“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1Pe. 5:8,9,10 NASV)
These verses above are referring to persecution, but the Lord used them to speak to me about healing. Sometimes healing is gradual, not immediate. When the Lord quickened my spirit with the verses above, I was still struggling with pain that resulted from a recent medical procedure. This Word from the Lord gave me hope, and grace to continue my healing journey.
My healing process, however, did not begin with these verses. There was an element of injury to my situation so I had to make sure I forgave the doctors for anything they may have done improperly. I also I had to examine my heart to make sure that this pain and illness were not a result of my own sins. I know from 1 Corinthians 11:32 that “when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.” Scriptures like the following were speaking strongly to me. “Experiencing many corrections and rebukes will make you wise.” (Prov. 29:15 TPT). “When you love wisdom, your father is overjoyed.” (Prov. 29:3 TPT). As I opened my heart to correction, the Lord convicted me of some things, and I have taken them to heart. I do not believe in deep introspection. If the Lord does not show me a cause, I conclude that it is not a matter of discipline. What parent would discipline a child without them knowing the reason for it?
After the Lord shows me something that needs to change, I cannot respond by punishing myself; I must believe in the finished work of the cross. “The prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (Jas. 5:15 NASV). So, when the Lord gave me the verses in 1Peter, I knew that I had obtained forgiveness, and there remained only faith. Even as I laid hands on myself to release God’s healing power, I began to feel better, but the healing was not complete.
There are many reasons why we are not healed “suddenly”. Sometimes it is because God wants to intervene in a different way. Very early in my Christian walk, I received healing for a tooth ache. It was so sudden, I even felt something like electricity go though my tooth. I did not realize at the time that the tooth still needed to be removed. Months followed, and another tooth ache occurred. This time, no matter how much I prayed, the pain would not go away, so I decided to visit the dentist. When he pulled out the tooth that was giving me a problem, he noticed that there was an abscess in the other tooth that had previously given me trouble. Even though God would have received more glory if the teeth were restored, the experience was valuable in another way. The dentist made it very clear that unless I started to care for my teeth, I would continue to lose them. I took his advice to heart and my dental health improved thereafter.
Another reason why healing may not be sudden is simply weak faith. I can believe quite rapidly for protection against viruses and flu, but for other things, it is more of a struggle. That does not mean that this is God’s will for me. There are times, like when I have felt threatened, that my faith is quite strong; and there are times when healing comes more easily because of the operation of spiritual gifts. I cannot get discouraged over the process; God’s promises are fulfilled “through faith and patience” (Heb. 6:12).
There are many methods I use to strengthen my faith as I wait on the Lord. First, I can bring my thoughts in line with God’s Word by reminding myself of all the benefits of salvation, which includes healing (Ps. 103:2-5). Instead of complaining, I can thank God in the middle of my circumstances. I know that if I receive food with thanksgiving, “it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1Tim. 4:5). I learned many years ago that if I receive my circumstances with thanksgiving, they also are made clean. God will work to bring them into line with His promises (Rom. 8:28). With this principle in mind, if I am fighting an injury or illness, I thank God for my health. I do not thank Him for the negative things, but I thank Him that He is still Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord Who heals me.
James shares an important principle for effectively resisting the enemy. Before resisting the devil, I must first submit to God (Jas. 4:7). The devil flees from me because I am hidden in Christ. I must take my eyes off the problem, and the enemy. My eyes must be fixed on Jesus. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isa. 26:3). As I rest in the peace of God, I can cast down every thought that contradicts my knowledge of God (2Cor. 10:5). This way I can stay firm in faith until my total salvation is established.
One time, I give in to wondering if my healing was simply progressing naturally. When I did this, my healing took a step backward. So, regardless of what I see or feel, I continue to take God’s promises as my medicine, “for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body” (Prov. 4:22).
Highway in the Wilderness 