God’s Healing Hand

Theme: The Great Physician has the cure for what ails us.
Text:  John 5:1-9, 2 Kings 20:1-7, Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23, 2 Timothy 4:20, Galatians 4:13-14, Philippians 1:20-23, Hebrews 9:27 and Revelation 14:13

Here’s a thought: Whatever your need is - including healing - grab hold of God’s healing hand.

Known as “the apostle of faith,” Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947), once a British plumber and volunteer worker in Salvation Army missions, was a “commanding figure with twinkling small eyes in a stout face; rugged and refined at the same time, always dressed immaculately in a dark suit. Always smiling, never without a Bible (the only book he ever read), he saw almost every kind of healing miracle in his ministry, including the raising of the dead.

Smith Wigglesworth recalls (https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid= 41504):

I remember one day that I was asked to visit a woman who was dying. When I got into the room where the woman was, I saw that there was no hope as far as human aid was concerned; she was suffering from a tumour and it had sapped her life away. As I looked at her, I knew that there was no possibility of help except the Lord would work a miracle. Thank God I knew He was able. I said to the woman, “I know you are very weak, but if you wish to be healed and cannot lift your arm, or raise it at all, it might be possible that you could raise your finger.” Her hand lay upon the bed, but she lifted her finger just a little.

I said to my friend, “We will pray with her and anoint her.” After we had anointed her, her chin dropped. My friend said, “She is dead.” He was scared. I have never seen a man so frightened in my life. “What shall I do?” he asked. You may think that what I did was absurd, but I reached over into the bed and pulled her out. I carried her across the room, stood her against the wall and held her up, as she was absolutely dead. I looked into her face and said, “In the name of Jesus I rebuke this death.” From the crown of her head to the soles of her feet her whole body began to

tremble. “In the name of Jesus, I command you to walk,” I said. I repeated, “In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, walk!” and she walked.

Let’s look at:

When the Cure Comes

John 5:1-9 reports a dramatic healing:
1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie - the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. NIV

I was surprised and confused by the question Jesus asked this paralyzed man, “Do you want to get well?” Does this not sound like an odd question? Of course, the man wanted to get well! Or did he? Some people enjoy ill health. Yes, enjoy ill health. Their illness represents to them all that is familiar and comfortable. It has become their identity. Some do not believe God can and will heal. Faith is a willingness to step beyond all that is familiar and comfortable and to trust God.

What would have happened if this man refused to get up, pick up his mat and walk? He would have missed out on his healing. When Jesus speaks, there must come a response of faith.

A Catholic priest and a Pentecostal pastor were driving quickly down a country road headed to the golf course. The priest ran over a rabbit that was playing on the road. He stopped the car, took a vial from the glove compartment, and said to his companion, “I am very sorry I did that. At least I can give the poor creature the last rites.” After that, he anointed the flattened rabbit with holy

water.

The Pentecostal then took a bottle from his golf bag and sprinkled some of its contents on the lifeless bunny. Immediately, the rabbit came to life, jumped, and ran across a nearby field.

The priest was astonished. “I didn’t know you Pentecostals used such potent holy water,” he remarked.

“We don’t,” replied the Pentecostal pastor. “It’s hare tonic.”

Does God use medicine to heal people? He did in 2 Kings 20:1-7:
1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered. NIV

Who gave you herbs, plants and other natural remedies to enhance your health? Who enables doctors and nurses to research, discover and implement the latest medical technology? God does!

Are you in need of healing? Let’s pray for you. Is your doctor able to help? Please go and see him or her.

When the Cure Comes

When the Cure Doesn’t Come

The Bible contains four specific instances where sick people were not healed immediately and at least two cases where sick people were maybe never healed

...

Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:27:
Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. NIV

The Apostle Paul continued to pray for him, and though the prayer seemed to have no immediate effect, he continued interceding for him.

Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23:
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. NIV

Other than Jesus, no one spoke in the New Testament about faith more than the Apostle Paul. Paul offered Timothy what was in their day sound advice on healthy eating habits.

Paul wrote of Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20, “Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.” NIV

John Wimber suggested that the Greek word translated in this verse as sick may indicate that Trophimus had overworked and weakened his body.

Sometimes we ask for prayer for healing when we should go home and sleep. Maybe we have been abusing our bodies, and we need healing. Let’s be sure to get the exercise, rest and nutrition that our bodies need.

Paul refers to an illness he had in Galatians 4:13-14:
13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. NIV

Some have suggested that Paul’s illness was an eye affliction, while others have guessed malaria or epilepsy. Whatever the illness was, Paul was not healed immediately, so he stopped in Galatia.

What makes these four instances even more remarkable is that they involved Christian leaders who were highly esteemed, gifted and mature. Explanations such as personal sin, a lack of faith or ignorance in those who were sick or those who prayed over them are not credible for these men. Paul continued to succeed in praying for the sick (see Acts 28:8-9), even though there was no immediate healing on these four occasions.

There can be identifiable reasons why people are not healed:
• SomepeopledonotbelieveGodexistsandcanheal(James5:15).
• Personal,unconfessedsinmayhinderGod’shealinggrace(seeJames5:16).

• Persistentandwidespreaddisunity,sinandunbeliefinthecorporatebodies of believers and families inhibit healing in individual members of the body (1 Corinthians 11:30).

• Sometimeswedonotknowhowtopraybecausewedon’tunderstandthe problem or the root cause of the problem.

• SomeassumethatGodalwayshealsinstantly,sotheystopprayingwhen the Lord does not heal immediately.

• God’s sovereignty and ultimate purposes can postpone healing. Even though Jesus knew Lazarus was very sick, He waited two days to see him so He could raise him from the dead.

  Sometimes we must be painfully honest. Someone asked Kathryn Kuhlman, “Why isn’t everybody you pray for healed?” She replied, “I don’t know.”

  We have greater access to healing than ever through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. Nevertheless, we should not presume something is wrong with our faith or His faithfulness if God does not heal in every instance.

  Has the cure you have been searching for not come? Keep asking until the answer comes or until God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Beware of accusations that you lack faith.

  When the Cure Comes
  When the Cure Doesn’t Come

  The Ultimate Cure

  Paul describes his quandary in Philippians 1:20-23:
  20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far ... NIV

  Hebrews 9:27 reminds us of an upcoming appointment:
  Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment ... NIV

  “Wouldn’t it be cool to know when and where you were to die?” asked a frivolous teenage girl.

“What good would that be?” inquired her friend.

“I wouldn’t show up,” she explained.

Revelation 14:13 provides comfort as we face the hereafter:
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them.” NIV

An enthusiastic believer in Christ, Dan Richardson, died from cancer. But his life demonstrated that even though the physical body may be destroyed by disease, the spirit can remain triumphant. This poem was shared at his memorial service:

Cancer is so limited ...
It cannot cripple love,
It cannot shatter hope,
It cannot corrode faith,
It cannot eat away peace,
It cannot destroy confidence, It cannot kill friendship,

It cannot shut out memories,
It cannot silence courage,
It cannot invade the soul,
It cannot reduce eternal life,
It cannot quench the Spirit,
It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection.

There is an ultimate cure, where there will be no more sickness, pain and suffering. I look forward to Jesus Christ overcoming what the Bible describes as the last enemy to be destroyed – death (see 1 Corinthians 15:26). A day is coming when there will be no more death and mourning.

Norwegian Theologian Ole Hallesby offers this prayer (https://www.preaching.com/sermon-illustrations/healed-disease):

Lord, if it will be to Your glory, heal suddenly. If it will glorify You more, heal gradually; if it will glorify You even more, may your servant remain sick awhile; and if it will glorify Your name still more, take him to Yourself in heaven.

James Black took a trip through the tulip fields of Holland. He reported that the beautiful beds of flowers were divided by canals crossed by foot-wide planks. As Dr. Black and his party visited the various beds of brilliant flowers, they had to cross these little canals on the narrow planks. When they came to a canal that was twelve feet wide, they hesitated. The plank seemed so narrow. Would the field's owner make a wider bridge for them across the canal? No.

He blew a whistle, and a man came and handed them a thin pole, making it easy to cross the canal on the narrow plank.

Dr. Black made a marvellous discovery. “How easily you can cross the narrowest plank if only you have something to hold on to.” We can go through life with all its tensions, uncertainties, and changes if we have something to hold on to. Whatever your need is - including healing - grab hold of God’s healing hand.

Whether it’s:

When the Cure Comes
When the Cure Doesn’t Come The Ultimate Cure

The Great Physician has the cure for what ails us.