God is the Healer

Exodus 15:26 "...For I am the Lord who heals you."

The Hebrew word for 'For I am the Lord' is Jehovah. It means to say that God 'is' (not 'was') and He is now and continuing to be God. Now, the word for 'who heals you' in Hebrew is 'rapha'. This is the declaration from where we get the name of God - Jehovah Rapha - I am the God that heals. God is declaring that He is the God that heals. Notice He does not say, 'I heal sometimes' or 'I heal when you deserve to be healed' or 'I will consider your prayer and fasting and then heal' instead God is declaring that He is the Healer or the Divine Physician. The word 'rapha' in the bible has been translated in many ways to mean 'to be made healthful', 'to be restored', 'repaired', 'cured' and 'to be made whole'. God is wanting to make whole a person and this is true and applicable to not just our spirit and soul but also to our body! God is the ever present and available healer in our lives.

Modern medicine treats the symptoms but God is in the business of making a person 'whole'. Inside out and outside in. That is His character - He is the healer which means to say that God is always willing that you be healed. If there is any condition or subjectiveness around it then it is not a character - correct? So today, understand that it is God's nature to be a healer and He is willing that you be healed. So how do I apply this in my life? Let us take another scripture that will help reinforce this spiritual truth.

Luke 5:12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

There was this man who was full of leprosy. By 'full' it means that it was ripe and probably affecting all of his body. Can you imagine how this man might have looked like? According to the law, this man was not even supposed to be in the city. He went looking for Jesus. It is an interesting question that he asked- 'if you are willing, You can make me clean..'.

Say someone is having a flu, he does not go to the urgent medical care and ask the doctor, you are willing, then help me feel better'. He fully expects to get the right treatment from a qualified doctor. However, this man with leprosy did not say 'heal me' instead he asked 'if you are willing...'. So we can infer that this man's question really was "I have no doubt in my mind that you can heal because you are the very Son of God, Jesus. I know you are capable of healing. But I do not know if you are willing to heal me and if you will, then make me clean." Of course the man with leprosy did not speak that many words but surely it did mean that - "I know you can, but will you for me?"

Is that not the question we ask God sometimes? We know He has the ability to heal but is He willing to heal me? That is the bottom line - is God willing to use His power on my behalf? Now notice what is Jesus's response was:

Luke 5:13 [KJV] And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Jesus did not hesitate at the request, flinch at the sight of the man full of leprosy or deliberate in His mind or pray and ask God if it is His Father's will that this man be healed! Jesus touched this man and said - "I will: be thou clean". The word 'I will' means to desire, willed or want to or to have a mind to or intend. In other words, Jesus is implying that "This is my will, this is my purpose, this is my intention" and this not just for 'now' but also means to say 'now and always'.

What an incredible truth that it is God's will, character and purpose that you be healed - today and right now. Jesus is in the same business of healing today and if you are approaching Him today with any illness, then His response is the same as it was that day to this man full of leprosy - "I will. Be healed"

If this is you today, then agree with us in this prayer:

Father, help me understand your declaration that You are Jehovah Rapha - The God that heals. I may not fully understand all that entails but I choose to believe that you are! That in Jesus you are always willing that I be healed. I praise you for the grace of healing and through my faith in Jesus Christ, I believe and receive the healing I need today. I know there is no disease that is small or big for you. You are the Jehovah Rapha and this day I am cleansed, healed and made whole in Jesus name.

Amen