Healing and Correct Doctrine
God does not require doctrinal perfection from you before you can be healed any more than He requires moral perfection before you can be healed. If God waited until we all had 100% correct doctrine, nobody would ever get healed. So people with differing views on a number of difficult theological issues can still be healed no matter which side they stand on. To be healed, the only part of doctrine that you need a decent grasp on is the fact that Jesus paid the price for you to be healed, and that it’s based 100% on God’s grace and not on your worldly track record.
Do you believe in eternal security (“Once saved, always saved?”) You can be healed either way as long as you recognize Jesus as your Healer.
Do you believe that Jesus went to hell between the cross and the resurrection? That debate has been around since the early days of the church, yet people can receive healing if they cite the Apostles’ Creed with or without the “He descended into hell” part as long as they believe that God really does heal ALL their diseases.
Do you know which “spirits in prison” Jesus preached to and when He did it? Even if not, you can be healed and set free from the physical prison of sickness as long as you believe that Jesus’ will for healing is always YES and AMEN as it was when He walked the earth.
Do you believe that there will be a rapture of the church before a 7-year tribulation, in the middle of it, at the end of it, or that there is some other arrangement? You can still receive your healing BEFORE Jesus returns, whenever it is, as long as you believe that Jesus redeemed you from the curse of the Law, which includes every sickness there is.
Do you believe that Jesus died spiritually when He “became sin” for us and had to be born again? You can be healed no matter which way you believe on that issue as long as you believe that you’re healed by Jesus’ stripes.
Do you believe that every church must have an apostle over it? You can be healed either way as long as you believe that you have authority over all the works of the devil, including sickness.
Do you believe that Mark 11:22 says to have faith in God or to have the God-kind of faith? As long as you exercise faith to be healed, you can be healed either way.
Do you believe that 1 John 1:9 really teaches that you have to confess individual sins before you receive forgiveness for them? You can be healed either way as long as you confess Jesus as your Healer.
Do you believe that we have to engage in the type of “spiritual warfare” where we “tear down” principalities over cities? You can be healed in ANY city with ANY principality over it as long as you believe and act on the Word of God.
Do you believe that you should “receive” healing, “release” healing, “appropriate” healing or “activate” healing? You can be healed no matter which term you think is the most accurate.
I have my own convictions on some issues like these, and I haven’t been shy about expressing them in this book. (You can always write your own book and state your side of things if you think I’m wrong.) But if you disagree with me on any of these issues, it doesn’t make either of us an infidel or a preacher of “another gospel.” There are plenty of strong, mature Christians who stand on opposite sides of these issues. I will also say that if I am preaching in a church and I know that the pastor stands on the opposite side of the fence on one of these issues, I won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole in that pulpit, as I am here to try to educate the Body of Christ, not to cause division in local churches. In fact, there are some topics above that I’d just avoid anyway in church services unless I knew for sure in advance where the pastor stood. I can and do preach divine healing in places where we would disagree on some subjects, and I’ve had preachers speak in my pulpit who didn’t agree with me on some subjects. The important thing is that we agreed on divine healing. (If a pastor insists on taking an “if it be thy will” approach to healing, that pastor and I would not be a good match as far as doing meetings.) If a pastor and a visiting minister had to agree on everything, no visiting ministers would ever preach anywhere! Of course, if you put on your own meetings, you can say what you like, but you’ll also have to pay for the venue.
While these issues are fascinating to study out, knowing the right position to take on them is not a prerequisite for divine healing. I know that opponents of divine healing make a fuss about some of these issues and leave the impression that if you don’t take their side on a particular issue, you must be a heretic and your healing doctrine must be false as well. But that isn’t the case. You can be wrong about one thing and right about another.
While we’re on this subject, I have heard some horrifically bad doctrine come out of the mouths of some evangelists with healing ministries. It was obvious that teaching was not their long suit. Yet these same men called out drastic healings all over the auditorium and God moved mightily. These people proved that God does not require correct doctrine before He can use someone mightily, though I’m sure He’d prefer that they preach more in line with His Word.
One evangelist did nothing but flow in the gifts of the Spirit, and I found myself thinking, “Please teach the Word and give these people a basis for faith to receive healing!” Then I heard him attempt to teach the Word, and I then found myself thinking, “Please stop teaching and just go back to flowing in the gifts of the Spirit!” As a teacher, faulty doctrine irks me more it does most people, but as a pastor, I realize that if someone comes in with imperfect doctrine, I at least have a chance to clean things up later, and in the meantime some people might get healed who would not have been healed or even have been in the service otherwise. I don’t require that a visiting speaker agree with me 100% on every issue as long as he doesn’t teach anything that’s absolutely wacko.
Signs and wonders don’t prove correct doctrine! Agreeing with the Bible proves correct doctrine!