Miracle Healing
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16, NIV.
Why don't we see more miracles of healing? I have pondered that question. Not believing that it was because of a lack of prayer for one another, I began to study deeper into the question. I believe I have found a partial answer from some statements that Ellen White made.
In Medical Ministry Ellen White indicates that a major factor preventing healing in response to prayer is the sick individual's health practices. "Many have expected that God would keep them from sickness merely because they have asked Him to do so. But God did not regard their prayers, because their faith was not made perfect by works. God will not work a miracle to keep those from sickness who have no care for themselves, but are continually violating the laws of health and make no efforts to prevent disease" (p. 13).
She further says: "It is our duty to study the laws that govern our being, and conform to them" (Healthful Living, p. 13).
Finally, "when we do all we can on our part to have health, then may we expect that the blessed results will follow, and we can ask God in faith to bless our efforts for the preservation of health. He will then answer our prayer, if His name can be glorified thereby; but let all understand that they have a work to do. God will not work in a miraculous manner to preserve the health of persons who are taking a sure course to make themselves sick" (Selected Messages, book 2, p. 464).
Working with sick people, I can verify the above statements. I have seen healing occur as miraculous as answers to prayer when people start following the laws of health. The return to good health has been far out of proportion to what we would expect medically from the lifestyle changes the individual has made. It is as if God is giving an A for effort to such individuals!
My experience indicates that when we make a decision to follow God's laws of health and act on it, He delights in giving us more health benefits than we medically deserve.
Would you like a miracle? Is there anything in your lifestyle habits that might be preventing God from working a miracle in your behalf?
Why don't we see more miracles of healing? I have pondered that question. Not believing that it was because of a lack of prayer for one another, I began to study deeper into the question. I believe I have found a partial answer from some statements that Ellen White made.
In Medical Ministry Ellen White indicates that a major factor preventing healing in response to prayer is the sick individual's health practices. "Many have expected that God would keep them from sickness merely because they have asked Him to do so. But God did not regard their prayers, because their faith was not made perfect by works. God will not work a miracle to keep those from sickness who have no care for themselves, but are continually violating the laws of health and make no efforts to prevent disease" (p. 13).
She further says: "It is our duty to study the laws that govern our being, and conform to them" (Healthful Living, p. 13).
Finally, "when we do all we can on our part to have health, then may we expect that the blessed results will follow, and we can ask God in faith to bless our efforts for the preservation of health. He will then answer our prayer, if His name can be glorified thereby; but let all understand that they have a work to do. God will not work in a miraculous manner to preserve the health of persons who are taking a sure course to make themselves sick" (Selected Messages, book 2, p. 464).
Working with sick people, I can verify the above statements. I have seen healing occur as miraculous as answers to prayer when people start following the laws of health. The return to good health has been far out of proportion to what we would expect medically from the lifestyle changes the individual has made. It is as if God is giving an A for effort to such individuals!
My experience indicates that when we make a decision to follow God's laws of health and act on it, He delights in giving us more health benefits than we medically deserve.
Would you like a miracle? Is there anything in your lifestyle habits that might be preventing God from working a miracle in your behalf?
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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