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Is It God's Will That All Who Are Sick Be Healed Before Going to Heaven?

by Stephen Davey

Charles asked: Is It God's Will That All Who Are Sick Be Healed Before Going to Heaven?

This question—whether it’s God's will for all who are sick to be healed before they go to heaven—often arises when Christians face long-term illness or when prayers for healing seem unanswered. It’s a question that touches deep emotions, particularly when we or our loved ones experience the pain and suffering of sickness. The Bible teaches us many things about God's power to heal, His sovereignty, and the future hope we have as believers. To understand this fully, we need to explore both the reality of healing and the truth that not everyone is healed before death.

God’s Power to Heal

The Bible is full of examples of God’s healing power. In both the Old and New Testaments, God miraculously healed His people. Jesus’ earthly ministry was marked by numerous acts of healing—restoring sight to the blind, curing the paralyzed, and even raising the dead. The gospels make it clear that Jesus had compassion for the sick and healed many, showing God’s heart toward those who suffer.

Moreover, James 5:14-15 encourages Christians to pray for healing: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” God can and does heal today, but this is not a blanket guarantee that everyone will be healed immediately or even in this life.

Not Everyone Is Healed on Earth

While God certainly has the power to heal, not everyone is healed before they go to heaven. Many faithful Christians have suffered long-term illnesses, and despite fervent prayers, they did not receive healing on this side of eternity. The apostle Paul himself dealt with a persistent physical issue. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, he describes a “thorn in the flesh” and how he pleaded with the Lord to remove it. Yet God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul didn’t receive healing, but instead received the strength to endure. This teaches us that God’s will isn’t always to heal, even for His most faithful servants. God may have purposes for allowing sickness and suffering in our lives that we cannot fully understand. Sometimes, sickness becomes a means by which we draw nearer to God, trust Him more deeply, or serve as witnesses to others in our weakness. Suffering can refine our faith and remind us of our ultimate dependence on Him.

A Glorified Body in Heaven

One of the great promises in Scripture is that while not all will be healed in this life, all Christians will experience perfect healing in heaven. In heaven, believers will receive new, glorified bodies that are free from sickness, pain, and death. Revelation 21:4 offers this beautiful promise: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

The apostle Paul speaks of this future reality in 1 Corinthians 15, where he contrasts our current, perishable bodies with the imperishable ones we will receive in eternity. "For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:53). In heaven, we will be fully restored—physically, spiritually, and emotionally. All sickness and disease will be gone forever.

God’s Sovereignty and Our Trust

It’s important to remember that God is sovereign over all things, including sickness and healing. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9), and He has purposes that are often beyond our understanding. While we should absolutely pray for healing and believe that God can heal, we must also trust Him if He chooses not to heal in this life. Our faith should not rest solely on whether or not we are healed but on the goodness and wisdom of God.

Ultimately, healing in this life is temporary. Even those who were healed by Jesus or the apostles eventually died. The healing that truly matters is the eternal healing we will receive when we are with Christ. In the meantime, God promises to be with us in our suffering, to sustain us by His grace, and to give us the hope of glory that far surpasses any suffering we experience now (Romans 8:18).

Conclusion

So, Charles, is it God's will that all who are sick be healed before going to heaven? No, not necessarily. While God can and does heal according to His will, some believers will suffer long-term illnesses or die with physical ailments that are not healed. Yet, we have the assurance that all who are in Christ will be fully healed in heaven. There, we will receive glorified bodies, free from sickness and pain, and experience perfect peace with our Savior. Until that day, we are called to trust in God’s sovereignty, to pray for healing, and to rest in the promise that His grace is always sufficient for us.

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Comments

Camille says:
Thank you for this concise and biblical explanation. I often wonder, how to pray for certain situation and I am currently diving deep into how Jesus view's situation. This article will help me as I pray prophectically and with wisdom and understanding.