Is it always God’s will to heal?

A phrase used by modern faith healers is the idea that it is always God’s will to heal. But is this biblical? Well, not necessarily. We are not saying that God does not still heal people, but that there may be times when you will not be healed.

Today in some Charismatic circles the idea of praying in the will of God is absolutely opposed by some famous faith healers such as Benny Hinn, who often refer to praying in the will of God as a sign of insufficient faith.

As Hinn states it, “Never, ever, ever go to the Lord and say, ‘If it be thy will.’ Don’t allow such faith-destroying words to be spoken from your mouth. When you pray, ‘If it be your will, Lord,’ faith will be destroyed.”

The implication is clear and devastating: God always heals, so the sick are to blame for their lack of faith, which leads believers to think their walk with God isn’t pure.

It is true that during Jesus’ ministry, He responded often to people’s faith, but He did not depend on their belief to heal them. The phrase “Your faith has made you well” (cf. Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:34; 10:52; Luke 7:50; 8:48; 18:42) is better translated as “Your faith has saved you.”

The Lord’s concern about faith was related to the salvation of souls, not the mere repair of physical bodies. As such, the true emphasis of the gospel is often lost by fraudulent faith healers.