There are several things that can interfere with your healing

Hindrances to healing

Psalm 41:3 (NIV) -

“The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
    and restores them from their bed of illness.”

Born-again Christians may encounter hindrances to healing for several reasons, but all of them have solutions, thanks to the finished work of the Cross. Christians who have called on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have the privilege of receiving healing for their illnesses and infirmities. 

Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) -

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Exodus 15:26 (NKJV)

… “For I am the Lord who heals you.”

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) -

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.

But, when healing does not occur, they may want to examine some of the possible reasons for why this happens. They can also ask the Holy Spirit’s help in the process:

Unbelief

Jesus Christ encountered and rebuked unbelief during His earthly ministry. He found unbelief, which is a sin, even in His disciples who were around Him the most and who had witnessed important miracles: The raising of the dead, deliverances, numerous healings, feeding thousands with a few fishes and loaves of bread.

[Not to get sidetracked, but it also shows that miracles will not persuade some people to turn to God. This kind of unbelief may be more tied to rejecting God’s salvation message because it implies repentance – giving up a sinful lifestyle.] 

Here was the Messiah right in front of them, and yet some of the people who lived in those days chose, decided (an act of the will) not to believe.

Christians who struggle with unbelief for healing, or in other areas that include the many rich promises of God for His children, can do something about it. Bring the issue before the Lord. Tell Him honestly how you arrived at unbelief and why you hold on to it. 

Mark 6:5-6 (NLT) – Unbelief hinders the ministry of Jesus …

⁵ And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

 ⁶ And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Mark 16:14 (NLT) – Jesus rebukes unbelief

¹⁴ Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.^[d]

Hebrews 3:12 (NLT) – The writer of Hebrews is speaking to “Christians”

“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters.^[a] Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.”

Confess and repent of unbelief.

 Ask the Holy Spirit to help you in this area and begin to search and proclaim scriptures that deal with God’s healing for you.

The healing may be instant, or it could take a while (God is sovereign), especially if you developed strongholds in your mind that cause you to resist using your faith for healing.

Remember from the previous session that the same faith that God gives us for salvation is the same faith we need to ask for and receive healing. Keep pushing through, fast and pray, and ask others to pray for you until you break through.

Unconfessed sin

Is there anything going on in your life that you are hanging on to and which you know displeases the Lord? Whatever it is, it is not worth it. Willful sin is open rebellion against God. He can’t bless us if we are involved in deliberate sinful activities. Satan will continue to accuse you of your sins to your heavenly Father. 

Confess and repent.

If you are involved in a sinful relationship, i.e., an extra-marital affair, get out of it, fast. Sneaking off to gamble away the children’s grocery money? End it. You get the picture.

With the Lord’s help, you can get back on track.

Psalm 66:18 (NASB)

"If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;"

Unforgiveness

This is a big one. Jesus Christ placed a great importance on forgiveness, starting with the prayer He gave us which is known as the "Our Father."

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT) –

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Luke 17:3-4 (NLT) –

³ So watch yourselves! “If another believer^[a] sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.

⁴ Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

Matthew 6:12 (RSV) –

And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors;

Unprocessed pain

Hidden pain, buried deep inside, could be a hindrance to other healings. The effects of emotional trauma could be hiding in the background over the course of many years. 

Proverbs 18:14 – (AKJV)

“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;
    but a wounded spirit who can bear?”

Child sex abuse and family violence are two possible sources of hidden pain that has not been dealt with. Other sources include Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from exposure to warfare, mass migrant displacements, and living through natural catastrophes, such as earthquakes and hurricanes. 

As an example of lingering emotional pain, I know of someone who witnessed tremendous family violence as a child. The nearly forgotten trauma left a deep wound in this woman that didn’t come out until she was in her 50s. The experience allowed a spirit of grief to set in and continue for nearly a lifetime.

Counseling can help bring out these kinds of things, and so can asking the Holy Spirit for help. The Holy Spirit can put a light on these matters, and He does it only when He thinks we ready to handle them.

Isaiah 61:1 (ESV) -

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

Psalm 34:18 – (ESV)

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 51:6 (ESV) -

“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”

Pain can also set in and refuse to let go when people become angry at God because of the loss of a loved one – parent, spouse or child.  Some physical healings will come easier once the inner healing occurs. 

Allow the Lord to do His restoration work in your innermost being. Let Him heal the broken heart and lift the depression that stem from a wounded spirit.

Psalm 23:3 (KJV) -

³ He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The occult

Playing around with Ouija boards, consulting mediums and fortune-tellers, seeking help from shamans who use occult powers, idolatry, seeking spells and curses against others, puts you in contact with dark satanic forces and defiles you spiritually. Add to the list involvement with secret societies and organizations that require members to take an oath to idols or an unknown god (Regarding oaths, see Matthew 5:34-37.) 

These things can happen out of ignorance, but the Bible makes it clear that God hates these practices.

Repent of them immediately and renounce openly any association with these forces.

Through the blood of Jesus, we have been redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

Remove from your homes any books or objects or jewelry associated with new age and other occult activities. 

Ask the Lord to break any curses you brought on yourself through such contacts. Ask the Lord to reveal any generational curses that came down the family line. (I’ve had people tell me that they have relatives, including distant ancestors, who were witches and shamans. In these families, sometimes new children born into the family are dedicated to “the dragon” or another satanic idol.) 

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 (NLT) -

⁹ “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. 

¹⁰ For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering.^[a] And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, 

¹¹ or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.

 ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. 

Revelation 21:8 (NLT) -

 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

The Lord has given us authority to stand against these forces. You may need to ask a spirit-filled Christian who has a close walk with the Lord to pray with and for you. You might need a deliverance prayer. There is nothing impossible for the Lord. Remember that He loves you and wants to see you well.

Put on God’s armor every day

Ephesians 6:12-15 (NKJV) –

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of ^[a]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

Shalom to everyone!

Feel free to add your prayer requests here

Diana Washington Valdez

Lion of Judah Christian Ministries

This is a free ministry that does not raise funds or ask you for money ever