LESSON 8: Hindrances To Healing

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  (Matt 6:10)

The Mystery

“Why was I not healed?”  This is a question that is often in the minds of those who don’t manifest healing immediately after prayer.  The answer: No one really knows except God.

The Bible points to two possible reasons:  Sin and unbelief.  However, to our earthly minds and eyes at least, these seem to be inconsistent.

There have been those with no belief at all, who perhaps fought against going to the healing service but had no choice because that’s where their wheel chair was pushed, who have had awesome miraculous healing.  There have been atheists who have been healed.  Others who clearly exhibit a life of sin have been healed.

Then there are the saints who live for God with every breath they take, who believe with all they have, who go away without healing.  Who don’t feel as if God has heard them at all.  It is a mystery.

Healing And Miracles

One major hindrance to healing is expecting it to happen immediately and, if it doesn’t, we may conclude that healing will not happen.  We live in a microwave society where things seem, or are expected, to happen instantly.  If there is not instant results we often get discouraged, frustrated, and give up.

There is a difference between healing and miracles.  A miracle happens immediately.  Someone was sick or had an infirmity and suddenly it is gone.  For example:  A woman was diagnosed with cancer through X-rays and medical testing.  After receiving prayer, she went back to the doctor the next day and all trace of the cancer was gone.  A man was deaf in one ear from birth.  After receiving prayer he could hear equally well in both ears.  These are miracles.

Healing happens over time.  A woman was plagued with a foot injury for several months.  Doctor visits, medicine, and physical therapy did nothing.  The injury did not change.  Two weeks after receiving prayer all sign of the injury was gone.  For a year and a half, a man had great pain in his shoulder and there was limited range of motion.  After receiving prayer the pain slowly left and full range of motion returned.  These are examples of healing due to prayer but not instant healing.

Healing is a process.  It takes time.  God made us with wonderful bodies that are able to heal themselves.  When healing isn’t happening naturally, something has interrupted the body’s ability to heal itself.  Perhaps, in order to heal, our body needs something changed or something added in in order for the healing process to begin.  Healing prayer will often unlock that interruption, make that change or addition which then allows the body’s healing to take place.

Hindrance Of Unbelief

Mark 6:1 He left that place and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him.
2  On the sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to Him? What deeds of power are being done by His hands!
3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4  Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”
5  And He could do no deed of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and cured them.
6  And He was amazed at their unbelief. Then He went about among the villages teaching.

This passage implies that their unbelief was not so much lack of faith in the power of God but rather lack of faith in Jesus Himself.

Mark 6:3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.
4  Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”

The people Jesus grew up with knew Him.  They spent years living, working, and playing with Him and beside Him.  He was nothing special to his neighbors; He was just one of them, He was just a carpenter.  “Jesus, who do you think you are, trying to do all this stuff. We know you.”  They saw Him as a brother, cousin, neighbor, rather than a vessel to be used by God.

This same problem is still with us today.  Many times people are not healed by the prayer of relatives or friends.  It isn’t that there is unbelief in God’s power to heal through the prayer of others, but unbelief that this relative, friend, coworker, or neighbor could be used by God in any kind of powerful way.   We know them, we know their faults, and we know their ordinariness.  The unconscious thought is, “How can God use my brother, husband, son, friend?”  We forget it is not the person but the Holy Spirit who is ultimately responsible for the healing.  Also, because healing takes time, it may go unrecognized that the healing prayer a person received at the hands of their friend, neighbor, or relative is what unlocked the healing process.

The story above from Mark 6 points out that even though Jesus  was not able to do deeds of power in His home town, He was still able to lay hands on sick people and heal them.  This tells us very strongly that through God’s compassion, mercy, and grace, it is His desire that we not only have life, but have life abundantly. 

If It Be Thy Will

“If it is your will Lord, please heal me.”  This is a prayer of unbelief.  We need to know that the will of God is for healing.

If you are unsure then read and re-read scripture dealing with healing until your faith is built up.  Read the stories listed at the end of Lesson 8.  They are all stories about healing right from scripture.

This is important for you, but also very important for those you will pray for.  Always build their faith.

“If it’s God’s will that I be healed” ……… If?????

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

Many are unsure what God’s will is concerning healing.  However, take the following into consideration:  Perhaps a person has received prayer numerous times and has begged God for healing but it hasn’t come.  This easily leads to a false belief that it may not be God’s will that they be healed.  So why aren’t they healed?  That question goes back to what was discussed above, it is a mystery.

Is it God’s will?  Many struggle with this, or simply don’t believe it is God’s will.

Do they go to the doctor?  If they don’t believe it’s God’s will for them to be healed then why would they go against God’s will by going to the doctor?  Some actually go to that extreme but it must be noted that God also heals through doctors.

For example:  If you have bacterial pneumonia, we have no question that God can divinely remove the bacteria and heal you.  It is much more likely in our modern world that we will go to the doctor who will use modern medicine such as antibiotics to do the job.

Matt 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Jesus gave us this prayer:  Let God’s will be done here on earth just as it is done in heaven.  Is there sickness in heaven?  If it is God’s will for health in heaven, then it must be His will for health on earth.  Some people have such a low self image they will say it is God’s will for everyone else but not for them.  If they don’t actually say this it may be a belief deep in their subconsciousness.  Give them scripture to read in order to build up their faith.  Remember; always build up person’s faith.

If healing is not God’s will, why then did Jesus heal?

Is healing for all?”  — Is salvation for all?  Both the Hebrew and Greek words for healing and salvation are the same.  Besides salvation of our souls, they also take in healing of our bodies, to be made whole.

“The age of miracles is past.” Some say that healing and miracles were only for the time of the apostles and that the age of miracles is past.  This is a denial of prayer.  If this is true then no one could ever receive salvation because salvation is the greatest miracle.  It is also a denial of the clear evidence of healing and miracles that happen daily in all cultures and in all parts of the world through prayer.

“But look how serious this sickness is.”   We must stop using infirmity and sickness to measure what God wants to do.  We too often limit God by what we see.  We must go back to God’s word.  There should be no difference in praying for healing of a headache than praying for the healing of cancer.  Yet, we often fear the seriousness of the infirmity, forgetting that it is really God, the creator of the universe, who does the healing.

During a healing prayer service in Ambo, Ethiopia, many miracles were taking place.  During the service, some that were blind received their sight; some who were deaf received their hearing.  While these are quite amazing, there was one miracle that is particularly worth noting.  A woman, sitting in the middle of the congregation surrounded by neighbors and family, had a tumor the approximate size of a soccer ball on her abdomen.  During the service, that tumor suddenly vanished and she was completely healed.  No one laid hands on her or prayed over her.  In fact, it is doubtful that any of the ministers were even aware of her infirmity as she was only one person in the midst of six thousand.  This is something that may have seemed too big for an individual ministering healing prayer yet God was healing serious infirmities through His compassion, mercy, and grace.

“God gave me this sickness to teach me something.”  First, God does not give sickness.  Chapter 28 in the Book of Deuteronomy talks about sickness as the curse of the law.  However, sickness comes on as a result of sin which is our own doing.  You must understand that when we are living in willful sin, God is not obligated to protect us.

Second, while God does not make us sick, He can, and often does, use it.  Countless numbers of people have been driven to their knees in prayer and have established a closer relationship with God as a result of sickness.

When children are seriously ill, it is natural for the parents to reach out to God.  God is our perfect parent.  He doesn’t put the sickness on us to teach us.  Do loving parents make their children sick to teach them lessons?  God is much more loving than we can ever be.

How do we deal with unbelief?  In the case of unbelief and lack of faith, build the person up with testimonies of what God is doing and has done, AND, build them up with the Word of God.  Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy our faith but Jesus will build us up.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 14:12  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.

2 Cor 5:7  We live by faith, not by sight.

Romans 10:17 … faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Messiah.

What other words of unbelief have you heard?  Write them in your notebook, then study scripture for the answers.

Hindrance Of Sin

WORD OF WISDOM:  As previously discussed, God’s covenant promises are for those who are in covenant with God.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit is for those in covenant and right relationship with Christ.  Right relationship means, among other things, that we truly repent when we sin.  Two sobering scriptures relate to Mark 16:17-18 above:

James 2: 19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Matthew 7: 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Belief alone is not enough.  You must be in covenant and right relationship with God through Christ.  Sin, above all else, blocks us from God.  If you are going to pray for the sick, it is important that you stay clean before God and in right relationship with Him.  If you have sin in your heart, and are living in sin, you can lay hands on people all day and nothing is going to happen – and you might do more harm than good.   When we have unconfessed sin in our lives God cannot even listen to our prayers.

Psalm 66:18  If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

It is interesting that one of the definitions of sin is estrangement from God.

Psalm 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

“Lord, is there is sin in my heart, show me what it is and take it out.  Create in me a clean heart O God.”  This should always be a frequent prayer.  We all should want a right relationship with God, most especially those who serve Him in any form of ministry such as praying for the sick and infirm.

Eph 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
4  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5  For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person–such a man is an idolater–has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and of God.
6  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7  Therefore do not be partners with them.

Not only are we commanded not to do these things, we are commanded not to partner with those who do.

Many people begin to loose faith because they do not see the anointing of the Holy Spirit and power of God manifesting in their lives.  “Where is the power of God in the church today?  Why aren’t people getting saved?  Why aren’t people getting healed?” they ask.  However, while they may not tell the course joke to their pastor, they think nothing of repeating it to a friend.  They may think themselves sexually pure because they are not involved in pornography but they are having a sexual relationship outside of marriage with their boy friend or girl friend.  They may not do these things themselves but partner with those who do by voting for someone who supports homosexual marriage or abortion.  Even giving silent approval of these things is the same as partnering with them.

“But,” you may ask, “Isn’t that rather harsh?  God loves us and wants only good for us.”  That is true but God’s words are God’s words.  Consider:

1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

John’s letter was not to the heathens, but to the community of believers, the community of Christ.  When you sin it is important to come immediately to God to confess and repent.  We are then purified and are able to stand clean once again before God.  Reread Psalm 51.

WORD OF CAUTION:  Remember, love the person, hate the sin.  Treat the person with mercy, dignity and compassion.  Our job is as a minister of reconciliation, not as a judge of righteousness.  That is God’s job.

Sins Of The Occult

“But I don’t do occultic practices.” You might be surprised at all that can be classified as belonging to the occult, or that open you up to occultic oppression and influence.

Partial list of occult-related things:

divination, horoscopes, tarot cards, crystals, new age beliefs, shamanism, witchcraft, water witching, secret societies such as Freemasonry, Ouija boards, psychic hotlines, palm reading, incantations, charms and amulets,  role playing fantasy games, T-shirts or posters with pictures of demons or skulls, or relating to death, magic

Reading the horoscope in the Sunday newspaper is not harmless.  Good luck charms are not harmless.  We can also have things that we are not aware of that are often bought as souvenirs or decorations such as religious carvings, dream catchers, Buddha statues, fertility gods, Hawaiian Tiki statues, some totem poles, Navajo Kopeki spirit, Native spirit masks, anything from religious practices that aren’t Christian, and so on.  Be careful in what you bring home or collect. These are not harmless.

Acts 19:18  Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
19  A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
20  In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

What do we do?  Destroy these things and repent.  Remember:

1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

WORD OF CAUTION: Cultural items are not necessarily demonic or occultic.  Believing in Messiah Jesus is not bound or defined by any one culture.  Great harm has been done by saying cultural things are bad.  However, you must be discerning.  If unsure, take it to the Lord in prayer.  If something makes you feel uncomfortable, there is probably a reason, and the Lord is giving you discernment.

WORD OF CAUTION:  Things handed down from previous generations such as expensive works of art, expensive jewelry, or other items that have meaning to us may be difficult to part with.  Prayer and discernment is the key.  Then, if you are led to get rid of an object, do not give it away or sell it to another.  Destroy it!  Passing it on to another is giving them that occultic or demonic influence.

What other things can you think of that might be tied to the occult?  List them in your notebook.

Sin Of  Unforgiveness

Much sickness has roots in unforgiveness.  If there is unforgiveness it needs to be confessed and repented of.  This is not an easy thing for most people.  Do not make light of a person’s difficulty in forgiving.  Point out that unforgiveness may be what is blocking their healing.  It also may be the root of their infirmity.

“But, you don’t know what they did to me.” This is often said in great anguish and hurt.  Gently ask,  “Are there any nail marks in your hands?”  Then point out what Jesus said as He was being nailed to the cross.

Luke 23:34  Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Forgiveness is a decision, it is not a feeling.  When a person decides to forgive the feelings of hurt most often remain, to be healed with time.  Satan will try to make the person believe they really haven’t forgiven because the hurt is still there.  This is a lie.  Explain this to them.  They need to understand that forgiveness is a decision.  Lead them in a prayer of forgiveness.

Why is forgiveness so important?

There once was a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old in line for prayer during a healing service.  The skin on her face was very blotchy and puffy and also looked like she had a very bad case of acne.  When it came time for her to receive prayer she got on the floor on her hands and knees and started making growling sounds.  After observing this situation and inquiring of the Holy Spirit for direction, the team leader asked the girl if there was anyone she needed to forgive.  At first she said no but after a couple of minutes she said, “Yes, I need to forgive my mother.”  She was led in a prayer of forgiveness and the team moved to the next person in the line.  About twenty minutes later this same girl was observed talking to friends with a perfectly clear face and radiant countenance.  The power of forgiveness is powerful.  In fact, forgiveness is a prerequisite for God’s forgiveness.

Matt 6:12  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
14  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mark 11:25  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The two scriptures above are ones we seldom talk about.  The fact remains, that unless we are willing to forgive, we cannot be forgiven.

 What is your reaction to Mark 6:15 and Matt 11:26? Write your answer in your notebook.

 James 5:15  And 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.
16  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James ties forgiveness directly to healing.  Jesus also did the same.

Luke 5:17 One day as He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.
18  Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
19  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20  When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22  Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
23  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
24  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . .” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
25  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

Anger, Resentment, And Bitterness

Anger, resentment, and bitterness tend to follow unforgiveness.  A person is hurt by someone.  They become angry over the hurt.  Through anger comes resentment.  Through anger and resentment comes bitterness.  The outcome of anger, resentment and bitterness is these make a spiritual claim on you and steal your health, kill your peace, and destroy your walk with God.

When leading a person in a prayer of forgiveness, also include repentance of holding unforgiveness, for anger, resentment and bitterness.  Sometimes there is such a complete change in a person after this prayer it is truly exciting.  The person has indeed been set free.

Hindrance Of The Unspoken Word 

Gen 1:1-31  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
3  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
6  And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.”
9  And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so.

God created by speaking what He wanted to happen.  When He spoke He was specific.  He spoke exactly what He wanted.

The spoken word is important.  When praying for a person’s healing it important to be as specific as possible.  Speak to what you want to happen.  In chapter 3 of the Book of Acts, Peter spoke just exactly what he wanted to see happen to the crippled man who was then healed.

Acts 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus, the Messiah, of Nazareth rise up and walk.

It has often been found that success in healing prayer has increased when speaking directly to the infirmity.  For example, in praying for someone with an infection you might try the following prayer.  Notice that there is a lot going on and that each thing is spoken to specifically.

“In the name of Jesus I command the infection in John’s leg to be gone.  All bacteria in and around this infection must die now and go from his body.  Nerves are to stop registering pain and all pain is to go.  All inflammation and swelling is to go.  No scar tissue is to develop and new clean tissue is to grow.  In the name of Jesus be healed.”

Speaking directly to an infirmity and calling it by name also has the effect of commanding a specific spirit of infirmity to leave if that is the cause.

Hindrance Of Not Being Prepared 

Kathryn Kuhlman, one of the greatest healing evangelists of modern times, was once asked how she went about getting prayed up before she did one of her healing crusades.  She replied,  “I don’t get prayed up, I stay prayed up.”  This makes a very good point.  We need to stay prayed up, to always be prepared.

2 Tim 4:2  proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

We need that intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit so we can be lead by the Spirit.  We need His presence in all we do.  We must also prepare by putting on the whole armor of God because our fight isn’t against flesh and blood.

Eph 6:11  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Without the armor of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the anointing, the devil may decide not to recognize our authority.

What other Hindrances can you think of?  Write these in your notebook and look for scriptures that address each.