Reasons to Believe

One of the most difficult and honest questions in the life of faith is this: “If God heals, why do some people not receive healing?” It is not a question of doubt—it is a question of reality. Many sincere believers pray, stand, confess Scripture, and yet still struggle with symptoms, discouragement, or unanswered expectations. But Scripture never presents healing as random, mysterious, or reserved for a select few. Instead, it shows that healing is part of Christ’s finished work—and that receiving it operates under spiritual laws just like salvation, forgiveness, and answered prayer. Understanding the barriers to receiving is not about blaming people. It is about removing obstacles so faith can operate freely. Let’s look honestly—and biblically—at the most common reasons people struggle to receive healing, and how those barriers can be overcome. 1. Not Being Fully Convinced It Is God’s Will This is the biggest barrier of all . Faith cannot function where there is uncertainty...

When Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission to His disciples, He wasn’t simply telling them to proclaim a message—He was sending them out with authority over sin, sickness, and evil. The mandate to heal was not an optional extra—it was built into their commission. The early Church picked up that mantle with vigor, documenting healing signs and wonders as normative. What follows is a detailed look at the methods, the mandate, and the historical continuation of healing through the early Church. The Mandate: Healing in the Great Commission In Matthew 10:1, Jesus “called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” The commissioning includes healing every disease and every affliction. Later, Mark 16:17-18 records:  “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly it w...

When Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission to His disciples, He wasn’t simply telling them to proclaim a message—He was sending them out with authority over sin, sickness, and evil. The mandate to heal was not an optional extra—it was built into their commission. The early Church picked up that mantle with vigor, documenting healing signs and wonders as normative. What follows is a detailed look at the methods, the mandate, and the historical continuation of healing through the early Church. The Mandate: Healing in the Great Commission In Matthew 10:1, Jesus “called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” The commissioning includes healing every disease and every affliction. Later, Mark 16:17-18 records:  “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly it w...

  One of the biggest questions people wrestle with isn’t whether God can heal — most Christians believe He can. The real struggle is this: “How do I actually receive healing for myself?” That’s where many sincere believers get stuck. They pray. They hope. They wait. But they never truly step into receiving. Let’s walk through this clearly, simply, and deeply so you can understand exactly how healing is received according to Scripture. --- 1. Settle This First: It Is God’s Will to Heal Before faith can operate, doubt about God’s will must be removed. Faith cannot grow where uncertainty lives. The Bible is extremely clear: > “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows… and with his stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:4–5 (KJV) “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree… by whose stripes ye were healed.” — 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) Notice the language: Borne Carried Were healed That’s past tense. Healing is not something God is deciding whether to give you. ...

  There are few subjects in Scripture more serious—and more misunderstood—than blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t speak lightly when He addressed it. He gave a warning so severe that it should cause every believer to stop, examine, and tread carefully. Yet today, many are walking dangerously close to the very line Christ warned us about… and some may already be crossing it without even realizing it. What Did Jesus Actually Say? Let’s start with the words of Jesus Himself: “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” — Matthew 12:31 That alone should sober us. Every sin—every failure—can be forgiven… except one. So what is it? The Context Matters Jesus didn’t say this in a vacuum. He said it in response to something very specific. “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of...

One of the most sobering truths Jesus ever taught is this: if we refuse to forgive others, we place ourselves in a position where we cannot expect forgiveness from God. That is not a small matter — it is a direct warning tied to our relationship with the Father Himself. The principle is simple and deeply humbling: God will never ask us to do something He is unwilling to do. He forgives freely, repeatedly, and sacrificially — and He expects His children to reflect that same spirit. This truth is seen clearly when the disciples asked Jesus a very honest question: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Peter likely thought he was being generous. But Jesus answered, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but seventy times seven.” The point was not about keeping a literal number — Jesus was teaching that forgiveness is not meant to have a limit. In other words, we are not to keep score. Forgiveness is meant to become a continual posture of ...

  Faith is one of the most powerful themes in all of Scripture, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood. The Bible gives us a clear definition: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Faith is not wishful thinking. It is not blind optimism. It is described as substance — something real, something tangible in the spiritual sense. It is the inner certainty that what God has spoken is true, even before we see it with our eyes. Faith Reveals Itself Through Our Words Jesus taught that what we truly believe in our hearts will eventually come out of our mouths: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” — Matthew 12:34 This is where many people struggle. They may confess faith publicly — saying they believe God is working — yet speak the opposite in other settings. True biblical faith is not divided into compartments. It does not say one thing in church and another thing in fear. Scripture reminds us: “C...

  There is a question that haunts every serious Christian who has read history and Scripture honestly: Why don’t we see revival today? Why do we read of entire cities shaken, nations stirred, and multitudes weeping under conviction—yet in our day, so much religion feels powerless, formal, and unmoved? The answer is not complicated—but it is deeply uncomfortable. Revival has never been withheld because God is unwilling. It is withheld because man is unwilling. God’s Condition Has Never Changed The Word of God lays the foundation plainly: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 Notice the order: Humility. Prayer. Seeking. Turning. We often want the healing—but without the humbling. We want revival—but without repentance. The prophet Hosea cries: “Break up your fallow ground: for it is time to...

When I think back on those days with my wife in the hospital, it still amazes me how much peace God gave me. The doctors came in more than once and sat down beside me, giving me that look that doctors give when they’ve run out of hope. They’d pat me on the shoulder and say, “You need to prepare yourself. We don’t think she’s going to make it.” But I would look them right in the eye and tell them, “You don’t know my God.” Afterward, I’d go down to the chapel—not to beg or plead—but to thank the Lord. That’s where my tears would finally fall. I didn’t cry out of doubt or fear, but because of the pain I saw my wife going through. Even then, in the middle of it all, I’d thank God for bringing her through. I’d walk out of that chapel strengthened every time. That was one of the first seasons of my life where faith stopped being a message and became a lifeline. I had to learn that faith isn’t pretending something isn’t happening—it’s knowing that what God has said is happening, even when not...