Firstline

By Terry Virgo

I have wondered very seriously about the appropriateness of publishing an issue on the subject of healing. We are such novices. Our experience is so limited. There are so many mysteries. So much emotion can be involved in the subject because of the sufferings of those not healed and the related anguish involved.

But the point arises, when will we be qualified? When will we feel we know it all? When will anyone experience 100% success? Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed but God said that His grace was sufficient (2 Cor. 12:7-9). To be honest, because of the context I sincerely doubt that Paul’s thorn had anything to do with sickness. Nevertheless, he did leave Trophimus behind sick (2 Tim. 4:20). One would expect he probably prayed for his healing.

Only experts may speak?

The fact is that we often teach on subjects that we rarely feel thoroughly qualified to address. Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones published a book Preaching and Preachers, but claimed that only twice in his life did he really feel that he preached, and on both occasions found that he was actually dreaming! (Having had the privilege of hearing him on many occasions, I would have to say that he was not a good judge of his own preaching!).

I remember stumbling on a tape by A W Tozer on the holiness of God. I steeled myself for the challenge that I would inevitably encounter by listening to the great man, but was disarmed by his opening remarks that anybody who set himself to speak about God’s holiness was a fool! Which of us is truly qualified to address any theme with its roots in the majesty and mystery of God and His ways?

What are our fathers saying?

I have been personally challenged by one of our young pastors in the UK who has observed our recent breakthrough in the experience of healing and our public exhortations to ‘go for it’. He asked where should he look for our theology on the theme and went on to say, ‘We need to know what our fathers are saying or we shall look elsewhere for insight and a basis for faith.’

Of course, there is nothing wrong with looking elsewhere, but certainly it is no time for us to keep silent about such a theme. We certainly have some conviction and, for us, unprecedented success. We hear news of people being healed almost weekly, which is something we have never experienced before. You will find testimonies scattered through this magazine but they are just a selection of many more that have come to our attention. We could fill a magazine with testimonies.

Having said that, we live in a fallen world and the perfect has not yet come (1 Cor. 13:10). Life is full of unanswered mysteries and the book of Job instructs us that there is an unseen world, and unperceived battles are being fought and victories won that are far from obvious on the surface. God is greatly glorified not only by robust faith as we see breakthroughs but also by our submissive trust when nothing seems to be happening.

A two-edged sword

Hebrews 11 includes the enigmatic opposites that by faith some ‘escaped the edge of the sword’ and by faith some ‘were put to death by the sword’ (Heb. 11: 34, 37). Endeavours to oversimplify God’s ways are doomed to failure. Nevertheless, this is no reason to throw in the towel and retreat. God is looking for faith.

God is inviting us to engage with Him and to learn lessons. He is undoubtedly glorified by many who refuse to be offended by their lack of healing who, like Job, resist the counsel to turn against God in bitterness and anguish. Some of us have had the privilege of being close to a man such as Frank Gamble whose life brought great glory to God but whose body remained frail and dependent on a wheelchair until the Lord called him home. He never stopped praying or trusting, and he actually experienced several miracles of deliverance during his years of suffering and limitation.

I know that Frank himself would have encouraged us to pursue God for further breakthrough in the matter of healings, signs and wonders. Actually, honest submission to Scripture leaves us with no choice. Our gospel was never meant to be in Word only but also in demonstration of power.

Amazed at their unbelief

God delights in faith. Jesus seems staggered at the disciples’ unbelief when he asks, ‘How is it that you have no faith?’ (Mark 4:40). In Mark 6:6 it says, ‘He was amazed at their unbelief’ (my italics). In Mark 9:19 he said, ‘O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?’ Was Jesus having a bad day? Was he demonstrating some true humanity by getting fed up? No! Jesus was innocent and perfect, the exact representation of God. He was wholly consistent with his Father who complained in Numbers 14:27, ‘How long shall I bear with this evil congregation …?’ and ‘How long will this people spurn Me? How long will they not believe Me?’ (Num. 14:11 NASB).
Jesus was weary of his unbelieving followers. He could not be indifferent or complacent. He could not passively accommodate their failure. As J I Packer says, ‘Moral indifference would be an imperfection in God.’ When Jesus rebuked their unbelief it was a revelation of his heart. He was not like an indulgent uncle or grandfather. He expected better from them! He wanted better from them! He found their unbelief unacceptable! His anger was pure, holy and appropriate! If their unbelief was not worthy of his reproach, Jesus would not have given it.

Jesus served his Father with red hot zeal and holy passion. He looked for the same in his disciples. When, in Mark 9:28, the disciples asked, ‘Why couldn’t we drive it out?’ Jesus replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer’ (Mark. 9:29). Notice that he didn’t say, ‘This kind only comes out if it is God’s will.’ He said that they only come out if you pray. If you pray it will happen. If you don’t it won’t!

Jesus could be very scary sometimes!

The fact is that Jesus trained these feeble followers and made them into great disciples. What is a disciple? Surely he is a learner. So, with our L-plates securely attached, let’s take to the road!