Physical healing

Greetings! There seems to be two main theological views on the subject of physical healing that I wanted to discuss; the first thought is that God allows and very often gives sickness to people to help them grow in the Christian walk (this is not to say that it is His highest will for an individual to be sick but that He permits it in certain situations). The second view is that sickness is not of God and that He does not give or allow but merley tolerates sickness within humans. I am of the second view and will explain why, however, I must stress that this is a personal opinion, it is not prophetic and its view is not necessarily shared by other contributors of MercyPeaceGrace.

The main issue for me is that in mainstream Christian circles there is this theology that God gives or allows sicknesses in people to build character, or make them better people etc. The problem I have with this, practically speaking in ministry, is that I think it can do great holistic damage to people (and the Body) if it were in fact not His will for people to be sick.
When I pray for people it is always just by being an open vessel and letting God do the healing through me. Sometimes my hand fills with energy and when I place it on the sick area it shakes, when the shaking stops I 'know' the healing is completed. The issue is that when I am being used in this manner my thoughts are always on the sacrifice of Christ in making it possible, and, on the uncompromising Goodness of God – this is to say that there is no doubt that God is willing to heal and will heal, no doubts at all! My concern is that for me this is a faith aspect, because if I do not agree with Him for the healing and instead agree with the Devil through doubt, then the sick person suffers if the faith component does not release His healing power. If I start questioning particular cases or Gods healing/loving character is specific situations then the healing will not occur. This is not to say that healing is conditional on me, but very often it is conditional on faith (as seen by the fact that Jesus was unable to heal people because of their lack of faith and the commending of peoples faith who are healed by Christ).
I could be wrong but it seems to me that those who have the theology of a healing God at all times and in all situations have far greater fruit then those who hold the view that God gives or allows sickness and disease (which can be a great foot hold to doubt and fear!) Indeed, all the ‘spiritual giants’ of today do not hold the view that sickness is a gift from a loving God used to improve people; In fact, every great healer I have seen does not hold this view. This is not to say that if you believe God wills sickness on people that God won’t use you to heal others, but I dare say these are in the great minority and do not have close to the fruit of those who hold God as healer no matter what.
I must point out that I 100% hold the view that God does use sickness and disease, physical ailments etc in turning the worst situation into the greatest good, but I simply (almost frustratingly) cannot in turn say that God gives people sicknesses or even allows them (He does of coarse, tolerate them, as to not oppose the will). The will comes into play when the sickness is caused by a sin that will not be repented off, or one who simply will not agree with Him and receive there healing.
Knowing that it is a sensitive area, I still think it important to ask why is there a theology that God makes or allows people to be sick, and, I think that it is more often then not personal experience that leads people to this view – not Spirit guidance, not divine revelation, not the reading of Gods word, but personal experience. As an example, when someone gets sick, or loses someone close, they very often need justification, and so a spiritual, God-explaining theology is created, reducing the promise of Gods word to personal experience. But because they prayed an aunty Sally dies, does that mean it was His will? In turn, if I prayed for a three year old demonized child and they are not set free, does that mean it is Gods will? Do we then say that a Christian who dies from a long suffering illness failed to learn their lesson? In short, people with sickness or have had experiences with such scenarios are inevitably (at least subconsciously) bias on this matter. I believe people who have been through such situations have hurts, questions, and they want (read need) an answer to harmonise there hurt with a God they love. I do believe it is much more complicated, however, then to say “it must have been Gods will” . When it comes to healing, there are many, many reasons people are not healed, (generational curse, sin, emotional hurt being the root for physical trauma, faith, unforgiveness, etc – and even unique things as well) but does that make it His will or His portion for a person? Or, conversely, could it be that we are called to pursue a healing despite symptom, to trust In His love and character despite external appearance, to praise and glorify despite not understanding?
Further, as to why people are sometimes not instantaneously healed, I believe this greatly ties into spiritual warfare, something that is very neglected today! Daniel on occasion had prayers instantaneously answered, yet the physical result was not seen for 21 days). Could it be that we have to hold on to our healing, to contend for it, even when the answer is yes but there is no change to our symptom?
At this point I want to mention that I believe we are called to suffer, but suffering does not so much equate to physical inflictions but has much more to do with living between the tension of being a believer in an unbelieving world, of being set free and inflicted in a world that is in bondage and sickness.
Looking at the topic biblically, I honestly don’t think one can read His word and draw to the conclusion that God is an inflictor or Creator of sickness, but, it resonates with the complete opposite of a Lover, Healer, and Savior (from the penalty of sin - including sickness!)
Psalm 103 actually says in the same verse “forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases”. The ‘forget not’ and ‘all’ I think are very interesting. This is not some obscure verse, there is a plethora of such claims, such as “say to this mountain and it will be removed” (can this mountain not be sickness?) or “they will lay there hand on the sick and they will be healed’ or Isaiah 53:4-5, ”Surely He has borne our greifs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows [pains]; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. The words "griefs" and "sorrows" were translated from the Hebrew words choliy and mak'ob . This is an unfortunate translation because 'choliy' actually means "sickness" and mak'ob, "pain" (physical and mental). Or we can even look at Matthew 8:17 “This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases" and Isaiah 53:5 ”…the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” It says that the chastisement that brought us "peace" was laid upon Jesus. In other words, Jesus was chastised so that we could have "peace". Now, the word "peace" is shalowm in Hebrew. Shalowm is a very rich Hebrew word. It does not just mean peace of mind or a nice peaceful feeling but 'shalown' actually means:
a) completeness (in number)
b) safety, soundness (in body)
c) welfare, health, prosperity
d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
e) peace, friendship
1) used of human relationships
2) with God especially in covenant relationship
To 'Go and heal the sick' is also a commision from Christ!
We can further note that the Bible tells us that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), as the curse of the law includes sickness, then obviously we have been redeemed from sickness. Further, as sickness is a curse, how can we be both cursed and redeemed? Sickness steals our health and it is the devil who comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). If Jesus paid for the penalty of our sin, how can He refund somthign that has already been bought?

These such verses are quite uncompromising. Indeed we can also drink poisons or be bitten by snakes, it is the same principle! Nowhere in the bible since the veil was torn is someone given a sickness by God who was His or desired to be free through Him.
I also think that we cannot say that it was His original intention to use sickness or give sickness as it was not in the garden of Eden, and He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow... there will be no sickness in the New Earth either! (Revelation 21:3-3).
The closest thign we can find in scripture of God giving or allowing a sickness in the New Coverannt is an Acts referenceto a man who was physically inflicted by God, but this man was an evil wizard who was not covered by Christs blood. I personally don’t think God will heal people of sickness if they do not love Him or will not turn to Him - in fact, He may heal people and they would not even seethe physical result!
It is true that People of God suffered through physical beatings in persecution; the difference is that the persecutors are not from or led of God. In fact, to say God allows disease is far worse then to say that He allows people (whom he loves so much) to be inflicted physically though beatings. Picture God with a fist punching someone or inflicting them with cancer, can one do this with peace or in Spirit and truth? I have no doubt that people have found Him through disease, but perhaps just as many or more have turned from Him or hate Him more because of it (let alone friends and family)? I dare say it is a false and unfruitful ‘salvation tool’.
Or look at the devouring nature of cancer, is this not the work of the Devourer mocking God and His children? Yet God as an inflictor of pain and torment is the theology of the masses (but put it a much nicer way – certainly no worship songs are sung about being blessed with a disease).
Why would God love someone so much to die for them, and then inflict them with the punishment Christ paid the penalty for? This is essentially saying the sacrifice of Christ was not enough, that further physical suffering is required as a penalty…it is watering down His blood and sacrifice.
I think also the example of Jesus is key in two aspects. Firstly, although Christ was 100% human and 100% Deity, in His earthly ministry He chose to act in His humanity only. This is staggering when we realize that Jesus did not once, ever, refuse anyone a healing. The same with the apostles, dare I say the same with us? He is our model, we are to be like Christ. Also, if we are to pray only for those who God specifically points out (which is admittedly a very safe and wise thing to do), then what are we to with those who request healing? How do you say to someone ‘God doesn’t want to heal you right now, but He does love you!” (?)
It could be seen as an astonishing coincidence that the multitudes who asked Jesus for healing were all, everyone of them, people who didn’t have sickness implemented by God to make them morally or spiritually better people. What about a Reinhard Bonke crusade where tens of thousands are physically healed in a single service? The same principle applies.
The second key example of looking at Jesus is in the context that Christ was and is the representation of the Father, His will and His heart. Why would it be that Jesus doesn’t refuse healing or give sicknesses but the Father does? I don’t think God is a respecter of persons, and His love and sacrifice are not conditional, but unconditional for those whom are willing to be healed in Him.
When Christ brought freedom on the cross, He brought freedom from all things evil, so how can He then say to someone ‘you can’t be healed right now’. How can He refund something that He had already bought? Salvation and deliverance/healing are often side by side in scripture, but no-one accuses God of not giving Salvation or declares that God will give salvation in the 'right time'; as Jesus said ‘It is finished’. In fact, when I pray for healing I am encouraged not to ask or petition it, but to be in agreement with the Great Healer and to partner with Him. The same thing for salvation: Would we dare say God won’t save some people? When I need to repent I don’t ask for forgiveness – it has already been bought! What I do is agree with God my mistakes and accept His gift of forgiveness.
Also, I believe that healing (on the page of John Wimber power evangelism) is a evangelical tool; this is to say that the God I know uses healing for salvation or repentance, not sickness. Imagine disciples going around inflicting people with sickness that they can improve spiritually!! No, we do the opposite, the way that reflects the Fathers heart and will. Faithfulness, long-suffering and patience are fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), not fruit of our sufferings and illnesses. The more we walk in the Spirit and in the revelation of God's Word - not in sickness -the more fruit we bear.
A couple more thoughts:
We are called to, in the Lords prayer, to pray that ‘Thy Kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven’, obviously there is no sickness in heaven!
Also, what about demons? Many diseases are as a direct result of demonic activity, and so would we say God puts demons in people to help them improve there character? Or substance addictions? Whatever enslaves you is your master.

Anyway, that had better do it, sorry this is so long it kind of just had a mind of its own! I’m sure there are many misunderstanding or holes in what I have written, please don't hesitate to point them out to me! I find it hard to attribute to God the work of the devil, but am still learning!

Realising I will likely be shot down for this post I emphasize that it is my theology at this point and is therefore my opinion, nothing else.
What are your thoughts on the subject?

Every blessing, Paul