If God/Jesus appeared to some Christians today and wanted to bless them or heal them, they would be like NO! This can't be God/Jesus! It must be Satan! God/Jesus wants us to suffer! This is a tragedy that is unfortunately very present among so many Christians today. The false theology behind this tragedy is known as "cessation-ism" which teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as healing the sick have stopped!
How convenient, isn't it? If we can't heal the sick like Jesus and his first disciples did, why blame it on our lack of faith, or our lack of understanding of the scriptures, or our sins? Let's blame it on God! Isn't that the ultimate road every unbeliever takes? Blame it on God! We prayed and it didn't work. THEREFORE, these gifts must have stopped! Is that really how it works? What did Jesus say?
Let's visit the gospel of Mark, chapter nine. Here we see a man from the crowd coming to Jesus and saying, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." What is Christ's response to the man? The gifts must have stopped? The gifts aren't for everyone? Not what the Scripture says! In verse 19, we read: "You unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." —Mark 19:9
Have you ever been to a Charismatic or Pentecostal church where they repudiate the doctrine of cessation-ism and don't shy away from praying and believing for miracles? I have, and I was desperate for a miracle. Words can't explain how desperate I was to be healed. The first church I went to was a meeting held by a pretty famous healing evangelist known as John Mellor.
I saw some people get healed but some didn't. Some fainted and fell on the floor. I could feel the presence of God. I could feel the abundance of strength, joy and peace that was present in that atmosphere, especially during the worship hour. But I wasn't healed and you know what? I could feel this extreme anger within me that wanted me to blaspheme the Holy Spirit and completely turn away from God and go somewhere quiet and commit suicide.
What am I trying to say here? If this stuff wasn't real, why did I feel so angry towards God, because I wasn't healed? To cut the long story short, it took me a while to completely understand how God's grace works. It is not by works, so that no one can boast. It is extremely sad that so many Christians don't completely understand this. They are still trying to earn what cannot be earned.
I wasn't healed instantly or should I say miraculously, but I did slowly improve especially after I came to realize what God's grace really is and how it works. It was only then that I could feel in my spirit that I can overcome the world per se. More importantly, I learned that what makes the biggest impression is not what we do in the good times; that’s easy—but rather how we respond in the tough times!
So, does God want us to suffer or prosper? Perhaps the answer to this question is not as black and white as many would like to think it is. If I had to choose one, I would definitely choose "prosper." YES! God wants us to prosper. In Jeremiah 29:11, God says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
The question that rises then is why is there suffering in the world? The answer is that suffering exists because of disobedience. Not necessarily our own sins, so I'm not saying that there is perfect justice in this world. But what I am saying is that because of our sins, there is pain and suffering in this world. Sometimes or should I say most of the times, it is our own fault whereas other times it is someone else's fault.
The suffering that we're called to endure under preaching the Gospel is the persecution that comes from standing on the Word of God. It is not sickness or poverty. You cannot be a blessing to others and work in the Kingdom of God, if you're so sick that you can't even get out of bed, or if you're so poor that you can't even survive! To conflate prosperity with suffering in this manner is a huge mistake that will only lead to the death of the church.
Now back to the main question. Does Jesus still heal the sick today? I'm going to say absolutely yes. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He hasn't changed and He will never change. Why is it then that some people aren't healed? I do not understand all of the reasons behind it but some reasons are very clearly laid out in the scriptures.
There can be certain spiritual blocks in our lives that can prevent us from being healed. These spiritual blocks hinder us from fully walking in the Spirit and as a result receiving the gifts and blessings of God in this very life. Some of these spiritual blocks can be unforgiveness, ignorance, willful disobedience, lack of faith or unbelief, not being honest or transparent, letting fear into your heart, bitterness, anger, resentment, pursuing signs, etc. To find out more from John Mellor's perspective, click here.
