HEALING IS DELAYED

I remember taking our son, Daniel, to the tennis court for the first time, when he was a young boy.  He had seen tennis tournaments on television in an era when John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf were headlining the sport.  Like all exceptional players, these professionals made it look easy to serve, volley, slice, and backhand the ball with speed, power, and accuracy.  This is highly entertaining until you go to a tennis court and try to imitate them.  This is what Daniel discovered rather quickly.  Like all beginners, he experienced the frustration of swinging and missing the balls, hitting the balls sideways, and even sending some balls flying into the net or over the fence.  This illustrates one of the frustrations concerning divine healing.  When Jesus lived and ministered in Israel, He could always hit the “sweet spot” when he prayed for people to be healed.

Every person Jesus prayed for was healed.  There was an instance where He prayed for a blind man twice before his sight was 100% restored, and another time, in His hometown, where “He could not do many miracles there because of their unbelief”.  (Matthew 13:58) When Jesus prayed for someone, they were healed…. every time…completely.  Even though this is a blessing, it can also become a source of frustration or discouragement for us as we don’t experience the same results.  We “hit the ball”, so to speak, but it tends to hit the net, roll into the court next to us, or fly over the fence.  I don’t know of anyone who had the same track record as Jesus when it comes to praying for the sick.  The late evangelist Oral Roberts prayed for thousands of people and saw cancers healed, blind eyes and deaf ears open and disease disappear time and time again.  Yet, even he stated that only one time did he see every person he prayed for healed In a single day of ministry. 

I admittedly still have a lot to learn concerning the supernatural healing ministry.  I’ve seen many people healed after prayer.  I’ve seen even more receive their healing sometime later after being prayed for or not at all.   Over the years I have come to some conclusions concerning the supernatural work of healing by the Holy Spirit.

•  We need to be settled once and for all that, just like salvation, healing is true.  We see in Mark 16:17,18   “And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”     

•  Many times, there is a period and time process involved with healing.  The principle of delayed results is spoken of in Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”  We need to develop our patience and perseverance.  Our daughter, Kristen, as a young girl had eczema on her elbows, stomach, and face.  She was prayed for at the church she attended many times over twelve months with no visible results.  Then suddenly, after being prayed for on a Sunday morning once again, she woke up the next day and was completely healed!  The eczema was all gone and never came back.  Her patience, faith, and perseverance paid off. 

• I have found that just like we can experience setbacks in business, relationships, and other things in life, we can also have setbacks concerning our healing.  Some people get prayed for healing and get worse.  Some get healed and then their sickness or disease comes back.  Look at Hebrews 10:35-38 “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.  Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”     Patience is not something you pray for, it is not a gift, it only comes through the circumstances of life. 

• I have found that when the manifestation of someone’s healing has not come yet it may be because God is still helping them to increase in faith and patience.  This is verified in James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”.  Even when you don’t see the manifestation of your healing, it does not mean that you are not healed. 

• I have found that I should not judge my healing or someone else’s by their current physical condition.  In the story of Jesus cursing the fig tree (Mark 11:12-25), we see that He curses it one day and it is only the next day that the manifestation happens, and it dies.  We are called by God to live by faith and not by sight.  Just as Kristen laid hold of the belief that God could heal her and wanted her healed of eczema, we should act in faith and thank God for our healing, even when we do not see instant results.  

• I have found that most people I pray for to get healed do not receive instant healing.  But I have also found that many people do get healed, and I have found that the more I exercise my faith and pray for healing, the more it manifests.  Be encouraged and know that God wants us healed. 

The price for our healing was paid for by Jesus over 2,000 years ago by the stripes on His back.  Keep believing and keep praying for the sick.  God will build your spiritual faith muscles and you will see more and more results with patience and perseverance.