By Edna Nation
Time will heal all wounds,” is a trite saying often quoted to emotionally distraught people dealing with hurtful situations. But will time really heal the hurt? For small hurts, the answer may be yes, but with the big ones, time takes the edge off the pain as the individual learns his own unique way of coping with the painful memories. In many cases, situations too horrible to remember vividly are suppressed, then repressed, buried deeply within the hidden recesses of the mind. Left there to smolder, seemingly put away forever, they simmer, boil, and may in time erupt, causing great pain. It takes a great deal of emotional and mental energy to keep painful memories repressed rendering the sufferer tired, nervous, exhausted, wiped out, or anxious. The sufferer is robbed of restful sleep, often experiencing chronic insomnia. If you ask him, “Why can’t you sleep?” his answer is usually, “I don’t know.” He answers truthfully, for long ago, he buried the painful memory, then forgot it.
Memories which cause pain need to be healed. Sufferers need the restorative power of restful sleep once again.
Love, acceptance, and healing are three essential elements needed in restoring the fractured self back to wholeness and maturity.
First, let us examine the real purpose for which Christ came to earth, which is “To save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11). According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, to save means “deliverance from danger, suffering, Matthew 8:25, Mark 13:20, Jude 5.” That is, He came to deliver from suffering, bondage, and danger those who are in need; to administer salvation to those in need. (All Greek words and definitions in this work are taken from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.)
The word salvation refers to salvation in its completeness. Salvation in its broadest sense means to bring to wholeness. It is interchangeable with the word healing. In James 5:15 we find, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.”
The word save comes from a Greek word sozo which means “to save from temporal danger, suffering; to preserve from sickness; Matthew 9:22, made whole; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48; James 5:15, to heal.” The Greek word “sozo,” then, means to save, to preserve from temporal danger, and to heal.
The Greek word diasozo which was used in the healing of the sick by the Lord means were made whole. (A. V. adds the word “perfectly”) Matthew 14:36.
The word whole comes from a Greek word holos which means all, altogether, complete, complete through and through. The word hugies is a Greek word which, translated into English means hygiene, and is used especially in the Gospels where sick folk were made whole, Matthew 12, 13, 15, 31; Mark 3:5; Mark 5:34; Luke 6:10; John 5:4, 6, 9, 11, 15; 23; also Acts 4:10; of sound (speech), Titus 2:8.
Likewise, the Greek word hapas signifies quite all, the whole. The word holos as used in John 7:23 in conjunction with every whit means altogether whole. It is clear from these Scriptures that God expects us to experience wholeness. He wishes for us complete healing of spirit, soul, and body. Completeness, wholeness; that is God’s plan.
Everywhere we look we find people who are in need of inner healing. They need to be brought back to wholeness in every area of their lives. But first, they must come to the realization that they need help. The Scripture says, “They that be whole need not a physician” (Matthew 9:12).
God did not intend that His children be sickly. He provided for the healing of our bodies in the atonement, just as surely as He provided for the salvation of our souls. This is fully documented by the Scriptures.
God has always had a plan for His people. He cares for His own, those who believe and trust in Him. The Israelites had an ordinance or promise of healing as they left Egypt and began their long journey through the wilderness (Exodus 15:25, 26). We have an ordinance or promise, if we take advantage of it and its benefits.
David exhorted us to remember the benefits of the Lord. Isaiah prophesied about the sin-bearer who also carried our sickness and pain. Many Scriptures document Jesus Christ as the Great Physician as well as the sacrificial Lamb.
The price was paid for the healing of our bodies by Jesus Christ in the atonement. According to Isaiah, “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). If we accept God’s plan of salvation and embrace it, then we also should accept His plan for the healing of our bodies and embrace it, and that means our emotional self, too. And why not? It is our benefit; whether we actually believe it or not, it is there for the asking! It is as simple as that: an acceptance which involves simple obedience, faith, and trust in Almighty God to fulfill His promises. God’s Word is sure.
Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
“God’s Word shall not return void,” declared T. W. Barnes at the Women’s Prayer Conference, 1991. “And so we speak the Word. Spoken words place pressure on the seeds planted. It’s like watering the seeds. It happens! Come forth! I speak to the Word, come forth!”
When we speak the Word, things happen, for God’s Word is true, and His Word shall not return void. As the rain comes down, prayer in faith believing makes the prayer request come forth and bud! It happens! The law of God makes it so. The law of faith brings your faith into fruition. Do not attempt to understand the human logic of the law of faith, for the supernatural is beyond the realm of human understanding. We are to do our part, which is to believe; set the law of faith into motion. God does His part, which is to see that our faith is brought into fruition.
The Great Commission declared that one of the signs following the preaching of the gospel would be the healing of the sick. “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18). “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:15). Do not fall short of receiving God’s benefits for you as a Christian. Embrace all of His promises.
In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve in perfect health. They could have lived forever in their perfect state, had they listened to God and obeyed His voice. But because of one man’s disobedience, sin and sickness came into the world. This was the work of the evil one who introduced disease and death into the world. But when the man Christ Jesus died to buy us back from Satan, He not only bore our iniquities but also our sicknesses. The stripes put on His back were for our healing. Healing is provided for everyone who will believe, trust in God, and follow biblical instructions.
While Jesus was on this earth, not once did He turn away a case as hopeless. Remember that nothing is impossible with God. This God-man healed all manner of diseases, including leprosy, palsy, mental illness, fever, paralysis, deafness, a withered hand, and the list could go on and on.
The man from Gadara was possessed by a legion of demons; he was wild. No one was able to control him. He was bound by chains and left to live among the tombs. When Jesus met the poor tormented soul, He cast out the demons, the man was made whole, and was found, “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). At last, he could go home to his family.
Jesus had compassion on all, no matter what the problem, sickness, or disease. The ministry of healing continued, even after Jesus ascended into heaven. It is the responsibility of the church to see that this healing ministry continues, even now in the church age, as it was practiced by the apostles. The Scriptures declare Jesus Christ to be the same yesterday, today, and forever. That means He can heal your body today, just as He did for others nearly two thousand years ago. His power has not diminished one iota since the days He walked the shores of Galilee, healing the sick and mending bodies and broken hearts.
You have a part in the healing ministry. Your job is to call for the elders of the church. God is specific with His instructions. If you follow His plan, you can expect to be healed, for God keeps His promises. Remember that you have a part, the elders have a part, and God has a part. Do your part, and you can count upon God to do His part, so expect miracles! “The prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:15).
Simple obedience and faith are all that is required of you to get your healing. Trusting and believing are often overlooked aspects of faith.
Some people find it difficult to trust God for healing. Could it be caused from a basic lack of trust? Are fear and doubt at work here?
To really understand faith and the work of faith in the human life, one must also understand fear and the destructive force this negative emotion generates in every aspect of the human being’s life. The spirit of fear is opposite to the spirit of faith. If you are overloaded with fear, then your faith cannot work for you. “Without faith it is impossible to please God,” so you need help from someone full of faith.
It is not God’s will for Christians to be paralyzed by fear, for “fear hath torment” (I John 4:18). Christ came to set you free. Why not allow God to break the chains that bind you? Rid yourself of the spirit of fear, and get hold of faith!
Chronic fear, worry, and negative thinking cause stress which results in heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and many other health problems.
You need freedom from fear, guilt, worry, and negative thoughts. You need victory over fear. Set aside a time each morning for Bible reading, meditation about God’s Word, and prayer. Internalize His words and His promises. Make them a part of your thoughts, your being, and your life. Believe them, for they are yours. As your faith increases, your confidence in Jesus Christ will rise, too. Victory over fear must come, because fear cannot remain where faith is. Form the habit of communicating with God every morning if you would live a life free from fear.
God is not pleased when His creation is fretful, fearful, and full of worry; rather, He desires us to be happy, free of worrisome thoughts, full of faith. Remember, God does not receive glory when we worry. God receives glory when we obey His plan and are healed. We can then witness of the power of God over sickness and disease. How wonderful to know that Jesus bore stripes for the healing of our bodies!
This article “Healing: A Biblical Perspective” was excerpted from the book Emotional Healing written by Edna Nation. It may be used for study & research purposes only.
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