Do you believe John 3:16? Then why isn’t Mark 16:17–18 your daily life?
Hi, I’m Addison. You’re reading (or listening to) Bigger Than Me—a weekly guide devoted to removing the fears, doubts, and misconceptions that keep believers from healing the sick in everyday life.
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(Unsure if modern healing is something the Bible actually teaches? Start here.)
Everyone pauses.
Dust falls as the strained groaning of wooden planks draws eyes to the ceiling. Small points of light break through the roof slats.
The straining grows heavier.
The wood gives way.
Sunlight pours through a gaping hole in the roof as men lean over the new opening, staring down into the room.
Then they begin lowering him.
A paralytic man on a mat, held by ropes at each corner, slowly descends through the hole.
The crowd watches as they steadily lower him, inch by inch, until he comes to rest on the floor in front of Jesus.
He’s covered in dust. Breathing hard. Hands gripping the mat beneath him.
His eyes haven’t left Jesus’ face.
The moment lingers.
Then Jesus speaks.
“Take heart, son. Your sins are forgiven.”
No one moves.
A few men toward the edge of the room stiffen and exchange whispers.
Jesus answers them before they speak.
“Why do you think like this?”
“Which is easier to say—
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or
‘Rise and walk’?”
No one responds.
“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
He turns back to the paralytic man.
“Get up. Take your mat. Go home.”
The man stands, reaches down, picks up the mat he was lowered down on, and begins toward the door.
People press against the walls to make room.
And he walks out.
“God doesn’t want to heal me.”
Christians are very comfortable hearing:
“Your sins are forgiven.”
That message is settled.
Preached.
Repeated.
Believed.
No hesitation.
But healing?
That’s where things shift.
It feels complex.
Harder to explain.
When sickness shows up…
doubt creeps in.
We start asking:
Will God heal me?
Does He want to?
Can I assume that?
Underneath all of this is the same quiet conclusion:
“God doesn’t want to heal me”
One sacrifice. Not two.
When the man was lowered in front of Him,
Jesus didn’t start with healing.
He began with forgiveness.
And then when the crowd questioned it
He answered them:
“So that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”
“Rise. Take up your mat and walk.”
Healing wasn’t separate.
It was the evidence.
He used what could be seen
to prove what couldn’t.
That was His answer.
When we treat healing like a maybe…
we’re questioning the very thing
Jesus used as proof.
A prayer for confidence
Original graphic by Bryan Arcebal
Dear Father,
Thank You that You are good.
That You are consistent.
That You didn’t leave healing unclear.
Thank You Jesus for showing me
what You are like—
not in theory, but in action.
Thank You that I don’t have to guess at
what you’re willing to do.
Thank You Holy Spirit.
You’ve made me someone
who can trust You.
Who can see clearly.
Who can walk in what You’ve revealed.
I agree with You Lord.
I let go of any hesitation,
uncertainty,
and anything that doesn’t line up
with what You’ve shown me.
I receive Your confidence.
I receive the certainty
of what You’ve already finished.
In Your Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Until next time,
Addison
How To Command Healing
Here’s a simple guide to start healing in Jesus’ name today:
Ask what’s wrong and have the person gauge pain or severity.
Ask to pray for them.
In the prayer:
Declare that the Kingdom of God is here and sickness can’t stay
Directly command the problem to leave in Jesus‘ name
Directly command the body to heal in Jesus’ name
Have them test it and gauge improvement (if they can)
Listen for direction from God, then pray again if He tells you.
Stand in confidence once God says it’s done.
Witness and invite Holy Spirit to stay (if they’re not a believer already)
Take the experience to prayer to hear from God afterward.
If you want deeper answers including more detailed steps, I’ve put together a full training resource and FAQ here:
Have you tried laying hands on the sick?
If This Reopened the Whole Healing Question
This issue may have hit something deeper than one passage.
If you’ve realized your view of healing has been shaped by half-truths, fear, or tradition, don’t stop here.
I’ve written a short run of foundational Bigger Than Me issues on how Jesus healed, why He healed, and what that means for believers now.
If you want the broader foundation under this issue, start there.
Don’t Let This Stay Theoretical
If this issue exposed a lie, good.
But don’t leave it as a thought you agreed with for five minutes and then lost by Tuesday.
In Jesus’ Name: A Divine Healing Guide is where I slow down and walk through the bigger biblical foundation behind issues like this one—without hype, shortcuts, or pressure.
It’s for the person who wants to know:
what Jesus actually revealed about God
why healing belongs in the Gospel conversation
and how to move forward without turning every unanswered question into a new doctrine
If you want something you can come back to and build on, start there.
