I recently read an article that says if we, believers, ask the Lord to heal us, there are certain terms. We have to live obedient lives and if somebody is living in sin, he mustn’t expect the Lord to heal him. I immediately remembered my besetting sin. So, to those of us who have besetting sins praying for healing is in vain? According to the author when the Lord first called Himself our Healer He promised to the Jews that He would only defend them from all the Egyptian diseases if they kept His commandments and were obedient to Him.
By now you should know that men are always adding extra-biblical conditions to God’s word. Can you find anything in the Bible that confirms this teaching? Did Jesus ever refuse to heal a person until they stopped sinning?
Israel was in a conditional covenant with God that required faith and obedience to receive healing (Exodus 15:26). The Church is in an unconditional covenant that requires only faith. (By His stripes we are healed.) It’s a whole different set of circumstances.
James 5:15-16 says the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so you may be healed. The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective. When we confess we are forgiven and are purified from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) making our prayers for healing powerful and effective.