The Great Physician: Trusting in Divine Healing
- Boundless Team
- Mar 22
- 7 min read
When people call Jesus “the Great Physician,” they’re not being poetic.
They’re being accurate.
In the Gospels, Jesus heals bodies, restores minds, delivers people from demonic oppression, and forgives sin, because He cares about the whole person. And He still does.
If you’re reading this while waiting on test results, managing chronic pain, grieving a loss, caring for someone who’s suffering, or simply exhausted from carrying anxiety in your chest… you’re not alone.
And you’re not “too much” for God.
Divine healing isn’t a side topic in Scripture. It’s woven into who God is and what Jesus came to do.
What we mean by “divine healing” (and what we don’t)
Divine healing means God heals, by His power, through His compassion, because of His covenant love.
It doesn’t mean:
you ignore doctors or medicine
you deny symptoms
you pretend you’re fine
you assume every sickness is caused by personal sin
you blame yourself if healing doesn’t happen instantly
In Assemblies of God belief, healing is part of the gospel ministry of Jesus and an expectation for believers. We pray. We trust. We obey. We seek help where needed. And we keep our eyes on Jesus.
God can heal instantly.
God can heal through treatment and time.
God can strengthen you to endure while He works deeper healing in your heart.
And God will ultimately heal completely when Christ returns and makes all things new.
Jesus didn’t just preach the kingdom, He showed it
The New Testament doesn’t present healing as a rare bonus.
It’s a repeated pattern.
Jesus healed blindness, deafness, paralysis, leprosy, fevers, chronic bleeding, seizures, torment, and even raised the dead. These weren’t “party tricks.” They were signs, real compassion for real pain, and also a clear message:
God’s kingdom is breaking in.
When Jesus heals, He’s revealing what God is like.
Compassionate
Present
Powerful
Personal
And He’s also pointing beyond temporary physical relief to the deeper healing we all need: a restored relationship with God.
Because even people Jesus healed physically still died later.
But those who trusted Him received something bigger than a moment of strength.
They received eternal life.
Healing is personal, but it’s also biblical doctrine
Assemblies of God teaching is rooted in the authority of Scripture.
So when we talk about divine healing, we’re not building a belief on stories alone (even though testimonies matter). We’re building it on God’s Word.
If you want a starting point, take a slow read through:
Isaiah 53 (the suffering servant)
Matthew 8:16–17 (Jesus fulfilling the healing promise)
Mark 16:15–18 (the church continuing Christ’s mission)
James 5:14–16 (prayer for the sick in the local church)
And as you read, notice something important:
Divine healing doesn’t compete with the gospel.
It flows from it.
Jesus saves, forgives, restores, and heals because He is Lord over sin, sickness, and death.
A quick (and helpful) way to connect healing to the AG 16 Fundamental Truths
Divine healing makes the most sense when it’s connected to the whole gospel story, not isolated as a single “hot topic.”
Here’s how healing fits naturally within the core beliefs:
1) The Scriptures are our foundation
We don’t build expectations on hype.
We build faith on God’s Word.
If you’re in a hard season, a simple prayer can be: “Lord, let Your Word shape my faith more than my fear.”
(If you want a Bible-focused refresher on why Scripture matters, this post may help: https://www.boundlessonlinechurch.org/post/inspired-truth-the-gift-of-god-s-word)
2–4) God is revealed in Jesus, and Jesus’ mission includes healing
Jesus is fully God, fully man, and the only hope for salvation.
His healings were never disconnected from who He is.
When He touched lepers, He wasn’t just improving skin.
He was restoring dignity.
5) Humanity’s problem is deeper than pain
Sickness is part of a broken world.
But the deepest human wound is separation from God because of sin.
That’s why the Great Physician doesn’t only treat symptoms, He heals the root.
6–8) Salvation is full restoration
Salvation includes forgiveness, new life, and a new identity in Christ.
Healing can be part of that restoration.
But even when physical healing is delayed, salvation still holds you steady:
You are not abandoned.
9) The church is called to pray for the sick
You were never meant to carry suffering alone.
Prayer is part of normal Christian life.
And the church is meant to be a Spirit-led community where burdens are shared.
10) Spirit baptism empowers witness (including bold prayer)
We pray for healing not to look impressive, but to point people to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live and speak with courage, compassion, and clarity.
11) Sanctification shapes how we suffer and how we hope
Holiness isn’t “being perfect.”
It’s being formed.
Pain has a way of pulling things to the surface: fear, control, resentment, despair.
God meets us there.
Sometimes His healing work is as much about what’s happening inside us as what’s happening around us.
12) The church has a mission
We help people meet Jesus and grow in faith online.
And part of that is being a safe place for people who are hurting, physically, emotionally, spiritually.
13–15) Healing has an “already and not yet” reality
God heals now.
And we also live with hope for what’s coming.
Jesus is returning.
There is a resurrection.
There will be a final restoration.
So we pray boldly today, and we hold on to eternal hope even when today is hard.
16) Worship centers our hearts
Worship doesn’t deny pain.
It places pain in the presence of God.
Sometimes healing begins when the soul stops fighting alone and starts resting in who God is.
Faith isn’t forcing God, it’s trusting Him
A lot of people get stuck here.
They think faith means:
never feeling afraid
always speaking with confidence
getting the result you want immediately
But biblical faith is more grounded than that.
Faith says:
“Jesus, I trust Your heart, even when I don’t understand Your timing.”
In the Gospels, Jesus often says, “Your faith has made you well.”
That’s not a formula.
It’s relationship.
Faith reaches for Jesus, because He is good.
A practical way to pray for healing (without getting weird about it)
Sometimes people avoid praying for healing because they don’t know what to say.
Here’s a simple, biblical framework you can use today:
1) Start with honesty
“Lord, this is what I’m facing…”
Name the condition, the fear, the unknowns.
God can handle truth.
2) Ask boldly
“Jesus, You’re the Great Physician. Please heal me.”
Specific prayers aren’t disrespectful.
They’re personal.
3) Surrender the outcome to God’s wisdom
“Your will be done. Lead me step by step.”
This isn’t giving up.
It’s placing control where it belongs.
4) Ask for peace and strength right now
Even when healing is progressive, God can give peace immediately.
“Give me peace that guards my mind. Give me strength for today.”
5) Invite community prayer
If you can’t carry this alone, that’s not weakness.
That’s wisdom.
Ask someone to pray with you.
When healing is delayed: what to do with the “why?”
If you’ve ever prayed and nothing changed right away, you’ve probably asked “Why?”
That question isn’t sinful.
It’s human.
A few anchors for the waiting season:
God is still good
Your pain is real.
But it is not proof that God left.
You can pursue care and still trust God
Seeing a doctor, taking medication, going to therapy, getting a second opinion, none of that cancels faith.
It’s often part of wise stewardship.
Don’t carry shame
Delayed healing is not automatic evidence that you “didn’t have enough faith.”
Jesus is not measuring you with a ruler.
He’s holding you with nail-scarred hands.
Keep the goal bigger than relief
Yes: ask for relief.
And also ask for wholeness.
Sometimes God heals the body and the heart at the same time.
Sometimes the healing story includes endurance, reconciliation, freedom from fear, restored prayer life, renewed joy, or salvation for the people watching your life.
A word for caregivers, shift workers, and people running on empty
If your life is built around caring for others: elder care, disability support, hospice support, parenting a medically fragile child, late shifts, multiple jobs: your needs can disappear behind everybody else’s emergencies.
Jesus sees you.
And you can pray for healing too.
Not just “Lord help them,” but also:
“Lord, strengthen me.”
“Lord, restore my sleep.”
“Lord, heal the anxiety in my chest.”
“Lord, give me grace for the next hour.”
God’s healing isn’t reserved for the person with the microphone.
It’s for the person doing the unseen work.
Next steps you can take today
If you want something simple and real (not overwhelming), try one of these:
Read one healing story in the Gospels and ask: “What does this show me about Jesus?”
Write down one specific healing request and pray it daily for seven days
Ask a trusted believer to pray with you (even a short prayer)
Join a discussion and ask questions if you’re sorting through what you believe: https://www.boundlessonlinechurch.org/group-page/im-new-q-a-welcome-center/discussion
Explore more Bible-centered content at https://www.boundlessonlinechurch.org/blog
If you want, you can also share your situation privately with our prayer team through the prayer text line below.
Suggested image direction: 16:9 cinematic landscape, brighter and colorful, no text-on-graphic. Concept: a person standing in warm sunrise light with open hands, suggesting hope and surrender.
A prayer you can pray right now
Jesus, You are the Great Physician. You see what hurts, what’s broken, and what’s hidden.
I ask You for healing: spirit, soul, and body. Give wisdom for next steps and courage for today.
Where fear has been loud, speak peace. Where strength is gone, supply grace. Where my faith feels small, meet me with Your presence.
I trust You with my life, my future, and my healing. Amen.
Boundless Online Church is a ministry of FA Memphis.
Need prayer? Text 1-901-213-7341 (message & data rates may apply). Not for emergencies.
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