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God's promises have conditions

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It is a mistake to "claim" healing Scriptures without regard to their context. If you are living right before God and are not knowingly disobeying him, you have a clear conscience to receive all of his precious promises. However, most of the "Healing Scriptures" we quote have conditions attached to them. No one should teach that you can just live any old way and "claim" healing Scriptures and get your healing anyway. It is instructive to review the conditions. As covered in an objection reply, we are not establishing a gospel of works, but neither are we tempting God by ignoring his conditions while claiming his blessings.

In Exodus 15:25-26, the condition was, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes...." Then God would keep you healthy.


Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 and Ephesians 6:1-3 link long life with your honoring of your parents.

In Exodus 23:25-26, the condition was, "And ye shall serve the Lord your God...." Then God would take sickness away from you.

In Numbers 21:5-9, you could be healed of a fatal snakebite, but only if you steadfastly beheld the symbol of the crucified Christ.

In Deuteronomy 5:33, the condition was, "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you..." to live long and prosper.

In Deuteronomy 6:2, the condition for long life was, "That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee...all the days of thy life...."


In Deuteronomy 7:12-15, God promised to take sickness from you "if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them...."

In Deuteronomy 11:8-9, prolonged days were promised under this condition: "Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day...."

In Deuteronomy 11:18-21, long life was available under this condition: "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates...." This means constantly keeping God's Word before you! How many sick people ignore this principle and just think God should wave a wand and heal them while they watch soap operas in the hospital!


In 1 Kings 3:14, God promised lengthened life "if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk...."

In Psalm 34:11-14, the promise of many good days is for you when you "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it."

In Psalm 41:1-3, the giver to the poor is promised strengthening on his sickbed. Isaiah 58:6-11 talks of speedy health to the one who helps the poor.

Psalm 91 is full of protection promises. However, the following conditions are stated: 
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High," "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust," "Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation," "Because he hath set his love upon me," "because he hath known my name." If you aren't doing and saying what this Psalm says to do and say, you don't qualify for the benefits.


Proverbs 3:1-2 is yet another passage promising long life if you "forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments."

Proverbs 3:7-8 says health comes when you "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil." Proverbs 10:27 contains a similar thought.

Proverbs 3:16 and Proverbs 9:11 say that long life comes from wisdom.

Proverbs 4:10 says that when you hear and receive God's sayings, you'll live long. Proverbs 4:20-22 promises health to all your flesh when you "attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart."


In Isaiah 40:29-31, renewed strength is promised under the condition that you "wait upon the Lord."

That was under the Old Covenant. What about our New Covenant? Does it have conditions, too?

That favorite "faith" verse Mark 11:24 is immediately followed by teaching in the next two verses that your faith won't work if you walk in unforgiveness. (See Mistake: Unforgiveness for that passage.)

1 Timothy 2:15 promises that a woman will not die in childbirth -- but only if she continues in faith, holiness and sobriety.

1 Peter 3:10-11 echoes the language of Psalm 34:11-14 and basically says that if you want to live a long time, watch your mouth.

3 John 2 expresses God's desire for you to be in health, but notice that it is "as your soul prospers."


The Corinthians failed to walk in healing despite their knowledge and willingness to flow in manifestations of the Holy Spirit. This stands as proof that healing is not absolutely promised even under our New Covenant to those who are not serious about their walk with God. Yes, healing is your covenant right, but there are conditions if you want to be able to enjoy that right.

We are not "redeemed" from the blessings promised in the Old Covenant in our new and better covenant, but you must realize that the blessings had conditions and cannot just be "claimed" independently of those conditions. If you ignore God's Word, are a miser, are wise in your own eyes, and generally don't fear the Lord (in the reverential sense), you have no right to claim any of the promises listed above.

The conditions above have this in common -- they have to do with your walk with God. How's yours? If you need to get some things straightened out with him, you should do so before you start claiming his healing promises. You don't have to be perfect in works to get healed, but you can't be lazy or callous about the things of God and expect him to heal you. He did not promise unconditional healing to those who want to live any old way under either Testament.

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