Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus healed a lot of people. He healed the sick (Matthew 8:13). He healed the blind (Matthew 20:34). He healed the lame (John 5:8-9). He healed the afflicted (Mark 5:29). He healed lepers (Matthew 8:2-3). He healed the demon-possessed (Matthew 12:22). He even healed those who were dead (Luke 7:14-15). Jesus was known as a healer, and everywhere He went, people would flock to Him, hoping that they or their loved one would finally receive respite from their suffering.

Because of His great healing ministry, we often expect Jesus to heal us today. Preachers across America and all across the world teach this idea that it is always God’s will to heal us physically. This teaching is fueled by verses like Isaiah 53:4-5 – 

“Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains… He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds.” (CSB)

But you and I both know that our lives are not free from sickness, pain, or injury. There are times when we pray and pray and pray for someone to be healed, and they never receive healing during their time on this earth. The preachers I mentioned earlier would just say that we simply do not have enough faith. But this is not true, and Costi Hinn addresses this dangerous lie in his newest book, More Than a Healer.

Costi is quite familiar with these claims about healing. Growing up in the ministry of his uncle, the prosperity gospel preacher Benny Hinn, he often heard that Jesus is a healer, and those who don’t receive healing don’t have enough faith or haven’t given enough money. Thankfully, God exposed the falsehoods of the prosperity gospel to Costi and brought him to faith in the true gospel of Jesus Christ, which is chronicled in his previous book, God, Greed, and the Prosperity Gospel (click here for my review of that book).

In More Than a Healer, Costi endeavors to explain that Jesus is indeed a healer, yet He is so much more than that. As His earthly ministry made obvious, Jesus can and does physically heal people. But He doesn’t have to. He never promised to. In fact, Jesus actually promised that His people would suffer on this earth (John 16:33). The fact that Jesus promised suffering doesn’t mean that He’s not good, nor does it mean that He’s not powerful. The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is sovereign, in control, and has a purpose for every hardship we endure. He is good, and everything that happens to us is for our ultimate good and for His glory (Romans 8:28).

Through the study of Scripture and personal stories, including his own son’s cancer diagnosis, Costi proves that Jesus is more than a healer. He is our peace. He is our hope. He is our comfort. And He is our good, loving, just, and sovereign Savior. He may not always heal our bodies, but He will heal our souls—every single soul that repents and believes in Him. This is what passages like Isaiah 53 are talking about. Sin is a curse, a disease, and it has afflicted us all. Yet, Jesus bore and carried our sins on the cross so that we may receive spiritual healing and new life.

You can have the biggest faith in Jesus possible, yet still not receive physical healing. For those struggling with ongoing trials and sufferings, Costi offers several encouragements and exhortations. Put your faith in Jesus. He is still good, even if you’re never healed. Be content in the circumstance you’re in. He has a purpose for you and your suffering. Shine for Jesus. You can be a witness to the good news of the gospel even in your situation. And remember:

“Jesus is a healer, and he is so much more… Whether we experience healing right now, in the years ahead, or when we reach heaven’s gates, Jesus is more than enough for you and me.”^[1]

Costi has become one of my favorite Christians to follow on social media, and I loved his book, More Than a Healer. He did a great job of outlining Jesus’ character, who He really is, and how we can be content in Him, even in the midst of suffering. The book contains several stories of real people who have struggled with suffering and discovered the goodness of Jesus, and each chapter ends with reflection questions so that readers can truly meditate on and understand the character of our Lord and Savior. If you’re suffering or struggling right now and wondering how Jesus fits into it, you should definitely check out this book.

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^[1] Costi Hinn, More Than a Healer: Not the Jesus You Want but the Jesus You Need (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2021), xvi.