We thought it better to give you all a video experience to untangle the misinterpretation of TPM Divine healing.
The Following is a message by Bro Zac Poonen which we have sourced from YouTube. After going through it, we think he has the right explanation to all questions you will have regarding Divine Healing. The Topic starts from 8:27 . Happy Viewing.
Dear Admin,
I visited this post from the link mentioned by you in one of your comments in your latest post. I listened to Zac Ponen’s speech about Sickness and Healing. It cleared many of my doubts but one thing he said was “sickness is not caused by our sins”. We see many reference in the script about sickness or disease caused by sin.
For example: Jesus healed a paralytic man by telling him his sins are forgiven,
John 9:2
And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”
Micah 6:13
“So also I will make you sick, striking you down, Desolating you because of your sins.
Zac Ponan surely knows these verses then why did he say like that “sickness is not caused by our sins”? Because I am suffering from different ailments for the past few years and I was thinking that these are due to my sins against God. I prayed many times to forgive my sins but still I don’t receive complete healing even taking medicines.
Can you please clarify my doubt.
Brother,
Cause for sickness could be for various reasons and our sins could be one of that. If it is because of a sin, God will let you know of that. At the same time, let me remind you that if the cause of a disease is our sins, then It should go away as soon as we confess it and pray for the healing. James 5:15
Micah 6:13 is not of a physical sickness as in disease. But it speaks of God’s judgement on the land of Israel and the City. It’s not on a person. A solution to this case is a repentance by the inhabitants of the land for the healing. Note the below verses where there is a healing for the land.
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14
As far as your case is concerned, I am not in a position to make any judgement. But I will recommend you one thing. Ask the Lord if the cause for your disease is because of any sin. If so please ask forgiveness and ask God to heal you. If the cause is not spiritual, do the necessary remedies with prayers and ask God to lead you in the right path. Be open to the leading of the Lord. Remember the Apostle Paul had a Thorn in the Flesh and also Timothy had infirmities in his stomach. Keep upholding your confidence in the Lord and he does everything for our Good. We serve a Good God.
Thanks Admin for the advise.
Dear Admin,
Thank you very much for an amazing article!!! May God Bless you abundantly!
This article along with another article of yours “Misplaced Children’s Bread of TPM” and “20 Questions for Believers in TPM Version of Divine Healing” was very helpful, for which I thank God as he has used this site and articles (along with you) to shine the Light of our Savior Jesus.
Now, there are several questions which I have, please give answers regarding that (Before we begin, I would like to clarify I’m not TPM Fanatic):
1) Yes, it’s true as Jesus himself once said ” ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:11-12) according to these verses “Jesus is our Spiritual healer/doctor ” the same is Implied in Isaiah 53:5 and I Peter 2:22.
I have read different Bible verses as well: Psalms 32:3-5;38:1-5;18;103:3; Jeremiah 30:12-17; 33:4-9
these verses also imply that THE Healing mentioned in these verses are also about Spiritual Healing, in other words, Forgiveness of Sins!
So, what about Exo 15:26; 23:25? This verses, even if we read it in its context, it does mean GOD is promising Physical healing as well.
2) Look, (I’m actually filling embarrassed to ask a question like these because the verse itself speaks that ‘ there is no healing for you.’ ): The question is very simple Elaborate: In Jeremiah 46:11: “Go up to Gilead and get balm, Virgin Daughter Egypt. But you try many medicines in vain; there is no healing for you.
[According to TPM “Medicine of Gilead” means Jesus. Now, if read this verse carefully it’s not mentioned “Daughter of Jerusalem/Zion” but “Virgin Daughter Egypt”, I understood that it does not mean Spiritually means backslidden Church(I meant present-day church), but it represented the people of Judah who lived in Egypt (Jeremiah 43:6,7). Because, in Jeremiah Chapter 42 we read God spoke that Don’t go to Egpyt, yet stiff-necked people went there!! This is my understanding of this verse, however, “Medicine of Gilead” which represents “Jesus”-the interpretation of TPM doesn’t fit anything at all!]
3)Brother, as I mentioned earlier I know that Jeremiah 30:17,33:6 if we read it in its context its speaks of “Spiritual Healing”. I’m sorry to say even if I know that when we read different verses like Leviticus 26:25; Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 28:21; Jeremiah14:12; 21:7,9; 24:10;
27:8,13;29:17,18;32:24,36;34:17;38:2;42:17,22; 44:13; Ezekiel 6:11;12, 7:15, these verses speaks that God will smite Israelites if they forsake the real God. If that’s the case- then Jeremiah 30:17 & 33:6 promises “Spiritual” and “Physical” healing as well??
Dear Brother,
I have divided my response in 3 sections in the same order as your questions are.
Answer 1
The verses that you have quoted are applicable to the people in that specific instance.
For eg. Gen 15:26 says that God will not put that sickness he put on the Egyptians. So which sickness of the Egyptians is he referring to?
We know that the sickness specifically refers to the festering boils on Egyptians during the 10 plagues. The other 9 plagues cannot be categorised as sickness.
So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. Exo 9:10.
Therefore, this promise is for the children of Israel in the wilderness. It should not be expanded to be applied to the New Testament church or even to the old testament people after they entered the Land of Canaan. We see that King Hezekiah had a boil in his body and was healed by keeping of figs on it(2 kings 20:7). Should we accuse God of transgressing his promise? Of course not. Next time, one of our close ones gets sick by chickenpox, let us not link him/her to the plague of Egypt.
For the next verse also the context is important. It is a conditional promise to the children of Israel while they were entering the Land of Canaan. The conditions start from Exo 23:20 onwards. We should therefore not pull that verse out and try to apply in a new testament context.
Answer 2
The Balm of Gilead was a balm made of the resins that come out of a special tree. It had good healing powers.
However, in the scriptures, the same wording is used for comfort in the Soul and Spirit. It’s not about physical healing. It’s used here in a symbolic way. Let us look into Jer 8:21-22. The context makes it clear that the healing spoken here is about the heart. In a similar way in Jer 46:11-12 the healing quoting the same balm of gilead is going to be ineffective when the Lord punishes Egypt. Vs 12 speaks about the shame. Clearly SHAME indicates about the wound within and not a physical one.
Answer 3
Leviticus 26:25; Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 28:21; Jer 14:12; Jer 21:6; Jer 24:10 and others are passages which refer to material blessings or curses. And as mentioned earlier, The Lord is reminding the way he brought them out of Egypt when he mentions the effects of the Curse. Therefore he uses the term plague very frequently. In many places, you will see the sequence of sword, famine and plague. This same sequence is found when the 4th seal is Broken in Rev 6:8
@Admin
Thank you very much for your elaborate answer. I must say you truly are Bible Scholar.
However, I’m not able to understand the Answer of the third whether it is “Yes or No”. I’m extremely sorry to ask it again. However, there are two questions this time
Q1) In Jeremiah 30:17,33:6 if we read it in its context its speaks of “Spiritual Healing”. But, we need to understand the (Leviticus 26:25; Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 28:21; Jer 14:12; Jer 21:6; Jer 24:10) all mentioned verses Speaks about pestilence as a curse if Israelites commit sins or forsake God. So, Jeremiah 30:17,33:6 these verses speak for Spiritual and “Physical” Healing as well?
Q2) There is one more verse Elaborate this verse “Ezekiel 34:16”. I just want to understand this Bible verse. I understand that “shepherds” are not “Priests of OT”. This verse has a deeper meaning “It’s not just Physical healing” (I’m saying this because when I was in college- I used to believe -I am accursed or something – that’s how TPM manipulates- I used to read this Chapter every day for almost 2 months & God restored my faith that because of Sacrifice of Jesus- I am not under the curse of Law. And whatever difficulties I had in my life were solved as well). By the Grace of God, TPMites never used this Bible verse.
Q3) There is one more Bible verse which TPMites misquotes is Malachi 4:2. Elaborate this Bible verse as well.
(This is my request. You are Bible Genius, please make a FAQ page where Several Bible-related questions- which you have answered on this Site are on display. It’d be very nice. Do it if that’s convenient with you. )
1) The context in Jeremiah 30:17,33:6 speaks about healing the entire being (Wholesome Healing). Many causes for physical sickness could be traced back to a spiritual problem. So if we fix the spiritual problem, then the physical will also recover and become healthy. That is how I understand from this context. This same concept is applied in James 5:13-16
2) My understanding is that The Shepherds mentioned in Ezekiel 34 are the leaders of the people. This includes the ones having the Ministries of the Priest, Prophet and the King. Ultimately we all belong to the Good and the Chief Shepherd. However, in our earthly life, we can be fed by these pastors who have been assigned to the job of feeding and leading us. Though this is about that period of time, still the situation has not changed. In John 21:17, Jesus is asking Peter to Feed MY SHEEP. Notice that the Sheep belongs to Jesus. But Peter was given the responsibility to feed. Now if the ones who are given the responsibility to feed the sheep are fattening their Wallets, then the OWNER OF THE SHEEP will surely ask of the Pastor who was given that responsibility.
3) The entire chapter of Malachi 4 is a prophecy about a day of restoration for the Children of Israel. This will happen during the millennial reign of Christ. It’s not about physical healing for today. Unfortunately, the word HEALING has caused lots of misinterpretation. A better word to understand that would be RESTORATION