And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
Why in the world do we not believe this? We say we are “believers” but what are we believing?
Since when is what we believe determined by what we see or experience?
I’m ashamed at how many excuses I listen to in my own mind, not to mention the excuse of the Body, to explain away what we should and should not ask and what we might or might not receive.
According to His will . . .
Healing? It is His will! I know many don’t believe it. Read the Gospels – He healed ALL who came to Him. He is our Healer, physically and spiritually! He is Jehovah Rapha – He is the Lord that healeth thee – Read Ps 103.
Can we stop letting what we see define what we believe? I don’t know why people who pray for healing are still sick. I’m not convinced I need to know. His word says healing is ‘according to His will’ I should ask and believe I will have.
There may be a multitude of reasons why someone doesn’t get healed. There may actually be {gasp} a sin or two behind it. We might actually need to repent! Or, it could be for reasons we will never understand on this side of eternity, but do NOT tell me healing is not according to His will.
Victory over sin? It is His will! We have died to sin, it should no longer have dominion over us! We are not to let sin therefore reign in our mortal bodies! Yes, I will sin each and every day – but if I am not walking in increasing freedom and victory over sin, it is not God’s fault nor is it some “thorn in my flesh” I’ll just have to live with. It might just be {insert gasp again} my choices! It might be my ‘stinkin thinkin’; my lack of humility and a unrepentant heart.
I could prattle on, I’m just about fired up enough to.
I’m asking you (and me) to examine what we believe! Has it been determined by what we see and hear? Is it man’s traditions and doctrines that have formed our beliefs?
I one time heard about the ‘Desert Island Challenge’. If you were born on a desert island and had only the word of God to teach you what to believe, how different would your beliefs about God be?!
How much do we write off as “must be the will of God” when in fact it just might not be?!
If you are sick, it is His will for you to be well.
If you are struggling with habitual sin, it is His will for you to be free.
If you are depressed, it is His will for you to walk in the joy of the Lord every day.
If you have a prodigal, it is His will they come home!
Let’s stop blaming God and excusing away the truth. it might feel uncomfortable. It might be hard work. It might mean we need to repent. It might mean a few evil spirits need to go.
It might mean you have to let go of a whole bunch of “traditions”. I’m not attempting to put condemnation on any of us. I am just asking, ‘can we stop blaming God and start asking our Father with confidence, for His will?
When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Amen! I just came across this Scripture the other day in the Amplified- Matthew 17:20 "For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you." We think of the mustard seed as being small (and it is) but the point in this verse is that it's living. Our faith needs to be alive in order to be effective! Anyway, your post reminded me of that. I couldn't agree with you more. It all goes back to believing God's Word! Have a great evening! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, how do you reconcile this with Ann Voskamp's book? If everything, even suffering, is somehow a gift from God, then doesn't that make it his will? Maybe the truth is it can be his will to suffer, and it can be his will to be healed. Just not at the same time. Like Ecc 3... a time for everything. Or maybe the suffering in some strange way can be a part of our healing. What do you think?
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Paul said in everything we are to give thanks, Kati. God always heals. Death is the ultimate healing through a perfected body. I know my healing took years. That disease took me places, like a chemo ward, that I would never have gone otherwise. I was able to share Christ with many! My sickness also brought me so close to God that I've remained tucked under His arm. God always heals. We must accept His timing and His plan for that healing and depend upon Him that His way is perfect.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, a missionaly was at our church recently, Jack Belin with Convoy of Hope. He stated that when we need healing, we want someone praying with us that has "clean hands" meaning living a pure life in the Lord. That person who is laying hands on you Sunday morning, praying for your healing...where have they been the night before? He stated that some of us might not be receiving healing because the person praying with us is not clean or holy before God. It really gave me something to think about! Great post today, sister!! ~Ruth xo
Kati,
ReplyDeleteI think people have been wrestling with this one a long time and will continue to wrestle with it. I am not 100 percent sure I agree with ‘everything’ Ann says in her book. It is hard to tell, because I can’t ask her what she meant by this or that.
I also believe that the bible clearly states that we will suffer! By stating that God is our healer and deliverer I am not insinuating that we will not suffer. People will get sick, people will struggle with sin, people will hurt people, babies will die . . . but we cannot let what we see change what the Word of God says. That is what I meant by this post. I would rather lean to the side that says “I don’t understand” than to call God a liar.
Like I mentioned in the post and Ruth mentioned, there could be various reasons for the illness, death, suffering, but it should not cause us to alter who we say or think God is. The only thing that should determine our beliefs of Who He is is the Word of God.
And, it is because of the goodness of God and our faith in that that, I can thank Him even if I am sick or my little one struggles with eczema still, because while I believe He does heal and healing IS His will, I also know that He works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him. He works for my greatest good and His highest glory, so I can thank Him, even in the mess.
Relentlessly Pursuing,
Michelle
Thanks, Ruth and Becky {{hugs}}
Thanks for responding to this (both of you). It is good to have a safe place to ask my questions, and hear truth. Even if it's seemingly contradictory truth :) I stand with you both in faith. The best I can wrap my brain around my current stage of life is as Ann describes "eating the mystery."
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