Traditions Overrule God’s Word

Matthew 15:6

…Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His time for nullifying God's Word with their traditions. Today, some of our own traditions have similarly overshadowed parts of the gospel. A prevalent misconception is that God ordains illness for His followers. This notion seems contradictory when considering the scriptures and Jesus' healing ministry, where for three years, He healed all oppressed by the devil. If illness were truly God's will, then every medical professional would be contradicting divine intent, and hospitals would be centers of defiance, not compassion. Desiring health would be viewed as sinful if illness were indeed God's desire.

Another misguided tradition is the belief that enduring sickness glorifies God more than seeking healing. Often, well-meaning but misinformed ministers pray for the afflicted to find strength in their suffering, rather than following the directive to anoint the sick and pray for their healing, a practice John Wesley identified as the church's original method of healing lost through disbelief.

If suffering glorified God more than healing, then Jesus, in His earthly ministry, and His successor, the Holy Spirit, would have been detracting from God's glory by healing everyone who sought their help. The same applies to the apostle Paul's healings in Malta, as recounted in Acts. This belief is in direct contradiction to the nature and actions of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the apostles.

The most prevalent tradition is the belief that the era of miracles has ended. This view is arguably the most baseless and contrary to scripture. We live in the era of the Holy Spirit, the divine agent of miracles. The Holy Spirit was active in Jesus' miracles and is now more present than ever in this age, characterized by the outpouring of spiritual gifts, including healing and miracles. To claim that miracles are obsolete in this era is to fundamentally misunderstand the role and power of the Holy Spirit in the current dispensation.

A further obstacle to healing is the practice of adding "If it be Thy will" to prayers for healing. This reflects uncertainty about God's will in healing, exemplified by the leper who approached Jesus unsure of His willingness to heal (Matthew 8:3, Mark 1:41, Luke 5:13). Let's look at the account in Matthew.

Matthew 8:2-3

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Jesus clarified His willingness to heal, thus eliminating the leper's doubt. However, it is not lawful to use this scripture to justify placing ,”if it be thy will,” in the prayer for healing. Why?

1. Well, first of all, if you have ministered that Christ is a healer and that message has built the faith of the listeners to where they now belief that they too can be healed by God; but when they come forth, such a statement can undermine their faith.
2. Secondarily, it says to them that the prayer leader is not sure of what will be God’s response. This is why I do not recommend adding this phrase to such a prayer.
3. Thirdly, when it comes to healing in the Church, the scriptures have already declared and instructed for the sick among us to call for the elders of the Church. There would be no need to call for the elders if God may not have the intent to heal.
4. Now, if the case is such that God does not intend to heal, then He would inform the elders so as not to undermine his own word.
5. Faith in God's promises means believing He will act according to His Word, without adding uncertainties to our prayers.

In summary, it is crucial to align our beliefs and practices with the true intent of God's Word, getting rid of misconceptions and traditions that hinder our understanding and experience of His healing power.