A. To keep us righteous & close to Him:

PSA 34:19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

PSA 119:71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

2CO 12:7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

HEB 12:6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

HEB 12:11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

REV 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

B. To glorify God when He heals you:

MAT 15:31. Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

JOH 9:1. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

JOH 9:2. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

JOH 9:3. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

ACT 9:36. Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

ACT 9:37. And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

ACT 9:38. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.

ACT 9:39. Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

ACT 9:40. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

ACT 9:41. And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

ACT 9:42. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

C. Sickness is often caused by sin:

PSA 38:2. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

PSA 38:3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

PSA 38:4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

PSA 38:5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

PSA 107:17. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

PSA 119:67. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

PRO 26:2. As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

NUM 12:1. And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

NUM 12:2. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

NUM 12:3. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

NUM 12:4. And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

NUM 12:5. And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

NUM 12:6. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

NUM 12:7. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

NUM 12:8. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

NUM 12:9. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

NUM 12:10. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

NUM 12:11. And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

NUM 12:12. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

NUM 12:13. And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

NUM 12:14. And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

NUM 12:15. And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

1SA 5:1. And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

1SA 5:2. When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

1SA 5:3. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

1SA 5:4. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

1SA 5:5. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

1SA 5:6. But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.

1SA 5:7. And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

1SA 5:8. They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither.

1SA 5:9. And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

1SA 5:10. Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.

1SA 5:11. So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.

1SA 5:12. And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1SA 25:2. And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

1SA 25:3. Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

1SA 25:4. And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

1SA 25:5. And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:

1SA 25:6. And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

1SA 25:7. And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

1SA 25:8. Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

1SA 25:9. And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

1SA 25:10. And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

1SA 25:11. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

1SA 25:37. But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

1SA 25:38. And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died.

2CH 21:9. Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

2CH 21:10. So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

2CH 21:11. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.

2CH 21:12. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

2CH 21:13. But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:

2CH 21:14. Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

2CH 21:15. And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

2CH 21:16. Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:

2CH 21:17. And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

2CH 21:18. And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

2CH 21:19. And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

2CH 26:16. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

2CH 26:17. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

2CH 26:18. And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.

2CH 26:19. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

2CH 26:20. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

2CH 26:21. And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

ACT 12:21. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

ACT 12:22. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

ACT 12:23. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

D. Some sickness is an attack of the devil:

MAT 9:32. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

MAT 9:33. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

MAR 9:17. And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

MAR 9:18. And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

MAR 9:19. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

MAR 9:20. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

MAR 9:25. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

LUK 13:11. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

LUK 13:13. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

LUK 13:16. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

ACT 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

E. To teach & to test us:

JOB 2:3. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

JOB 2:4. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

JOB 2:5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

JOB 2:6. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

JOB 2:7. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

JOB 5:17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

JOB 5:18. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

PSA 94:12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

2CO 4:17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

F. Emotional or physiological causes:

PSA 147:3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

PRO 11:17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

PRO 14:30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

PRO 15:13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

PRO 17:22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

PRO 18:14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

G. God will show you the reason if you ask Him:

1SA 6:3. And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

JOB 36:9. Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

JOB 36:10. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

JOB 36:11. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

PHI 3:15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

H. How to keep from getting sick:

EXO 15:26. And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

PSA 91:9. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

PSA 91:10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

PRO 4:20. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

PRO 4:22. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

I. Physical reasons for sickness:

EXO 8:24. And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

LEV 11:4. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

LEV 11:5. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

LEV 11:6. And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

LEV 11:7. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

LEV 11:8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

LEV 11:9. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

LEV 11:10. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

LEV 11:11. They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

LEV 11:12. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

PRO 23:29. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

PRO 23:30. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

PRO 23:31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

PRO 23:32. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

PRO 23:33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

PRO 23:34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

PRO 23:35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

PRO 25:16. Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

PRO 25:27. It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

PRO 23:3. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

MAR 7:3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

MAR 7:4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

ROM 1:24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

ROM 1:25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

ROM 1:26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

ROM 1:27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

PHI 2:27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.