This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 JOHN 5:14–15 NIV
“How can I pray for you today?” the prayer minister asked. Tanya lifted her head and her eyes filled with tears. Taking a deep breath, she began to explain how she had injured her back several years ago, how the injury was the root cause of her progressively worsening back problems. Over the years, she had tried chiropractors, physical therapists, and orthopedic specialists. The pain persisted and was often debilitating. The last doctor recommended a risky surgery. “I want God’s will to be done. I want to be healed if it’s His will,” she said. The prayer minister gently asked, “If it’s possible that God would not want to heal you, wouldn’t you be acting outside His will by seeking healing through medicine?” “Well, no,” she stammered. The prayer minister smiled. “Then you can approach God in prayer the very same way, knowing He wants you well.”
“Lord, if it be Your will…” We often add this caveat to our prayers out of dependence and reverence for God and His sovereign will. Sometimes, it’s very appropriate to do so, especially when our heart’s desire is to be in alignment with God’s plan. But sometimes, we pray an “if it be Your will” prayer to give ourselves an out, rather than as an act of full surrender. With this type of prayer, there is no need to stand in faith that we will receive what we ask for. It’s almost like preparing ourselves in advance for Him to say no. Then, if the outcome is not what we hope for, we conclude that our prayer is outside of His will. Is it possible that we didn’t pray in confidence according to His will?
When it comes to healing, we can be assured of God’s will. It’s His nature to heal. A healthy body is God’s plan for your life and a reflection of His goodness and His abundant love for you. He grieves over all human brokenness and wants you to be completely whole. Sickness and death were never part of His original plan. God created, called creation good, and gave humans dominion over the earth (Genesis 1; Psalm 8). Sickness and oppression are products of the fall, and when sin entered the world, all creation fell into decay (Genesis 3:7; Romans 8:21). But Jesus came to set these systems right again, to take back what the enemy stole from us. Through His death and resurrection, God provided the full measure of grace to restore all things (Colossians 1:20). He came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He healed you by the stripes on his back (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV).
If we pray “if it be Your will” prayers for healing, what we are really praying is “Lord, if it’s not Your will to heal me, then let this sickness take me!” Does that sound like Jesus? Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. There are no Bible stories of people who came to Jesus and walked away without their healing, and no cases where He turned down a person’s request for healing. In fact, there are many times when the Bible says He healed all who came to Him (Acts 10:38; Matthew 8:16; 12:15; 4:24; Luke 6:19). In fact, Jesus never prayed “if it be Your will” prayers for healing, and neither did His disciples. They directed their prayers at the condition and prayed with authority. They spoke commands like “Pick up your mat, and walk!” (John 5:8) or “Be cleansed” (Matthew 8:3 NKJV).
They didn’t use “if it be Your will” prayers because they knew God’s will to heal. Remember, God planned for you to live a long, full, and satisfying life (Psalm 91:16; John 10:10). He promised to care for you throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age (Isaiah 46:4)! If God’s heart is to heal and to give you a long life, then you can approach Him with confidence. He wants you well.
Lord, thank You that You came to destroy the works of the devil, to take back what he stole in the garden. Forgive me when I doubt Your will to heal me, for believing the lie that this affliction came from Your hands. Thank You for providing the full measure of grace to heal and restore me through Your death and resurrection.
Please give me faith to believe I can pray for anything, and if I believe I’ve received it, it will be mine (Mark 11:24). Lord, I received my healing by the stripes on Your back (Isaiah 53:5 NKJV). When I pray, please give me faith to believe that healing is truly Your will for me. I am sorry for the times I have prayed “if it be Your will” prayers out of doubt and unbelief, rather than true reverence and dependence on You. Give me the faith to approach You in confidence, fully believing that You want me well.