Healing is something most people think they know a lot about, but really don’t. Its medical definition on the physical level is easily looked up in a dictionary, but few people are aware of the spiritual side of it. Doctors do their best to heal the sick and injured, but even they admit to having limitations. The world accepts the presence of sickness and illness; however, perfect health is actually God’s will.  

All throughout the Bible, we see examples of God’s healing power. Depending solely on physicians to keep us healthy can be hit or miss, and it’s always expensive. One day, a woman in such a predicament sought out Jesus while He was preaching to the people, and she was instantly healed.

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mark 5:25-29, 34, NIV).

Jesus has been called the Great Physician, the Author of life, and the Prince of Peace for good reason.

When God heals us, we get peace along with healing. Being a doctor is a noble profession, but none of them can give us the peace that comes from Jesus Christ. Jesus had compassion on the people He met; He e cast out evil spirits, healed paralytics, deaf, mute, and blind people, and even resurrected the dead on several occasions. This must have had a powerful effect on the families and friends when they witnessed this firsthand.

Physicians have good intentions, but despite all the education and book learning they soak up, there are some things that even they can’t do. Wise doctors admit as much. When they’ve done all they can, faithful prayer causes miracles. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15).

There’s a link between healing and forgiveness of sins, and there was a reason Jesus was whipped and beaten before His crucifixion. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5, NKJV). God heals us not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. There’s a definite connection between the mind and the body. When we know we’re forgiven, spiritual healing of the soul begins on the inside and moves outward.

Healing and cleansing are also linked. “And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him” (Luke 5:12, 13). Spiritual cleansing is just as much God’s will as physical healing. Restoration of health on every level is now available to us; all we need to do is receive it by faith.