FAITH AND HEALING Faith plays a crucial role in the NT in relating to God. In fact, to be related to Him at all implies faith. We receive gifts from Him and do work for Him through faith. “Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Galatians 3:5

FAITH AND HEALING Mind-boggling things can be done in faith. And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him.” Mark 11:22-24

FAITH AND HEALING Whatever faith is, we do not need much of it. We only need a tiny bit of it and nothing will be impossible for us And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you. Matthew 17:20-21

FAITH AND HEALING There is a vital link between faith and healing. But the precise nature of that link is difficult to understand. The “Not-Yet” of the Kingdom of God is all around us. It seems that our faith sometimes contributes to a healing and at other times appears to have little effect. These ambiguities keep us from making dogmatic pronouncements on faith’s relationship to healing.

FAITH AND HEALING What Faith is Not  Faith is not hard work and strong belief by which we may ensure God’s blessing.  Faith is not a self-determined effort on man’s part to believe.  Faith is not a work by which God’s favor is earned or His hand moved.

FAITH AND HEALING Faith is a simple trust in the person and character of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is a relationship. George Eldon Ladd “This is the mystery of the Kingdom: that the Kingdom of God has come among men and yet man can reject it. The Kingdom will not experience uniform success. Not all will receive it…One day God will indeed manifest His mighty power to purge the earth of wickedness, sin and evil; but not now. God’s Kingdom is working among men, but God will not compel them to bow before it. They must receive it; the response must come from a willing heart and a submissive will. God is still dealing with us in this same way.”

FAITH AND HEALING This is why Jesus refuses to attempt a miracle when one is demanded of Him. When Satan insists on a sign from Jesus to validate his status as the Son of God, Jesus refuses. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:3-4

FAITH AND HEALING Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign as infallible proof that Jesus is who He claims to be and He refuses. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. Matthew 12:38-39

FAITH AND HEALING Faith to be healed means being open to God’s love. Faith to pray for the sick means openness to being a vessel of that love. Thomas Smail “Power outside the context of love and truth is precisely that to which the enemy tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and to which for example the church in Corinth is tempted again so that it has to be reminded that charismata outside the context of love and truth are worth nothing at all (1 Corinthians 13).”

FAITH AND HEALING This relational orientation to an understanding of faith is vitally important. The real question is not, “Do I believe strongly enough to be healed or to pray for the sick?” or “Have I purged all doubt from my mind?” but, “Is God the sort of person I can trust, and am I willing to be open to His love?”