Many have written us with concerns about lingering symptoms of sickness even after praying. So, we began a series of blogs last week addressing some of the possible causes for this. We saw that Christians have sickness for different reasons than unbelievers, because Christians are redeemed from the curse of the law.   Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.  (Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV)   We saw that the curse of the law was three-fold. It includes spiritual death, sickness, and poverty or lack. If Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, then as believers in Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from sickness and disease. So, we began answering the question of why so many believers still have sickness and disease even though we are redeemed from it.   Ephesians 4:27 says, Neither give place to the devil.   The devil can no longer take a place in you when you are born again. However, you can open a door and give him a place through different avenues. As stated in our previous blog, this will not be an exhaustive study. Our goal is to give some insight into various areas that are often overlooked on our journey of faith. If we seek the Lord and find out where a door is open, we can then shut the door just as easily and receive our healing.   Two ways we discussed in last week’s blog were refusing to walk in love and losing our peace. I would encourage you to go back and read it if you haven’t yet had a chance. Today, we are going to discuss a third possibility for why symptoms may be lingering in the life of a believer.   3. A lack of gratitude.   Few Christians realize how important it is to have an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving in life. Those who are not thankful and always complain will not likely walk in health and healing. Most of the people I have known who are always full of disease are also always full of complaining.   Faith has its greatest expression through thankfulness and gratitude toward God for all He has provided. We should also be thankful toward other people. When we fail to be joyful and thankful, we open the door to the enemy.   God warned us in Deuteronomy 28:47-48, “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies.”   Sickness is an enemy!   We see a perfect illustration of how the door was opened to the devil by complaining in the Old Testament. The people repeatedly complained against the Lord and against Moses, and it did not end well for them.   And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.  (Numbers 21:5-6)   Serpents always represent Satan. You can open a door to the devil by murmuring, complaining, and griping against God, or even against your pastor. (Moses was really like their pastor.) To complain will cause you to remain in a bad place. Why is complaining an open door? Because complaining is the voice of unbelief! If we were really in faith about something, we would not be complaining about it.   Let’s look at a   story about Paul and Silas as an example of the proper response to adverse circumstances. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.  (Acts 16:23-27)   Naturally speaking, Paul and Silas had every reason to gripe and complain. They landed in a prison for obeying God. But they had the spirit of faith! How do we know this? Praise is the sound of faith! They understood the power of praise, and they also knew the outcome of complaining. They knew the Old Testament stories, and Paul is the one who said they were written for our examples.   Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.   Paul and Silas praised their way out of bondage and into freedom. You, too, can praise your way out of sickness and into health!   Hebrew 13:15 tells us, Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.   Praise must be in our mouths continually. Continual praise holds us in continual victory. We are to continually express faith, and not just have moments of faith.   Many are sick today because they are behind in their praise and gratitude. If that describes you, you can change it instantly! Make the decision to give up complaining. Become a praiser. As you praise and worship God continually, you will find that your symptoms will disappear. We pray that this blog post was a blessing to you! If you'd like to sow a financial seed into this ministry, or learn more about becoming a partner, please visit https://www.millerministries.org/partner . Thank you, and may God richly bless you!

So many have written and told us they have become frustrated because they believe they are using their faith, yet still they have symptoms of disease and pain in their bodies. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful to begin a series of blogs that address several reasons why a believer may be struggling with sickness. This will not be exhaustive but will give some insight into areas that are often overlooked on our journey of faith.   I want to begin with a few foundational scriptures that will lay the groundwork for these teachings.   Galatians 3:13-14 says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.   It’s good to know we are redeemed from the curse of the law. However, we must understand what the curse of the law is. Deuteronomy 28:5-68 lists all the curses that would come upon those who failed to obey God’s law. God’s will has always been that His people live under the blessing. That is why He warned His people in Deuteronomy chapter twenty-eight to obey Him.   The curse of the law can be divided into three categories: spiritual death (separation from God), sickness, and poverty. Thank God, Christ has redeemed us from all three! Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior never again have to be separated from God and all that separation represents. They never again have to be separated from health, and never again be separated from provision. On the other hand, unbelievers have no protection from the curse because they are under the lordship of Satan and in rebellion to God’s Word.   Now, if Christians are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, why are so many experiencing it in their lives? For a completely different reason than unbelievers! Ephesians 4:27 says, “ Neither give place to the devil.”   The devil can no longer take a place in you when you are born again. However, you can open a door and give him a place through different avenues. Sometimes we are fully aware of where we gave place to him, but many times we are not aware. Unfortunately, what we don’t know can actually cause all kinds of problems for us.   Hosea 4:6 says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. In order to get the door closed to the devil, we need information.   We need the wisdom of God. Let me clarify that just because you’re facing a trial does not always mean that you are failing or that you have opened a door to the devil. Even when we are in the will of God, the devil will often attack us because he seeks to hinder our progress.   In either case, we can receive wisdom and direction through seeking the Lord. And my prayer today is that you will find answers in this and upcoming blogs. Let’s look at one more foundational scripture.   1 Corinthians 11:30 says, For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.   According to this verse, there is a reason why Christians become weak, sick, or die prematurely. Our responsibility as believers is to seek the Lord and find that reason, and then deal with it so we can receive our healing.  Accordingly, we are going to look at two reasons why some get sick and do not receive healing.   1.     Refusing to walk in love. Immediately after teaching one of the greatest messages on faith, Jesus also taught us to forgive. There is a major correlation between forgiving and receiving.   Mark 11:24-26 says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”   Here is my interpretation of this: Forgive everyone  of anything , every time ! If you allow the least bit of bitterness toward someone in your life, it will hinder your ability to receive healing. Sometimes people have thought if they cut someone off from their life and held their mistakes against them that it will get them back for what they did.  However, all it really does is hurt the one who refuses to forgive! It’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die from it.   If you really want to receive healing, this is the first area I would recommend examining. If you have difficulty walking in love, I would suggest you meditate upon 1 Corinthians 13. It gives us the definition of the God kind of love and how it behaves. You will notice that none of the description includes “feelings.” It is all about action. The power to walk in love actually comes from getting those scriptures into your heart in abundance.   2.     Losing your peace.   Worry and fear will cause you to lose your peace faster than anything! Fear is the opposite of faith. So when you are worried or fearful, you are not in faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and it is impossible to receive healing. That is because everything we receive from God comes by faith.   There is a penalty for worrying. It keeps the mind in the natural arena instead of focusing on the spiritual arena where healing is found. In my book Untroubled I address this very subject in detail. It might be a great help for you to read it if you struggle in this area.   According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 60 million adults in the U.S. have some form of mental illness. The majority of it is in the form of anxiety and depression. Medical science teaches us that 80% of all illnesses stem from a poor mental health condition.   If you are worried about your body, your symptoms, and your outcome, you are not in a position to receive your healing. The way to turn that around is to spend your days meditating upon healing scriptures and worshipping God. Fill your heart and mind with the truth of God’s Word. He will not fail to perform His Word for you if you will stop worrying and start trusting Him.   Jesus told the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:34, “Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease.”   Once we receive our healing, we keep it by maintaining our peace. We maintain our peace by keeping our thoughts on the Word.   You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)   These are just two areas that can be examined if you are struggling with symptoms. In upcoming blogs, we will look at some other potential areas that could be hindering healing power from flowing in your body. Until then, keep meditating upon God’s Word, keep praying, and keeping worshipping our Healer! We pray that this blog post was a blessing to you! If you'd like to sow a financial seed into this ministry, or learn more about becoming a partner, please visit https://www.millerministries.org/partner . Thank you, and may God richly bless you!

Are you facing sickness, pain, or a diagnosis that’s left you feeling hopeless? I want you to know that God still heals. And not only that— He wants to heal you!    To receive divine healing, there are three powerful truths you must believe. In this blog, I’ll walk you through each one, straight from God’s Word, to help you position your heart and faith to receive the healing Jesus paid for. These three steps are so simple that even a child can do them. So don’t let the simplicity of the message be a stumbling block for you.   1.     Step One – Believe God is Able Most people believe that God is able to heal. But just in case you are struggling with this truth, we are going to look at what the Bible says about it.   Matthew 9:27-30 says: When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened.   I want to point out that when the sick came for healing in the gospels, they often asked for mercy! The Bible teaches us that God is the Father of Mercies, plural. If He was only the God of forgiveness, it would say “Mercy”, singular. But God also has healing mercy.   I also want to point out that the blind men cried and prayed. People are very proficient at crying and praying. If you stop reading at the end of verse 27, you’ll see that crying and praying didn’t get the job done. They were still blind.   Many request healing, which is a step in the right direction. But a lot of people fail because all they do is cry and pray, which is not enough to receive healing. We must also believe the right things!   Jesus asked the blind men, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” And when they responded “Yes, Lord”, He told them it was according to their faith that they received healing. He didn’t say according to My faith let it be to you. It matters that we believe God is able, which is the first step to receiving divine healing.   2.     Step Two – Believe God is Willing This is an area where many falter. They believe God is able, but they question whether or not He is willing. This thinking has evolved because of the experiences of many who did not receive healing after praying for it.   There are many reasons why people do not receive healing, but none of them has to do with the will of God for them. We should never build a doctrine based on the experiences of people. This is what shipwrecks people’s faith. Our faith should always be based upon the Word of God.   There was a leper in the gospels who had this same problem. He questioned whether or not Jesus was willing to heal him. And Jesus settled this question once and for all.   Matthew 8:2-3 says:  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.   In this case, the leper believed that Jesus was able. However, he questioned His willingness. I want you to know this was not just the will of God for one select leper on the planet. I challenge you to read through the gospels and find one instance where Jesus told someone who came to Him, “It’s not My will to heal you.” You won’t find it – He never turned away anyone who came to Him for healing!   There were plenty of times when Jesus had to get their believing straightened out before they could receive their healing. But He was always patient and worked with them. Jesus is patiently waiting for all to see the light of how divine healing works. He longs for you to receive your healing today!   It is always the will of God to heal! Jesus paid the price for your healing. It’s a done deal!   3.     Step Three – Believe That You Receive   Mark 11:24 says:  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.   It’s important to ask or pray in life. But asking is not enough. According to this verse, you must believe that you receive your answer when you pray.   Once you pray, it’s important that you don’t start looking for the answer in your body. Things might not change immediately, but your faith says you believe you receive your healing. Notice the last part of that verse says, “and you WILL have them?”   When you really believe with your heart, your healing has begun, regardless of what you feel or see. Hold fast to what you believe in all three of these areas. Believe God is able, believe God is willing, believe you receive when you pray, and you will have the healing you long for! We pray that this blog post was a blessing to you! If you'd like to sow a financial seed into this ministry, or learn more about becoming a partner, please visit https://www.millerministries.org/partner . Thank you, and may God richly bless you!

I’ve had people ask me how I can be sure that healing is always God’s will. The answer is very simple: The Bible tells me so! The Bible makes it clear what is a work of the devil, and what is a work of God.   John 10:10 from the Amplified Classic says: The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).   This verse reveals that anything that steals, kills or destroys is from the devil. And anything that gives life is from God. Let’s just be frank and honest - DISEASE IS CRUEL!  Disease steals health. It steals happiness and money we need for other things. Disease is a thief.   Disease makes slaves of people, both the sick and those who care for the sick. Loved ones are often awake day and night taking care of the sick. They become robbed of joy and rest. Sickness is not of love, and God is love.   Since sickness is a thief, it’s of the devil. Don’t ever tell anyone that disease is the will of God. It is the will of hate, the will of Satan. If disease has become the will of love, then love is turned to hate.   To believe that disease is the will of the Father is to be deceived by our enemy. If you search the Gospels, you will not find one place where Jesus told someone it was not His will to heal them. The four gospels contain nineteen accounts of individuals who came to Jesus for healing, and all nineteen were healed. We can see through these accounts that DISEASE IS CRUEL!   The following are a few examples: 1.     Mark 5:25-26 NKJV  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.   This is not a picture of abundant life! She went through countless remedies and therapies at the hands of physicians. She spent all the money she had and still suffered and got worse. This story validates the truth that DISEASE IS CRUEL, but GOD IS GOOD!   2.     Mark 1:40-42 NKJV Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.   Leprosy is a horrible disease! Although it is mostly curable in our day, back in the days of Jesus it was lethal. A person with leprosy had to live isolated away from their family, never to embrace them again. There was a social stigma attached. Leprosy eventually resulted in tissue loss, causing fingers, toes, noses, and ears to become shortened and deformed. Other symptoms included nerve damage and infections.   This DISEASE WAS CRUEL, but GOD IS GOOD!   3.     Luke 13:10-13 NKJV Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.   Can you imagine being bowed over for eighteen years? Not only would it be inconvenient, but it would be degrading to live in that position. I’m sure it was painful to move about in that position. However, we can see again that DISEASE IS CRUEL, but GOD IS GOOD!   Jesus always had compassion and healed people of their diseases. He actually healed on credit during His earthly ministry. But when He suffered on the cross, Jesus paid the debt owed in order for us to live completely healed!   Isaiah 53:4-5 from the Amplified Classic says: Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. [Matt 8:17.] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.   This is not referring to spiritual healing as some have taught. It is referring to the physical healing of the body. One place that proves this refers to physical healing is in the New Testament in Matthew chapter eight. Jesus healed the leper, the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother in law, and then a multitude of people in fulfillment of Isaiah 53.   Matthew 8:17 says, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.   Jesus healed the sick to bring them abundant life. It was the will of God who is Love.  And Jesus still heals today!   Hebrews 13:8 says: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We pray that this blog post was a blessing to you! If you'd like to sow a financial seed into this ministry, or learn more about becoming a partner, please visit https://www.millerministries.org/partner . Thank you, and may God richly bless you!

Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.  (Jeremiah 32:17)   No matter what you are facing today, nothing is too big for God. Knowing that God can handle anything we face is comforting. He is bigger than any problem we will ever face. However, receiving help is not determined only by what God can do. It is also determined by what we can believe.   Jesus confirmed this when talking with the father of a boy who had epilepsy. He said in Mark 9:22-23: And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."   There is a process involved in believing. Believing is necessary to receive anything from God. But before we can believe, we must lay hold of the hope that is set before us in the promises of God! Hope is the starting point for receiving. We could say that hope is the blueprint for faith to build upon.   Hebrews 11:1 says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.   Faith will give substance to the things we hope for. This takes place as we find the promises of God, think about them, and meditate upon them. Meditation requires imagination. God actually gave us an imagination so that we could see things by the spirit that do not yet exist in the natural realm. He gave us the ability to imagine just how big He is in us!   We have to imagine ourselves with what God promises. If you need healing, imagine yourself completely whole and doing things you have been unable to do. The more you meditate, or imagine yourself with what God promises, the bigger it will become on the inside of you than what you see on the outside.   Now, I have to warn you that the devil won’t just let you imagine yourself healed and blessed without a fight. He knows the power of imagination, so he will insert images of you never recovering, or even dying. If you meditate upon those images for very long, you will fail to receive healing.   You see, the battleground where healing is won or lost is not on the streets. It is in the mind! Not every thought we have comes from God. There are some images that must be kept, and some that must be cast down in order to receive healing.   2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us: casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,   Arguments are human reasoning, philosophies, and ideas that oppose God's truth. These arguments will eventually lead to images of who you are and what you have if they are not cast down. If you allow an image of getting worse or dying to get inside of you, it will be impossible to receive healing, even though it is the perfect will of God. That is because the result will be unbelief. Although God is bigger than sickness, He will not violate a man’s belief system.   This world system is governed by Satan, and his thoughts come to pressure people to doubt God. We have a full time job resisting and casting down wrong thoughts and replacing them with God’s thoughts. “Bringing every thought into captivity” is from a Greek word that is a military term. It means to arrest   or seize.   This tells us we are not to be passive about this process. We are to actively capture rebellious thoughts and bring them into alignment with God’s word. In order to do this, we must have a heart full of the Word of God.   We can see now the importance of Proverbs 4:20-23:  My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.   It’s not enough to just stop wrong thoughts. We must replace them with the Word of God. When wrong thoughts come and we recognize them, we must immediately speak to them and say:              “That’s not my thought! I refuse that lie!”             “I believe God, and God said, “By His stripes I was healed.”   This process is called “renewing the mind”. One of the greatest needs of every believer is to renew their mind to think like God thinks. The more you embrace God’s thoughts, the more you will enjoy His benefits. When you begin to see that God in you is bigger than the sickness, it won’t be long before the sickness disappears! 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!

Most people want success in their lives. That is because we were created in the likeness of a successful God. He has given every one of us a purpose and a plan. He planned for us to succeed in every arena of life.   Jeremiah 29:11 from the Amplified Classic says: For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.   If you’ve been struggling with symptoms of disease in your body, please know that God planned for you to be healthy and strong, even before the foundation of the world. If you’ve been struggling financially, you must know that God planned for you to be well provided for, even before the foundation of the world.   Eph 2:10 from the Amplified Classic says:  For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].   Some of you today may be sitting at the very doorstep of disaster, wondering how in the world that situation will ever turn around. Some of you may simply be experiencing a small degree of difficulty. And some of you may actually be living in your dream.   Regardless of what category you fall into today, I have a word from the Lord for you: God has much more in store for your life! He is not finished with you yet!   Deuteronomy 28:13 says: And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.   Whether we’ve reached great heights or not, God wants to take us beyond where we are right now. He didn’t create us in the hope that we would just get by or settle for the ordinary. We must learn to stop putting limits on ourselves, and limits on God. Many wonder if it’s possible to put limits on God. It certainly is!   Psalm 78:41-42 says: Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power:   I’m beginning to see more and more, that the people who have vision for their lives, and keep the vision before them continually are the ones who go beyond limits and succeed. This includes the vision for a healthy body or prosperous finances.   In order to succeed in life, there is always a path that is not comfortable on the mind and flesh. That is why few really become the head instead of the tail in life. I don’t know about you, but I’m finished with being wagged around by the tail! God wants us to use our head so we don’t live like we’re being dragged around life by our tail.   There are 3 ways that we can limit God in what He wants to do for us. All of them can be overcome!   1.     Believing anything that is not consistent with what God says about you.   Remember the Hebrew spies who went out to spy Canaan?   Numbers 13:31-32 tells us: But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out…   By believing and speaking words that were not consistent with God’s Word, they limited their ability to go BEYOND the wilderness!   2.     Dwelling on past mistakes.   I can tell you from experience that dwelling on your past mistakes will keep you from your limitless future! It is so much better to forget the past and stay focused on God’s vision for your life. Why should you focus on your past when God no longer remembers what He forgave?   In Isaiah 43:25, God said: I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.   If there was anyone who had a past that could limit him, it was Paul. But Paul had the revelation of leaving the past behind, and he did astounding things for Jesus.   Paul said this in Philippians 3:13-15: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.   It takes spiritual maturity to forget those things which are behind, both good and bad. Dwelling on past mistakes will paralyze you from going beyond where you’ve ever been before. God doesn’t see your failures, weaknesses or mistakes.  He sees gold in you! When you forget the past, you are able to go BEYOND limits.   3.     Living with offense.   If you allow even the least amount of offense into your life, it will severely limit you from fulfilling your purpose.   Jesus taught us in Mark 11:25-26: And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.   If your Father does not forgive you, how will you ever prosper in His plan for your life? Refusing to forgive is an open door to the devil. He’s just waiting to attack you with sickness and lack. The love of God is a shield that will protect you from anything the devil can do. Therefore, when you walk in love, you will walk BEYOND  limits.   If you are willing to agree with God, forget your past, and forgive all those who have wronged you, you will be in position to succeed in life. 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!

Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 13:13: And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   When Paul wrote this, he was not inferring that hope and faith are not important. Each has its place, and one cannot be substituted for another. We cannot substitute love for hope. Neither can we substitute hope for faith. Yet so many people try to receive things from God, including healing, on the basis of hope rather than faith.   The difference between hope and faith is that hope looks to the future, but faith is always in the present. Faith says, “I’ll receive the answer right now. I have it NOW.” Hoping is not what receives from God. Believing receives from God.   I’ve had many conversations over the years with people who wanted healing. So often, they will say, “I know that someday I’ll be healed, or I sure hope I will be healed.” They will be waiting for a long time because there is no faith in those statements.   Looking to the future is hope. It is human nature to relegate good things to the future. The problem is that when we kick the can down the road, we rarely see it come to pass. If you need healing, you don’t want it in the future. You want it right now!   Hope always has a wondering or questioning tone about it. Faith has a confident tone about it. Initially, you may wonder if you could really be healed. But as you hear the Word of God on healing, faith will grow, and it will give substance to the hope you initially had.   One modern translation of Hebrews 11:1 says this:      Faith is giving substance… to things hoped for.   You may initially just hope for healing, but faith gives the assurance that you ARE healed already by the stripes of Jesus. For 1 Peter 2:24 says, “[ By] whose stripes ye were healed.” In other words, faith says the same thing the Word of God says!   Another important point is that nowhere in the Bible does it say that when we pray, we will receive what we HOPE for. Mark 11:24 says,   “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe  that you receive them, and you will have them.” This tells us we receive what we believe, not what we hope for.   Let’s look at the definition of faith again in the New King James translation. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Notice the verb “is” is in the present tense. Again, faith is present tense, and hope is future tense.   Even though you might say you believe, if you are putting it into the future, you are not believing. You are hoping. This explains why many do not receive their healing. They mean well, but faith is a requirement to receive healing. Some people are believing that God is going to do something for them, but faith believes that He has done, and is doing something.   I heard the story of a woman who was in her 70’s and was told she would never walk again. She hadn’t walked in 4 years. Her friends brought her to the altar at the end of the service for prayer. As the evangelist laid hands on her, he said, “Now arise and walk in the Name of Jesus.”   She did her best to get up, but all the while was crying, “O dear Lord Jesus, please heal me. Oh, please, please, please heal me.” Finally, the evangelist quieted her down and said to her, “Did you know that you ARE healed?” She looked up astonished and said, “Oh am I?” He responded, “Yes, you ARE healed, and I’ll prove it to you from the Bible.” He opened his Bible to 1 Peter 2:24 and asked her to read it aloud, and then repeat the last phrase. Then he asked, “Is ‘were’ past tense, future tense, or present tense?” “It is past tense,” she answered. He asked, “If you WERE healed, then you ARE healed now, aren’t you?”   A smile lit up her face, and she began to lift her hands and praise God because she was healed, not going to be. Then she jumped off the altar like a 16 year-old, and walked, leaped, ran, and praised God. All this woman needed was to get her believing in the right tense, because faith is present tense.   Hope is a good waiter, but a poor receiver.   It takes a positive faith – a now faith – to receive your healing. Change your hoping into believing, and you can receive your healing today! 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!

Many have said, “If only I see a miracle, I will believe God can heal me!” This is actually not scriptural. The world operates by the slogan, “Seeing is Believing.” However, according to the Word of God, it’s just the opposite. The Bible teaches that “Believing is Seeing.”   You can actually see a miracle, and still choose not to believe. It happens all the time. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day saw great signs and wonders and still refused to believe. According to the Bible, faith does not come by seeing a miracle. Romans 10:17 tells us, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” When words of faith are spoken, faith always comes. However, after faith comes, each person must still choose whether or not they will believe.   Believing is actually a choice. We see examples of this repeatedly in the gospels.   Let’s look at one place in particular: Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him . But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. John 11:40-48 NKJV   This was perhaps one of the greatest miracles recorded in Jesus’ ministry. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, this passage tells us that many Jews believed. They heard Jesus speak words, and they witnessed a miracle. But there were also those who heard and saw, yet went away to the Pharisees to have Jesus judged. Even after one was raised from the dead, they refused to believe. I can’t even imagine witnessing such a tremendous miracle, and still being indifferent toward it.   Do you remember the story of another man named Lazarus and the rich man? Luke chapter sixteen records this account. Both the rich man and Lazarus died. The rich man was in hell, and Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom. The rich man begged Abraham to let Lazarus dip his finger in the water and cool his tongue to bring a small amount of relief. Abraham responded by saying there was no way to pass from where they were to where he was.   Then the rich man went on to say in verse 27 of Luke 16: “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”   Jesus made it clear that even a great miracle like being raised from the dead would not convince everyone. We could call this hardness of heart, or refusing to believe! In contrast, the woman with the issue of blood believed what she heard before ever seeing a miracle.   When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. Mark 5:27-29 NKJV   Some of you may be thinking, “I really want to believe. I just need more faith!” You are not the first ones to think or make such a statement.   In Luke 17:5-6, it says: And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”   A lot of people think that all they need is more faith. But the real issue is that they need to start using the faith they already have! Once a person hears what the Word of God says about healing, faith comes. Then a choice must be made to use the faith that has come.   How is this done? BY SAYING!! We release our faith by saying what God says! A mustard seed is the one of the smallest of all seeds. Jesus is saying that even if you have a very small amount of faith, you would say something. This is what the woman with the issue of blood did.   There are several places in the Gospels where it tells us that many of the Jews believed, but would not confess Jesus openly for fear. Their lack of open confession, or saying something, became their demise. Faith always has to be in two places in order to produce results, the heart and the mouth. (Romans 10:9-10) We choose to believe by saying what the Word of God says.   One great place to start saying what God says is 1 Peter 2:24: by whose stripes you were healed.   Like the woman with the issue of blood, if you will make the decision today to consistently say what God says, choose to believe, and refuse to doubt, you will see your miracle too! 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!

There is something far more powerful than any disease, pain, or trial, and that is the name of Jesus! The name of Jesus belongs to every Christian, and if you’re a believer, you have a right to use that name! However, you must understand the power and the authority that are in Jesus’ name, and learn to exercise that authority.   Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14 NKJV)   This particular translation leads most people to believe this passage is talking about prayer. However, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, the meaning of the Greek word “ask” implies a demand of something due.   What Jesus really told His disciples was, “Whatever you demand in My name, I will do it!” He was talking about using His name as a basis for authority. We see from reading the book of Acts that the early church used the name of Jesus to heal and restore people.   Here is an example in Acts 3:2-8: “And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk .” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God.”   Peter did not demand anything from God. God is not the One who made that man crippled – Satan did. Peter used the name of Jesus to set the crippled man free from the bondage of Satan. Notice that he did not pray and ask God to heal the man. He demanded that the man arise and walk in the name of Jesus!   Later in Acts 3:16, Peter said: “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”   You see, it is the name of Jesus that guarantees the answer.   Paul said this about the name of Jesus: “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  (Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV)   Some translations use the word “beings” instead of “those”. It is translated this way: “Beings in heaven, and of beings on the earth, and of beings under the earth.” That would include angels and demons!   Angels and demons are subject to the name of Jesus! They must surrender to that Name because it is superior to every name that can be named.   Now as I said at the start, the Name of Jesus belongs to every Christian. However, that Name often doesn’t mean as much to believers as it should because their thinking has been wrong. We’ve got to have faith in the Name of Jesus before that Name will produce results for us. When our faith in the Name of Jesus increases, then the results will increase.   Some Christians think of the Name of Jesus in the same way they think of a good luck charm. They have about as much faith in it as they do a rabbit’s foot. They think, “Maybe it will work, or I hope something good will come out of it.” But as long as they’re just trying to use the Name of Jesus, nothing will likely happen.   The purpose of today’s blog is to build faith in you that the Name of Jesus will work for you! The name of Jesus is to be used for demanding that situations change, or for dominating things pertaining to your own life. When sickness or disease try to attack you, you can command them to leave your body. Instead of accepting sickness or talking about it, say, “In the Name of Jesus, leave my body!” And it MUST go!   My spiritual father had the testimony of living for 70 years without ever having had a headache! He said he passed up some marvelous opportunities to have headaches. Every time the symptoms would come, he would command them to leave in the Name of Jesus! In the same way, we are to dominate circumstances instead of being dominated by them.   The best way to get results from using the Name of Jesus is to first spend quality time meditating upon scriptures that tell us who we are in Christ, and what authority we have as believers.   Meditate upon scriptures about the Name of Jesus, like Mark 16:17-18: “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”   God still wants to do signs and wonders through the Name of Jesus. Develop your faith in that Name. Speak that Name over negative circumstances, and you will find that it is more powerful than any trial you may face.. 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!

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!

Throughout history, people have been seeking the “fountain of youth” or an unconventional method for curing their ailments. I can’t blame people for searching and trying various methods to get well. People do not want to live with sickness or pain.   I have heard of countless methods that people swear by to attain better health. Some swear by green algae, some by royal bee’s honey, and others by some special vitamin brand. Some people have put themselves through strenuous regiments to attain better health. And many have been disappointed by the outcome of these remedies.   However, there is one cure for every sickness of the body or mind that is guaranteed to work every time. It is the most expensive cure ever known, but its price was paid by another. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “It was not purchased with corruptible things such as silver and gold, but it was purchased with the precious blood of Jesus.”   This remedy will not cost you any money. But it will cost you FAITH. This remedy is called The Praise Cure! This phrase was coined by a medical doctor who later devoted her life to the ministry of divine healing. Her name was Lilian B. Yeomans. She shared testimonies of remarkable healings as the result of simply praising God for extended periods of time. She said, “You can sing and shout yourself into and through things that you can’t get into or through any other way.”   For example, there was a missionary named Carrie Judd Montgomery who nursed another missionary who had smallpox. She had not been vaccinated and stood on God’s promise that no plague would come near her dwelling. Then a very bad case of smallpox came on her.   She didn’t know what to do, so she asked the Lord what to do. He told her to sing and praise Him for His faithfulness to His word. So, she sang and sang and praised and praised. The doctor tried to keep her quiet, thinking she was delirious, but she kept singing and praising.   He finally asked her why she praised so much? She answered, “Because I have so many pox on me. God shows me I must praise Him for each one separately.” The Lord had shown her 2 baskets, one containing her praising which was half full, and the other with the test, which was full.   He told her that the praise basket must be filled so that it outbalances the other, so she kept at it. Eventually, the Lord showed her the praise basket was full and overflowing, outweighing the test basket. And seemingly in a moment, every symptom vanished, leaving no trace of a single scar.   In another instance, a man approached Dr. Yeomans requesting prayer for his wife who had an outbreak of smallpox. They immediately applied the praise cure, and his wife was healed without a single trace of smallpox.   Praising God not only heals bodies, but it also removes anxiety and depression. When we make the decision to praise God, the Holy Spirit comes upon us in a powerful way.   Isa 61:3 tells us: To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."   You may not initially feel like praising God when you don’t feel well, and your mind may tell you it’s foolish and will not help. However, if you will push past your feelings and what you see in the natural and praise God long enough, you will be delivered from anything the devil brings against you.   Praising God when your circumstances are negative is an act of faith. Praise creates an environment for God’s manifested presence to come. Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise and worship the Lord with our whole heart, He begins to manifest His glory. Then when the anointing comes, it destroys the yoke of sickness or mental affliction.   Paul and Silas experienced this power in a deplorable prison. Rather than sinking into despair about their circumstances, they chose to pray and sing praises to God. When their praises went up, God’s tangible glory came down, completely delivering them from their bondage.   Acts 16:26 tells us, “ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”   I have used the praise cure repeatedly throughout my life, and it has worked every time. It is impossible to think about the problem and to praise God at the same time! As we praise God, we put our focus on Him and His goodness. We put our focus on the Healer, not on our symptoms. Praise causes our faith to take hold of what already belongs to us.   Ps 34:1 tells us how often we should praise God: “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”   If you have been struggling with symptoms of sickness in your mind or body, I challenge you today to take the Praise Cure. As His praise continually fills your mouth, you will find that all your symptoms will disappear. 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!

Many have written us and said, “I prayed and used my faith for my loved one to live, and they died.” First of all, I understand how terribly sad and disheartening this can be. I, too, have had this experience with loved ones.   Our spirits in us know that it is not the perfect will of God when someone dies from disease, and it grieves us when it happens. However, there is a good and scriptural explanation for why we are not always able to rescue our loved ones from tragedy, disease, or premature death.   I want to share three potential causes why we can’t always help our loved ones recover.   1.     No person can override the will of another person.   No matter how much you want your loved one to recover and live, you still cannot override what they actually want. God has a will for all of us, but not even His will can override another person’s will.   For example, 2 Peter 3:9 tells us: 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.   We all know that even though God doesn’t want anyone to perish spiritually, many have not willed to accept the free gift of salvation. God has given every person the gift of a free will. We may really want someone we know to receive salvation, but we cannot make them receive Jesus against their will. This works the same way in any arena. If we cannot force someone to receive salvation, we certainly cannot force someone to receive healing.   Even Jesus had a free will. He struggled greatly with the temptation to not go to the cross or hell for us. Thank God, in the end, Jesus submitted His will to the will of the Father.   Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42 KJV)   You may be thinking, “I understand all of this, but I personally heard my loved one confess that they believed they were healed and that they wanted to recover and live.” This leads us to the second potential cause for a loved one not recovering and dying prematurely.   2.     People often have weak faith.   Weak faith doesn’t make someone a bad person. The Bible teaches that there are different measures of faith people have. There is weak faith, strong faith, ever increasing faith, and little faith, according to the scriptures.   A person could be diagnosed with a terminal illness that doesn’t give them much time to live. They may desire to be healed and live. But if they start out in a state of weak or little faith, they may not have enough time to develop their faith to the level needed to receive healing. If the battle is difficult, they will likely faint if they are not strong spiritually.   Proverbs 24:10 says, If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.   Our spirits must be strong to surrender to the will of God instead of the will of the flesh. Jesus rebuked Peter, James and John for falling asleep during prayer. During His greatest hour of need, they could not stand with Him for one hour.   Here is the reason why they were unable to stand: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41 KJV)   People are often willing to be healed, but if they suffer long enough, and they don’t spend enough time in prayer and study of the Word, their flesh will talk them into going to Heaven instead of fighting the good fight of faith. And there is absolutely no condemnation here, for to depart and be with Jesus is far better.   Many have asked, “Shouldn’t my faith have made up the difference?” The prayer of faith in Mark 11:24 is meant to work for you personally. We can add our agreement to that of our loved one, but we cannot ultimately do the work of believing for them.   3.     Your loved one may not have wanted to disappoint you.   Many have been convinced that their loved one was in faith, but they still died anyway. This type of thinking will only lead to being angry at God. Always remember that God is never the problem. If someone fails to receive, they missed it somewhere on their end because God does not miss it.   When your loved one knows that you are standing and praying for them, they will often not let you know when they give up. Many years ago, I was believing intently for someone I loved very dearly. They were dying of cancer.   After months of visiting almost daily, praying, and going over healing scriptures with them, they said to me, “I don’t want to live anymore.” I was devastated. They died shortly after that. Looking back, I could see that I wanted them to live more than they wanted to live. This will not get the job done.   They never spent any time in the Word of God and prayer when I was not with them. Instead, they watched secular television. But they did not want to disappoint me, so they kept quiet about it until the very end.   Here is a final thing that’s important for us to know: I have attempted to give you a few causes for why a loved one you were standing in faith for died. We all seek to understand these things to help us better navigate our own life, and help the ones we love. However, we also learn an important truth from Deuteronomy chapter 29.   "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.  (Deut. 29:29 NKJV)   This verse tells us that some things are simply none of our business. If the Lord wants us to know why someone died prematurely, He can let us know. But many times, it is between the Lord and that individual, and we have to be alright with not knowing.   Just because someone fails to receive doesn’t mean that God’s Word doesn’t always work, or that you never know what God will do. False doctrine has been created over the years to justify people when they fail to receive. It is always best to choose God’s Word over personal experiences.   For our own personal lives, if we will diligently seek the Lord, He will reveal the way out of every sickness and disease. So take courage today. God is still good, He loves you, and He wants you well! 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!