4 Roadblocks to Healing You Must Overcome

God’s will is that everyone, everywhere, be healed every time! Just like He doesn’t want anyone to perish spiritually, He does not want anyone to live with sickness, disease, or pain. However, we all know people who have suffered from sickness and disease that did not receive their healing.

As a result, many doctrines and explanations have been formulated in an attempt to explain why some are not healed. Unfortunately, too many of them are not founded in the scriptures. Do yourself a favor, and do not just accept a teaching or doctrine without having substantial scriptural evidence that it is true.

For example, many years ago a woman was telling me why she didn’t think her prayer was answered. She said to me, “You know that God answers with yes, no, or wait.” The problem with that statement is that you can’t find a scripture for it anywhere in the Bible. And yet multiplied thousands of believers have been told this and simply believe it without any Biblical basis.

Because we receive comments and questions on why some are not healed, I would like to address some of the most common misunderstandings. We are going to look at four common roadblocks to divine healing.

1.     My healing may not be God’s will.

When some people pray for healing, they pray, “If it be Thy will.” This prayer is unnecessary, because God has plainly told us in His Word that it is His will to heal us. A sinner would never pray, “Lord save me, if it be Thy will.” We know that is ridiculous because the scriptures make it clear that it is God’s will.

2 Peter 3:9 says:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

The Bible also tells us that Jesus already paid the price for our healing.

When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities

And bore our sicknesses." (Matthew 8:16-17)

You and I are included in that word “our”. This verse cannot apply to the past, because it was written after Jesus rose from the dead, and it says “our”, not “their” infirmities. This verse cannot apply to the future because there will be no need for healing in the Millennium.

Some have asked, “Didn’t Jesus teach us to pray, Father, Thy will be done?” This is a half-truth. Let’s look at the full reference.

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:9-10)

There is no sickness in heaven, so it is not God’s will that there be sickness on earth. I challenge people who don’t believe Jesus will heal everyone to search the gospels thoroughly. There is not one place where He told someone, “I’m sorry, it’s not My will to heal you today.”

2.     Paul had a thorn in the flesh.

Let’s look closely at this passage.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

There is a widely held belief that Paul had sickness that God refused to heal. This has led many to believe that it must be God’s will for some to stay sick. But this passage does not say that the thorn in the flesh was sickness. This passage makes it very clear what the thorn in the flesh was.

It was a messenger of Satan to buffet him. In other words, it was persecution that arose against him everywhere he went to try to stop him! It’s true that God allowed it, but He did not send it.

Satan tried to stop Paul because he preached revelation that transformed people’s lives. And if we ever get to preaching and delivering people everywhere we go, we will experience a lot of persecution as well. Thank God, His grace gives us power to rise above the buffetings of Satan.

3.     I’m suffering for the glory of God.

People who support this belief usually point to John chapter nine, when Jesus passed by a man who had been born blind. The disciples asked him who had sinned and caused this blindness.

Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”  (John 9:3)

Some people have reasoned that this man was born blind so that God could get glory from it. But the works of God that Jesus was referring to was healing, not the man’s blindness, or any possible good that could come out of it.

Jesus said in verse four of John chapter nine:

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”  And then Jesus healed the man! God is glorified through healing and deliverance, not through sickness.

4.     Sickness is God’s chastening.

Hebrews 12:6 says:

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens,”

It does not say, “Whom the Lord loves He makes sick.” It is always a mistake to take a small portion of scripture and try to prove something doctrinally. There is no mention of sickness in this text. And there is no implication of sickness or disease in the word “chasten” in the original Greek.

W.E. Vine states that “chasten” literally means to child train, educate, or teach. Any normal parent would not choose disease to teach their children, and God is no different. We are capable of learning any lessons God has for us through His Word. He does not need to teach us through sickness.

These are just a few roadblocks that have kept people from receiving their healing. I hope you received some answers today that refute false teaching about God’s will for healing. And I pray that you would now release your faith to receive the healing that Jesus has already provided for you.

If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church. As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!