Justin Peters is a fierce minister today, open critic of the word faith heresy, and was born with cerebral palsy. This confines Justin to a wheelchair or the use of crutches. His testimony reveals that as a young child and teen, he wanted to get rid of his CP. He wanted God to heal him of it. He would go see renowned faith healers only to still be disabled. Here is an excerpt from his testimony:
Another reason is that by going to see faith healers, I was, in effect, telling God that I was not satisfied with my life. I wanted to be healed of my CP and did not see it for what it was -- something which, in His sovereignty, God gave me. I was seeking supposed gifts and not the Giver. Granted, I was only 16. Nonetheless, my attitude was essentially one of selfishness and was not indicative of one who had truly experienced God's regeneration. Even if only 16, had I been regenerate, I would not have been seeking healing from charlatans. - Justin Peters
Thankfully, Justin would become saved and is passionately doing God's work today. His view however of his own condition should silence and put the Bill Johnson's of the world to shame. Does Justin Peters have a lack of faith? A secret sin? Unforgiveness? Or is it just possible that in God's sovereignty, He decided Justin would walk his road on wheels? That he would inspire others who may suffer to view their afflictions in a way that helps the kingdom and brings souls to the cross.
Before we examine the way forward, there is one other false claim often made by people who espouse this theology. That claim is that Jesus healed everyone He came in contact with. In the same comment from earlier, even Bill Johnson seems to believe this:
The only time someone wasn't healed in the Bible (gospels) is when the disciples prayed for them. - Bill Johnson
Sometimes we read something like this and blindly accept it as truth but we really need to do the work of Berean. First of all, the Gospel accounts were highlights, not an exhaustive minute by minute account. It is said that if the true ministry of Christ were ever recorded the world could not contain the books that would be required. It is not surprising then that in these "highlights" there would be a focus on healing and not every piece of minutia. Even still, did Jesus always heal everyone in the recorded record? The answer surprisingly is no:
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids--blind, lame, and paralyzed.One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. - John 5: 2-9 (ESV)
There were a multitude of invalids but Jesus healed one. The one He knew would bring glory to God. He even allowed His good friend Lazarus, who was also sick, to die in order to bring glory to the Father. So what is the proper way to view healing? It clearly exists. It is listed even as a spiritual gift. The Bible instructs us to seek the elders of the church for prayer if we are sick. Let me start be affirming the one thing the false preachers got right. Faith is critical. God can heal but we must believe that He can. Throughout the ministry of Jesus we see Him saying that people were healed because of their faith. I have seen firsthand the damaging power of doubt. You have to believe but that does not mean that you belief trumps the will of God. His ways are higher than ours. His plan is so far above the way we think. The problem again with this must-heal theology is that it values the wrong life. That this life is so worthy of continuing that God must have decided already to heal everyone! Nonsense! We certainly mourn our loss temporally but the saved person is with Jesus upon death! So we start with faith and a respect for the sovereignty of God. The Bill Johnson's of the world honestly believe you should never pray "thy will be done" when praying for healing. In the same comment he says:
Take risk -- pray for people (NOT -- "if it be thy will" kind of prayer. In the thousands of people I've seen healed, I've never seen anyone healed from that kind of prayer.)
This really cuts to the heart of the spiritual problem with this false theology. It is no longer about God's will; it is about ours. Sure it is carefully couched that we have figured out God's will and are merely applying it but you can see through this paper thin thinking. It has nothing to do with God. Even when Jesus was facing the cross He prayed, not my will but Your be done. Yet according to Bill Johnson, no one will get healed by asking for God's will to be done. Think about the staggering arrogance and utter stupidity of such a blasphemous statement. Johnson's church produced the heretical worship outfit known as Jesus Culture and they spread the same false gospel. Here is a link to the end result of teaching people to ignore what God's will and sovereignty has to say when it comes to healing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIgncKNHUU
This man was not healed. He almost passed out from the exertion of being dragged around by people who had no clue what they were doing in the spirit realm. Who had no clue about the sovereignty of God. Who had no clue about true healing.
Beloved. We need to believe that God CAN heal. Not that He MUST. We must have faith and yet respect for who God is. I wish I knew the exact reason why someone is called home before we think it is their time. I wish I knew why some have to suffer from cancer, diabetes, or anxiety. I wish I knew but I have to trust God at the end of the day. That is what faith is. Faith is a 16 year old kid with cerebral palsy realizing God gave it to him for His reasons. It is not a display of faith to declare healing; it is arrogance.
Now I know well intended people who have seen miracle healings from Christ in their lives and have embarked on "healing ministries" and the like. I do not question their heart; only their theology. Because we do not make doctrine out of our personal experiences. If God decides to heal me in His sovereignty that does not mean everyone else must be healed too. We do not make doctrine out of our experiences for two reasons. First, we are too subjective to make that determination. The heart is wickedly deceptive, our flesh is always leaning towards sin, and the devil is always seeking to whisper lies into our ears. Not a good mix when you are trying to create theology. The second reason is more important though. We do not have to. God already gave us doctrine in the Bible. If God wanted us to know that we are never to be sick, He would have said so! He certainly would not have included reference after reference to strong believers who were in fact sick! He would not have had Paul say that he will take pleasure in his infirmities! Our doctrine on healing is fairly clear in Scripture. It exists. It requires faith. It ultimately is up to God. Remember, the Lord desires none to perish. That means none to die unsaved. If sickness brings someone the foot of the cross that should be celebrated not mocked. Believe in healing. Respect God's sovereignty. Not my will but Yours be done. Amen.
Reverend Anthony Wade - September 27, 2014
