMISES').