I often get questions about healing—what the Bible says, how it applies today, and why it sometimes feels like healing doesn’t happen. These questions come from a variety of perspectives. Some people are genuinely seeking to understand, while others, though well-meaning, resist thinking beyond what they’ve always been taught.
Healing is a profound topic in Scripture, and it’s essential to approach it with humility and a heart open to God’s Word. In this blog, I’ve compiled some common questions I’ve encountered about healing and provided brief answers rooted in scripture. My hope is that these answers bless you, challenge you, and encourage you to dig deeper into God’s Word for yourself.
Let’s explore these questions together and see what God has to say!
- Objection 1: “Sickness is part of the fallen world, and it happens to the just and unjust. Just deal with it”
- Objection 2: “But what about Job, and when God sent plagues, and made people suffer. I could be one too!”
- Objection 3: “Even Jesus couldn’t heal everyone”
- Objection 4: “Hey, The disciples couldn’t heal someone, so not everyone gets healed.”
- Objection 5: “Paul had an eye disease or other physical infirmity that God wouldn’t heal. So what makes you special!?”
- Objection 6: “Epaphroditus was sick almost to death, proving sickness can be God’s will.”
- Objection 7: “Paul left Trophimus sick in 2 Timothy 4:20, suggesting God doesn’t always heal.”
- Objection 8: “Bro, Paul even advised Timothy to take wine for His stomach. Why didn’t he just rebuke the sickness?”
- Objection 9: “Paul was made sick by God (Paul’s thorn), and God refused to heal him. How about that?”
- Objection 10: “C’mon brother, that verse is metaphorical, all doesn’t mean ALL!”
- Objection 11: “My ministry leader who has reached millions got sick in the last pandemic. Are you saying you are better than him?”
- Objection 12: “Beware of God’s judgement for giving false hope!”
- Objection 13: “James told us to be careful what you teach. You are teaching an erroneous doctrine”
- Objection 14: “God has a Purpose in my Suffering”
- Conclusion: Restoring Biblical Faith in Healing
Objection 1: “Sickness is part of the fallen world, and it happens to the just and unjust. Just deal with it”
Yes, sickness is a result of living in a fallen world. The Bible teaches that through Adam’s sin, death and decay entered the world (Romans 5:12). However, Isaiah 53:5 declares, “By His stripes we are healed,” referring to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Some argue that this healing is purely spiritual, but Matthew 8:14-17 directly connects this prophecy to physical healing, as Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, fulfilling Isaiah’s words.
Jesus emphasized, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). This victory includes the power to heal, demonstrated throughout His ministry. Every healing shows Jesus’ heart to restore. But before you brush it aside saying that “Hey c’mon! That was Jesus”, Jesus himself said in John 20:21 that as the Father sent Him he is sending us. That is why it is mentioned in Mark 16:17-18 that believers SHALL (a very strong word) lay hands on the sick. It’s something that WE ARE TO DO.
Also read Why people get sick and the answer to all of it is ONE, Ministering Healing is your responsibility
Objection 2: “But what about Job, and when God sent plagues, and made people suffer. I could be one too!”
- Job Was Not Under the New Covenant: Job lived long before the New Covenant and was not a new creation in Christ. He lacked the mediator, promises, and relationship with God that believers have through Jesus.
- Satan, Not God, Attacked Job: Job’s suffering was caused by Satan, not God (Job 1:12). God permitted it because Job lacked the protective covenant believers have today.
- Temporary Suffering and Restoration: Job’s suffering lasted a few months (some estimate around nine months, though the Bible doesn’t specify). At the end, Job was healed, and God doubled his blessings (Job 42:10-16).
- Job Lacked a Mediator: Job expressed his frustration over having no mediator to intercede between him and God (Job 9:33-35). Today, Jesus serves as our mediator, enabling believers to access God’s promises, including healing (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
Objection 3: “Even Jesus couldn’t heal everyone”
The Accounts in Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6: These passages highlight that Jesus didn’t do many mighty works in Nazareth, but He still healed those who came to Him. Mark 6:5 states, “He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.” Every person who came to Jesus was healed. The majority of the town rejected Jesus, preventing them from receiving healing. Offended at Him, they stayed distant, refusing to come forward. Unbelief limits God’s work, but it does not mean healing is not His will. Jesus healed all who came to Him, even in Nazareth.
Also read Healing for ALL
Objection 4: “Hey, The disciples couldn’t heal someone, so not everyone gets healed.”
The Accounts in Matthew 17:14-21 and Mark 9:14-29: The disciples failed to cast out a demon, and Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief, not the boy’s lack of faith. Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). The failure was not God’s will but the disciples’ lack of faith. Jesus demonstrated God’s will by healing the boy, showing that failure in healing reflects human unbelief, not God’s unwillingness to heal.
Also read Understanding Failure in Ministering: Faith Insights
Objection 5: “Paul had an eye disease or other physical infirmity that God wouldn’t heal. So what makes you special!?“
Galatians 4:12-15: Paul refers to a physical infirmity when he first preached in Galatia. The Greek word astheneia means “weakness” and does not necessarily imply sickness. When you read the context in Acts 14:19-22 describes Paul being stoned and left for dead shortly before preaching in Galatia. His “infirmity” referred to the physical effects of persecution, not a disease. Paul’s infirmity was a result of persecution, not sickness, and is not evidence that God allowed persistent illness in his life.
Also read Jesus vs the Devil: Courtroom Drama: The Case of the Sick Believer, Debunking Paul’s thorn
Objection 6: “Epaphroditus was sick almost to death, proving sickness can be God’s will.”
Philippians 2:25-30: The term for “sick” here is astheneo, meaning “weak.” The context suggests Epaphroditus was physically weakened from overexertion in ministry. In any case, the passage clearly states that God healed him, demonstrating His mercy and willingness to restore. Even if Epaphroditus experienced physical sickness, he was healed. This confirms God’s will for healing, not prolonged suffering.
Objection 7: “Paul left Trophimus sick in 2 Timothy 4:20, suggesting God doesn’t always heal.”
The Greek word for “sick” here is also astheneo, meaning “weak.” It likely refers to physical exhaustion rather than illness. Paul doesn’t attribute blame or failure, nor does he imply that Trophimus’ condition reflects God’s will. Even if Paul did leave him sick, one person’s experience does not negate the biblical doctrine of healing. Paul’s ministry reflects the will of God for healing, even if specific instances didn’t reflect the fullness of His promises.
Objection 8: “Bro, Paul even advised Timothy to take wine for His stomach. Why didn’t he just rebuke the sickness?”
Paul’s advice in 1 Timothy 5:23, to take wine for Timothy’s stomach issues, reflects the idea that there is no wrong way to seek healing. Whether through natural remedies or supernatural intervention, the focus should always remain on God as the ultimate healer. Timothy using wine to manage his condition does not negate faith but shows that practical solutions and divine healing can coexist.
This is similar to Paul working as a tentmaker for income (Acts 18:3) while Jesus supernaturally provided tax money through a fish (Matthew 17:27). There’s no rigid formula for how God meets our needs, but the key is trust. Whether through medicine or a miracle, we recognize God as the source. What matters is the faith and trust placed in Him during the process.
Objection 9: “Paul was made sick by God (Paul’s thorn), and God refused to heal him. How about that?”
Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) is often cited to suggest that sickness is part of the Christian life. However, the phrase “thorn in the flesh” in scripture consistently refers to persecution or opposition from people (e.g., Numbers 33:55). Paul’s thorn was not a physical illness but persecution from people opposing his ministry.
God’s response to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you,” emphasizes His sustaining power in persecution, not sickness. Suffering persecution for the gospel is different from suffering sickness. Sickness is never portrayed as a tool of God in the New Testament. If we teach contentment in sickness as Paul’s example, it contradicts the ministry of Jesus, who healed all who came to Him (Matthew 8:16-17) and never suggested sickness was part of God’s plan.
Objection 10: “C’mon brother, that verse is metaphorical, all doesn’t mean ALL!”
Jesus’ statement in Mark 11:23, about moving mountains, is often dismissed as a metaphor. Critics of healing often extend this metaphorical approach to other passages, undermining the Bible’s promises. Jesus healing all, the stripes of Jesus providing healing, and the authority of believers are sometimes treated as metaphors to fit a theology that dismisses miracles. However, throughout the gospels, Jesus’ actions are literal, not symbolic. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and empowered His disciples to do the same (Luke 9:1-2). Who benefits when we reduce these accounts to metaphors? Certainly not those in need of healing. Faith in God’s Word and its power is meant to be lived out, not explained away.
Objection 11: “My ministry leader who has reached millions got sick in the last pandemic. Are you saying you are better than him?”
It’s true that many faithful missionaries and believers contract illnesses despite their faith. However, this does not mean it is God’s will. Mark 9:14-29 recounts how the disciples failed to heal a boy, not because of God’s will but due to their lack of faith. Jesus rebuked them for this failure, highlighting that faith is essential for seeing God’s power manifest.
Faithfulness in ministry does not automatically equate to strong faith. Jesus praised the centurion’s faith (Matthew 8:5-13) over that of religious leaders or His own disciples. Sadly, some Christians attribute sickness in prominent leaders to God’s will rather than considering a lack of faith or understanding. This mindset stems from human reasoning rather than biblical teaching. The New Testament attributes failure in healing to unbelief or misunderstanding, never to God’s desire to teach through sickness.
Objection 12: “Beware of God’s judgement for giving false hope!”
Promising healing is only misleading if misunderstood. Faith requires hope (Hebrews 11:1), and Jesus consistently modeled faith and authority when healing the sick. Critics often suggest that healing depends on the sick person’s faith, but Jesus frequently healed without requiring faith from the recipient. Instead, He expected faith from those ministering healing. Mark 9:19 shows Jesus rebuking His disciples, not the sick, for their lack of faith. Biblical healing is rooted in faith and authority, not in ambiguous hope or reliance on circumstances.
Objection 13: “James told us to be careful what you teach. You are teaching an erroneous doctrine”
James 5:14-15 asks, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will make the sick person well.” The Bible doesn’t qualify this with “if it’s God’s will.” Teaching “if it’s Your will” regarding healing undermines faith and directly contradicts James’ instructions.
The prevalence of healing in places with simple faith, such as rural areas, compared to skepticism in more technologically advanced regions, reflects this principle. Faith flourishes where people trust God’s Word without intellectualizing or doubting His promises. Western skepticism often diminishes the faith required to see God’s power manifest. This highlights the need to return to the Bible, teaching healing with boldness and rejecting traditions that dilute scriptural truth.
Objection 14: “God is trying to mould me through suffering“
James 1:2 says to “consider it pure joy when you face trials,”. Lots of people use this verse to say that we need to rejoice, as God is moulding us. After all this is a test of faith and it produces endurance and completes us (James 1:3-4).
However, fast forward it to James 1:12 and we see the ones suffering these trials as “blessed” because once they overcome the trials, they get the crown of life. When you just read it, as is, it gives the indication that God is the one testing us.
But, is it?
Unfortunately it’s another erroneous teaching that’s been floating around in churches. You see in James 1:2 it says “consider it pure joy when you face trials” and the Greek word for trials is peirasmois of Strongs G3986.
Keep reading and in James 1:13 clarifies that God does not tempt or bring trials
13 Let no one say when he is tempted (peirazomenos, derived from peirasmois), “I am being tempted (peirazomai, from peirasmois) by God”; for God cannot be tempted (apeirastos, a negated form related to peirasmois) by evil, and He Himself does not tempt (peirazei, another form of peirasmois) anyone.
14 But each one is tempted (peirazetai, from peirasmois) when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
15 Then, when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.
James 1:13-15
It cannot be clear than this. It says clearly that no one should say that I am being tested by God. This is referring to same test of faith which produces endurance and making us lacking in nothing. But James is saying in no unclear terms – your test of faith is not from God. He also adds to it by saying that we should not be deceived but understand that every perfect and good gift is from above. He knew that Christianity would be infiltrated by vain philosophies which taught that God is testing our faith by giving us problems so that you will be moulded to his image, and that this sickness is from God, and what not.
It’s a disinformation which has roots from the pit of hell. Teaching that God uses sickness to teach lessons is inconsistent with His nature. God teaches through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16) and the Holy Spirit, not through sickness. need to align our beliefs with scripture.
James says it very clearly about what led to those trials. It’s us. It’s when we get carried away by our own flesh and results in problems. But God being the amazing God who promised in Rom 8:28 that he works all things together for good he made our whole mess up into a situation where we can grow and receive crown of life. That’s God the Father.
Conclusion: Restoring Biblical Faith in Healing
The New Testament consistently emphasizes healing as God’s will. Jesus healed all who came to Him and empowered His disciples to do the same. Misinterpreting scripture to justify sickness undermines the gospel’s power. Believers must stand on the truth of God’s Word, even when it challenges traditions or comfort zones. Healing is not a metaphor but a reality demonstrated by Jesus and promised to His followers. Let us boldly reclaim this truth and walk in the authority God has given us.
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