If God can heal people then why are doctors needed instead of prayer only?

Answer 1

Prayer for illness is not always answered in healing: Paul prayed three times for his own healing, yet God had other purposes. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Luke, the physician, traveled extensively with Paul, yet his profession was never depreciated, but quite possibly needed by Paul, as his eyesight was a problem. Others were blessed also with his medical assistance.

The Scripture indicates priority in looking to doctors for help. King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:12 was severely diseased in his feet. Yet, he was chastised for going only to the physicians and not seeking the Lord's help. Both are appropriate, but the Lord will not be pleased if we set Him aside in seeking health.

The Scripture instructs to pray for illnesses. James 5:14-16. Note that v. 16 says: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Yet, at times people were healed quickly by the Lord & others were sick for awhile.

Jesus had indicated in to Nicodemus, in John 3, that He relegated healing to a lessor priority than being saved from sin's consequences. He also said that it was better to enter the Kingdom of God maimed, than to be cast into Hell with a body which was whole. Jesus healed many, but too many followed him for these benefits rather than finding forgiveness and eternal life. See John 2:23-25.

God is sovereign. He can heal and often does through prayer, sometimes in conjunction with medical help. For reasons sometimes that are seen and sometimes that are beyond understanding, He chooses not to heal. One reason that he doesn't answer prayer is apparent: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. That is one direct correlation to denial of healing through personal prayer.

The answer is a bit more complicated than the Question gives latitude.

Answer :

Praying has not been shown to be an effective treatment for any medical condition. There has been one double blind placebo controlled study of prayer that showed it had little to no statistically significant effect on the recovery of a group of patients. (note: this study was far from perfect as many factors such as age and sex where not controlled for)Study by W.S. Harris et al. and published in Annals of Internal Medicine Other studies have either been horribly constructed or show that prayer can help but only if the person being prayed for thinks they are being prayed for. In fact one study showed if a person thinks they are being prayed for but really no one is they will still do better. (study by William J. Matthews and Jim Conti from Septic Magazine ) This is classic placebo effect. However in thousands of well done studies show that people who go to doctors recover faster and end up in better condition than those who do not go to doctors. Conclusion prayer does not seem to help people get better. Doctors do make people get better in many cases. There are many reports of miracles performed because some one was prayed for but remember not one double leg amputee has ever been healed (gotten real human legs back) with or without medical help. Answer:

Prayer is a great source of healing and physicians go back even before Christ. Physicians were meant to heal and for me at least, sent from God. I'm not saying they are idols, but just like scientists, etc., they were sent here for a reason (a tool from God). Physicians (at least in Canada) no longer have the Hippocratic Oath and it has been changed to the Code of Ethics! Talk to most doctors and they'll tell you they've seen one miracle after another. I've worked for a number of doctors and over 1/2 of them have said they have given their patient little hope of coming through surgery or, they will have brain damage, lose a limb, etc., yet these patients made a liar out of the surgeon and survived just fine. Yes, I believe in intervention. We ask ourselves why a child is born blind or has other maladies, but I feel God sends us special people to make us change who WE are. I saw a program where a young man was not only blind, but in a world of his own. He did sculpting and then bronzed it. He has never seen ANYTHING in his life, but the work he did with his hands so quickly was a true miracle. It gave him peace and joy and that was transferred onto many others around the world. His artwork is sold around the world. Many people have lost children to car accidents or even murder and after the shock and grief is over they not only move on the best they can, but change laws for the better and start up programs to let the criminals know they aren't going to get away with this behavior any longer. Having been mentally/physically abused by my first husband I have volunteered a lot of my time to help other women in an Abuse Center. On and on it goes. Does prayer help? You bet it does! I've seen miracles upon miracles. Whether we come out the other end with no limbs or any other malady we can choose to feel sorry for ourselves or pass on our knowledge to help others. Just like this Wiki Board many of us are all trying to give our opinions to help others and perhaps without knowing it we truly are helping someone that may be at their wits end or terrified over something or contemplating suicide. For those that believe in God we are the tools of God. Really think about it!

Answer:

Medical science is finding that the mind can alter the body. (PTSD causing neurological impairment in the brain of a developing child, stress increasing incidence of ulcers & cancer - there are many more) I think this is a clear indication that meditative prayer and willing oneself to be healthy and whole in mind, body and spirit can heal. Answer:

God can use the doctors to heal people. God can work wonders through other people. Miracles aren't always unexplained occurrences, yet they can occur together with the efforts of man. A miracle is finally accomplished by God, possibly using man as an instrument.

Answer:

If it is possible that God can heal people through doctors, then this does also not necessarily exclude the possibility of prayer. Most Christians would hold the belief that it is at least possible in principal that God can heal people although they may never have experienced this themselves, or even seen it in others.

Even though they believe God can heal, most Christians would also have no problem going to a doctor whenever needed. To fail to do so would in many cases be considered foolhardy, since God has given man dominion over creation, of course including the possibility of dominion over organisms which afflict him as well as degenerative or accidental damage or many other kinds of illnesses requiring medical attention. God has also given man, in Christian belief, a brain to discover how man himself and also healing works and how to successfully heal many kinds of maladies.

So, from the outset, it must be realized that prayer and medical help are not mutually exclusive. Nor need they be.

Answer :

God does not heal anyone. One must first prove god exists in order to claim he heals anything. Can he heal an amputated limb? No. Can he heal a palsy limb? No. Answer:

Scientific studies are no more a factor (short-term studies by scientists actually) and nothing has been proven 100%. It is impossible for people that believe in a religion of their choice (and whatever God they choose) to prove scientifically that prayer does hold miracles. If scientists didn't believe in prayer then why are they trying to study what the soul really is or where a person goes after death or studying the process of dying. They can't explain miracles when all seems to be hopeless. People that believe in a God do so because they either have it in them, have experienced or seen miracles by prayer and thus proceed by their own faith. Those who choose not to believe may eventually find themselves someday, as a last resort, on bended knees at a Hospital Chapel. They may have nowhere else to go to help a loved one. Religion will always be argued about so we must have the respect for each religious belief and not try to break down the moral structure of this belief. I am a Christian, proud of it, and I refuse to let people break down the very faith I have that got me through many trials and tribulations through my 66 years on this earth. But I respect those who either don't believe or of another denomination or culture or religion. Answer:

Because God helps those who help their selves.* On the side of doctors some feel God wants to teach doctors how to help people, to experience how to save life and to teach them compassion for lives. (*There is no biblical basis for the statement: "God helps those who help themselves." It is a man-made statement.) On the side of the patients, maybe God wants to test their faith. Answer :

The question as it stands contains a number of parts and sub-plots within these. Assumptions about what can, might or should happen may also need clarification. At the outset, one point which might be helpful to consider is the following.

If it is possible that God can heal people through doctors, then this does also not necessarily exclude the possibility of prayer. Most Christians would hold the belief that it is at least possible in principal that God can heal people although they may never have experienced this themselves, or even seen it in others.

Even though they believe God can heal, most Christians would also have no problem going to a doctor whenever needed. To fail to do so would in many cases be considered foolhardy, since God has given man dominion over creation, of course including the possibility of dominion over organisms which afflict him as well as degenerative or accidental damage or many other kinds of illnesses requiring medical attention. God has also given man, in Christian belief, a brain to discover how man himself and also healing works and how to successfully heal many kinds of maladies.

So, from the outset, it must be realized that prayer and medical help are not mutually exclusive. Nor need they be.

What many Christians do is to pray before, during and after. And so, in relation to medical attention which has been helpful, they would give credit where it is due - to the helpfulness of the physician, as well as to the all-wise creator and sustainer, who has both given the physician skill and compassion and for the in built healing powers of the human body. They do not give all the glory to the physician, who can do nothing at all if the body will not respond.

It must also be realized that there are conditions to prayer. Firstly, nowhere has God promised to hear the prayers of those who hate Him and in a desperate moment cry out. Nor even of those who live lives of iniquity, be they ever so religious on the outside. Answer :

God can heal anyone, even our spiritual sickness which is our sins......God is like the doctors, He heals the suffering and the sick BUT He is greater than the doctors, He is represented as the doctor...if we truly believe in Him...then, we can see Him in others. Answer :

Jesus told a sick woman that HER faith healed her. In my opinion, faith in God would and could help many. Faith itself could makes a patient calmer, more receptive to treatment. The negative effects of stress hormones, and the positive effects of "feel well" hormones, are all well known. Calmness and hope favours the body's production of helpful chemical substances. Faith could be a powerful ally to a person's will to survive. Maybe God is helping through these aspects.

Prayer for illness is not always answered in healing: Paul prayed three times for his own healing, yet God had other purposes. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Luke, the physician, traveled extensively with Paul, yet his profession was never depreciated, but possibly needed by Paul and others.

King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:12 was severely diseased in his feet. He was chastised for going only to the physicians and not seeking the Lord's help. Both are appropriate.

The Scripture instructs to pray for illnesses. James 5:14-16. Note that v. 16 says: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Yet, at times people were healed quickly by the Lord & others were sick for awhile.

Jesus had indicated in to Nicodemus, in John 3, that He relegated healing to a lessor priority than being saved from sin's consequences. He also said that it was better to enter the Kingdom of God maimed, than to be cast into Hell with a body which was whole. Jesus healed many, but too many followed him for these benefits rather than finding forgiveness and eternal life. See John 2:23-25.

God is sovereign. He can heal and often does through prayer, sometimes in conjunction with medical help. For reasons sometimes that are seen and sometimes that are beyond understanding, He chooses not to heal. One reason that he doesn't answer prayer is apparent: "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. That is one direct correlation to denial of healing through personal prayer.

James 5:13-18 (King James Version) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Another assumption that would appear unwarranted is that God heals every time we ask Him to. As one example Paul indicated that He sought the Lord three times about his ailment and yet the Lord revealed to him that it was necessary for him to have it rather than to be healed. Those who wrongly assume either a lack of faith on the part of those who aren't healed or that God is either lacking in the will or the power to heal do not know the clear teaching of scripture. God has certainly promised to hear prayer, but He is also a sovereign Lord and will do exactly as He pleases. This passage regarding Paul's infirmity also indicates that the Lord may have a purpose in an illness, strange as that may seem. In Paul's case it was to keep him humble. In the book of Matthew chapter 9 verse 12 we can read where Jesus made the statement to the thoughts of those around Him saying "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those that are sick." The problem with prayer today is that, we don't believe. The POWER of prayer has been abused and put down so much that many people don't think about it. Prayer is not some psychological thing where if we think we are being prayed for it will help us. If we are prayed over or pray for someone else and have FAITH that God can and will heal them, then it will be done. The other problem with praying for someone to be healed is that we want it done when we want it, how we want it, but we don't control God in any way. Its better to ASK for the person to be healed then to TELL God when or how to heal the person. Ask and you shall receive. In the book "The Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach" , in chapter 38 it is mentioned: 1 Honour the doctor for his services, for the Lord created him.

2 His skill comes from the Most High, and he is rewarded by kings.

3 The doctor's knowledge gives him high standing and wins him the admiration of the great.

4 The Lord has created medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not disparage them.

5 Was it not a tree that sweetened water and so disclosed its properties?

6 The Lord has imparted knowledge to men, that by their use of his marvels he may win praise;

7 by using them the doctor relieves pain

8 and from them the pharmacist makes up his mixture. There is no end to the works of the Lord, who spreads health over the whole world.

9 My son, if you have an illness, do not neglect it, but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.

10 Renounce your faults, amend your ways, and cleanse your heart from all sin.

11 Bring a savoury offering and bring flour for a token and pour oil on the sacrifice; be as generous as you can.

12 Then call in the doctor, for the Lord created him; do not let him leave you, for you need him.

13 There may come a time when your recovery is in their hands;

14 then they too will pray to the Lord to give them success in relieving pain and finding a cure to save their patients life.

15 When a man has sinned against his Maker, let him put himself in the doctor's hands.

Doctors come from many faiths as well. If one does their research there are just too many medical unexplained phenomenons that one or more doctors have given up the hope of that person being cured or even living longer than a few months to a year. Often the patient can prove them wrong and when interviewed many have said it was prayer that made the changes. It is true that others can pray outside of the hospital (friends, family, Bible groups and yes, even going to a Christian website and asking for prayer.) Why are there prayer boxes in many hospitals? I've written prayers for certain people (some with extremely serious illness' and not expected to survive) and placed them in a prayer box and am thankful that my prayers have been answered. Since no one can prove there isn't a God then one can't judge that He does not exist. If in doubt talk to your family doctor and do a bit of investigating. You'll be amazed at the stories some doctors can tell you. Whether you choose to believe in God or not there is certainly some sort of intervention going on.

ANSWER

If we were to answer this question on a scientific level, there is proof that prayer does in fact heal the sick, as well as do, the Doctors. The power to heal rests with both, modern science and faith. Faith is the foundation of prayer and for it to work in a curative nature, one has to believe with all their heart that the prayer and belief will heal them. The faith in God and Jesus is tantamount to start the ball rolling, but it should not be left out, that doctors have the tools to further help the body heal or repair it's self as well. It has been stated several times here that doctors are given the power to heal, from God. While some doctors would disagree with this sentiment because of the endless hours of study and money to get this "gift" , it could be argued that they received the ability to learn, retain the knowledge, and afford this gift, through the grace of God.

It would be misleading to ask as a rebuttal, if God could cure an amputee. The argument could be that by removal of the limb, the person was healed. Or, the person's faith was heightened because of the amputation. Trust the idea that may harden men have been humbled and "re-programed" because of an illness or loss of limb, and have lived a far better life than if they hadn't after said illness or loss of a limb. There are those that do not have the faith to be healed, even when the doctors tell them that they are. This borders on the precipice that the person in question is with out the mental faculties to support their healing. Believe it or not, many people have died because of what they believed even after the doctors told them they were or will be healed. CASE AND POINT; Vancouver Washington. In 2004, a woman was diagnosed with an incurable form of pancreatic cancer. The doctors told her she had 6 months to 18 months of life left. To complicate matters, she was also suffering from congestive heart failure. Add Diabetes and osteoarthritis to boot, and she was a walking disaster area. She went home and called everyone she could to let them know that her condition was dire and that she wanted to rally them together to offer prayer and to say a last good by. Although she had doubts that it would work, she subjected herself to chemo-therapy to at least try to prolong her life. The prayer group was in full force and every time she went in, the cancer got smaller and smaller. On a visit to her doctor, she was told that she was out of danger, and that the cancer "mysteriously" disappeared! He now, wanted to focus on her heart problems, and had ordered a pace-maker for her. With the pace maker, she was doing well, and other than the diabetes and Arthritis, she was doing well. Here is the punch line: she never told anyone that the cancer was gone. She kept the pace-maker known to very few, and one day, she went to the hospital because of a wave of dizziness that hit her earlier that day. 2 weeks later, she died a horrible, breath gasping death with her husband and two of her kids by her side. During her last stay in the hospital, the doctors informed, to the surprise of the family, that they didn't know why she was dying! The cancer was in remission and her heart was working better than expected. and autopsy was requested, and again, it only confirmed what the doctors suspected. She simply just died because she was set in her mind that she was going to die, and she said her good-by's. The final findings on the death certificate made no evidence to the cancer or heart condition. The findings were: Death was caused by a mental capacity incompatible with life. Secondary was pulmonary failure due to unknown causes. This woman was my mother.

In summery. Before anything can work, Medically or Religiously, a person has to have the will power to survive. So, lets just say that Faith.....in the doctors, medicine, and God are more of a "group effort" and not singular in their abilities.

Answer 2

Prayer is not enough. In 2005, the John Templeton Foundation conducted a carefully designed, double-blind trial of the effect of intercessory prayer on the outcome of surgery. The intention was to evaluate whether (1) receiving intercessory prayer or (2) being certain of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with uncomplicated recovery after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. It was felt that previous trials showing a benefit had used sub-optimal methods of data analysis, non standard methods of randomization and allocation concealment, and untested outcome measures, while those showing no effect had insufficient statistical power to reach this conclusion.
Patients at 6 US hospitals were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: 604 received intercessory prayer after being informed they may or may not receive prayer; 597 did not receive intercessory prayer, also after being informed they may or may not receive prayer; and 601 received intercessory prayer after being informed they would receive prayer. Intercessory prayer was provided for 14 days, starting the night before CABG. Any complication within 30 days of CABG would be regarded as a primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were any major event and mortality. -


Results
In the two groups uncertain about receiving intercessory prayer, complications occurred in: · 52% (315/604) of patients who received intercessory prayer · 51% (304/597) of those who did not receive intercessory prayer Complications occurred in 59% (352/601) of patients who knew they received intercessory prayer. It was suggested that the patient's knowledge that he or she was being prayed for could have caused anxiety, thus resulting in a worse outcome. Major events and 30-day mortality were similar across the 3 groups. -


Templeton Foundation Findings
Intercessory prayer itself had no effect on complication-free recovery, but certainty of receiving intercessory prayer was associated with a higher incidence of complications. On page 14 of their findings, the Foundation states that the fact that intercessory prayer, as provided in this study, had no effect on the incidence of complications might have been due to study limitations and discusses those limitations. -


Conclusion
The Templeton Foundation trial is far from adversarial to the notion that prayer is beneficial. Nevertheless, they conclusively report that intercessory prayer was proven to have no benefit on the outcome of surgery, in the most carefully designed trial of this type ever undertaken. The Templeton Foundation should be congratulated for standing by its findings and for publishing them widely, including on the Foundation's own website