Why Do Faithful Believers Still Get Sick?
1) Direct Answer
Faithful believers still get sick because we are living in mortal bodies in a fallen world. Sickness is an enemy and often an oppression of the devil, but God sometimes permits it as a test, a chastening, or a platform for His glory. Healing is in the atonement and we are commanded to pray and believe, yet the full redemption of the body is future at the resurrection; until then, even the righteous may face infirmity.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Our bodies are not yet redeemed: “We… groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). “The outward man perisheth; yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
- Sickness is an oppression of Satan: Jesus “healed all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). The woman was “bound by Satan” (Luke 13:16). Job was smitten by Satan though he was upright (Job 2:7).
- Not all sickness is because of personal sin: The man born blind—“that the works of God should be made manifest” (John 9:3).
- God provides healing now: “By His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5; fulfilled in Matthew 8:16-17). “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders… the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:14-16).
- Yet choice servants still faced infirmities: Timothy’s “often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23). Trophimus left sick (2 Timothy 4:20). Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto death, but God had mercy (Philippians 2:27). Paul’s “thorn” remained so that God’s grace would be magnified (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
- Final, perfect health is at the change: “This mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53-54).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- New birth changes your soul; the Holy Spirit dwells in you. But the body remains mortal until the resurrection. That’s why a Spirit-filled believer can still get sick.
- Healing is provided by the cross. We stand on the promise, pray, lay on hands, anoint with oil, and believe. Sometimes God heals instantly, sometimes progressively, and sometimes He reserves the perfection of it for the resurrection.
- Sickness is not always a sign of unbelief. If it were, why were Timothy, Trophimus, and Epaphroditus sick, and why did Paul carry a thorn? The Bible says God used those circumstances for humility, mercy, and testimony.
- God may allow sickness for chastening (Hebrews 12:6-11) or for His works to be revealed (John 9:3). But we never glorify sickness—we resist it as an enemy and trust God for deliverance.
- Even those who were healed eventually died; that shows present healing is real but temporary, while the eternal cure is the body change.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the same Lord who forgives your sins is your Healer. Stand on His Word, call for prayer, keep confessing His promise, and rest in His wisdom. You see, we fight the good fight now, and we will have the final victory when this mortal puts on immortality.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Jehovah-Jireh, part 3
64-0404 §9
...eal him. I can only just say if the Lord will show me what's happened, or what caused it, or something. Because healing is already purchased. I want you people here, that's sick, to realize that. Healing is already purchased. You're already healed. It's just a lack of faith. All things are possible to them that will believe. You just got to believe that now. And so then we find that this little... this fellow here, I--I said, "Bring him up here." And they was leading him by a chain. And he thought, now, sometimes t...
Healing (What cancer is)
53-0904 §24
Now, believers, here's what's the matter with you. You're afraid to take the initiative. You're afraid to stand and claim your God-given privilege, see. And the devil actually leaves, and when he goes out, then you feel better for a few days and then after awhile, you say, "I'm getting sick." About seventy-two hours, a real case---unless it's a miracle---just divine... Now, there's a difference between gifts of miracles and gifts of healing. Does anyone know that? They are two different gifts altogether. Now, heali...
Believest thou this?
53-0906A §57
Now, David, being a shepherd, he used to... Shepherds used to carry a scrip bag on their side, and every time they'd get a sick sheep, they'd take some of this honey out of the scrip bag and rub it on a rock, on a limestone rock, and the sheep would go licking this honey, and he'd get that limestone out of the rock and it would heal the sick sheep. Now, brother, I got a whole scrip bag full of it. I'm going to put it on, not the Pentecostal church, not the Baptist church, but on Christ Jesus, and you sick sheep sta...
Diseases and Afflictions
50-0100 §34
I was praying for the sick on the platform, had my back turned to the girl. All at once, I felt that set in, faith moving. I looked around, and I couldn't pick it out; there was too many, just standing so congested. And I knew it was coming from there, and I tried to discern what kind of a spirit it was. See, her faith had moved up into that category. And when I turned around, I finally found her. Oh, twice the distance of this building, spotted where she was. She had a green coat on. I said, "The young lady standi...
Separation from unbelief
55-0228 §63
So now, let's see what Jesus did in His day. Now, the brethren, on the field, to you newcomers, most of them they come out, and anoint the sick with oil, and pray for them, lay hands on them. That's exactly the way God said do it. It's exactly. That's gifts of healing. They have great overpowering faith; they take the situation over by faith, and get rough with the enemy. They do that to build their own faith up, and away it goes. They lay hands on the sick, some of them; some of them anoint the sick, and pray for...