Three Biblical Approaches To Sickness by Joseph Akinrinola

God did not leave us in the dark as to know what to do when we are sick. Applying the scripture rightly is one of the best decisions you can take to enjoy your health. Failure to understand the place of the scriptures has led to the premature death of some of the finest Christians. There are three biblical approaches to dealing with sickness that you need to know as a Christian. First, when and the possibility of divine healing. Second, the place of drugs and medication in scriptures. Third, when God says no to healing you.

Some faith believers teach that sickness is a mark that a Christian is not spiritual enough. This is not correct, as we have evidence of believers in both the Bible and the contemporary world that are sick. Some of these people are really in tune with God. Examples: Hezekiah, Elisha, Lazarus, Timothy, and Paul.

The followings are the three biblical approaches to sickness

Prayer of Faith

Divine healing and divine health are two possibilities for every child of God. Divine health means you do not fall sick at all or you rarely fall sick. Divine healings mean you are healed when you pray or someone prayed for you. In both cases, you apply faith and God honors your prayer or the person who prayed for you. Whichever way, no drugs, medication, or doctors are involved. Examples are the man born blind, healing the man by the pool of Bethsaida, the woman with the issue of blood, and Peter’s mother-in-law.

Drugs and Medication

Thank God for doctors. Some denominations teach against the use of drugs, medication, blood transfusion, and operation. This is at variance with the scriptures. Nowhere does the Bible teach against medication. The prophecy of the healing of Hezekiah accompanies herbal treatment. (2 King 20:7)

That a Christian goes to the hospital does not mean God is incapable of healing them. Remember, God gave the knowledge for the medical discoveries. We can see the approval for medication in the admonition of Paul, the Apostle, to his son in the Lord, Timothy. He has Timothy take some wine for his sickness. (1 Timothy 5:23) Wine and oil were common means of treatment of his days. That informs us of the suggestion of Paul to ailing Timothy.

Today, we have several medical options to access apart from wine and alcohol if someone is sick. Therefore, go for treatment if you are sick. Pastor David Ibiome said, “if you didn’t get over your sickness in three days after your prayers, then, go for medication because it’s obvious your level of faith cannot access the divine healing you are seeking.”

You surely know Paul must have prayed for Timothy for divine healing without a result. This was not because God was no longer healing people or Paul was no longer anointed. After all, the handkerchief from Paul was healing people.

Grace to Manage the Sickness

Sometimes God will not heal you. This may sound strange to some people, yet this is the truth of the scripture. Christianity will not be real if all we care about is what we can get from God. From your experience, you know God has not answered all your prayers, and He will not. Sometimes God says no to our prayers, even with our best intentions, holiness, and need. Although we do not always like this, God will not give us attention if that will not bring glory to Him or work out something good in His agenda.

Elisha, who had the double portion of Elijah’s power, was sick. (2 King 13:14) From that passage, it is obvious he had been carrying the sickness for a while. Also from the passage, we see his anointing and prophecy as fresh and accurate as ever. Though God had used this man to heal people and perform other miracles, yet he died a sick person. What you needed when God says no to your healing is His grace. This understanding of the position of God and the scriptures will not make you fret and disappointed when you or someone you prayed for did not get the desired result for healing.

One glaring example of grace instead of healing was Paul the Apostle. He prayed three times and got the same response. “My grace is sufficient for you.” Though we may not like this, yet it happens, and then the only solution is to manage the condition. That does not make you less a child of God. While I did not say you should resign to fate on your health issues, you should, however, understand God and the position of the scripture on the state of your health and sickness.

Never forget you are responsible for your health. No one is more responsible for your health than you. Therefore, factor rest into your schedule.

Everything in life rises or falls on your health. Once you lose your health, you lose your business. You only have a ministry if you are healthy. Just like your marriage, if you fail at any of these two you have failed in the ministry. Therefore, take care of your health. It is better to stay healthy than need to seek treatment. If, however, you are sick, apply these 3 biblical approaches to the sickness.

Joseph Akinrinola

I am Joseph, an author, blogger, and content writer from Nigeria. In the field of writing, I deliver unique, grammatically correct, and plagiarism-free content. Currently, I work with three online firms specializing in motivation, human capacity development, lifestyle, relationship, and spiritual writings.