Distinctives of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of the
Philippines
Lesson 3
JESUS OUR HEALER
Healing is the restoration to health of a person
suffering from an organic or/and psychological disease. In the Alliance
I.
The healing power
of God is mentioned and shown throughout the Bible.
A. In the Old Testament
1. From Exodus
15:26:
a.
What does God say about Himself?
b.
What would He do for the Israelites?
c.
What must the Israelites do to receive this benefit?
2. In Psalm 103:3,
what does David include with the Lord’s forgiveness of his sins?
3. In Isaiah 53:5,
what is prophesied about Jesus?
4. In the Old
Testament God also healed through people.
One example is the raising
from the dead of the son of the widow of Zarephath through the prophet
Elijah. This is recorded in 1Kings
17:17-24.
B. In the New Testament
1.
The frequency of healing miracles is much greater in
the New Testament.
2.
The ministry of Jesus always included healing.
a.
In Matthew 8:16,17 and 1Peter 2:24, what prophecy is
referred to? (Question I.A 3)
b.
According to Matthew 4:23,24, whom did Jesus heal,
and what were some of diseases He healed?
3.
In the New Testament God also healed through people.
a.
Luke 9:1,2,6
1)
What did Jesus give His disciples?
2)
What did they do besides heal people?
b.
What further explanation does Mark add in Mark
6:12,13?
c.
Acts 3:1-10 recounts one of the many “miracles and
wonders” mentioned in Acts 2:43.
1.
In whose name does Peter Heal the lame man? (vs.6)
2.
In verses 12,13 and 16 of Acts 3, where does Peter
say the power that gave strength to the lame man comes from?
3.
What made the lame man well?
II.
Healing in the
New Testament was sign to unbelievers.
In the New
Testament this was a miracle showing God’s power through Jesus Christ so people
would believe and accept Him as the Son of God.
In John 9:1-7,
why was the man born blind and then healed by Jesus? (Vs.3b)
III.
Healing in the
New Testament was also a benefit to believers.
This too was a
sign to unbelievers and bring glory to God.
A.
John 11:1-44
gives the account of Lazarus’ sickness, death and return to life.
1.
What does Jesus say is the reason for the sickness
of His friend? (vv.4,40)
2.
What other reasons does Jesus give in verses 14 and
15,41, and 42?
3.
According to verse 45, what was a result of this
miracle?
B.
In Acts 9:32-35 there
is an account of the healing of a believer in Lydda.
1.
Who made the man well? (vs.34)
2.
What was a result of this miracle? (vs.35)
C.
In Acts 9:36-42
God used the apostle Peter to bring a woman back to life.
1.
Who was this woman?
Why was she mourned so greatly? (vv. 36,39)
2.
After Dorcas returned to life what did Peter do?
(vs.41)
3.
What was a result of this miracle? (vs. 42)
IV.
The gift of
healing is one of the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to believers –1Corinthians
12:9,28-30.
A Christian with
the gift of healing can help those who are sick by praying for their
healing. However, it is God’s power that heals, working through
the one with this gift.
V.
The New Testament
gives us instructions in asking God for the healing of believers.
A. According to James 5:14-16, if someone in the church
is sick:
1.
Who should be sent for? (vs.14)
2.
What two things are they to do? (vs.14) NOTE – Oil
itself cannot heal, and it has no “magic” quality. It is God who heals.
3.
In whose name are the church elders to do this?
(vs.14)
4.
What is necessary when prayer is made? (vs.15)
5.
What will be the results? (vs.15)
6.
What can spoil fellowship among believers making it
difficult (if not impossible), for them to worship and pray together, and to
have God grant their requests? What two
things need to be done for healing to take place? (vs.16) See also Matthew
5:23,24.
7.
What effect does the prayer of good (righteous man
have? (vs.16)
B. Certain things are necessary for a believer who
wants the Lord to heal Him.
1.
A believer must
be certain there is no sin in his life, and that he is living in a right
relationship with God.
a.
According to Psalm 66:18 and Isaiah 59:1,2,what
prevents the Lord from hearing our prayers?
b.
Why is it important to remember this when we ask God
for healing?
c.
The Bible does not teach that all sickness is due to
the sin of the one who is suffering, but there are times when this is true.
1)
Numbers 12:1-15 tells us that because Miriam
criticized her brother Moses, who had been chosen by God to lead the Israelites
out of their slavery in Egypt
2)
In John 5:14, what does Jesus tell the man He healed
at the pool?
3)
In 1Coringthians 11:27-29, what does Paul say is the
reason that many of the Corinthian Christians were weak and ill, and some had
died?
2.
A believer must
have faith that Jesus Christ can heal him.
a.
In Mark 5:34, what does Jesus say about woman’s
faith?
b.
In Matthew 21:22, what else does Jesus say about
believing, or having faith?
c.
In Mark 9:17-24:
1)
What does the father of the boy possessed by an evil
spirit ask Jesus? (vs.22)
2)
How does Jesus answer him in verse 23?
3)
What is the father’s reply in verse 24? What does he
need?
We too can ask God to make our faith stronger.
3.
A believer must ask
for healing in God’s will.
a.
According to 2Corinthians 12:7-10:
1)
From where does healing come?
2)
From these verses how do we see that healing does
not depend only upon what a person wants?
3)
Upon what does healing depend?
4)
What reasons does Paul give for the Lord not healing
him? (vv.7,9)
5)
What is Paul’s reaction to not being healed?
(vv.9,10)
b.
In His time of great suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane
When we ask for God’s will
in our healing, He may show us, by reminding us of certain verses of Scripture,
or by giving us the faith and assurance, that it is His will to heal us.
It is our privilege to ask for healing, but not to demand it. Sometimes our healing is not granted
now. If we have followed all of God’s
instructions and are not healed, we must accept that it is not His will to heal
us through His power at that time. We
must also remember that, while sometimes healing is instantaneous, sometimes it
is a gradual restoration to health.
Being a Christian does not prevent a person from having
trouble or sickness. It is only in
heaven that there are no tears, death, crying or pain.
However, as God’s children, we have His love and care,
and we have the privilege of asking His to heal us when we are sick, and through
our healing, bring glory to Him.
This same Jesus, who, as our Sanctifier supplies us with
His spiritual health and strength, as our Healer, also provides for our
physical health and strength. And we can
draw whatever strength and energy we need from Him, day by day, and moment by
moment.
