Zeal For Truth

The Secret Things
The Bible does offer insight into some of the reasons why people fail to receive healing. This article will explore the reasons that are revealed. However, it should be noted that not every reason for every individual situation is always revealed.

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Some things are secret. That does not mean, in any way, that God reserves the right to violate his redemptive promise to provide healing. Therefore, regardless of the specific reason for a lack of healing, the problem is always on the human side and not God’s side. Rather than attempting to intrude into those things that are not revealed to us, we should concern ourselves with those things that are revealed, either through the scriptures or by the Holy Spirit.

I would, however, caution those who need healing not to think that the reason they have not received healing will remain unrevealed. Although the reason may not be revealed to others, it most certainly will be revealed to them if they seek God for the answer.

A Lack of Knowledge
It is impossible to have faith for something for which you have no knowledge. Paul asks the rhetorical question in Romans 10:14, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” The answer is obvious – they cannot. Similarly when Paul went to Ephesus and found some who had received John’s baptism of repentance, he asked them whether they had received the Spirit of God. They responded, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2). Generally speaking, the only way a person who is ignorant about healing can be healed is either through the faith of others or by a manifestation of the Holy Spirit – the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, or the gift of faith.

Rejection of Truth

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children (Hosea 4:6).

Usually when people quote this verse, they associate it with ignorance. However the lack of knowledge referred to is not the result of ignorance, but outright rejection of God’s law. Unbelief is a much more serious thing than simple ignorance; it denotes an attitude of rebellion against God. In the King James Version of the New Testament, the word often used to describe this attitude is “unbelief.” It is possible to have unbelief while mentally agreeing to something as being true.

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue (John 12:42).

These chief rulers believed in Jesus, in the sense that they acknowledged what he said to be true, but they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God; therefore they hardened their hearts against God. The same thing is true of people today who reject what the Bible says about healing in favor of remaining loyal to the accepted teachings of their church or denomination. In either case, the word of God takes a back seat to the traditions of men.

1And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching (John 6:1-6).

Notice that verse five says that Jesus could not do any mighty works in his hometown. He did heal a few, but this contrasts sharply with the times when multitudes were healed. No doubt it was unbelief that was responsible for Jesus’ inability to heal.

Lack of Corresponding Action
A lack of faith is generally responsible for people not receiving healing. More specifically a lack of faith is the often result of ignorance or the rejection of truth. However, we must remember that real faith is expressed by words and actions. A person who truly believes that healing is provided for them through Christ both acts and speaks as though is has been provided. This is contrary to what most people believe about healing. In their mind people are healed, they see the results of the healing, and then they believe. But it doesn’t always work that way at all.

6They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 7And there they preached the gospel. 8And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: 9The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

First, the crippled man heard the word of God. Secondly, faith developed in his heart as a result of his hearing. Thirdly, he acted on his faith by obeying the command to stand up. When he made a conscious effort to walk as an expression of his faith, the power of God was manifested and a miracle was wrought.

Practically the same thing occurred during Jesus’ ministry at the pool of Bethesda.

5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Notice the interesting question Jesus asked this man in verse 6. He asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” To many people the central question about healing has to do with whether it is God’s will, which is obvious as long as we know that God is not a liar or a respecter of persons. However, Jesus asked this man about his will in the matter. He had to make a decision whether he would act on Jesus’ command to take up his bed and walk. When he committed to act on the command in faith, he was healed.

Wavering Faith
Once someone acts on their faith to receive healing, it is important that they stick to it. In some cases, healing is not evident right away. Because of this, there are plenty of opportunities to quit before complete wholeness is realized. The first chapter of James warns against wavering in faith.

6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Verse seven explicitly tells us that those who waver should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. So when acting in faith to receive healing, it is important to maintain an attitude of expectancy. Doing this requires undivided attention to the promises of God, and guarding the heart against that which would hinder faith.

20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:20:23).

Unforgiveness
The wages of sin is death. One of the ways death is manifested is through sickness. We are admonished to forgive others the same way Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13). If we choose not to forgive, we cannot receive forgiveness. Therefore the penalty of our own sin can be made manifest, and our prayers can be hindered.

25And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

A Lack of Power
Jesus never intended that his ministry as the head of the church should be any less powerful, in terms of the demonstrations of the Holy Spirit, as his earthly ministry. Sadly this is not the case today. Much of the church today is largely ignorant of matters pertaining to the operation of the Holy Spirit, who was sent to the church to glorify Jesus and reveal his personality (John 16:14). Without his aid we cannot expect to effectively communicate or demonstrate Christ; this is to the detriment of the church and the unbelievers.

When people, for whatever reason, have not developed faith to receive healing from the word of God, it sometimes becomes necessary for God’s power to make up the difference. Where the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, and the gift of faith are not in operation many will fail to receive healing. These are the demonstrations of power that should accompany the preaching of the gospel.

1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

As important as the preaching of the gospel is, we should not neglect the confirmation of the message. Paul spoke about fully preaching the gospel. If the gospel can be fully preached, then it can be half-preached.

18For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ (Romans 15:18, 19).

No doubt many Christians have read this passage and have thought, “Yeah, but that was Paul. He was an apostle.” They make a mistake in assuming that the miraculous signs that followed the preaching of the message proved the power of the Apostle Paul. The gospel is not about the Apostle Paul. It is about Christ Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our profession. The apostolic title Paul held just denoted his being sent forth as a representative of Christ to build his church.

Pride

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

A person seeking healing must be willing to admit his own faults to others. Anyone who is truly faultless has no need of forgiveness or healing.

A Refusal to Repent
Again, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). If we fail to judge our own behavior, we will be judged (1 Corinthians 11:31, 32).

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addressed a situation in which a man was immorally involved with his “father’s wife.” Paul instructed the church to dismiss him from their fellowship and to, “…deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5). The destruction of the human body, either by disease or some other means, can be the result of one being turned over to Satan for failing to judge one’s own sinful actions. Essentially the mercy of God is suspended and a person is left to his own devices, whereupon judgment is exacted.

Take note of what Jesus afterward said to the man who was healed at the pool of Bethesda.

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (John 5:14).

Jesus essentially said, “Repent unless you want to be in a worse situation than you were before.”