Godly Healing 

Healing for spirit, soul, mind and body through being a channel of Holy Spirit

 
If you were to sit in on a doctor’s surgery, a police station, an accident and emergency department or a social security office, or if your job is dealing with 999 calls, or fighting a war, you would see and hear an enormous amount of distressing issues. And if you think that science or medicine has all the answers, you’ll be mistaken.

Personal Troubles

So, when we spend time before God, it’s good for us to remember people in places like that, and to praise the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for showing us the way through life’s dreadful experiences, so that we can eventually overcome, as we trust Him and listen to Him and obey.
 
God knows everything (1 John 3:20) and He tells us; “There is no Saviour apart from me” (Hosea 13:4). He says, “I am the Lord, who heals you.” (Ex 15:26.)  And now He has given all His authority to Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who says, ”I am the way, the truth and the life.” (Matt. 28:18, John 14:6.)

Holy Spirit guidance

Jesus really did suffer death to save us. And God His Father brought Him to life again, overcoming death (1 Pet 2:24). There were many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3, KJV). On the third day after He died, His tomb was empty (Luke 24:2) and then He appeared to His disciples for several weeks. His disciples were filled with Holy Spirit. Through them, Holy Spirit brought healing, repentance, sanctification and salvation to many people (Acts 1-5, etc.).

If you think that science or medicine has all the answers, you’ll be mistaken.

God still sends His Spirit to people who turn away from sin and follow Jesus (Matt 3:11 & 4:17). As you really get to know and love Him, Holy Spirit enables God’s voice to be heard as a still small voice in the heart quietly goading you, and Holy Spirit will make particular words of Scripture stand out to you to guide you (John 10:27). Healings and deliverances and miracles still occur through Christians who take the leap of faith to act on Holy Spirit guidance.
 
This world is fallen, full of deception, pain and every sort of cruelty and wretchedness. And most people going through difficult sickness and hard experiences turn to the health and welfare services that are provided for the people of this fallen world. And it is obviously sensible for politicians to attempt to keep the peace by providing palliatives, which are mostly very useful. They work with the natural healing properties of our bodies and souls to help us through difficulties. They can keep us at work. Antibiotics kill bugs, for example. But because some treatments can actually be harmful, it is always wise to ask for the Lord’s guidance about what to accept.

Full salvation

True, godly healing is of a different order. God will remove sickness from amongst those who continue to follow Him in the name of Jesus (as in Ex 23:20-27). He removes the root causes. He longs to save the very worst of us (Luke 15:11-32, Matt. 11:28). True healing comes from listening to God (Deut 7;12-15). As the kingdom of God comes into one’s life there is healing for the whole person, spirit, soul, mind and body. That is full salvation.
 
There are many folk who want genuine places of sanctuary to which they might turn when they are wretched, weak, vulnerable and troubled, in order to find their way to sound healing. People of God, filled with Holy Spirit, can be salt and light, bringing healing and love, peace, righteousness and truth to others (John 3:21, Ps 119:105). They can dispel darkness and agents of death from spirit, soul and body.

As the kingdom of God comes into one’s life there is healing for the whole person, spirit, soul, mind and body. That is full salvation.

Salt and light

Yet the salt and light of Holy Spirit can be quenched.  Salt can lose its purifying savour by being diluted, and spiritual light can be darkened by deception and fear. Frankly, that has occurred in the lives of many of us, and it is evident in many churches. Many established churches find it difficult to be effectively hospitable to sinners who know they are sinners. ‘The care of souls’ could be encouraged in much more detail. Yet, wherever space can be found, those who love Jesus can help both others and themselves to find their way with the Lord Jesus, and to overcome.
 
That does not necessarily imply that we should be respectable, because the fallen world does not generally respect godliness, goodness and truth. But listening to other people’s troubles and pains when they are down, and identifying with them in prayerful compassion whilst giving all the distress and pain to the Lord, not only keeps you humble but also, by the grace of God, can actually impart godly wisdom to make you resilient enough to handle respectable people who do not understand.

Spiritual recovery

Have you noticed how discernment can be distorted by conformity to this world’s ideologies and academic demands? We have so many worldly anxieties, fears and distractions that we all need to keep on being saved, and to keep on humbly listening to God’s still small voice - which does not conform to this world (1 Cor 1:18-31).
           
Results cannot always be instantaneous. Salvation has to be worked out as a person draws closer to God in sanctification (Phil 1:6). Well-seasoned, patient discipleship proves necessary. After all, Jesus’ disciples walked and talked with Him for at least three years.  

Wherever space can be found, those who love Jesus can help both others and themselves to find their way with the Lord Jesus, and to overcome.

Successful political reform of the mess Britain is in cannot realistically be expected to appear without spiritual recovery. As times get tough, those of us filled with Holy Spirit, loving Jesus and listening to God, can be sanctuary for others who are suffering. For as Paul tells us:
 
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7.)

John Gordon
 
John Gordon has been a physician and psychotherapist, eventually working in prisons. Now he is involved in Christian healing ministry