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.
What it takes to overcome all unbelief: Our faith
60-0729 §76
Yakima, let's rise and shine in the name of the Lord Jesus. If you're sick... You say, "I'm sick in body." God has spoken. God said so. "These signs shall follow them that believe. In My name they shall lay hands on the sick; they shall recover." God has spoken it. Have any ambition? "Well, the doctor said I was going to die." That's the best the doctor knows. He's studied. Every medical research shows that he's done all he can do for you; so according to medical science, you're going to die. "But the prayer of fai...
Healing (What cancer is)
53-0904 §48
Having faith. All right, sister, if I wouldn't say one word to you, you still believe that you'd... You're a very sick old lady. Got a cancer and there's nothing can be done outside of God. You believe ... you now believe? Do you now accept upon the death of Jesus Christ and His stripes at Calvary? You believe He heals you right now? Then in the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke that devil of cancer. May it leave you. Almighty God, You who said they'll lay on sick, they shall recover, grant it to this woman, in the na...
Hear ye Him
62-0711 §11
Now the Levitical priesthood has ceased, and we have now Christ. But we still have the Urim Thummim. That's this, the Bible. No matter how... I believe God can do things that's not written in the Bible. But if He'll just do what He wrote about, that'll be fine for me. I'll be very happy to just stay with what He said in here. And I believe He will, if we can just appropriate the faith to believe it. And the first thing is for salvation. That's the first thing. Most of my meetings are based on divine healing. We kno...
He cares. Do you care?
63-0721 §66
...d a man in the first place, he was immune from any disease. See? But unbelief and science, science and education was the first thing that took a man away from God, and it's still taking him.
Hear ye Him
56-0611 §53
Now, every one be real reverent. And as they bring the sick around in a few moments, I wonder how many here tonight, that doesn't have prayer cards and wants to be healed by the Lord Jesus, let's see your hands wherever you are. Just look. Isn't this a sick world? How God will surely grant this. Now, look. If I found favor in your sight, let me say this to you. Regardless, regardless, you just have faith in God. What's He done? He sent His Son to redeem you. You accepted it by faith and you believe it. Now, remembe...