Vantage
point
A healthier
you
God still heals. Every Sunday in
Assemblies of God churches this is reflected by the many people who come forward
for anointing with oil and prayer (per James 5:14,15). And many people are
healed … but not everyone. Why?
Why are so many Christians not
healed even though they have prayer support? There are too many “Job’s
comforters” who only intensify the burdens of people with illnesses
or handicaps by telling them that it is their own fault they haven’t
been healed. They surely have sin in their lives, or not enough faith, they
are told. Though sin and lack of faith are possibilities, there are other
reasons, such as:
• Time: A person’s
healing may await the right conditions to give glory to God (see John 9:1-3).
• Learning: Affliction can
be a tool in God’s hand to teach us (Psalm 119:67,71,75). In this case
we do well to learn our lessons fast (Hebrews 12:11).
• Lack of pressing in and
praying through: This is not so much the responsibility of the afflicted individual
as it is the responsibility of those who know the one who is sick (Galatians
6:2).
But I’m convinced that countless
illnesses can be placed in the following category:
• Lack of common sense: I
once entered a solemn coronary care unit and prayed for a man who had had
a severe heart attack and wasn’t expected to live. God touched him and
he was given a new lease on life. His doctors outlined several lifestyle changes
he needed to make, emphasizing one: quit smoking.
He followed most of the instructions,
but a few weeks after his surgery he went back to his tobacco habit. Two years
later I conducted his funeral; the second massive heart attack had killed
him.
He didn’t have to die. He
just needed to quit smoking.
Some people are praying for healing
when what they really need is simple common sense. God doesn’t just
want to eliminate symptoms, He wants to change lives. This issue contains
Bible-based advice that, for many, can help them avoid the need to pray for
healing — advice that, if taken, can create a healthier and happier
you.
— Ken Horn
E-mail your comments to pe@ag.org.
