James 5:13-18. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Jesus proclaimed the gospel as He healed the sick. Therefore, the ultimate purpose of healing is not merely physical restoration but the revelation and fulfillment of the gospel.
For the beggar at the temple gate, a few coins might have helped him survive another day, and the miracle of healing—being restored from a lifelong disability—undoubtedly transformed his life. Yet the true purpose of his healing was not simply that he walked and jumped, but that he praised God (Acts 3:1–10). In other words, the healing served to reveal the glory of God and the power of salvation. That was the ultimate goal.
Healing exists in many religions because even demonic forces can perform signs. But the focus of the gospel is not physical healing itself. The foundation of our faith in the gospel is Christ—the fulfillment of God’s promise of salvation. The healing of the crippled man in Acts 3 was a direct fulfillment of the first gospel (or protoevangelium) promise:
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)
This reveals that the gospel is the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy—not merely good news for the sick, but for all of fallen humanity.
Often, the proclamation of the gospel is accompanied by healing. However, it is God who heals—according to His will, power, and timing. He knows the needs of the sick far better than we do, and He alone brings true healing. Though the need for healing is great, we must remember that healing is not the end goal. While sickness is not God’s desire for people, the primary objective of faith is not simply to be made well, but to be united with Christ.
Scripture teaches that Jesus bore our diseases and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:6). His earthly ministry frequently involved healing the sick. After His resurrection, He gave His disciples authority and the promise of healing. He said to them,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:15–18).
Likewise, the apostles and early believers ministered to the sick, bringing both healing and the gospel. Jesus worked with them in the ministry of healing from the throne:
“After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” (Mark 16:19-20).
Many illnesses are caused by physical factors—fatigue, infection, unhealthy habits, or aging—but Scripture reveals deeper causes of disease that cannot be healed through medicine alone. Some illnesses arise from sin—whether original sin, the sins of one’s parents, or personal wrongdoing—which can lead to physical affliction. Idolatry, for example, brings consequences that extend to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:4–5; 2 Samuel 12:15).
Others live under the influence of the devil, whose oppression brings suffering that no medical treatment can reach (Genesis 3:16–19; Acts 10:38). Still others suffer under spiritual bondage, such as demonic possession (Mark 5:2–15), mental torment (Mark 9:17; Luke 13:16), or deeply rooted emotional wounds (Matthew 12:25–28; Ephesians 4:23–27).
But, in some cases, God allows sickness to fulfill His sovereign plan, as seen in Daniel (Daniel 8:27), the man born blind (John 9:1–3), and Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7). Regarding the man born blind, Jesus said, “this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). To Paul, who earnestly prayed for the healing three times, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
When the source of affliction is spiritual, incorrect treatments can make things worse. Medical care alone cannot heal what is broken spiritually. Likewise, religious rituals, superstitions, or methods rooted in occult or demonic power can bring deeper harm.
Healing must begin at the spiritual level. One must first be healed in spirit (3 John 1:2), receiving Jesus as the Christ (John 1:12) and being filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Through repentance and prayer, the grip of sin must be broken (James 5:13–16), and one’s environment must be cleansed of all spiritual influences that hinder faith (Matthew 12:25–29). Physical and mental healing should follow spiritual wholeness. Only after these steps should medical treatment be considered.
What follows after healing is just as important as the healing itself. One must continue in a life of faith, marked by thanksgiving and witnessing. This means being deeply imprinted with the gospel, firmly rooted in the Word, and enjoying prayer in all circumstances.
If you are a child of God and facing a severe illness, remember that your prayer, “the prayer of a righteous person,” is powerful and effective. (James 5:13–18). Enter into deep prayer, holding fast to the gospel until all your anxiety gives way to peace. Do not be consumed by worry, but instead experience the presence of God. “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7). God will raise you up as a witness of Christ to bring the message of healing to all nations.
Prayer. Father, make today a day of healing. By the power of the gospel, heal my spirit, soul, mind, and body. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may testify to the healing of Christ to all people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.