All of us require healing, both physical and spiritual (Romans 3:23). No one can go through life without injury or illness, and none of us can escape death (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

In the process of dying, body parts fail to function properly, and in old age atrophy sets in before death. However, there is one Saviour, Jesus Christ, who can raise the dead (John 11:1-45) and heal both body and soul (Romans 12:1, 2). Those raised in Him by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11) are given new life, i.e., their spirit is enlivened (John 3:3) by God’s life-giving Spirit. God will, in His own time, unite them with their new resurrected bodies when His Son comes again (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7) with His angels.

Bruises, scratches and grazes miraculously heal themselves – although in fact, they are healed by God; for all healing comes from Him (Deuteronomy 32:39). He upholds all things according to His will (Hebrews 1:3). He gives physical healing to believers and non-believers alike, and His grace extends to both.

God doesn’t always heal physical ailments – even those of whom He loves, as was the case with Paul the Apostle who had a ‘thorn’ in his flesh which he described as ‘a messenger of Satan’. Instead, God told Paul that His grace was sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Injury and illness bring pain, and if the pain is to go away, healing must take place. So when it comes to life-threatening and serious illnesses most of us seek the help of a doctor. Of course, if we are disciples of Christ we look to Him for our healing – that’s not to say we ignore doctors. Most likely we’ll accept their diagnosis and take the medicine they prescribe.

On looking to Christ for healing we place our trust in Him, and we are heartened by the numerous *miracles of healing He performed (Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 4:40). More often than not Jesus healed people instantly. He didn’t keep them waiting around. He cast out demons, and He healed thousands of ill people (Matthew 8:16, 17).

However, the question must be asked, “What is more important – His healing of bodies or of souls?”

When He forgives sins, He heals souls, and He transforms them by imparting to them new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). The transformation is spiritual, and it is of the Holy Spirit. Although souls are transformed, bodies remain unchanged, and they are subject to decay and death. However, the resurrected bodies of the redeemed will never experience illness or pain (Revelation 21:4) and the redeemed will live for ever in the new heaven (22:5) Therefore in man’s first state of sin (Romans 3:23) God’s healing of his soul is of greater importance than the healing of his body, because without God’s healing of the soul he cannot inherit eternal life.

How are souls healed? By God-given faith in His Son (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 2:8, 9) who died on the cross and was raised to life to sit at the Father’s right hand (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus bore the sins of those for whom He died, that ‘they might live for righteousness (Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1 Peter 2:24)’,

All men and women everywhere are commanded by Jesus to, ‘Repent, and believe (Mark 1:15).’ Have you obeyed His command?

* The Miracles of Jesus

https://thebiblicalway.blog/2018/01/09/the-miracles-of-jesus/