Does God Care About Our Sickness and Health?

Today we launch our new series, “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About God and Cancer!” If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, we’ll send a new FAQ on a regular basis. The FAQs will also live here on our Stronghold Ministry blog and on our FAQ page as well.

When people are diagnosed with cancer, one of the most common heart cries is “How does God see all of this?” So we turn to His Word to explore His heart and thoughts on sickness, healing and faith. As a miraculous survivor of Stage IV metastatic melanoma since 2003, and an 18 year pastor to cancer patients, there is much to learn about understanding and sharing His Word, so feel free to send me feedback!

Does God Care About Our Sickness and Health? – FAQ #1

Good news, physical health is God’s default desire for us throughout biblical history! Though sickness entered into the world as a result of human sin and the fall of man, this does not mean God is indifferent to sickness. In fact, under the Old Covenant Law, God’s constant promise was for His people to be totally free of sickness, even promising to prevent sickness – if they were faithful. If they did get sick, He was their Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals (Exodus 15:26).

In the New Testament, the healing of physical sickness was a central part of Jesus’ ministry with over one-third of the Gospels focused on physical healing. Matthew 8:16-17 ties Jesus’ healing ministry to Isaiah 53 where His substitutionary death on the cross provides freedom from sin, and evidently, freedom from sickness as well! “When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.’”

In 3 John 1:2 under the New Covenant, it is clear God’s default desire for our physical health remains in full force. The Holy Spirit inspired John’s prayer, so it must be must be God’s default will, as He always intercedes according to the will of God (Romans 8:27). “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” We derive our word, “hygiene” from the Greek word for “good health.” God is clear here, He wants our bodies to prosper as much as our souls! Stay tuned to future FAQs for the many reasons He doesn’t heal everyone today.

There is, thankfully, zero sickness in heaven – forever and ever! (Revelation 21:4) So the ultimate question is, “How do we get to heaven?” which we answer here.