Divine Healing Facts
Obedience: A Key To Receiving Your Healing
by Pastor Dana A. Holmes
Obedience is one of the most important keys to receiving your healing. Many people desiring to be healed
believe that they can be healed without obeying God, or the one God is using to minister healing. They have
the attitude that God has to do it when, where, and how they desire it to be done, but that’s not true.
You must obey God in order to receive the manifestation of your healing. Throughout the Old and New
Testament, obedience and faith have always been the keys to God’s people being blessed. Isaiah 1:19 says, If
ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Let’s look at some scriptures that prove that obedience is one of the keys to receiving the complete
manifestation of healing. Mark 3:1-5 says, Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a
shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him
closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in
front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save
life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their
stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely
restored. (NIV)
Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. The man made no excuses. He didn’t say, “How do you expect
me to stretch out my hand? It’s deformed.” No! He obeyed Jesus and when he did, his hand was completely
restored.
The ten lepers obeyed Jesus without first seeing any physical signs of healing in their bodies. And it came
to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered
into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their
voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show
yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. (Luke 17:11-14)
Notice that these ten lepers received the manifestation of their healing because they obeyed Jesus without
hesitation.
There may not be a noticeable change in your physical body yet. However, when Jesus gives a command
to you through His Word or through someone ministering healing, don’t draw back in fear because it doesn’t
make sense to your mind. Reasoning robs you of obeying God in faith. You shouldn’t wait until you see a
change to obey. You shouldn’t wait until you feel better to obey. Be like the ten lepers. Simply obey!
Mark 2:1-5, 11-12 says, Several days later he returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread
quickly through the city. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t
room for a single person more, not even outside the door. And he preached the Word to them. Four men
arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher, right down in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw how strongly
they believed that he would help, Jesus said to the sick man, “Son, your sins are forgiven!” Then, turning to the
paralyzed man, he commanded, “Pick up your stretcher and go on home, for you are healed! (Living Bible)
The man could have said, “Hey Jesus, I can’t pick up my stretcher. I’m paralyzed!” Well, if he had said
that he would still be lying on that stretcher waiting to be healed. And he would have no one to blame but
himself. How could Jesus tell a paralyzed man to pick up his stretcher and go on home because he was
healed? Through faith. This man needed four men to carry him in on his stretcher, but because he obeyed
Jesus, verse 12 tells us that, The man jumped up, took the stretcher, and pushed his way through the stunned
on lookers! Then how they praised God. (Living Bible) His acting on the Word and obeying God brought
results.
In 2 Kings the 5th chapter, we have the account of Naaman the leper. Naaman heard that there was in
Samaria a prophet who could heal him of leprosy. So he received permission from the king to go and receive
his healing. When Elisha the prophet heard that Naaman had come to be healed, he sent for him. Verse 9-13
says, So Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s home. Elisha sent a
messenger out to tell him to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times and he would be healed of every
trace of leprosy! But Naaman was angry and stalked away.
“Look,” he said, “I thought at least he would come out and talk to me! I expected him to wave his hand over
the leprosy and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and heal me! Aren’t the Abana River and Pharpar
River of Damascus better than all the rivers of Israel put together? If it’s rivers I need, I’ll wash at home and get
rid of my leprosy.” So he went away in a rage. But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “If the prophet
had told you to do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he
says simply to go and wash and be cured! (Living Bible) Naaman responded just like some people do today.
They get so concerned about how God directed them to receive their healing that they miss their healing.
Let’s look at what almost caused Naaman to remain a leper. Number one: He had his own preconceived
ideas of how the prophet was to respond to him. First he thought the prophet was to come and talk to him, but
instead he sent a messenger. That reminds me of people today. They have certain people they want to
minister to them, and if that person can’t minister to them, they won’t receive it any other way. That could be
dangerous because the very one you reject could be the very one God has chosen to get you healed.
Secondly, he thought the prophet would minister healing to him using a certain method. That didn’t happen
either. Elisha’s messenger told Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times.
Thirdly, Naaman didn’t like where the prophet told him to go wash. Naaman exclaimed that he could easily
go home and wash. After that Naaman’s officers encouraged him to do this simple thing that would cause him
to be cured and he did. Verse 14 says, So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven
times, as the prophet had told him to. And his flesh became as healthy as a little child’s, and he was healed!
(Living Bible)
Don’t let preconceived ideas hinder you from obeying God regarding your healing. There are several
methods to receiving healing so don’t become so dependent upon one method that if God desires to use a
method that you’re not accustomed to, you won’t receive. It will cost you the manifestation of your healing.
Remember: It Takes Faith To Obey God!
Maranatha!