Healing is very prevalent in the New Testament. Some believe that the gift of healing no longer applies to the church of today; it ended with the last of the Apostles. Let me tell you, healing is not only for today, but forever. We can count on it.
One of the names of God is Jehovah Rapha (God my healer). Rapha means to heal (both figurative and literal healing), to make whole, to restore to normal (restore health), to cure, to repair. Rophe (one who heals) is the Hebrew word used of physicians in Jeremiah 8:22; Genesis 50:2; 2 Chronicles 16:12; and Job 13:4. Rapha in verb form means quite literally “to heal of hurts.” Sometimes God is the Healer as He is in Genesis 20:17 and Psalm 107:20. At other times humans are the healers or physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12 and Ecclesiastes 3:3). In the figurative sense, God heals the hurts of the nation, which indicates restored favor and forgiveness. We need to pray this over America daily.
We first see the use of Rapha in Genesis 20:17 as Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids in order for them to have children. In Exodus 15, we read about Moses leading the people out of Egypt and through the Red Sea on dry ground. They were so ecstatic that Miriam and the women broke out in song and dance. “Sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously; He has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.” They were definitely getting their praise on.
Fast forward a few days later and that time of praise is quickly forgotten. (Isn’t it just like us to forget the blessings of God so quickly?) The people became thirsty and started complaining against Moses. “What are we going to drink? Why did you drag us out here to this place where we are dying of thirst? On and on they complained. They eventually came upon some water, but this water was vile and bitter and the people could not drink it. Moses cried out to the one person he knew could help in this situation; Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider).
It was there at Marah (Bitter) that God showed himself strong on behalf of the people and made the bitter water sweet and there He set before the people a decree to determine their faithfulness. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
The same God who healed at Marah in the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament is still in the healing business. He sent His Word (which still functions today as it always has), to heal and deliver us. The Word does not change as we travel through the centuries. Psalm 119:89 declares the Word of God is forever settled in heaven; it is eternal. If you are in need of healing today, ask Jehovah Rapha to heal you. Ask in faith, without doubt knowing He is true to His Word and will always act to perform it. Check out my Resources page for materials related to God as our healer.
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