Does Prayer Guarantee Healing?

by David J. Stewart | April 2006

We read in James 5:15 that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick“; BUT, we also read the Apostle Paul’s words in 2nd Timothy 4:20, “…but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.“  Clearly, whatever “gift” of healing Paul had back in Acts 28:3-6 when he was bitten by a deadly snake was GONE.  Paul couldn’t heal his friend Trophimus.  Also, Paul couldn’t heal his co-laborer in the Lord, Timothy, as Paul mentions Timothy’s “often infirmities” (1st Timothy 5:23).  God does NOT guarantee healing just because we pray; BUT, God does tell us to pray for the sick, and then trust His wisdom, goodness, and judgment.  Our responsibility is to pray and wait upon the Lord.  It is sinful and unbiblical for ANYONE to claim a “right” to be healed, or to teach others that God always heals the sick.  As we clearly see in the Bible, God doesn’t always heal the sick.

The Bible states in Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.“  Some foolish people twist this Scripture around to claim that Jesus died to pay for our physical healing too, and that physical healing as guaranteed by Jesus’ blood.  However, this interpretation is clearly erroneous in lieu of the Bible verses I’ve just shared with you.  Just because we are Christians does not guarantee us health, wealth, or prosperity in this sinful world.  Romans 6:23 proclaims “For the wages of sin is death…“  The physical death is inevitable, because our sins bring death.  However, we do not have to die the second death in the Lake of Fire because Christ offers us the free gift of eternal life through faith in Him alone.  No amount of prayer guarantees physical or mental healing.  The only guarantee we have is concerning Heaven, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” -Romans 10:13.