Those of you who know me, already know of my personal experiences and testimony of healing. I can also tell of literally countless stories of others who’ve God has healed, and that I have personally witnessed. Many people ask me if God still heals, then why are people sick? The answer to that is not a complicated one, in-fact some may even be surprised by how simple it is from a Bible perspective.

The title of today’s message hints at one of the many questions that people ask when discussing the healing of God, and this message today will set many of you free who have been wondering about these same things.

First we must understand a basic truth. That God does not want you sick!

The Bible is absolutely full of words regarding how God desires for us to prosper and have an abundant life in all things, but for now let’s simply take one of those many verses, 3rd John 1:2:

“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”

This verse make it clear that above all things God desires for us to prosper and be in health. Who is the beloved of God today? We are! All of us that are in Christ Jesus are indeed God’s beloved.

Now often times when I teach about this, I hear people say, “Well James, what about the man who was born blind?” So let us take a look at that scripture now, and let us be released from this false idea which keeps people in bondage, that God makes people sick. The man that was born blind is found in John 9:1-3:

“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

So as we examine this, we see first what was going on in the minds of the disciples. They were focused entirely on sin and blame. Notice by their foolish question “Who did sin?”. The man was born blind, so for him to have sinned, he would’ve had to sin while still inside the womb.

This does though lead to an interesting point. All have sinned, but all people carry the original sin of Adam, from Genesis. We must understand that it is not sin that makes people sinners, but it is because they are already sinners that they commit sin.

Never-the-less it is not the job of pastors and preachers to condemn people of their sin. While I understand the heart of such people, it is simply not our job. Our job is to show people the way out through Jesus Christ, not to condemn them further. Our job is not to cause the sinner to feel worse about them-self, but to show them the more excellent way of life through Jesus.

Jesus knew this, and so in the verses we have just read He quickly derails their thoughts of condemnation and shows them something better. And what He said next has confused people for many years and caused people (even pastors) to think that God causes people to be sick… but this is not the case at all.

We must understand that Gods ways are higher then ours, and His thoughts likewise are greater and deeper than ours. I know that this phrase has been used often to explain away things in a vain and useless manner… and I always hated it when leaders who never truly understood things used it just to get away from the questions. Rest assured that this is not my intention here! In this case, I actually mean it the way that it was said. God literally thinks and acts on a higher level then we do… even the most brilliant of humans cannot match intelligence with God; and Jesus proved it right here by what He said.

Let’s take another look at John 9:3:

“Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

Jesus was demonstrating a higher form of intelligence, a better thought-process than what we have or are used to. You see, where the others saw a miserable state, Jesus saw the opportunity for a miracle.

Where others saw lack, Jesus saw the fullness of God. Notice that the disciples never bothered or even tried to heal the man… they simply wanted to know how he got that way, but never reached out a hand of healing. Jesus saw the grace and mercy of God in that man’s situation, and in verse 6 He healed the blind man.

Notice also that He did not make the blind man wait until a later time. Jesus healed the blind man as the blind man met Jesus. Jesus could’ve said, “Go and wait three weeks and your eyes will be opened”, but no, He healed the man the very same day!

Can God use a miraculous healing to spark the faith of others? Absolutely, as is the case with the blind man. But God never places sickness or disease or disability on anyone. To do so would be like a doctor purposefully making someone sick just to show that they can cure them! That is abusive and deranged. We would put people like that into special homes. Yet some believers, some pastors even think that this is how God behaves toward His children.

No my friends, Our Heavenly Father is loving, kind and merciful. He sent Jesus who took stripes on His back for our healing. Jesus suffered the full punishment for the sin of the entire world so that we would never have to suffer. He bore every sickness and disease in His own body so that we would be free from sickness and disease.

Take from Him. Let His sacrifice for you wash you clean. Let His punishment in your place set you free. Believe on Him and find peace and rest for your entire being, body, soul and spirit.