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Many years ago I was diagnosed with a ruptured disc. My leg ached day and night. I would sometimes go out into the garage and hang from the exposed rafters there in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure on my sciatic nerve in my back. I couldn’t enjoy watching a TV show or to even to have a cup of coffee with a friend without agony.

I wasn’t keen on having spinal surgery but would gladly sacrifice a leg if it would alleviate the intolerable pain. Kenneth Hagin told me I could acquire a miraculous healing from God according to the ‘prayer of faith.’

John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
James 5:15 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.

For many weeks and months I prayed that my back would be healed according to these scriptures and I believed in the prayers and in the scriptures of God. I received no healing. I wanted to know why it didn’t work for ME? I was told by ordained preachers that I was not strong enough in my faith to CLAIM a healing. I began to doubt my faith and eventually I doubted my salvation as well. It seemed God had turned His back on me because I was not worthy. I was in physical pain but I was especially in spiritual agony.

For the sake of brevity, I tell you that the above scriptures don’t work for us because they aren’t written to us. Those ‘promises’ are written to the nation Israel (the Kingdom Church – the Jews) Rather, here are the scriptures that apply to us (the church of the Body of Christ):

Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

These scriptures apply directly to us (His Body Church) and indicate that He is more concerned with our spiritual being more than our physical bodies. Indeed, Paul stopped asking for deliverance for his infirmities. Neither did he ask for deliverance for Timothy who suffered many infirmities.

So if Paul (the apostle to the Gentiles – us) didn’t pray for deliverance for our iniquities, how did Paul pray? Primarily, Paul said “I pray for them that they might have greater understanding.” So likewise, when I pray for myself or others, my prayers are predominantly “I pray that they have greater understanding.” One more time for emphasis:

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God will provide us the faith to endure the pain of our sufferings and we will continue to glory in Him because His grace is sufficient to sustain us.

As some temporal encouragement, when I awoke in the recovery room the first though I had was, “Man! I’m hurting and sore… but my LEG doesn’t HURT!” Afterward, you will need to be careful not to re-injure your back but with good sense, you’ll be fine in time and you’ll emerge with your faith intact.