Godchaser Podcast
Join Evan Evans on The God Chaser Podcast, a weekly exploration of faith, spirituality, and personal growth centered on Jesus Christ. Evan, a devoted believer and captivating host guides listeners through engaging conversations and thought-provoking discussions that deepen their understanding of Christ and His teachings.
We delve into topics such as Christ's teachings, the power of prayer, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the importance of community in spiritual growth. The God Chaser Podcast aims to inspire and challenge listeners, equipping them with the tools and insights needed to live a more fulfilling, Christ-centered life.
Whether you're a seasoned believer or just beginning your faith journey, The God Chaser Podcast with Evan Evans supports and nourishes your spiritual growth. Subscribe to Apple Podcasts and join us each week as we chase after the heart of Jesus, embracing the transformative power of His love and grace.
Godchaser Podcast
When Prayers Go Unanswered: The Complex Truth About Divine Healing
Hands laid on your head in a prayer line. Believing with everything in you that healing is coming. Then... nothing changes. The symptoms remain. The test results stay the same. The wheelchair is still necessary.
We've all experienced it—that devastating moment when prayers for healing seem to bounce off Heaven's ceiling. Faith collides with reality, leaving us questioning not just our beliefs about healing, but our understanding of God Himself. Does God still heal? Or have we been fooling ourselves?
In this raw, unfiltered exploration of divine healing, we move beyond simplistic formulas and convenient testimonies to wrestle with what Scripture actually teaches. The Bible presents a more nuanced picture than many modern teachings acknowledge. While Jesus healed constantly and empowered His disciples to do the same, Scripture also shows faithful believers like Paul who received grace to endure rather than healing, Timothy with his chronic stomach issues, and Trophimus whom Paul "left sick at Miletus."
Discover why the popular teaching that links healing directly to faith level creates unnecessary guilt and condemnation. Learn about God's sovereignty over healing and the various ways He works—sometimes through immediate supernatural intervention, sometimes through gradual improvement, sometimes through medicine, and sometimes through the grace to endure. Understand the biblical perspective that every believer will ultimately receive complete healing, if not in this life, then certainly in resurrection.
If you've ever felt like a failure because your prayers weren't answered, if you've wondered whether God plays favorites with miracles, or if you're trying to make sense of ongoing illness despite faithful prayer, this episode offers both biblical truth and compassionate hope. Your worth isn't measured by your health status. Your faith isn't determined by whether you receive healing. And God's love for you remains unchanged, regardless of your physical condition.
Subscribe now and join the journey of becoming a true God Chaser—someone who pursues God's heart rather than just His hands, who trusts His character even when His ways are mysterious, and who finds hope beyond physical healing.
Keep chasing after God
Welcome to the God Chaser podcast, where we pursue the heart of God and explore the depths of His wisdom. I'm your host, evan Evans. You've been there standing in that prayer line, hands laid on your head, believing with everything in you that this is the moment. This is when God shows up, this is when the diagnosis gets reversed, when the pain stops, when the miracle everyone's been praying for finally happens. You go home expectant, checking your body for signs of change, waiting for the phone call with good news from the doctor, and then nothing. The symptoms remain, the test results are the same, the wheelchair is still necessary, the medication is still required and you're left wondering does God still heal? Or have I been fooling myself this whole time? Welcome back to the God Chaser podcast. I'm Evan Evans, and this is episode two of our series, the Questions no One's Asking. If you missed our first episode on God's silence, go back and listen to that, because it sets the foundation for the raw honesty we're bringing to these conversations.
Speaker 1:Today we're tackling one of the most emotionally charged questions in Christianity divine healing. Not the sanitized version you hear in conferences, where every story ends with a miracle. Not the polished testimonies that make healing sound simple and guaranteed. We're talking about the messy reality of faith and healing in a world where good people suffer, where faithful believers die young, where some get their miracles and others don't. This isn't about questioning God's power. Scripture is clear that he can heal anything. This is about wrestling with His will, his timing and what it means to have faith for healing when your experience doesn't match what you've been taught to expect.
Speaker 1:If you've ever felt like a failure because your prayers for healing weren't answered, if you've ever felt like a failure because your prayers for healing weren't answered, if you've wondered whether lack of faith was keeping you sick, if you've questioned whether God plays favorites when it comes to miracles, this episode is for you.
Speaker 1:We're going to look at what Scripture actually says about healing, not what popular teaching claims it says. We're going to address the uncomfortable questions about why some people get healed and others don't, and we're going to find hope and faith that doesn't depend on getting the miracle you're asking for. Remember, this podcast is here to help you study God's Word, not just passively listen. Take notes, look up these scriptures yourself and let the Holy Spirit teach you as we dive deep into one of faith's most challenging topics. Get ready for some truth that might challenge what you've been taught, some hope that doesn't depend on circumstances, and some questions that will make you think deeper about what it really means to trust God with your health, your family's health and your future, and provides practical guidance to help you become a true God Chaser, discover the transformative power of pursuing God's presence and be inspired to reignite your spiritual journey.
Speaker 2:Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and get ready to embark on an adventure that will change your life forever. Welcome to the God Chaser Podcast. Let the chase begin.
Speaker 1:Episode 2, does God Still Heal or Am I fooling myself? Welcome back to the God Chaser podcast. I'm Evan Evans, and if you're joining us for the first time, you've stepped into a conversation that doesn't shy away from the hard questions of faith. This is episode two of our series the questions no one's Asking, and today we're diving into one of the most emotionally charged topics in Christianity divine healing. Before we begin, let me remind you that this podcast is designed to help you study God's Word, not just listen passively. Keep your Bible open, take notes and let the Holy Spirit be your teacher as we walk through these scriptures together. Last week, we talked about God's silence, those seasons when heaven feels shut up and our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. Today, we're addressing a related but distinct struggle. What happens when God's silence isn't the issue, but his apparent selectiveness is what do you do when you believe in divine healing? You've seen it happen for others, but it hasn't happened for you. Let's start with what we know to be true from Scripture. From scripture God can heal, god does heal, god wants to heal.
Speaker 1:The Bible is filled with accounts of miraculous healing, from Genesis to Revelation. Jesus spent much of his earthly ministry healing the sick, and he gave his disciples power to do the same. Mark, chapter 16, verse 17 to 18, states that Jesus said these miraculous signs will accompany those who believe. They will cast out demons in my name and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety and if they drink anything poisonous it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and they will be healed. James, chapter 5, verse 14 to 15, instructs us are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer, offered in faith, will heal the sick and the Lord will make you well and if you have committed any sins. These aren't suggestions or outdated promises. These are clear biblical instructions about divine healing.
Speaker 1:God's power to heal hasn't diminished. His desire to heal hasn't changed. So why do so many sincere believers struggle with unanswered prayers for healing? The problem isn't with God's ability or willingness to heal. The problem is with our understanding of how healing works, when it works and why it sometimes doesn't work the way we expect. We've been taught formulas for healing that don't match the complex reality of Scripture. We've been given guarantees that the Bible doesn't actually offer. We've been told that healing is always God's will, but then we watch godly people suffer and die while ungodly people live in perfect health. If you study healing in the New Testament carefully, you'll discover that it's far more complex than most teaching suggests. Yes, there are dramatic instances of immediate complete healing, but there are also examples of believers who weren't healed, who struggled with ongoing health issues, who died of sickness despite having tremendous faith. Let's look at some examples that might surprise you.
Speaker 1:Paul, the great apostle, who performed extraordinary miracles and raised the dead, had what he called a thorn in my flesh. In 2 Corinthians 12, verse seven to nine, he says so to keep me from becoming proud. I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Paul asked for healing three times. This wasn't a casual request. He begged the Lord and God's answer wasn't healing. It was grace to endure. God's power was going to be displayed, not through removing Paul's weakness, but through sustaining him in it. Timothy, paul's spiritual son and a faithful minister, had ongoing stomach problems. In 1 Timothy, chapter 5, verse 23,. Paul advises him don't drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach, because you are sick so often. Paul didn't pray for Timothy's healing. He recommended medicine. This wasn't a lack of faith. It was practical wisdom from an apostle who understood that God sometimes chooses to heal through natural means rather than supernatural intervention.
Speaker 1:Epaphroditus, a co-worker with Paul, nearly died while working for Christ, according to Philippians, chapter 2, verse 27. Paul says and he certainly did become ill, in fact he almost died, but God had mercy on him and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. Notice that Paul doesn't say Epaphroditus was healed because of great faith or powerful prayer. He says God had mercy on him. The healing was an act of divine mercy, not the result of a formula. Even more challenging is Paul's statement in 2 Timothy, chapter 4, verse 20. Erastus stayed at Corinth and I left Trophimus sick at Miletus. Paul, who had raised Eutychus from the dead in Acts, chapter 20, left Trophimus sick. Why didn't he heal him? Why didn't he at least pray for him? The text doesn't explain, but it shows us that even the apostles didn't see healing as automatic or guaranteed.
Speaker 1:Here's where we need to grapple with the truth that makes many Christians uncomfortable. God is sovereign over healing. He chooses when to heal, how to heal and whether to heal. This doesn't mean he's arbitrary or capricious. It means he operates from wisdom and knowledge that we don't possess. Isaiah, chapter 55, verse 8 to 9, reminds us my thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord, and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. God sees things we can't see. He knows things we don't know. He understands connections and consequences that are completely invisible to us. Sometimes healing would actually harm us in ways we can't comprehend.
Speaker 1:Sometimes sickness serves purposes that only become clear in eternity. This doesn't mean we shouldn't pray for healing or that we should passively accept sickness. It means we pray with faith while acknowledging God's sovereign right to answer in ways that serve His greater purposes for our lives. Romans 8, verse 28 promises and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. For them. Everything includes the healings and the non-healings. Everything includes the miracles and the ongoing struggles. God can work all of it together for our ultimate good, even when we can't see how. One of the most damaging teachings in modern Christianity is the idea that healing is always dependent on having enough faith and if you're not healed it's because your faith is deficient. This puts an unbearable burden on sick people and creates guilt and condemnation where God intended grace and comfort.
Speaker 1:Let's look at what Jesus actually said about faith and healing. In Matthew, chapter 17, verse 20, jesus told his disciples you don't have enough faith. I tell you the truth. In Matthew 17, verse 20, jesus told his disciples the mustard seed was the smallest seed known in that culture. Jesus was saying that authentic faith, even in tiny amounts, can accomplish impossible things. He wasn't saying you need great faith to see miracles. He was saying you need genuine faith, no matter how small. But here's what's crucial Jesus never said that every act of faith would result in the specific outcome you're asking for. He said that faith can move mountains, but he didn't say it would always move the particular mountain you want moved in the way you want it moved.
Speaker 1:Look at Jesus' own experience with faith and healing. In Mark, chapter 6, verse 5 to 6, we read. In Mark, chapter 6, verse 5 to 6, we read and he was amazed at their unbelief. Even Jesus was limited by unbelief, not his own, but the unbelief of the people around him. This shows us that healing often involves more than just the faith of the person who needs healing. It involves the spiritual atmosphere, the faith of the community and factors that go beyond any individual's level of faith.
Speaker 1:Another aspect of healing that we often misunderstand is timing. We live in an instant culture where we expect immediate results, but God often works on a different timeline than we do. Lazarus is a perfect example of this. When Mary and Martha sent word that Lazarus was sick, jesus didn't rush to heal him. John, chapter 11, verse 6, tells us so. Although Jesus loved Martha, mary and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. From their perspective, jesus was late. From God's perspective, he was right on time. When Jesus finally arrived, lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha said in verse 21, lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. She was essentially saying you could have healed him if you had come sooner. But Jesus had something bigger in mind than healing he was planning resurrection.
Speaker 1:Sometimes God delays healing because he has something greater than healing in mind. Sometimes the delay itself serves purposes we can't see. Sometimes our faith grows more in the waiting than it would in the immediate answer. Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 3, reminds us this vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. God's timing is perfect, even when it doesn't align with our urgency.
Speaker 1:The Bible reveals that God heals in various ways, and understanding this can help us recognize his healing power, even when it doesn't look like what we expected. Immediate supernatural healing this is what most people think of when they hear divine healing. Jesus touched blind eyes and they immediately saw. He spoke to paralyzed limbs and they instantly functioned. He commanded diseases to leave and they departed immediately. This type of healing still happens today and is a demonstration of God's absolute power over sickness and disease.
Speaker 1:Gradual Supernatural Healing Sometimes God heals over time rather than instantly. Luke, chapter 17, verse 11 to 19, tells the story of 10 lepers who were cleansed as they went to show themselves to the priests. The healing happened gradually as they obeyed Jesus's instructions. Many people experience this type of healing where symptoms gradually improve in ways that medical science can't fully explain. Healing through medical means God created the human body with remarkable ability to heal itself, and he gave humans intelligence to develop medical treatments. When medicine works, when surgery is successful, when therapy brings improvement, this is also God's healing power at work through natural means. The fact that healing comes through doctors and medication doesn't make it less divine Emotional and Spiritual Healing.
Speaker 1:Sometimes the deepest healing needed isn't physical, but emotional or spiritual. The deepest healing needed isn't physical, but emotional or spiritual. God may choose to heal broken hearts, damaged relationships or spiritual wounds rather than physical ailments. This type of healing is just as miraculous and just as needed, even though it's less visible. Healing through grace to endure this is what Paul experienced with his thorn in the flesh. God's grace becomes sufficient to carry us through ongoing physical challenges. The healing isn't removal of the problem, but supernatural strength to live victoriously in spite of it.
Speaker 1:Here's a perspective that changes everything about how we view healing. Every believer will eventually receive complete healing. Death is not the end of the story for those who know Christ. The resurrection guarantees that every disease, every disability, every source of pain will ultimately be eliminated. 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 42 to 44, describes our resurrection bodies. It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. Revelation, chapter 21, verse 4, promises be no more death or sorrow, or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. This doesn't diminish the reality of present suffering or make current pain less significant, but it does provide perspective. What we're experiencing now is temporary. The healing we receive now is wonderful but partial. The complete healing that awaits us in eternity is guaranteed and total Understanding. This helps us pray for healing with hope while maintaining peace when the healing doesn't come on our timeline. We're not just asking for temporary relief. We're looking forward to eternal restoration.
Speaker 1:Let me address the elephant in the room. Why does God heal some people and not others? Why do some faithful believers get miraculous healings while others die young despite tremendous faith? Why do some ungodly people enjoy perfect health while godly people struggle with chronic illness. These are fair questions, and anyone who gives you simple answers hasn't wrestled honestly with Scripture or reality. The truth is, we don't always know why Job asked the same questions and God's response in Job, chapter 38 to 41, was essentially you don't have enough information to understand my ways. But scripture does give us some insights.
Speaker 1:Sometimes suffering serves a greater purpose. Joseph's suffering as a slave and prisoner ultimately positioned him to save nations from famine. His brothers meant it for evil, but God meant it for good, according to Genesis, chapter 50, verse 20. Sometimes our physical struggles serve purposes we can't see in the moment. Sometimes suffering deepens our relationship with God. Paul said his thorn kept him from becoming proud and taught him to depend on God's grace. Psalm 119, verse 71, declares my suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
Speaker 1:Sometimes suffering enables us to comfort others. 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 3 to 4, explains All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others when they are troubled. We will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Speaker 1:Sometimes suffering is the result of living in a fallen world. Not all sickness is the result of personal sin or lack of faith. John, chapter 9, verse 1 to 3, tells of a man born blind, and when the disciples asked whose sin caused it, jesus replied it was not because of his sins or his parents' sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We live in a world broken by sin and sometimes we suffer simply because we're human beings in a fallen creation.
Speaker 1:One of the most destructive aspects of wrong teaching about healing is the guilt it produces in people who aren't healed. If you've been taught that healing is the guilt it produces in people who aren't healed, if you've been taught that healing is always God's will and faith is the only requirement, then when healing doesn't come, you naturally assume the problem is with your faith. Let me be clear your lack of healing is not necessarily evidence of lack of faith. Your ongoing illness is not proof that you've done something wrong. Your unanswered prayers for healing don't mean God loves you less than he loves people who were healed. The disciples couldn't heal the boy with seizures in Matthew chapter 17, and Jesus had to do it himself. Were the disciples lacking faith. They had been healing people throughout their ministry. They had seen incredible miracles, but this particular case was beyond their ability and Jesus explained it had to do with the specific type of demon involved, not their faith level.
Speaker 1:Sometimes healing doesn't come because it's not God's timing. Sometimes it doesn't come because God has a different plan. Sometimes it doesn't come because there are spiritual factors involved that we can't see, and sometimes it doesn't come simply because we live in a fallen world where bad things happen to good people. Your worth as a believer is not determined by your health status. Your faith is not measured by your miracles.
Speaker 1:There's a popular teaching that says we should claim our healing and speak as if we're already healed, even when symptoms persist. While positive confession and speaking God's word over our circumstances can be powerful, we need to be careful not to turn this into denial of reality or presumption upon God. The Bible does teach us to speak life and not death, to declare God's promises over our situations and to pray with faith. Believing God can heal. Proverbs. Chapter 18, verse 21, tells us the tongue can bring death or life. Those who love to talk will reap the consequences, but there's a difference between faith-filled speaking and presumptuous demanding. There's a difference between claiming God's promises and claiming specific outcomes. There's a difference between claiming God's promises and claiming specific outcomes. There's a difference between believing God can heal and insisting he must heal in the way and timing we specify.
Speaker 1:Jesus modeled the right approach in the Garden of Gethsemane In Luke 22, verse 42,. He prayed, prayed, father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. Jesus asked for what he wanted, but submitted to the Father's will. We can pray boldly for healing. We can ask with expectation, we can speak God's promises over our bodies, but we should always hold our requests with open hands, trusting that God's will is ultimately better than our will, even when we can't understand it.
Speaker 1:So how do we pray for healing in a way that honors both God's power and His sovereignty? Let me give you some biblical principles. Pray with faith. James, chapter 5, verse 15, says Such a prayer, offered in faith, will heal the sick. Believe that God can heal. Expect Him to work. Don't let past disappointments keep you from praying with hope. Pray with persistence. Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18, verse 1-8, to show that we should always pray and never give up. Don't stop praying after the first or tenth or hundredth time. Keep bringing your need to God. Pray with community. James, chapter 5, verse 14, instructs sick people to call for the elders of the church. Healing often happens in the context of community prayer and support.
Speaker 1:Don't try to battle illness alone. Pray with submission. Follow Jesus' example of asking for what you want while submitting to God's will. God, I want to be healed, but I trust your wisdom if you have a different plan. Pray with thanksgiving. Philippians, chapter 4, verse 6 to 7, tells us don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. Use all available means. Pray for healing while also pursuing medical treatment. God can work through doctors, medication, therapy and lifestyle changes, as well as through supernatural intervention.
Speaker 1:Scripture gives us a balanced view of suffering and sickness. While the Bible clearly shows that sickness entered the world through sin's corruption of creation, it also reveals that God can work through any circumstance for our ultimate good and His glory. In Romans, chapter 5, verse 12, paul explains when Adam sinned. Sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone for everyone sinned. Sickness and suffering are consequences of living in a fallen world, not necessarily punishments for personal sin. Yet God's sovereignty means he can use even the difficult things for our benefit. Joseph understood this when he told his brothers in Genesis, chapter 50, verse 20,. Joseph understood this when he told his brothers in Genesis, chapter 50, verse 20, you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
Speaker 1:The key is understanding that God doesn't cause every hardship, but he can redeem any hardship for His purposes and our growth. Here's what scripture teaches us about suffering and sickness. While God doesn't cause every illness, he can use any circumstance for his purposes and our ultimate good. This is a crucial distinction we need to understand from God's word. Romans, chapter 8, verse 28, promises and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. This doesn't say God causes everything. It says he works everything together for good. There's a difference between causing something and using something that already exists.
Speaker 1:Paul's thorn in the flesh gives us insight into this In 2 Corinthians 12, verse 7,. He describes it as a messenger from Satan to torment me. Satan was the source, but God allowed it and used it to keep Paul humble and dependent on divine grace. God didn't send the thorn, but he used it for Paul's spiritual benefit. Job's suffering came from Satan's attack, as we see in Job, chapter 1, verse 12, and Job, chapter 2, verse 6. Yet Job recognized God's sovereignty over his circumstances. When his wife told him to curse God and die, job responded in Job, chapter 2, verse 10,.
Speaker 1:The key biblical principle is this we live in a fallen world where sickness exists because of sin's entrance into creation. God doesn't cause every illness, but he can use any circumstance, including sickness, to accomplish his purposes in our lives. Sometimes the greatest growth in our faith comes not through the removal of difficulty, but through learning to trust God within it. If you're struggling with illness right now, if you've been praying for healing without seeing results, if you've wondered whether God cares about your pain, let me speak directly to your heart. God sees your suffering.
Speaker 1:Psalm 56, verse 8, says you keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Every tear you've cried over your health has been noticed by God. Every night you've lain awake in pain has been witnessed by your heavenly Father. God understands your suffering. Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 15 to 16, reminds us this high priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Speaker 1:Jesus experienced physical pain, emotional anguish and the weakness of human flesh. He knows what you're going through. God's love for you isn't diminished by your illness. Romans, chapter 8, verse 38 to 39, declares and I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow, not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Not even the highest powers or lowest powers in creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Your sickness cannot separate you from God's love. Your disability cannot diminish his affection for you. Your ongoing struggles cannot reduce your value in his eyes.
Speaker 1:Here's something beautiful that emerges from the lives of believers who struggle with ongoing health issues. They often develop the most powerful ministries of comfort and encouragement. They become wounded healers who can enter into others' pain in ways that healthy people cannot. 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 3 to 4, explains this principle. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles. So that we can comfort others when they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Speaker 1:The comfort you receive from God in your sickness isn't just for you. It's to be shared with others who face similar struggles. Your experience of God's grace in weakness becomes a source of hope for others who feel weak. Your testimony of faith in the midst of suffering encourages others to persevere. This doesn't make your pain less real or less difficult, but it can give meaning to your suffering that helps you endure it with purpose and hope. When God does choose to heal, whether instantly, gradually, through medical means or in any other way, receive it with gratitude and use it for His glory.
Speaker 1:Don't take healing for granted or assume you deserved it more than others who weren't healed. Luke, chapter 17, verse 11 to 19, tells the story of 10 lepers who were healed, but only one returned to thank Jesus. Don't be like the nine who took their healing and walked away. Be like the one who fell on his face in worship and gratitude. Use your healing testimony to encourage others, but be careful not to create formulas based on your experience. What God did for you might not be exactly what he does for someone else. Your healing story is powerful, but it's not the only way God works.
Speaker 1:And remember that your healing, however dramatic, is still temporary. These earthly bodies will eventually wear out, regardless of how many miracles we experience. The ultimate healing we're all looking forward to is the resurrection body that will never again be subject to disease, disability or death. Christianity operates in the tension between the already and the not. Yet Christ has already conquered sin, death and disease through his death and resurrection. The victory is already won, but we don't yet experience the fullness of that victory. We live in bodies that are still subject to the effects of living in a fallen world. This tension explains why we can pray with confidence for healing, while also accepting that healing doesn't always come. It explains why we believe in God's power to heal, while also acknowledging that His wisdom sometimes chooses not to heal. It explains why we can have hope for the future while dealing realistically with present limitations.
Speaker 1:1 Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 12, captures this beautifully. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. We don't have perfect understanding now. We don't see the complete picture, but one day we will, and on that day every question about healing and suffering will be answered. Every tear will be wiped away, every pain will be eliminated, every broken body will be made whole. Let me speak directly to different people who might be listening.
Speaker 1:If you've been believing for healing for years without seeing results, don't give up on God. Your situation is not forgotten by Him. Your prayers are not being ignored. Keep praying, keep trusting and keep living fully. In the meantime, if you've been healed and are wondering why you got a miracle when others didn't receive it, with humility and gratitude, use your testimony to encourage others, but don't let it make you prideful or judgmental toward those who haven't been healed. If you're caring for someone with a chronic illness or disability, your faithfulness in love and service is a healing ministry. Even if you can't cure their condition, your presence, your prayers and your practical help are expressions of God's love. If you work in the medical field and struggle with how to balance faith and medicine, remember that God works through both supernatural intervention and natural means. You can pray for your patients while also providing excellent medical care.
Speaker 1:If you've been told your lack of healing is due to lack of faith, reject that lie. Your worth and God's love for you are not determined by your health status. Many of the greatest saints in history struggled with ongoing physical challenges. As we finish this episode, I want to leave you with this truth God's power isn't diminished when he chooses not to heal. His love isn't reduced when the miracle doesn't come. His wisdom isn't questionable when his ways don't match our expectations. The same God who can instantly heal any disease is the same God who can give you grace to live victoriously with ongoing illness. The same Jesus who raised Lazarus from the dead is the same Jesus who carried his own cross to Calvary. The same spirit who performed miracles through the apostles, is the same spirit who gives us strength to endure hardship. Your faith isn't measured by your miracles. Your worth isn't determined by your health. Your future isn't limited by your present circumstances. Keep praying for healing, keep believing in God's power, keep seeking medical help when appropriate. Keep living fully in whatever body God has given you. Keep trusting that his plan for your life is good, even when you can't see how, and remember that this world is not your final destination. These bodies are not your permanent homes. These struggles are not your eternal reality. The best is yet to come and when it comes, every question about healing will be answered in the joy of perfect, permanent, complete restoration.
Speaker 1:Don't just listen to this episode. Study it. Look up these scriptures for yourself. Let the Holy Spirit teach you through his word. Take notes, ask questions. Let this be part of a deeper conversation with God about faith, healing and what it means to trust him with your physical body. Next week, we're tackling another question that keeps believers awake at night what if I'm not really saved? We're going to dive into assurance of salvation, the fear of losing your salvation, and how to know for certain that you belong to God. Until then, remember, whether in sickness or health, whether in healing or endurance, whether in supernatural intervention or natural treatment, god is with you, god loves you and God has a plan for your life that is better than you can imagine. This is Evan Evans with the God Chaser Podcast. Keep chasing, keep believing and keep trusting the God, who loves you more than you could ever understand, in sickness and in health, in healing and in hope. This episode of the God Chaser podcast is proudly sponsored by God Chaser Apparel, the clothing line designed to empower and inspire your spiritual journey.
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Speaker 1:May you not just chase God but find him in the blessings, big and small, that he has in store for you. And there we have it, folks. Another episode of God Chaser wrapped up. We hope you've been blessed by today's discussion and we look forward to diving into more life-transforming topics with you in the future. Stay blessed and keep chasing after God, thank you.