Healing in Proverbs
The book of Proverbs is the next part of our study on God’s healing in the Bible. In this book, we learn many wonderful truths. It is as if we, like little children, are invited to sit on the lap of our Heavenly Father while He gently teaches us how to live wisely on this earth. I would like to begin this chapter with the opening passage from Proverbs. This will help you understand the purpose of the book.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:1-7)
This book was written to give us wisdom and instruction. But what does it teach us about health and healing? Let us find out.
Reason 31: Increase the Length of Your Days
One of the first things we notice about the book of Proverbs is that it gives a lot of advice. If we follow this advice, it will increase the length of our days. In other words, we will grow old. Let us look at some of the verses that promise this:
My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. (Proverbs 3:1-2)
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; (…) Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. (Proverbs 3:13-18)
My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. (Proverbs 3:21-22)
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many. (Proverbs 4:10)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you. (Proverbs 9:10-11)
The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened. (Proverbs 10:27)
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)
We have already seen in the Law of Moses that it is God’s will for us to grow old. The book of Proverbs repeats this important truth. If we walk in the fear of the Lord and keep His instructions, our days on earth will be multiplied, and we will grow old in good health. God’s plan for your life is not that you die in the middle of your days, but that you live a long and full life. God wants what is best for you, not what is worst. It is His blessing and goodness that allow us to grow old and enjoy life.
Reason 32: God's Word is a Medicine
The next principle we find in the book of Proverbs is that the Word of God works like medicine.
My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22)
Let us also look at how verse 22 is translated in other versions:
JUB: For they are life unto those that find them and medicine to all their flesh.
NASB: For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body.
AMP: For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh.
God’s words are living and give strength to our whole body, like medicine. There is great power in the Word of God. Based on this passage, we will now briefly look at some simple but powerful principles for receiving God’s Word as medicine. In other words, how can we allow God’s Word to bring healing to our bodies?
Principle 1: “Give attention to my words.” The first step is to give attention to God’s words. It is important to know what the Bible says about healing. That is why this book is so important—because it shows hundreds of Bible verses where God speaks about healing and health. Through this book, you will read many Scriptures from God that can work like medicine in your body. But just reading God’s Word is not enough. You must also study it carefully and keep it in your heart.
People have learned to read in different ways. Below is an overview of these different reading methods:
1. Orientational reading: You look to see whether a text is interesting to read. For example, when reading a newspaper, you start with the title and some headlines. Then you decide whether to read the article or move on to something else.
2. Search reading: You don’t read the entire text but look for specific information. For example, if you receive an invitation to a party and you want to know where it is, you scan the invitation for the address. This is called scanning or search reading.
3. Global reading: You read quickly to get a general idea of what the text is about. You may read only the title and a few sentences in each paragraph to understand the overall message.
4. Attentive reading: You read the text carefully, sometimes several times. You ask questions, meditate on the words, and reflect deeply—this is often called “chewing” on the text.
Many people read the Bible, but they do not always read it carefully. This is not always a bad thing. There are times when I also read in a searching way. For example, I know a certain Bible verse is found in a specific book or chapter, but I don’t remember the exact location. So, I search for it. Sometimes I use keywords or Bible terms, which give me a quick overview of where certain passages are found in the Bible. At other times, I read for orientation. I may read all the titles and headings in a book of the Bible to get an idea of the main themes, without going into the details. Or I read globally, where I want to read a large portion of a book, not focusing on individual verses, but on the overall message and structure of the book.
These types of reading are not wrong. But if we want to apply God’s principles and receive His Word as medicine, it is very important to read carefully.
Here are some tips for reading the Bible attentively:
Tip 1: Read the passage several times, focusing on a different word each time. This helps you understand the passage more deeply and helps you memorize it.
Tip 2: Meditate on the passage. Picture the words in front of you and imagine yourself walking in them. For example, in the case of Proverbs 4:22, see God’s Word as literal medicine. Every time you study God’s Word and read it carefully, you receive more healing, health, strength, or pain relief—just as physical medicine works. Even if you are not yet walking in it fully, see yourself living according to God’s Word.
Tip 3: Ask questions about the passage. I often ask myself the 5W1H questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. This is also helpful when writing sermons or books. For example, in a book about healing, you might ask:
- Who is healed? (Some or all?)
- What does healing mean in the Bible? (Is it spiritual, physical, or both? What do the Hebrew and Greek words mean?)
- Where can I find healing? (In the Word, through the elders, in the church?)
- Why does God want to heal me?
- How does healing take place?
In this book, we answer the question, “Who will be healed?” We also build faith to understand that God wants to heal everyone.
Tip 4: Read with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Bible, and it is important to read the Bible together with the Author. So, read in prayer, and ask the Holy Spirit for understanding and revelation as you study God’s Word.
The second principle: “Incline your ear to my sayings.” The second principle is found in the words, “Incline your ear to My sayings.” This means that we must turn our ears toward what He is saying. To incline the ear is to bend toward the voice of God—it means we pay close and careful attention to His words.
This principle is closely connected to the first. In the first principle, we give attention to God’s Word by reading it carefully. In the second, we give attention by listening carefully to His voice.
There are different ways of listening. Let’s consider three of them:
1. Hearing without focus: You hear sounds or voices around you, but they become background noise. For example, think of a church lobby where everyone is talking, but you are not engaged in any of the conversations.
2. Hearing without understanding: Someone speaks to you while you’re reading a book. You respond with “yes,” but you aren’t truly listening, and you don’t know what was said.
3. Attentive listening: You stop what you’re doing, turn toward the person, and listen carefully. You lean in and focus on every word—sometimes even taking notes. You are fully engaged. You are “all ears.” This is how we should listen to God’s Word—with full attention and an open heart. There are different ways to hear God’s Word:
Way 1: Through the preaching of the Word
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
The preaching of faith produces faith. When we listen to good preaching about healing, faith is born in our hearts. It is important to listen to Bible-based teaching. This can be through a video or audio message, or during a healing service or campaign.
Way 2: Listen to God's voice. In addition to the written Word of God, the Lord also desires to speak to us personally. He may speak through a gentle voice, or He may speak as we read the Bible. That is why it is so important to read the Bible together with the Holy Spirit. If we ask the Holy Spirit for help, and if we read and listen attentively, He will reveal the Word to us. It is not enough to know Bible verses in our minds—we must receive revelation about those verses. The Word of God must enter our hearts, and this happens through the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Principle 3: “Do not let them depart from your eyes.” It is important to keep God’s Word before our eyes. This means we are continually focused on His promises. We keep reading and hearing what God says about healing. We keep filling our hearts with His Word.
But we must also ask ourselves: What are we looking at? What is the focus of our attention? Are we focused on the natural condition of our bodies or on the promises of God’s Word? We must keep our eyes fixed on God’s promises so that we remain focused—so that our hearts are not divided. We should not think, “God can heal me, but maybe He won’t.” Instead, we must be fully convinced that God does heal us. We need one focus, one faith, and one expectation.
Principle 4: “Keep them in the midst of your heart.” The final principle we take from this passage is to keep the Word of God in our hearts. We do not keep God’s Word only on our nightstand, in a prayer book, or on a picture on the wall—we keep it in our hearts. We do this by studying the Bible and by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is important to guard what we allow into our hearts. We must allow the truth of God’s Word in and reject the lies and fears of the world.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Hold on to the good Word of God, and cast out all unbelief and doubt. What happens when we follow these principles?
For they (God’s words) are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:22)
God’s Word brings healing to your body. It works like medicine—a medicine that always works and has no side effects. Let us look at another powerful verse:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)
I also appreciate how the Amplified Bible puts it:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil. It will be health to your body [your marrow, your nerves, your sinews, your muscles—all your inner parts] And refreshment (physical well-being) to your bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8, AMP)
When we choose not to be wise in our own eyes, but to trust and obey the Lord and turn away from evil, we will receive healing in our bodies. It will bring strength and well-being—just like medicine, God’s healing will flow to us. This is a wonderful promise from the Word of God.
Reason 33: A Healthy Heart
We have already read many wonderful promises of healing in the book of Proverbs—but we are not finished yet. There are more promises that show how important it is to live a righteous and healthy life. This will help us walk in the healing God has provided.
A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. (Proverbs 14:30)
A sound heart brings life to the body. The Amplified Bible describes this as a “calm and peaceful and tranquil” heart. The opposite of this is envy or jealousy, which brings rottenness to the bones.
The heart is a vital organ that pumps blood throughout the body. If the heart or the blood is not healthy, the whole body is affected. Life is in the blood, and the heart sends that life through the body. So, this proverb speaks of something essential—life or decay.
What happens when you have a calm, peaceful, and tranquil heart? It is as if life and health are constantly flowing through your body. It strengthens you and helps you recover from sickness. But what happens when there is envy, jealousy, or unforgiveness? It damages your body. It is like a poison that flows through your system and causes harm. That is why it is so important to remove all jealousy, envy, and unforgiveness from your life—and instead, keep a heart that is calm, peaceful, and at rest.
The harmful effects of envy are clearly seen in daily life. For example, think of two neighbors who are both convinced they are right. Maybe the problem is small—one has taken a meter or a yard of land—and yet the conflict continues for years. Over time, the stress can harm their health, especially their hearts. It is better to be forgiving and patient than to hold on to envy or your sense of justice. Forgiveness is not only right—it is good for your health.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Let us look at another example where a good heart promotes healing, but a bad heart—or in this case, a broken spirit—hinders or worsens healing.
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
The ESV translates this verse as: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” And the NLT says: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”
This shows how important it is to be joyful and to laugh. When a person remains sad, it affects the body. According to the Bible, joy has great power.
Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
When you are in a sad or difficult situation, try to find joy and laugh whenever you can. This is not always easy, but it will help you much more than remaining in sadness. Of course, there are times when we will be sad—that is part of life—but sadness should not control us. Sadness does not help us move forward. Joy does. This truth is also confirmed in the following verse:
The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, But who can bear a broken spirit? (Proverbs 18:14)
Or, as the NLT translates this verse: “The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?” No matter how difficult the illness or pain may be, if you have a strong spirit, the suffering is more bearable than when you give up. So persevere in hard times and remember that better days are coming! We stand in faith for complete healing. And even if someone dies from an illness, they will have beautiful days in the heavenly paradise. So stand firm and do not give up.
It is also important to speak words of healing, not words of death. This applies first to the person who is sick, but it also helps when others speak with faith and encouragement during a visit. Let us read some Proverbs that speak about this:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. (Proverbs 12:18)
The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:14)
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
A soothing tongue [speaking words that build up and encourage] is a tree of life, But a perversive tongue [speaking words that overwhelm and depress] crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4, AMP)
Speak life to your body, not death. Don’t say, “It will never get better. I will remain in misery. I’m going to die from this.” Instead, say, “I will rise and not fall. Things will get better and better. I will be free from every symptom and every complaint in my body. By the stripes of Jesus, I am healed.” These words strengthen you—and your body listens.
The book of Proverbs not only shows us how to become healthy, but also how to stay healthy. These verses reveal the will of God. If healing were not God’s will, why would He give us instructions on how to live in health? God desires to give us health, and in the book of Proverbs, He gives us clear advice on how to walk in it.
Summary
This chapter explored the book of Proverbs and shared several principles and promises related to health and healing. Proverbs offers wise counsel and divine truth to help us live well on the earth. We saw that following its instruction and walking in the fear of the Lord will lead to long life.
The next reason focused on the Word of God as medicine. God’s words are life and healing to our bodies, and they have the power to strengthen and restore us. For God’s Word to work like medicine, we must read it carefully and meditate on it. One important way to do this is to read the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is also essential to listen to the Holy Spirit and to keep God’s Word in our hearts.
We then looked at the importance of having a healthy heart. According to Proverbs, “A sound heart is life to the body”, while “envy is rottenness to the bones.” A heart that is filled with gentleness, forgiveness, and kindness brings healing, but bitterness, jealousy, and a broken spirit lead to decay.
Proverbs also says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” That is why it is vital to let go of negative emotions and guard our hearts with all diligence.
A strong spirit and a joyful heart help us endure sickness. In times of trouble, we are called to persevere, stand firm in faith, and speak words of life.
The book of Proverbs is filled with divine wisdom and clear instruction. Its principles and promises reveal that God desires us to walk in health and wholeness, and He teaches us how to do so.