MH page 227

But only as we live in obedience to His word can we claim the fulfillment of His promises. The psalmist says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18 . If we render to Him only a partial, halfhearted obedience, His promises will not be fulfilled to us.

Spiritual receptivity and obedience are prerequisites for receiving divine answers to prayer. The passage outlines a spiritual condition for answered prayer rather than an empirical medical mechanism.

In the word of God we have instruction relative to special prayer for the recovery of the sick. But the offering of such prayer is a most solemn act, and should not be entered upon without careful consideration. In many cases of prayer for the healing of the sick, that which is called faith is nothing less than presumption.

Prayer for healing is a solemn act requiring careful consideration rather than presumption. The paragraph discusses spiritual instructions regarding prayer and cautions against presumption.

Many persons bring disease upon themselves by their self-indulgence. They have not lived in accordance with natural law or the principles of strict purity. Others have disregarded the laws of health in their habits of eating and drinking, dressing, or working. Often some form of vice is the cause of feebleness of mind or body. Should these persons gain the blessing of health, many of them would continue to pursue the same course of heedless transgression of God's natural and spiritual laws, reasoning that if God heals them in answer to prayer, they are at liberty to continue their unhealthful practices and to indulge perverted appetite without restraint. If God were to work a miracle in restoring these persons to health, He would be encouraging sin.

Self-indulgence and violation of natural and health laws cause disease and feebleness. It makes empirical claims about the causes of disease while framing them within spiritual disobedience.

It is labor lost to teach people to look to God as a healer of their infirmities, unless they are taught also to lay aside unhealthful practices. In order to receive His blessing in answer to prayer, they must cease to do evil and learn to do well. Their surroundings must be sanitary, their habits of life correct. They must live in harmony with the law of God, both natural and spiritual.

Healing and health require correcting unhealthful practices, improving surroundings, and aligning with natural and spiritual laws. Combines spiritual admonition with concrete empirical requirements for sanitary surroundings and correct habits.