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.
Stand Still
57-0518 §19
...o that boy. I put my hands behind him and snapped my fingers, he turned around, motioned to his little ear. He's a baby, he doesn't know how to speak or nothing. I couldn't get him to open his mouth, even, because he had never had any use, but just to eat. And I give him a little piece of chewing gum, thought I could get him to open his mouth that way. If the mother is here, just teach the child. Just go on as if it was a finished work and believe it. No matter what anybody else says, anything, stand still! God sai...
Prayer Line
53-0500 §1
...or you, that what I tell you is the truth? He told me to go pray for the people. Now, not go heal the people, go pray for the people. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, God shall raise them up, not me: God. If you'll just believe, and I'll pray, be sincere with every one of you. Do you believe you'll get well now? Now, you don't. It don't matter, the Holy Spirit, if He doesn't tell you one thing, still you believe that it's the truth, is that right? The rest of you out there, you believe the same thing? A...
The curtain of time
55-0302 §95
...all your heart now. Stand here; remain standing a minute. Look here, lady. You got TB. Everyone with TB, stand on your feet just a minute. Jump up real quick, TB cases. Be faithful; believe with all your heart. Lungs, lungs, it keeps moving. That's all right, sir. You stand up anyhow. You haven't got TB, but you have got pneumonia in your lungs. That's right, standing right there. That's right, you. Stand still. This man laying right here's got pneumonia in his lungs, on this stretcher. Stand up, sir, Jesus Christ...
Lamb and Dove
60-0805 §2
Bless every church and every person. Get glory unto Thyself. Here are many little parcels laying here, Father. They're handkerchiefs and little pieces of goods that they've laid up here to be prayed over. We're taught in the Bible that they taken from the body of Saint Paul handkerchiefs and aprons; evil spirits went out of the people, and they were healed of diseases. And we're not Saint Paul, but You're still Jesus; and I pray, Father, that if the people had faith to do this, give us faith to believe that their r...
Life is the healer
57-0611 §94
I'm a stranger to you. I don't know you. God knows you. Friends, I wished you'd be real quiet. People are being healed. Please sit still just a moment. Brother Wood, stand by near. Getting weaker and weaker, but if you'll just really be reverent just a minute or two longer for the sake of these people that's been called in the line. They'll take me, but don't... See, you're a spirit. Every spirit in here is under my control. That's right. And when you move, that interferes. You move ... the Holy Spirit be moving so...