Ask most church people if God can heal the sick and the answer is normally “Yes.” The next question involves His willingness to do so. The usual answer, based on personal experience, is “no.” Because sickness has become a normal and expected part of the “Christian walk,” and because He has promised to heal His people, most of those in professing Christendom have, at various times, asked the Lord to heal them of an infirmity. In the vast majority of cases the Lord fails to do what He promised to do, which surprises no one, which brings up the ultimate question: WHY? In the vast majority of cases we find that, according to those in the Institutional Church, the fault lies, not with them, but with the Lord Himself. Answers vary according to group affiliation. “Sometimes God says ‘No'” is the most often used excuse for His failure to produce on a promise. But the explanation one will not hear is the Biblical one.

The ultimate problem with the Institutional Church relative to the Lord’s promises is that she is quick to believe the promises, but refuses to acknowledge the conditions that must be met in order to receive those promises. It is so much easier to embrace what their false prophets tell them: “Only believe.” We have all been told numerous times that all we need to do is “believe” in order to receive salvation, healing, prosperity, protection from nature, etc. Is this true? Churchman’s eternity depends on 1) his answer to that question, and 2) his response to the answer.

In Exodus 15:26 God told the Israelites: “I am your God Who heals you.”  He reiterates the promise in Deuteronomy 7:15. He told His people that He was their God, meaning that He would heal them of their infirmities IF, AND ONLY IF, HE WAS THEIR GOD. In Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 He told those same people (and us–their physical and spiritual descendants) that IF THEY (WE) WOULD OBEY HIM (making Him their-our–God) HE WOULD NOT ONLY HEAL THEM (US), but that He would place their (our)  diseases on their (our) enemies. So why does the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) do the exact opposite of what He promised to do for those who claim to believe in Him? Why does He treat the churched exactly as He treats the unchurched? Why do those who call themselves His people suffer disease, natural disasters, financial failure, etc. the same as those who openly reject Him? The following is a scenario that takes place thousands of times each day. Two people “come down with” the same disease; they go to the same hospital; they receive the same treatment, medicine, etc. administered by the same doctors. One prays consistently, the other does not.  They both leave the hospital at the same time equally free of their infirmity? One thanks God for his “healing,” the other thanks the doctors. WHO’S RIGHT?

The Almighty miraculously healed multitudes of people through Jesus Christ (Mat. 4:23,24; 15:30). Following His Son’s death, He healed many people through the apostles (Acts 15:12-16). In James 5:14,15 He promises healing in these modern times. He is truly the God Who does not change (Mal. 3:6). However, He refuses to heal church people of their diseases, deliver them from their spiritual devils, etc. GOD TREATS THOSE INSIDE THE CHURCH EXACTLY AS HE TREATS THOSE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH. The question remains: WHY?

The answer to the question is repeated many times in the Holy Scriptures. God refuses to hear church people’s prayers for healing for three basic reasons: 1) ignorance of His Word, 2) lack of faith in His Word, and 3) disobedience toward His Word. In all spiritual matters–EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO GOD’S WORD. By refusing to study ALL of His Word, church people remain ignorant of what the Lord said. Instead they rely on their false prophets who, in order to maintain their popularity, tell them only about His promises. They then lie to them about the conditions which are as steadfast and sure as the promises. For these reasons parishioners BELIEVE IN THE LORD BUT DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE SAID. As a result their “heaven is as iron.” GOD DOES NOT HEAR THEIR PRAYERS.

Due to their refusal to search the Scriptures for the answer to the WHY question, many do not believe that healing is for this modern age. Due to a lack of faith in and ignorance of God’s Word they believe that He has produced great advancements in medical science as a substitute for His miraculous power. A good example of this mindset greeted me as I walked into a hospital waiting room where a picture on the wall showed doctors operating on a patient with Jesus showing them where to cut. This picture was undoubtedly painted by a “Christian.”

The Lord’s will for those who believe Him and obey Him is as sure as it was in the Garden of Eden. But like Adam and Eve, we must believe and obey His Words in order for Him to fulfill His will for us. This is the crux of the “IF factor.” Unfortunately, Satan’s no Law–only grace; no obedience–only believe theology has been embraced by the church. As a result billions of parishioners are believing and living his lies. By serving him they have cut themselves off from the Lord’s promises. L.J.