Is Divine Healing Still Real?

Yes, divine healing is still real today. It's not a relic of the early church or something locked in the pages of Scripture. Divine healing is a present-day reality rooted in Christ's finished work on the cross, available to all believers through faith and prayer according to God's will and timing.

The Biblical Foundation Is Rock Solid

Let's start where we should always start, with Scripture. Divine healing isn't a side note in the Bible. It's woven throughout both testaments like a golden thread showing us God's heart for His people.

In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as Jehovah Rapha, "the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). This wasn't just a nice name. It was a promise and a revelation of His character. Throughout Israel's history, we see God healing people who cried out to Him in faith.

Then Jesus showed up, and everything got turned up a notch. The Gospels are packed with healing accounts. Jesus healed the blind, the lame, the sick, and the demon-possessed. He didn't do this just to prove He was the Messiah (though that was part of it). He healed because He had compassion on people's suffering.

Matthew 8:16-17 tells us, "He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.'" This is crucial. Jesus connected His healing ministry directly to His sacrificial work, the atonement.

What the Assemblies of God Believes About Healing

The Assemblies of God, our church's broader family, has held firm to the doctrine of divine healing since day one. It's literally one of our 16 Fundamental Truths. Here's what we believe:

Divine healing is provided for in the atonement. Just as Christ's sacrifice on the cross made salvation available to everyone, it also made physical healing available. Isaiah 53:5 says it plainly: "By His wounds we are healed."

This doesn't mean healing is automatic or guaranteed in every situation. But it does mean that healing is part of what Jesus purchased for us. It's a privilege available to all believers, not just a select few with special gifting.

James 5:14-15 gives us the practical instruction: "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up."

Notice it says "the prayer offered in faith." Faith is the key that unlocks this promise. Not faith in faith, but faith in the God who heals.

So Why Isn't Everyone Healed?

Here's where it gets real. If divine healing is still available, why do faithful Christians still suffer? Why do some prayers for healing seem to go unanswered?

This is the mystery we all wrestle with. The truth is, God's ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). Not every prayer for healing results in immediate physical restoration, and that doesn't mean God isn't working or that someone lacks faith.

Sometimes God heals instantly. Sometimes He heals gradually through medical treatment (which is also a gift from God). Sometimes His answer is "not yet." And yes, sometimes His answer is "I have something better", whether that's spiritual healing, emotional restoration, or the ultimate healing that comes when we meet Him face to face.

The Apostle Paul himself dealt with a "thorn in the flesh" that God chose not to remove, even after Paul prayed three times for its removal. God's response? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Divine Healing in the Modern Church

Fast forward to 2026, and divine healing is still happening. At First Assembly Memphis, we've seen it firsthand. People walk into our prayer rooms carrying burdens of sickness and pain, and God shows up. Not every time in the way we expect, but He always shows up.

We've witnessed chronic pain disappear. We've seen medical reports that couldn't be explained naturally. We've watched people receive strength to endure treatments and surgeries beyond what doctors anticipated. We've celebrated when the impossible became possible.

But here's what's equally powerful: we've also seen God bring peace in the midst of suffering. We've watched Him turn hospital rooms into places of worship. We've seen believers walk through valleys of illness with such grace and faith that it drew others to Christ.

Both are healing. Both are divine. Both show God's power and presence.

Practical Steps for Seeking Healing

So what do you do if you or someone you love needs healing? Here are some biblical, practical steps:

1. Pray with faith. Bring your request boldly before God. He's not offended by honest prayers. Tell Him exactly what you need and trust His heart toward you.

2. Ask for prayer from church leaders. This is straight from James 5. Don't try to go it alone. The body of Christ is meant to carry these burdens together. You can submit a prayer request anytime.

3. Examine your heart. Sometimes (not always) there are spiritual barriers like unforgiveness, unconfessed sin, or bitterness that can block the flow of God's blessing. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart.

4. Use medical resources. God gave us brains and the ability to develop medicine and treatments. Using medical care isn't a lack of faith, it's wisdom. God can work through doctors and medications just as powerfully as through miraculous intervention.

5. Stand on God's Word. Fill your mind with healing Scriptures. Let them build your faith and remind you of God's character. He is still Jehovah Rapha.

The Ultimate Healing

Here's the eternal perspective we can't lose sight of: every healing we experience in this life, as wonderful as it is, is temporary. Even Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, eventually died again.

The ultimate healing is coming. One day, for those who trust in Christ, we'll receive glorified bodies that will never know sickness, pain, or death again. Revelation 21:4 promises, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Until that day, we hold in tension both the "already" and the "not yet" of God's Kingdom. Healing is already available through Christ's finished work. But we're not yet in the fullness of that Kingdom where death is finally defeated.

So yes: divine healing is still real. It's as real as the God who promises it. It's as real as the cross where Jesus purchased it. And it's as real as the countless testimonies of believers throughout history and today who've experienced His healing touch.

The question isn't whether God can heal. The question is: do we trust Him enough to ask, and do we trust His heart enough to accept whatever answer He gives?

Want to Go Deeper?

If you're in Memphis, Cordova, Arlington, Bartlett, or the 901, join us in person: www.famemphis.org

Outside the area? Join our online church community: www.boundlessonlinechurch.org

Need prayer? Call or Text: (901) 213-7341

We believe prayer changes things. We believe God still heals. And we'd be honored to stand with you in faith, whatever you're facing. Don't walk through this alone. Let's believe together for God's best in your life.

Divine healing is real. God is good. And His plans for you are better than you can imagine.