Medicine and divine healing

I was recently with a pastor friend who shared with me, a little ashamed, that he had to take medication for a long time, as if this could indicate a lack of faith on his part. Elsewhere, among healthcare professionals, I have encountered an incomprehension of the miraculous that leads to separation: God or men (in other words, the Spiritual or the material).
Therefore, I would like to bring a small personal clarification here in light of the Word of God as a Christian doctor, but also as a witness and participant in numerous healings.
The relationship between medicine and divine healing is a somewhat sensitive subject that deserves to be developed. Understand that even if our body is one day to be resurrected, sickness is not God’s plan for your life.

Sickness has been and remains the consequence of the breakdown of the Relationship with God. Health and healing are integrated into the Salvation (“Sozo,” σῴζω in Greek) offered to us at the cross, but we are also asked to work out our Salvation (healing) and to bring all our thoughts into agreement with God.

The medical community works on the natural level. It refers to its current and collegiate understanding of the mechanisms of our body and soul, and their disorders or diseases. With empathy, even compassion, the doctor strives to help the sick and prevent illness.

The born-again Christian (John 3:5-7), if they are in the world with its natural laws, is not of the world. They desire to follow Jesus and walk according to the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

John 3:5-7 “Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’“

Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.“

The Christian submits their intellect to the word of God, enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Their understanding of sickness and healing goes beyond the purely natural level.

When, through the life of Jesus, and particularly what He did for me on the cross, I discover the LOVE of our Father, this God who IS healing, I am overwhelmed and I want to enter into His plans.

How then to reconcile these two perceptions and thus remain in the target of God’s heart?

1 – The laws of God

First, I would like to remind you that all creation proceeds from God, and that nothing that exists exists independently of God.

Psalm 119:89-91 “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.“

Hebrews 1:2-3 “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.“

John 1:3 “In the beginning was the Word… All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.“

Whether you are a Christian or a non-believer, you breathe the air, you eat the food, and even take the medicine that God created in His love.

God established His creation with physical and biological rules, and the laws of nature are the laws of God, constant, subject to His word. Our body is therefore subject to these rules.

Sickness is not part of God’s plan; in Genesis 1:31 it is written, “God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.“

If separation from God allowed evil to alter this creation, Jesus came to re-establish this relationship for us, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

2 – The relationship with the Father

When we look at the relationship between Jesus and his Father, we perceive something of the connection between Love, Authority, and Obedience.

John 3:35 “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.“

Matthew 11:27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.“

Jesus is filled with this fear of God: that is, the desire to be and to accomplish everything through this love nourished by His relationship with His Father.

John 4:32 “But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”“

John 5:19 “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.“

John 5:30 “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”

Matthew 3:17 “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”“

This same desire for relationship, this humble obedience in love is a fruit of the Spirit available to whoever welcomes it.

Oh, let us take heed of this! Indeed, the opposite of relationship, this marvelous fear, is the choice of autonomy, the spirit of rebellion (2 Tim 3:1-5); this was Adam’s choice (to know without GOD) and, many times, that of the Hebrews (Heb 3:8).

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.“

Hebrews 3:8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’“

3 – Obedience

Through lies, confusion, the Devil (the one who divides) pushes us to disobedience to the Word. This rebellion gave him the authority to partially twist God’s creation, but Jesus recovered this authority and delegates it to us: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but I have come that my sheep may have LIFE, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Yes, on the cross JESUS took our sin upon HIMSELF, and obedience through love to The Word remains the path of LIFE…

Luke 6:46-48 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.“

4 – The physical and material rules established by God

On the material level, God established his creation with physical, natural rules, and Jesus clearly tells us that it is the sick who need a doctor (Matthew 9:12).

And Paul reminds us in Romans 13:1-2 that despite persecution, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established… Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted…”

There are different types of authorities in the world, and these are the consequence of our choices, but they are accepted by God for a time, who asks us to pray for them. Whether they know it or not, doctors are somewhat like “Bezalels” (Exodus 36:1 and 31:2). Like craftsmen, they had to learn, and the Lord has filled them with wisdom and understanding to know and do the works intended for the service of your body, His temple. But they are not God, and their knowledge and compassion remain limited.

In the world, men may seek to dominate, control, or manipulate, but God respects you infinitely, offering you His path of healing. Therefore, for your good, it is better if these caregivers are docile to the Holy Spirit. Thus, God complains in Jeremiah 8:21-22, “Why is there no Physician?” And in Colossians 4:14, Luke is mentioned as “the beloved doctor.“

Faced with sickness, we can remember that God always wants to heal us:

• There are healings that are natural regulations of our body provided by God (the healing of wounds, our natural immunity, etc.).
• There are also medical or surgical healings that conform to the laws of physiology learned by doctors and that aid the natural regulations of our body. They are not against faith or our relationship with God but correspond to the laws of nature willed by God.

Thus, taking medicine is consistent with the Word, and we see in the Bible God using bandages (Isaiah 1:6), leaves (Ezekiel 47:12), balms, particularly the balm of Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22). Jesus himself will use his saliva or mud; elsewhere, we have oil (James 5:14) or wine (1 Timothy 5:23).

Conversely, in occult practices (healers, magic of all kinds, parallel medicines, witchcraft, voodoo, shamanism, reiki, etc.), even if there may be apparent temporary healings from the liar, as these are not under the authority established by God but are acts of rebellion, they will have more serious future consequences (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

• Above all, there are all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit available to Christians, particularly the gifts of faith, prophecy, the laying on of hands (Mark 16:17-18) and the power charisms of supernatural healings and miracles (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

I would like to recall here that in the only prayer Jesus taught us, he told us to pray to the Father that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And as far as I know, there is no sickness in heaven.

In 3 John 1:2 it is written, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

Finally, Jesus told us, “Go and heal the sick!” (Matthew 10:8).

Thus, in suffering or sickness, which is not God’s will, it is wise to see a doctor AND to pray (to have a true relationship with God).

If I am still sick, it is wise to continue the treatment and seek help from an elder of the Church, filled with faith and the Holy Spirit. Through their prayer, their relationship with God, and the charisms, they will help me with discernment to recover.

James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 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. 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. 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.“

After his healing, Jesus asked the Leper to have it confirmed by the legal authorities of his time who were able to recognize leprosy (Leviticus). Today, likewise, when you are healed, go show yourself to the doctors; it will be a confirmation for you and a testimony.

Matthew 8:2-4 “A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses prescribed, as a testimony to them.”

I have often witnessed the marvelous work of our God, both in private and at large gatherings. Although I remain a rational scientist who has worked in Parisian hospitals, I testify that I have seen the deaf hear again, the blind regain their sight, and the paralyzed walk in the name of Jesus the Risen One. I have witnessed the incomprehensible, the miraculous, and I testify to it publicly.

My sister, my brother, if this text has resonated with you, I would like to finish by praying with you.

Lord Jesus, thank you for this wonderful Salvation with Your healing that you offer me on the Cross. Oh, thank you so much for having redeemed me, for being a new creation in You, for having re-established our relationship, life. Wonderful Holy Spirit, help me to go further in Jesus in this intimacy with Abba, my Father, so that I may enter into His rest, His plans. In the name of Yeshua!