God is Glorified Through My Sickness [False Views About Sickness 3]

Praying for healing is such an easy thing and such a complicated thing at the same time. Why do some people get healed immediately, others take time, and others do not receive healing?

Though there are no conclusive answers to the question, there are things that hinder healing. One is a lack of faith in the one praying. Another is a lack of faith in the person receiving prayer. Others believe healing ceased with the death of the last apostle. Some even find a benefit in their sickness either personally or for others. Some even believe that God is glorified through the sickness they are experiencing.

Seeking Healing

A couple of months ago I was attending another church that was hosting special guest speakers. At the end of the meeting, I talked with a man who had very severe damage to his hip. He walked with a pronounced limp and it was apparent that it was painful from the grimace on his face as he walked.

I started talking to him about the Lord’s healing and asked him if I could pray for him. He graciously allowed me to and began to command healing to his body. I commanded the pain to go, for damaged cartilage to be recreated, and for all bones, muscles, and ligaments to return to their normal size and strength.

The pain immediately left his hip and the limp was noticeably lessened. He was walking back and forth commenting on how good it was feeling.

Sick by Choice?

Earlier in the evening, I talked with an acquaintance who told me that he had fallen and hurt his shoulder. I wanted to see if I could pray for him.

Before we get to praying for the shoulder I should give you some background about the person I would be praying for. Bill (of course this is not his name) has been severely handicapped for all the years I’ve known him. He has limited use of his legs and walks with a walker with great difficulty. He usually rides on a scooter, but it is easier for him to use the walker when going to church.

That is why praying for his shoulder was so critical. He hurt it when he reached for something, lost his balance, and landed on his shoulder. He could not lift his arm more than a few inches due to the severe pain. The limited strength in the shoulder was also making it difficult for Bill to navigate his walker.

So after Bill witnessed the healing of the man with the hip problem, I asked him if I could pray for his shoulder. He said yes. I laid my hands on him and commanded the pain to leave his body and for any damage received by the fall to be restored to wholeness.

Bill was immediately healed. He was able to lift his hand above his head without pain. He was amazed and very grateful. It was then that I asked him if I could for the rest of his body to be healed. He would not receive pray for that.

Through many conversations with Bill and attempts to pray for his sickness, I learned the following:

• Bill knew from the time he was sixteen that he would be crippled by this disease. He just accepted that this is what would happen and so he would not receive prayer to be healed.
• Bill was constantly telling me and my wife that there were so many people that would come up to him and tell him how they were encouraged by how he dealt with his sickness. He was seeing himself as an inspiration to others, so why would he seek to be healed, There were so many people helped by his sickness.
• Bill felt that God was being glorified by his enduring this sickness.

I can’t remember how many times I have sought to pray for Bill, but it is more than a dozen. Each time he gave me one or more of the above reasons that he would not receive prayer.

God is Not Glorified by Sickness

There is a partial truth here that is stopping Bill from being healed. Unless God intervenes and heals Bill chances are he will never be healed. He thinks there is a benefit in his sickness.

There can be no doubt that some good is coming about as a result of Bill’s determination to not letting this disease totally control his life. People are strengthened and God seems to be glorified by this.

But is God really glorified by sickness? What comes to your mind when you see a person with a sickness or disease? Is your first thought, “Praise God! You are being so glorified by this sickness.”

If you’re like me, the answer is no. You do not see the glory of God in sickness. Most people don’t. Almost every person I know seeks to do everything they possibly can do to get rid of sickness.

People take over-the-counter medications to help them deal with sickness. Every person I know goes to the doctor to see if they can get rid of their sickness. They do not want it and they do not feel that it glorifies God.

That is why this false view of sickness is so subtle and dangerous. When you embrace sickness because you think it glorifies God you will never contend for healing.

Jesus is our Healer

If we consider the ministry of Jesus, we will see that sickness was not a part of it. Jesus came to preach the Good News, heal the sick, cast out devils, proclaim liberty to the prisoners, to set the captives free, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and to destroy the works of the devil. (Luke 4:18-19; 1 John 3:7)

Everything in the Gospels shows that Jesus healed people and set them free. There was never a time that Jesus placed a sickness upon a person to glorify God or that He refused to heal those who were sick or oppressed by the devil.

Here are a couple of the verses that give an overview of his ministry:

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24)

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36)

Jesus healed every disease and sickness among the people. There was no disease that He felt was glorifying God. He saw the people as harassed and helpless and came with His power to heal and deliver them from their oppression.

Disciples Authorized and Empowered to Heal

Healing was such a part of His plan for people that Jesus took his disciples aside and gave them authority and power to heal the sick. He then expanded it to seventy more. Ultimately He made it part of His call for all believers to participate in the ministry of healing. See the progression in the following Scriptures:

1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Luke 9:1-2)

1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (Matthew 10:1)

7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8)

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go . . . 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Luke 10:1, 9)

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:15-18)

Every one of the verses listed above, and there are many more, specifically give believers the right to pray for the sick and see them healed. This is important to understand.

Never once do I see in Scripture or the life of Jesus where sickness is used to glorify God. God does not receive glory from sickness. He receives glory when people are healed from sickness.

Sickness for the Glory of God?

I am sure that if you know the Bible at all you remember when Jesus talked about a sickness that was for the glory of God. Let’s look at the context and see if Jesus was actually saying that sickness glorified God.

The story of Lazarus is the classic story of this type of teaching. Jesus even seems to say what my friend Bill was thinking. God is being glorified by this sickness.

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” (John 11:1-7)

Jesus made it clear that the sickness Lazarus was experiencing would not end in death. In the story not one person was glorifying God for this sickness. His sisters sent for Jesus so that He would heal him. They did not see anything good or positive about this sickness.

Some struggle with the fact that Jesus stayed two more days when He heard about the death of Lazarus as if it was his fault that Lazarus died. If you do the math you will find out that Lazarus died before or about the time the messengers arrived to share their message with Jesus.

When Jesus came to Bethany Lazarus was already four days in the tomb. Two plus two equals four. Lazarus was dead long before Jesus could have ever gotten to him. Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead and told his disciples about it along the way (John 11:14).

I’m not sure why Jesus decided to wait two more days before going to Lazarus, but some scholars give a plausible reason. Jesus wanted to arrive at the tomb when Lazarus was dead for four days. The thinking of the time was that the dead person’s spirit hung around the body for three days and it was possible for life to return. Four days it was impossible.

So Martha and Mary both come to Jesus separately and proclaim their faith that Jesus would have been there Lazarus would still be alive. Jesus had them take Him to the tomb. Once there:

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:38-44)

The glory of God was in the raising of Lazarus, not in his sickness and death. The crowd wasn’t glorifying over Lazarus’ death. They were mourning. They were grieving. It was when he was called back from death to life that they gave God glory.

45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. (John 11:45)

God is Glorified in Healing, Not in the Sickness

It’s time to show when the Bible says that people glorified God. Every one of the following verses is connected with a healing or deliverance. Not one is connected with a sickness. If you can find a verse that speaks of someone glorifying God for a sickness, let me know. I can’t find any.

2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. (Matthew 9:2-8)

29 Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30 And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31 So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:29-31)

11 Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. 12 Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!” 17 This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district. (Luke 7:11-17)

11 While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. 15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19)

It’s Time to be Healed

I hope if you have believed in the idea that God is glorified by your enduring sickness that you see it isn’t true. Certainly, people can be encouraged by your long-suffering and the way that you conduct yourself in your time of need, but this is not what Jesus died for. He died for your healing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I want to encourage you to see that God is good and that He has made a way for you in Christ. Jesus Christ is your healer. He bore your sickness and disease. He will definitely be glorified when you are healed.

Just so you know that I’m not making blind and confident statements without the thought of the struggles you face in sickness, I thought I would tell you my mindset on the manner of sickness.

If there is any form of sickness or disease in my body, I resist it and command my healing in Jesus’ name. I pray until I get the breakthrough. Sometimes it is instantaneous. Other times it takes time. Yet I cannot allow the sickness to dictate what the Bible says about Jesus as my healer.

I put my trust in Jesus and seek His saving grace for my health. I encourage you to do the same.

I would like to end this post with a prayer that I want you to pray out loud. Even though God knows your prayer when you think it, but there is something powerful about speaking out your prayer to Him. As you pray this see us coming into agreement that God will heal your body and give you life abundantly.

Father, I stand in the name of Jesus Christ and declare that He is my healer. I choose today to operate in the authority given to me by Jesus to heal the sick and cast out demons.

I command in the name of Jesus that (name the sickness, e.g. cancer, knee pain, arthritis, etc.) leave my body now. I rebuke all pain associated with this sickness and every form of damage done through its process.

I cast out any spirit of hell connected with this sickness. I break any generational sickness handed down through my family line.

(Now speak to any symptoms that you are having and tell them to go in the name of Jesus. Be as specific as possible.)

I command healing to flow into my body in the name of Jesus. I speak life where there has been death. I command every part of my body touched by this disease to be restored to God’s original plan. I speak life into my body and receive it in Jesus’ name.

I sure would like to hear about what the Lord has done in your life because of this post. If you are healed, let me know what the Lord did in the comments below. I always love to hear about His great works. We can glory in His wonderful name together.