“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” – Matthew 4:23

I shudder greatly when I hear someone claim that God does not heal.

Years ago, I attended a mass crusade in Kampala.

On the grass in front of me was a girl who was completely lame in both legs.

Then the man of God started praying for the sick.

Right there in front of me, I witnessed the girl getting up and standing on her two feet!

I saw her ‘live’ with my own two eyes.

I mean chills still run down my spine when I remember that incident.

Since then, I have seen many miracles of divine healing – including HIV/Aids, malaria, hernias – just name it.

I still vividly remember a lady that had been given an appointment to undergo an operation at a hospital the next morning.  

She came to church and asked me to pray for her.

There and then, her hernia disappeared.

When her doctor examined her the following morning, he was in utter shock.

Our meditation today says Jesus went about “healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people.”

The Greek uses two different words for “sickness” (astheneia) and “disease” (nosos).

“Sickness” denotes abnormality, bad/ill-health or bodily weakness.

In the Book of Mark, the word ‘astheneia’ is used to describe the “suffering” that the woman with the issue of blood had (see Mark 5:29, 34).

Astheneia may be physical or mental/psychological.

The other word, nosos, for ‘disease’ is still used in medical terminology today, for example in the English word ‘nosology’ – the scientific study of diseases and their classifications based on their causes, symptoms, and characteristics.

In Hebrews 10:38, the Bible says “God anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.”

Now, why did Jesus make healing a key part of His ministry?

“God desires that we not only trust Him for our personal healing but also that we develop faith to minister healing to His suffering people.“

The Book of Matthew gives four main reasons why Jesus healed people (and still does today!).

Matthew 8:2-3 says a man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man, and said; “I am willing, be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

The first reason why God heals is that it is His will. 

It is common to hear people say, “If it’s God will I shall be healed.”

No; it’s always been God’s perfect will to heal His people.

Why do you think God not only created millions of medicinal plants but also gave our bodies natural ways of fighting off disease-causing germs and bacteria?

In Matthew 8:5-13, a Roman officer came to Jesus asking Him to heal his paralyzed servant.

Before declaring the man’s servant healed, Jesus marveled at the guy’s faith, saying; “I have not found so great faith!”

The second reason God heals is to honour His people’s faith.

Matthew 8:16-17 says many who were demon-possessed were brought to Jesus, and He cast out the demons and “healed all the sick.”

“This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

The third reason God heals is because healing is a fulfilment or confirmation of the Word of God.

Mark 16:20 says; “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His Word by the signs that accompanied it.”

God’s word says He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals us!

In Matthew 20:29-34, Jesus was stopped by two blind men who wanted to be healed.

Then “Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.”

The final reason God heals is that He is a compassionate God who has compassion on His suffering people.

Because of these same reasons, healing was made part and parcel of the Great Commission for His Church.

God desires that we not only trust Him for our personal healing but also that we develop faith to minister healing to His suffering people.