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.
Faith
56-0815 §10
Remember, before we had any sickness, we had no sin. And sickness is an attribute of sin. When sin came in, sickness followed it. And so sickness is to shorten your days. And it's of the devil. And some people, those people... If you ever hear of people say, "It's such a blessing; God makes people sick so He can bless them," that's thinner than a broth made out of a shadow of a chicken that's starved to death. Don't you never believe such a thing as that. That's not Scripture. If it is, Jesus Christ defeated His ow...
What visions are
56-0421 §16
...place. "Oh, well," they say, "I guess I lost my healing." And just as sure as faith taken it away, unbelief resurrects it again. Then it's really on the move. But when you get sick after about seventy-two hours, you're supposed to: a dead ball of flesh in your body. What purifies the... The heart purifies the blood; and the heart pumps it, causes an infection, causes fever, and all kinds of feelings and sickness. After seventy-two hours, if you've been prayed for with cancer, tumor, or anything, and you begin to g...
We would see Jesus
62-0712 §6
...d these handkerchiefs and aprons upon the people and evil spirits went out of them and they were healed. Now we know Paul's been gone for a long time, but the Holy Spirit's still here. He's no respect of person, and He gives people favor amongst the people---ministers---to believe that that man, something about him that proves that God is with that pastor, and they believe that. And all full-gospel-believing people take handkerchiefs, aprons, and so forth, from their bodies and lay them upon the sick and the afflic...
Works is faith expressed
65-1126 §89
Therefore, if your intellectuals does tell you... Oh, here's the stinger now. If your intellectuals does tell you that this is the truth, God is the healer of sickness, your mind can witness that that is the truth. But if there is not the bedding ground in your heart (faith, to fall in) to express it, it will not happen. No matter how much this outside man can reason it with the Scriptures, and say it's right, that still doesn't make it right. How many takes the tapes? Did you get my sermon, not long ago, The Anoin...
The Roman Nobleman
55-0621 §28
...e what he receives from it. If there is a power here that knows you, knows your condition, and you know that's true... If you believe that to be Jesus Christ, then if He is still present... These signs shall follow them that believe: if they lay their hands on the sick, they shall get well. Do you believe that? Come forward. O great God of heaven, may Thy mercy rest upon this man. Give him the healing of his body, when I this ... and condemn this cancer, that he might go from here happy and joyful and can praise Go...