The terminally ill King Hezekiah in Israel prayed to God not to die but to live. God heard his prayer and gave him 15 extra years (Isaiah 38).

Why live long? Initially, our days are numbered, but our age is not set in stone. God wants us to live long so that He can get the most out of His “product” – our body. We don't trade in the car every year, but get the most out of it before we dispose of it. I had a Honda CRV 2002 model. Once it had gone around 250,000 km, it had served its purpose. It became too expensive to repair, and I delivered it for scrapping. I got a lot out of that car.

In the same way, God wants us to live until we reach a “good old age, old and full of days” – as it is said of Abraham, who lived to 175 years (Genesis 25:7–8). God has given each person different life strength. Therefore, life span will be different. We then have nothing more to give to life and feel that we have “finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7). I'm not there yet, far from it. I want to keep going for many years to come, to give God as much as possible in return for the salvation He gave me.

I also want a great reward in heaven. Moses “looked to the reward” on the other side (Hebrews 11:26). King David prayed:

“He asked life from You, and You gave it to him, length of days forever and ever.”

Psalms 21:5

Our prayer should be as one of the Psalmists presents the case:

“I said, ‘Do not take me away in the midst of my days.’”

Psalms 102:25

The key to living long is godliness, keeping His commandments, and following His will in all things:

“The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked are shortened.”

Proverbs 10:17

Hold on to the promise from the Bible:

“With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Psalms 91:16

Studies have shown that those who believe they will soon die live shorter lives than those who have a positive view of life, confess it, and make plans for a long life. As believers, we stand in a special class, for we have God's promises of “good health” (3 John 1:2) and a “long life.” And we should confess them loudly, for then we infuse God's invisible power into every cell of our body.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

Hebrews 10:23

The ungodly King Asa in Israel died early because he only sought the physicians and not God:

“In his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.”

2 Chronicles 16:12

We who know the gospel have great advantages. Anointing oil is both for healing, protection from sickness, and power to live long. There are about 20 methods of healing in the Bible. One of them is to anoint the sick with consecrated anointing oil. It can be used on the sick so that they can be cured. But the anointing oil can also be used on the healthy – so that they can be strengthened with power and protected by God's Spirit from becoming sick. So that they can live long – which is the fruit of good health through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23

“The yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.”

Isaiah 10:27

In other words: When anointing oil is applied in Jesus' name, the yoke, the illness must go!

Svein-Magne