We celebrate the coming of Jesus at Christmas, God's greatest gift to a fallen humanity -- He gave us Himself. He came to be our salvation. As we have learned, this includes salvation from sin and death (salvation of our souls) and salvation from sickness and the oppression of the enemy (salvation of our bodies). So in honor of Jesus coming as our salvation, we will spend the next two lessons (this one and next week) looking at verses about the physical salvation God won for us through healing. This week we will look at verses about the life/ministry of Jesus and next week we will look at other verses in the bible about healing.
Matthew 4:23
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.Matthew 4:24
Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.Matthew 8:7
And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."Matthew 8:8,13
The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. ... Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.Matthew 8:14-15
Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.Matthew 8:16-17
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."Matthew 9:1-2
So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."Matthew 9:18, 23-26
While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." ... When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.Matthew 9:20-22
And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.Matthew 9:27 - 30a
When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened.Matthew 9:32-33
As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke.Matthew 9:35
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.Matthew 10:1
And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.Matthew 12:9-13
Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"--that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.Matthew 12:15
But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.Matthew 12:22
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.Matthew 14:14
And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.Matthew 15:28
Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.Matthew 15:29 - 30
Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.Matthew 19:2
And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.Matthew 21:14
Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.Mark 1:29-31
Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.Mark 1:32
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.Mark 1:34
Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.Mark 2:9-12
"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"Mark 3:1-5
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.Mark 3:10
For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.Mark 3:14-15
Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:Mark 5:23, 35-36, 41-42
and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.Mark 5:29
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. (Whole Chapter: Mark 5 In context: Mark 5:28-30)Mark 6:13
And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.Mark 8:22-25
Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.Mark 10:46, 49-52
Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. ... So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;Luke 4:38-39
Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.Luke 4:40
When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.Luke 5:12-13
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." Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him.Luke 5:15
However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.Luke 5:17
Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.Luke 6:6, 10
Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. ... And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.Luke 6:17-19
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.Luke 8:35-36
Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.Luke 9:2, 6
He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.Luke 9:42
And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.Luke 10:9
And heal the sick there, and say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you.'Luke 14:4
But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go.Luke 17:15
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,Luke 22:50-51
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.John 4:49-53
The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.John 5:5-9
Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.John 9:1,6-7
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ... When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
When we read these verses, we cannot help but come to the conclusion that Jesus is a healing God, willing to heal (or save) our bodies as well as to save our souls. He gives us both physical health and eternal life.
Thank You Jesus for coming to earth to become our salvation. Amen.
Healing in the Old And New Testaments
Last week we looked at bible verses about healing and the life of Jesus. These verses made it pretty clear that Jesus is a healing God. But this was not "something new" for God. He has always been a healing God, even from the early days of humanity. It has always been His will to heal us and to give us health. Let's look at some Old Testament Scripture along this line.
Healing In The Old Testament
[See also: this article on OT healing]
Genesis 20:17
So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;Exodus 15:26
and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you."Numbers 12:13
So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!"Deuteronomy 7:15
And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.Deuteronomy 32:39
"Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.1 Samuel 6:3
So they said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty; but by all means return it to Him with a trespass offering. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why His hand is not removed from you."2 Kings 2:21 - 22
Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, "Thus says the Lord: "I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness."' So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.2 Kings 5:1,3, 14-15
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." ... So Naamon went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel."2 Kings 20:5
"Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord."2 Chronicles 7:14
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.2 Chronicles 30:20
And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.Psalm 6:2
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.Psalm 30:2
O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.Psalm 41:4
I said, "Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You."Psalm 60:2
You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it; Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.Psalm 103:3
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.Psalm 107:20
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.Psalm 147:3
He heals the broken hearted And binds up their wounds.Proverbs 3:8
It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.Proverbs 4:22
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.Proverbs 12:18
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.Proverbs 15:30
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.Isaiah 6:10
"Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."Isaiah 19:22
And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.Isaiah 30:26
Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound.Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.Isaiah 57:14
And one shall say, "Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way, Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people."Isaiah 57:18
I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners.Isaiah 57:19
"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the Lord, "And I will heal him."Isaiah 58:8
Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.Isaiah 61:1
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;Jeremiah 3:22
"Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings." Indeed we do come to You, For You are the Lord our God.Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.Jeremiah 30:17
For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord, "Because they called you an outcast saying: "This is Zion; No one seeks her."'Jeremiah 33:6
Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.Ezekiel 47:1,8-9
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. Then he said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.Hosea 6:1
Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.Hosea 11:3
"I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them.Hosea 14:4
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him.Zechariah 11:16
For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Healing In The New Testament (apart from the life of Jesus)
We just saw God's will to heal us demonstrated in the Old Testament. This pattern continued when Jesus came to the earth to live among us and to save us. He demonstrated God's heart to heal by having compassion on people and healing countless numbers of sick people. And it is still God's will to heal today.
Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to teach, lead, guide and empower us, and to establish His church. And the bible shows us that God expects physical healing and deliverance to be very much a part of normal Church life. Let's look as some passages from the New Testament that demonstrate this.
Acts 3:1-8
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God.Acts 4:30
by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."Acts 5:16
Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.Acts 8:7
For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.Acts 9:34
And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed." Then he arose immediately.Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.Acts 14:8-10
And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked.Acts 28:8,9
And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.1 Corinthians 12:9
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit1 Corinthians 12:28
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.Hebrews 12:13
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.James 5:16
Confess your trespasses [sins] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.1 Peter 2:24
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.Revelation 22:2
In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Allow these verses to penetrate your being. Let it become real to you. Jesus came to purchase our salvation, and that includes the physical aspect of our salvation as well -- healing for our bodies. It is God's will for us to be well and healthy. He is a God who heals the sick.