Divine Healing
Notes
Transcript
DIVINE
HEALING
Copyright 1985,1993,2001,2007
Crossroads Full Gospel
International Ministries
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Extracts from the New International Version are identified as N.I.V. Copyright 1973,1978,1984
by The International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Also used: The New Testament: An Expanded Translation (Wuest) translated by Kenneth S.
Wuest. Copyright © 1961 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Bracketed comments following some scriptures assist the reader in understanding the intended
meaning of these verses
We acknowledge the additional works of the various Scholars and Bible Commentaries used in
conjunction with the College material. This is not to say that we agree with all their theology,
but we certainly value their contribution to the Body of Christ.
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CONTENTS
DIVINE HEALING...................................................................1
JESUS’ STRIPES..................................................................6
RECEIVING HEALING.....................................................12
THE HEALING PROCESS................................................17
FREEDOM FOR THE WEAK IN FAITH..........................19
THE PROCESS OF PRAYER............................................23
OBTAINING GOD’S GRACE...........................................26
OUR FOCUS POINT WHEN PRAYING..........................28
MAJOR CONDITIONS FOR RECEIVING.......................30
GOD’S DESIRE FOR US...................................................32
DIVINE HEALING
Background Reading: Matthew 8:1-17, 28-34; 9:1-9, 18-35
Many people ask about Divine healing in relation to the Bible.
The purpose of this section is therefore to help Christians gain a
basic understanding of what the Bible has to say about healing, and
to help Christians learn how God’s principles of healing can be
applied to their lives.
As Christians, the focus of our faith must always be the Cross therefore who we are in Christ and what we have in Him. This must
always be the object of our faith.
In regard to healing, many make the mistake of substituting a
belief in healing for that which is really necessary, i.e. the receiving
of God’s grace. This can be compared to believing in food - that it
exists - without consuming it, or believing that water exists without
drinking it. We must do both with God’s food which is the Word.
We must both believe in it and eat it in order to digest it fully by His
grace - if it is to bring about the healing we seek. To digest the food
of God’s Word means that we have both belief and trust firmly
planted in our heart (for from the heart flow the issues of life
(Proverbs 4:20-23). This means we will have the faith we require to
meet the need - as we act upon it.
“. . .In regard to healing, many make the
mistake of substituting a belief in healing
for that which is really necessary, i.e. the
receiving of God’s grace. . .”
The power of God is ministered first to our spirit, then to our
bodies (3 John 2). Therefore the prosperity of the soul usually comes
(especially in regard to older Christians) before the prosperity of the
physical body - for this is God’s Divine order.
So instead of wondering if you have enough faith to be healed,
let your spirit digest the medicine of the Word of God. Then by faith
let the power of God flow throughout your whole being - spirit, soul
and body.
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This may take time - not that God requires time, but for God’s
power to heal unto health, sometimes a trickle of His power precedes
a flood. We can impede the flow of His power by our ideas and
attitudes, but God always wants to heal a broken body.
As stated, it is God’s Divine order that prosperity of the soul is
more important than physical healing. A prosperous soul is gained
through mind renewal that includes heart changes which are
character building. Not only does God want us to know His Word,
but more importantly, He wants us to know Him on an intimate level.
God wants us to communicate (walk or abide) with Him “in the cool
of the day” (as Adam did), talking to Him and most importantly
listening for the Master’s voice and seeking to understand His heart
in all things. Christianity is meant on earth to be a relational walk at
an experiential level, not just a legal position.
True Divine healing always begins in the heart of man by the
grace of God (Matthew 12:34-35). Our wealth is in God, or should
we say, “God in us” (John 14:23). The riches we seek should not be
those belonging to the temporal world, but rather those of the
heavenly kind. The desire of our heart should be to seek God and
His will, not earthly riches, glory and the favour of man. The riches
of Divine love will far outweigh and outlast the love of things. Let
our focus be therefore, “Lord, heal my heart, soften it, so that I can
know and respond to Your will and no other.” This is the prayer of a
humble Saint whom God will hear, and to whom He will respond
(James 4:6). And this will result in true healing of the heart, which,
before the Cross, was dead to the things pertaining to the Kingdom
of God. Such a heart had no energy to do right, only evil - but the
Cross changes everything. Only God can heal the heart, so that we
become new creations in Christ, with a loving Father and a new heart
(Jeremiah 31:33-34; Hebrews 8:10).
Let’s read Colossians 1:12-14:
COLOSSIANS 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father,
Who has (qualified and) made us meet (fit) to be
partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light:
COLOSSIANS 1:13 Who has delivered us from the
power (authority) of darkness (in every area), and has
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translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son (the
Kingdom of Light):
COLOSSIANS 1:14 In Whom we have redemption
through His Blood (the ransom price for our salvation
was the Blood), even the forgiveness of sins
In Christ we have been redeemed - we have been delivered
from the authority of darkness and placed into the Kingdom of God.
This deliverance encompasses every area of our lives, spirit, soul and
body, for this is our inheritance. The healing of our bodies is very
much a part of this wonderful provision.
“. . .Let our focus be therefore, “Lord,
heal my heart, soften it, so that I can
know and respond to Your will and no
other. . .”
Claiming the inheritance we have in Christ can be likened to the
Israelites in Old Testament times claiming the Promised Land.
Let’s turn to Joshua Ch.1, to see what is required:
JOSHUA 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant
of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spoke unto
Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
JOSHUA 1:2 “Moses My servant is dead; now
therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this
people, into the land which I do give to them, even to the
children of Israel. (Joshua begins his Ministry at the
banks of Jordan, where Christ was baptized . . Israel had
dwelt in the wilderness for some forty years; it was now
time for them to go into the Promised Land : E.S.B.)
JOSHUA 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot
shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said
unto Moses” (it was not God’s Will that one foot breadth
was to rest in the hands of its former owners; likewise,
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the Holy Spirit intends presently for everything in our
lives to be removed which hinders our progress with the
Lord; it is God’s Will that we possess the entirety of the
Promise, which pertains to total victory over the world,
the flesh, and the devil [James 4:5]). (E.S.B.)
God was instructing Joshua that even though He had already
given the Promised Land to the Israelites, they still had to go in and
take possession of it. If they had not done as directed, they would not
have enjoyed the benefits of their inheritance. They had to go forth
and take possession of it by placing their feet on that legal, Godgiven ground. The same is true for us today. In order to partake fully
of our inheritance in Christ at an experiential level, we must place
our feet on the land that is promised to us. And this land for us is the
will of God in our lives. Concerning healing we need, by God-given
faith, to place our feet on that particular ground and stand firm in the
power of the new Nature, not yielding to fear, doubt, circumstances
or negative emotions, etc. Healing is promised to us in the Word of
God - it is there for us to claim as part of our inheritance, for it is
already legally ours.
The Old Testament provides the proper background for a
Biblical understanding of the concept of Divine healing. God reveals
Himself throughout the Old Testament via His Names, and one of
these Names, “Jehovah-Rapha,” means that He is the Lord Who
heals. This Name appears in Exodus 15:26 where the Lord assures
Israel that He will not allow any of the diseases of Egypt to afflict
His people. Indeed He declares in this scripture, “I am the Lord Who
heals you,” that is, Jehovah-Rapha. There are also many other Old
Testament scriptures which declare that God is the healer of His
people (e.g. Psalm 103:3; Psalm 107:20; Proverbs 4:22).
“. . .The Old Testament provides the
proper background for a Biblical
understanding of the concept of Divine
healing. . .”
To receive healing we need to immerse ourselves in God’s will
concerning healing - so that the Holy Spirit can bring to us the hope
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needed, thereby creating the inner mould to hold the trust. In light of
the Atonement and our understanding of it, the following scriptures
leave no room for doubt in this regard, for they show us that Jesus
paid the price for our healing, our wholeness and our forgiveness
during the time of the crucifixion:
ISAIAH 53:4 Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs
(sicknesses), and carried our sorrows: yet we did
(ignorantly) esteem (consider) Him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted.
ISAIAH 53:5
But He was wounded for our
transgressions (rebellion), He was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace (the
punishment needed to obtain peace and well-being for us)
was upon Him (and Him alone); and with (by) His
stripes we are healed (and made whole).
This Atonement constitutes Christ’s completed work, so that
now we can be made whole, spirit, soul and body. Because of the
Atonement we can pray in faith for the healing of our bodies saying
“By His stripes I have been healed. Thank You Jesus. You are still
the healer by the agency of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
From the New Bible Dictionary comes the meaning of
“atonement” :
“ATONEMENT. The word ‘atonement’ is one of the few
theological terms which derive basically from Anglo-Saxon. It means
‘a making at one,’ and points to a process of bringing those who are
estranged into a unity. The word occurs in the OT to translate words
from the kpr word group, and it is found once in the NT ( AV),
rendering katallagē (which is better translated ‘reconciliation’ as
RSV). Its use in theology is to denote the work of Christ in dealing
with the problem posed by the sin of man, and in bringing sinners
into right relation with God.” 1
(underlines added)
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ROMANS 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now
received the atonement (reconciliation).
Our spirit has already been healed legally and conditionally, but
our mind and body are only legally (positionally) saved. For our
mind to be saved conditionally, we need, by faith, to bring it into line
with God’s Word in an experiential sense. If our body is sick, we
need to know Jesus has provided us with the legal ground from
which we are able to make proper demands on the promise that
healing is already ours. The key is that we make proper demands on
this promise. To do this will require the renewing of the mind. In
this process the Holy Spirit will bring us, as we seek truth in regard
to healing, to a condition of faith. It is then the grace of the Holy
Spirit at work within us which energizes our very nature to believe
and then trust on Calvary’s finished work for our healing:
3 JOHN 2 Beloved, I desire above all things that you
may prosper and be in health, even as your soul (mind)
prospers (through constant renewal).
“. . .If our body is sick, we need to know
Jesus has provided us with the legal
ground from which we are able to make
proper demands on the promise that
healing is already ours. . .”
JESUS’ STRIPES
The healing power of God is available today because Jesus
maintained His faith in His Father’s Word during His time of terrible
physical and mental suffering on and before the cross. He
maintained His faith in the Father, having complete trust that He
would not ask anything of His Son that wasn’t necessary. This
testing proved Him to be the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sin.
Note that the word “stripes” in Isaiah 53:5 is properly translated
from the original Hebrew as “wound.”
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JOHN 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and
scourged (whipped) Him.
ISAIAH 53:4 Surely He (Jesus) has borne (taken) our
griefs (sicknesses), and carried our sorrows: yet we did
(ignorantly) esteem (consider) Him stricken, smitten of
God, and afflicted.
ISAIAH 53:5 But He was wounded (pierced) for our
transgressions (rebellion), He was crushed for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace (the
punishment that brought us peace) was upon Him (and
Him alone); and with (by) His stripes (wounds) we are
healed (and made whole).
Wuest writes concerning the “stripes” of 1 Peter 2:24, which
Peter wrote about in reference to Isaiah 53:5:
“The word “stripes” in the Greek presents a picture of our
Lord’s lacerated back after the scourging He endured at the hands of
the Roman soldier. The Romans used a scourge of cords or thongs to
which latter were attached pieces of lead or brass, or small, sharppointed bones. Criminals condemned to crucifixion were ordinarily
scourged before being executed. The victim was stripped to the waist
and bound in a stooping position, with the hands behind the back, to
a post or pillar. The suffering under the lash was intense. The body
was frightfully lacerated. The Christian martyrs at Smyrna about A.D.
155 were so torn by the scourges that their veins were laid bare, and
the inner muscles and sinews and even the bowels were exposed. The
Greek word translated “stripes” refers to a bloody wale trickling
with blood that arises under a blow. The word is singular, not plural.
Peter remembered the body of our Lord after the scourging, the flesh
so dreadfully mangled that the disfigured form appeared in his eyes
as one single bruise.
Thus we have the portrait of the suffering Servant of Jehovah,
His blessed face so pummeled by the hard fists of the mob that it did
not look like a human face anymore, His back lacerated by the
Roman scourge so that it was one mass of open, raw, quivering flesh
trickling with blood, His heart torn with anguish because of the
bitter, caustic, malevolent words hurled at Him. On that bleeding,
lacerated back was laid the Cross. Unsaved reader, this was all for
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you, just as if you were the only lost person in the universe. The Lord
Jesus died for you, in your stead, took your place on the Cross, paid
your penalty, so that God could offer a salvation from sin based
upon a justice satisfied. Will you not right now appropriate the Lord
Jesus as your own personal Saviour, trust Him to save you? And
saint, does not all this make you love the Lord Jesus more, soften and
make more tender your heart? Does not all this make you say, “I can
see the blood drops, red ’neath His thorny crown, from the cruel
nail-wounds, now they are falling down; Lord, when I would wander
from thy love away, let me see those blooddrops shed for me that
day?” The blood of Christ heals our sin in that He by one offering
put away sin forever.” 2
(underlines added)
In this physical state, our Lord would have suffered incredible
physical pain that would also have produced enormous mental
suffering. The stripes, mentioned in Isaiah 53:5, caused much pain
and suffering to our Saviour. The injustice, betrayal and
abandonment He experienced were added to increase His soulish
suffering (mental anguish) so that we may have peace and wholeness
in our minds. In the suffering and ultimate death of the Lamb of God
on the cross, holy justice was satisfied, the curse upon man (spirit,
soul and body) being taken care of through the Atonement.
The “stripes” (wound) relates to the physical suffering Jesus
endured - so that we may be healed. As we have said, the Atonement
consists of the suffering, death and Resurrection of Jesus. The
suffering aspect of the Atonement included the physical suffering of
Jesus, the mental suffering of Jesus and the spiritual suffering of
Jesus - throughout the crucifixion and the lead-up to it. After this
time of terrible testing was finished, Jesus’ death and then His
Resurrection completed the Atonement process.
However it is not just by the stripes which Jesus bore that we are
able to be healed. It is because He maintained His faith through this
whole time of testing that we, today, can obtain the healing power of
God when we need it. It was by His shed Blood that the promise was
then sealed, and healing became available to us.
Our debt for salvation, as well as the debt for the healing of our
soul and body, have been “paid in full” through the Atonement. Let
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us never forget that Jesus bore the punishment due to us through this
whole process.
1 PETER 2:24 Who His own self bore our sins in His
own Body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by Whose stripes you
were (past tense) healed (body and soul).
HEBREWS 5:9
And (through His completed
experience) being made perfect He became the Author
of eternal salvation unto all them who obey Him
Our Saviour’s sufferings in relation to the Atonement were
vicarious, “borne” by Him on behalf of man to save him from the
consequences of sin: Romans 8:17. We could then see Isaiah 53:4 in
this same light, “Surely He has borne (paid the price through
vicarious suffering for) our griefs (sicknesses).”
Yes sin was “borne” by Christ, but so was all sickness and
disease that sin had brought into the world. However, He did not bear
our sins and sicknesses in His Body as such. He bore the penalty for
our sins and our sicknesses, the penalty being the debt we could
never pay. He bore the penalty for the curse of sickness to be lifted.
MATTHEW 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, “Himself took our
infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.”
“The word “infirmities” in this 17th verse speaks of feebleness
of mind and body, malady, frailty, disease, sickness and weakness.
All this Christ bore on the Cross fulfilling Isaiah 53.” 3
Therefore we can see that Jesus has already paid the price for us
to obtain healing and wholeness in every area of our lives. Our
healing was paid for approximately 2,000 years ago. God waits for
us to meet the conditions so that His power can make this truth a
reality in each of our lives, for we can know from the promises in
scripture that God wants His people to be fit and well, and to live in
good health.
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“HEALING, DIVINE, THE MINISTRY OF: The dynamic
ministry of Jesus not only revealed God’s heart of love for mankind’s
need of a Redeemer, but unveiled God’s compassionate heart of
mercy for mankind’s need of a Healer. The will of God was perfectly
disclosed in His Son; we are to seek ways to fully convey that perfect
revelation. Just as the Fall of man introduced sickness as a part of
the curse, the Cross of Christ has opened a door to healing as part of
salvation’s provision. Healing encompasses God’s power to restore
broken hearts, broken homes, broken lives, and broken bodies.
Suffering assumes a multiplicity of forms, but Christ’s blood not only
covers our sin with redemptive love; His stripes release a resource of
healing at every dimension of our need.” 4
(underlines added)
Jesus Himself, spirit, soul and body, had to receive the
punishment due to us for sin. He had to suffer in these three areas of
man’s makeup in order to pay the price for man to be made whole in
each of these areas. Therefore He suffered mental torment so that we
can have peace (“the chastisement of our peace was upon Him”
(Isaiah 53:5). See also Luke 22:44). He suffered physical torment so
that we can be healed in our body (“and with His stripes we are
healed” (Isaiah 53:5. See also Isaiah 52:14, Luke 22:63-64). His
spirit suffered in that the Father turned away from Jesus as He
became the “sin bearer” (Matthew 27:46). Ultimately the price paid
for wholeness in our spirit was death - for without the shedding of
Christ’s Blood (bringing about death) there can be no forgiveness.
“. . .Just as the Fall of man introduced
sickness as a part of the curse, the Cross
of Christ has opened a door to healing as
part of salvation’s provision. . .”
In suffering in His righteous spirit, soul and body, Jesus
became a complete sacrifice for our spirit, soul and body. He
suffered to the full extent, spiritually, mentally and physically. This
suffering constituted, before death, as much pain and suffering as any
man could endure while remaining alive and sinless. This mental
and physical suffering was necessary for the healing of our mind and
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body. Then for our spirit, He shed His Blood and laid His life down
so that He could die in our place. He took this, our penalty, so that
we could be cleansed (healed) in our spirit, and brought back into
proper relationship with the Father.
ISAIAH 53:10 Yet it pleased the Lord (Jehovah) to
bruise Him (Jesus); He has put Him to grief: when You
shall make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His
seed (spiritual offspring = born-again Christians), He
shall prolong His days (this refers to the Resurrection),
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper (all shall be
restored as it was before the Fall) in His hand (by His
rule).
ISAIAH 53:11 He shall see of the travail of His soul,
and shall be satisfied (the redemptive price having been
paid): by His knowledge (the knowledge of Him being
imparted to men’s hearts) shall My righteous Servant
justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities (through
the Atonement).
As Dake wrote concerning Isaiah 53:10:
“Complete sacrifice (Isaiah 53:10). Himself - His entire self, not
His personal soul only. It took His body, soul, and spirit to make a
complete offering for sin and sickness. He was a complete substitute
for man. Since the body, soul, and spirit of man had sinned and were
under the sentence of death, it took the whole being of the Messiah to
take man’s place. The word soul is sometimes used of an individual
(Genesis 12:5; 41:26). There is no such thing as sinning with the
flesh and not with the soul and the spirit, as taught by some. The
flesh cannot be filthy and the soul and spirit holy. The body became
sinful, depraved and diseased by sin in the fall, and the body must be
redeemed from these things if redemption is to be complete.”
“Why God was pleased with the death of Christ (Isaiah 53 verse
10). The only reason it pleased Jehovah to permit Him to be
crucified was to bring about the redemption of the whole creation so
that His eternal program could be carried out with man on earth
(v10). He could not have been pleased with the mutilation of His
beloved Son because He punished men for this (Acts 2:22-24; 1
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Thessalonians 2:16). Both the Father and the Son volunteered to
suffer such indignities for the salvation of men (John 3:16; 10:18).
Such a sacrifice on the part of God showed His divine perfection,
justice, mercy, and boundless benevolence. The law was upheld, sin
was judged, and a basis of pardon and eternal reconciliation was
made possible.” 5
“. . .Since the body, soul, and spirit of
man had sinned and were under the
sentence of death, it took the whole being
of the Messiah to take man’s place. . .”
The Atonement has completely addressed all of man’s problems
both in a legal sense and a conditional sense. It has not only dealt
with sin and satisfied justice but has made the way for the grace of
God to empower us to live in God’s abundant blessings. Indeed the
Atonement has opened heaven’s gates so that now in Christ we are
blessed with “all spiritual blessings” (Ephesians 1:3). Because
Jesus suffered on our behalf in His body, soul and spirit, the
Atonement is complete in addressing the entire need of man,
body, soul and spirit.
RECEIVING HEALING
MATTHEW 8:16 When the evening was come (the
Sabbath Day of rest ended at sunset), they brought unto
Him (Jesus) many who were possessed with devils
(demons): and He cast out the spirits with His Word,
and healed all who were sick
This scripture reveals to us God’s will concerning healing, for
Jesus did not pick and choose who would be healed and who would
not. Nor did He declare that God was testing those who were sick so
that they might grow in faith or patience, etc. What does this verse
say to us? It says that Jesus “healed all who were sick.” This is the
wonderful message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ.
God wants to bring all men to salvation, not only of spirit (1 Timothy
2:4) but of mind and body also (3 John 2).
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We see Jesus’ desire to heal in the following verses:
MATTHEW 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper who
worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, if You will, You can
make me clean.”
MATTHEW 8:3 And Jesus put forth His hand, and
touched him, saying, “I will; be thou clean.” And
immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
There is simply no question that He would do otherwise.
The term “to heal” means “to cure,” “to repair,” “to restore,”
“to make whole.” It denotes soundness, completeness, restoration,
wholeness, etc. Divine healing has been made available to us so that
our physical bodies can be restored to complete health and
wholeness.
The healing power of God is a spiritual force which was present
in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Acts 10:38 tells us :
ACTS 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and with power (as a man, Christ laid
aside His power and glory, and depended on the Holy
Spirit to empower Him for service and ministry): Who
went about doing good, and healing all who were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.
So God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power,
and Jesus travelled through the New Testament area of Palestine,
healing “all who were oppressed of the devil.” This work of Jesus is
still continuing today in the lives of Believers who are touched by
the Gospel, for Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forevermore
(Hebrews 13:8). From Acts 10:38 and Luke 13:16, we can also see
that it is Satan who is the father and instigator of oppression.
LUKE 13:11 And, behold, there was a woman who had
a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed
together (bent over permanently), and could in no wise
lift up (straighten) herself.
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LUKE 13:12 And when Jesus saw her, He called her to
Him (means this miracle was unsolicited), and said unto
her, “Woman, you are loosed (delivered) from your
infirmity.”
LUKE 13:13 And He laid His hands on her: and
immediately she was made straight, and glorified God
(acknowledging the Source of her deliverance).
Jesus said:
LUKE 13:16 “And ought not this woman, being a
daughter of Abraham (this indicates Covenant
relationship), whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen
years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath Day?”
Therefore if you are suffering from any form of disease or
oppression, you need to acknowledge that this is not God’s doing.
Sickness, disease and other forms of bondage are promoted by Satan
to afflict man and cause him distress and torment. Indeed, other
scriptures tell us that Satan seeks to kill, harm and destroy people,
given any opportunity to do so. Sickness and disease are thus not
tests and trials sent by God to increase our faith. If people believe
this, then there is no reason to ask God to heal them. If people desire
healing, this sort of unbelief will cause doublemindedness, and this
will block the release of God’s power (James 1:5-8). Sickness and
disease are not sent by God but are works of the enemy by which he
would bind, dishearten and destroy humanity (1 Peter 5:8).
“. . .Sickness, disease and other forms of
bondage are promoted by Satan to afflict
man and cause him distress and torment.
. .”
It is God’s will today that all be healed and live in good health.
He can only fulfill His Word, however, as people open up and
respond to it. We need therefore to meditate on the promises of God
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concerning healing - to help the Holy Spirit build hope on the inside
of us. The living Word can then be placed in our hearts as
illuminated revelation knowledge.
Psalm 103:1-3 tells us:
PSALM 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless His holy Name.
PSALM 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget
not all His benefits (while Christ is the Source of all
benefits, the Cross is the means): (E.S.B.)
PSALM 103:3 Who forgives all your iniquities; Who
heals all your diseases (the Lord Alone can forgive sin [1
John 1:9]; the Lord Alone can heal [1 Peter 2:24]);
(E.S.B)
Also, Psalm 107:20 tells us:
PSALM 107:20 He sent His Word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions (the grave).
The Lord has sent His Word and has promised that it will not
return to Him void, as we fulfill the conditions. The conditions are of
course that we make proper demands on our Covenant from a proper
perspective - that being, of course, having our faith firmly focused on
the “finished work of the Cross.” And remember that only holy faith,
developed as our human nature is energized by the Divine Nature,
can make these proper demands on heaven’s power. God indeed is
faithful to His Word of deliverance, and is watching over it, desiring
to bring it to fulfillment in our lives.
JEREMIAH 1:12 Then said the Lord unto me. “ . . for
I will hasten (watch over) My Word to perform it (to
bring it to pass).”
ISAIAH 55:11 So shall My Word be that goes forth out
of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void (empty),
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
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prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (achieve the
purpose for which I send it).
Note: In order to have the Lord fulfill His Word in our lives, we,
with the help of the Spirit’s Divine energy, need to walk in humility,
forgiving others who have wronged us and repenting of sin (Isaiah
55:7; 1 John 1:9). Scripture tells us that God will not respond to a
man or woman who is walking in unforgiveness or pride - or
harbouring blatant unconfessed sin (Psalm 51:16-17; Isaiah 57:15;
Isaiah 59:2; Mark 11:25-26; James 4:6). (This of course is
dependent on the degree of sin being practised.)
“. . .In order to have the Lord fulfill His
Word in our lives, we, with the help of the
Spirit’s Divine energy, need to walk in
humility, forgiving others who have
wronged us and repenting of sin. . .”
We also need to understand that physical and emotional healing
are just as much a part of the Gospel as the message of spiritual
regeneration.
Many do not receive healing or the blessings of God because
they do not know His will on the subject. As a starting point,
therefore, we need to understand and acknowledge that sickness and
disease resulted from the curse, and are promoted by Satan. To be
liberated in the areas of sickness and disease a Christian needs to:
1. Testify and believe that they are not under the curse (because
they have been baptized into Christ’s death and raised with Christ
into “newness of life”) (Luke 10:19; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:13).
2. Repent of any known sin - in other words, nail it to the Cross
(Romans 6:6-7; 1 John 1:9).
3. Bind and loose Satan’s influence, as the promoter of all
sickness and disease, from their body (Matthew 18:18; James 4:7; 1
John 3:8).
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4. Pray for healing, as needed (Matthew 18:19; 1 Corinthians
12:9).
5. Pray for a miracle, if needed (Mark 11:22-26; 1 Corinthians
12:10).
Also, some people do not receive because after praying, there
may be no obvious results and so doubt and unbelief flood their
minds and their faith becomes depleted. It is important, however, to
continue to believe for one’s healing, even though, if after prayer,
there may seem to be no immediate changes. For “the just shall live
by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4), not walk by sight.
We will now go on to look at the healing process and to provide
further information which may be helpful for those seeking healing
or good health.
THE HEALING PROCESS
Healing may take place immediately or may occur over a
period of time, for the Word states, “They shall lay hands on the sick
and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18). The prayer of healing may
help speed up the body’s natural healing processes and also help kill
or expel any foreign substance, e.g. a virus. So instead of it taking six
weeks to recover from an illness, it may take, for example, two
weeks or less, or healing may even occur immediately.
Generally a sickness or disease comes upon a person gradually. It
usually begins in one area, then seeks to spread itself throughout the
body in a destructive manner, causing its victim pain and/or distress.
Knowing this to be the case, it is quite understandable that healing
may sometimes occur in a similar way. For example, the healing
process (God’s healing power) may begin working in a particular
area and then move gradually throughout the body, displacing the
sickness or disease with health and wholeness.
Once the prayer for healing is prayed and believed upon, we
must continue daily to take the spiritual medicine of God’s Word in a
balanced way. We need to begin of course with our attitude towards
man (having love, compassion and forgiveness) and God (having
humility and reverence), and then to progress on to faith in our
Covenant in relation to healing. We need to swallow each dose of
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scripture so that God can perform His work in us, little by little, until
we actually digest it in our hearts.
“. . .Once the prayer for healing is
prayed and believed upon, we must
continue daily to take the spiritual
medicine of God’s Word in a balanced
way. . .”
After a person receives prayer for healing, the results may be
immediate or gradual. Sometimes healing is immediate, but if it is
not, do not think that the healing process has not begun. Knowing
that healing is taking place, we need to stand in faith, as the Book of
Ephesians tells us:
EPHESIANS 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole
armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the
evil day (of danger or trouble), and having done all (that
is our responsibility as Christians to do), to stand (not
giving ground to the forces of darkness).
EPHESIANS 6:14 Stand therefore (in faith), having
your loins girt about with truth (God’s truth which is His
Word and will), and having on the breastplate of
righteousness (Christ’s imputed righteousness which is
ours through the Blood of the Cross);
After praying in faith for healing, we need to continue
standing on the Word and not yield to our senses or circumstances.
Believe you received your healing when you prayed, and continue to
thank God for it - He will honour His Word. However, if you are not,
at this point, in a position to receive, you need to acknowledge this
and seek medical assistance. You can then determine to search the
scriptures and build up your faith with the help and empowerment of
the Holy Spirit - in order to become stronger in this area. Or you may
need to find out from the Lord the reason why you were not healed.
As we have said, sometimes blockages exist which may need to be
dealt with before healing can take place, e.g. attitudes of
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unforgiveness, resentment or hatred, not having done what the Lord
has told us to do, or just lacking a proper spiritual focus in regard to
healing for ourselves.
“. . .However, if you are not, at this point,
in a position to receive your healing, you
need to acknowledge this and seek
medical assistance. . .”
As we have learned, healing is provided to restore our physical
bodies and to make them whole. Divine healing fastens up the
healing process. In some instances, however, a miracle may be
needed to bring about complete wholeness.
A miracle is different to a healing, although they are closely
related, for both are manifestations of God’s supernatural power.
Miracles, however, are creative in nature and, in regard to a person’s
body, are manifested in situations such as: the restoration of lost
limbs, fingers and toes; the filling of tooth cavities, etc. Miracles thus
encompass the bringing into existence of bodily parts which did not
previously exist or are no longer present. Miracles also serve to
restore functions or organs of the body which were not restorable by
medicine or the natural healing process e.g. a blind eye, withered
limb or a diseased organ.
Remember that, concerning healing or any other promise, as we
allow the power of God into our lives, we are exalting His Word, and
through our living witness, the Father is truly glorified (John 15:7-8).
FREEDOM FOR THE WEAK IN FAITH
In cases where people require healing or another need to be
met and their faith level is low, they can call upon the elders of the
church or other mature Christians of faith to pray for them:
JAMES 5:14 Is any sick among you? (This refers to
physical or emotional illness of any nature.) let him call
for the Elders of the Church; and let them pray over
him (refers to asking the Lord for healing regarding the
need), anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord
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(the “oil” has no medicinal purpose, but is rather meant
to symbolize the Holy Spirit, and is used as a point of
contact concerning our Faith; prayer is to be offered in
the Name of Jesus [John 16:23]) : (E.S.B.)
JAMES 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,
and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (The
conditional clause, “if he has sinned,” makes it clear that
not all sickness is the result of sin, but some definitely is.
That being the case, the Lord will both heal and forgive
upon believing Faith : E.S.B.)
Mature Christians who are strong in faith (and when led by the
Spirit of God) can pray effectively for people who are in need (James
5:16). If the people being prayed for have to repent of any known
sin, they must follow up with actions of true repentance - by turning
around from any wrong they had been doing - so that the bondages
concerned have no legal ground to return (John 5:14; Luke 5:20).
This is because sin is the devil’s legal ground to enter a person’s life,
and it is like cancer - if left unchecked it will spread, and gradually
cause destruction.
God tells us, however, that if we come to a position of faith, He
will give us the power and the strength to resist the devil - if we do
things His way. We need to believe and reckon we are dead to sin,
count the sin nature as being disengaged, and yield to the Holy Spirit
so that we may be partakers of the Divine Nature at a conditional
level (Romans 6:4-6; 2 Peter 1:4). As we yield to the Holy Spirit, we
will then gain the empowerment we need to walk in righteousness God’s will. Indeed God will empower us to defeat any evil in our
lives if we will to do things His way, by submitting to Him and His
Word and relying on His grace to empower us to believe and trust.
Therefore:
1 PETER 5:6 Humble yourselves (allow yourselves to
be humbled) therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time:
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EPHESIANS 5:21
Submitting yourselves one to
another (caring for other’s needs) in the fear of God
(walking daily in the Spirit).
JAMES 5:16 Confess your faults one to another (refers
to being quick to admit fault, if such be the case : E.S.B.),
and pray one for another, that you may be healed (The
Holy Spirit, through James, broadens the aspect of prayer
for the sick as applicable to any Believer : E.S.B.). The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (refers to
both positional and conditional righteousness) avails
much.
“. . .We need to believe and reckon we
are dead to sin, count the sin nature as
being disengaged, and yield to the Holy
Spirit so that we may be partakers of the
Divine Nature at a conditional level. . .”
In some instances when people are in need of God’s power (e.g.
when healing is required), God, in His wisdom, may require that they
submit themselves in the Lord to other members of the Body of
Christ for prayer - before healing can take place.
Some reasons for this may be:
1. So that pride can be removed (for any sin of pride can block
God’s healing power) and humility developed in the person seeking
help.
2. So that people do not become islands unto themselves independent of other Christians.
3. So that others may be taught the importance of humility even though the person concerned may already be humble and in
faith.
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4. So that people who are present may learn from the example
and put into practice and teach the scriptural principles which have
been demonstrated.
5. So that God can use another’s faith because of the
immaturity or lack of faith in the one needing healing.
In a service, when an altar-call is given to those requiring
healing, God may tell an individual not to join the prayer-line but
rather to simply believe and receive. Yet He may tell another person
to join the prayer-line and receive healing through this means. It is
God’s desire to heal each person by the power of His Word, but He
will use different methods with different people in order to achieve
this result. Remember that God knows what is best for each
individual and what is needed to bring each person to a position
where they can receive. Therefore we should listen to God and let
Him choose the method He desires to use so that the best results can
be obtained.
In Christian circles, many people have become regimented
concerning praying for the sick. This is seen in the fact that they will
only use a singular method which has been tried and proven.
Although this method may still produce results, such a practice can
block the Spirit from utilizing other methods which would be more
effective with different individuals. Consequently a regimented
approach can hinder and limit the overall benefit to the Body of
Christ. The rule is that in all things, we should be led by the Holy
Spirit, allowing Him to tell us what is right.
“. . .It is God’s desire to heal each person
by the power of His Word, but He will
use different methods with different
people in order to achieve this result. . .”
The methods which Jesus used to bring God’s healing power to
people were varied (e.g. Matthew 9:27-30; Mark 8:22-25; Luke 5:1214, 6:6-10, 7:2-10; John 5:2-9, 9:1-7). Let us then also remember to
seek the leading of the Spirit so that we may know God’s will in each
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situation. In doing this, we will not become dependent on any one
method, but rather, we will be placing our reliance upon the Spirit’s
leading. It is not the method which produces the healing virtue - but
the Spirit of God Who uses different means to give the Believer an
opportunity to act on his or her faith. Each method provides the
Believer (being prayed for) with a platform from which they can
either release their faith, or open up to God’s power.
Also, Christian experience will tell us that some seeking
healing need to first attend a service and listen to the preaching of the
Word under the Anointing of the Spirit. This can bring them to a
position of being able to receive through responding to the Spirit’s
direction, whether it be to believe and receive for themselves, or to
be prayed for by another in faith as this person feels led by the Spirit
to do so.
All of this shows the importance of being sensitive to the Spirit’s
promptings and acting accordingly, the end result being that each
individual’s need will be met and God will be glorified.
THE PROCESS OF PRAYER
God’s Word states that He wants to heal and make whole the
spirit of man, the mind of man and the body of man - in that
order. In seeking healing, however, some Christians may need to be
prayed for more than once to help bring them to a position of
complete openness to God’s power.
To come to this position, the influence of unbelief in this area of
healing must be removed. This can be likened to breaking a rope
which has a one thousand pound breaking strain. One end is
connected to unbelief and the other to the heart. In order to break this
rope, certain pressure is required. Sometimes the rope can be cut
immediately by the power of God - if the person concerned has the
required faith and has met the conditions relevant to that situation.
However if the person does not have the required faith to allow God
to cut the rope that is anchored to the unbelief (the fear or whatever
the case may be), they can call for the elders of the church to pray for
them. Before that day, most will need to be built up on the Word of
God. This takes place as they seek the Lord and His Word, and hear
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the preaching and teaching of the Word. Most will need to be
readied in this way before Holy Spirit surgery can take place.
Then even if this action does not cut the rope, they should allow
the prayer, whether their own or that of another, to be the process
starter that begins to apply tension to the rope. Then by faith, the
person concerned should allow the tension to increase and increase,
whether it be minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, or even
month by month. In this way the strands of the rope gradually break
until finally the rope snaps, freeing the former victim that Satan had
ensnared. They then become free to receive God’s healing power as
they believe for it. The increasing tension on the rope comes as a
result of one digesting the Word of truth given by the Holy Spirit.
“. . .In seeking healing, however, some
Christians may need to be prayed for
more than once to help bring them to a
position of complete openness
to God’s power. . .”
The way to add further tension to the rope can be as follows.
As has been stated, a person may need to be prayed for more than
once in order to build up the required resistance. Prayer which invites
God to divinely touch, fill and change will add tension to the rope.
Also, as the person holds fast in faith to their confession of God’s
promises concerning healing (with a focus on Calvary, the
Atonement), then in Christ further tension will be added. The
spiritual rope will eventually break, leaving the person free from
unbelief and open to receiving God’s healing power.
So if there is a rope holding you back from receiving God’s
healing or miraculous power, this is one way to snap that rope that
would keep you from God’s promises.
Therefore do not give up if there are no immediate results. Just
remind yourself of God’s promises and remember that He wants us
to be healed and made whole in every area.
It is man who must change, not God - for Jesus is the same
“yesterday, and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). So let us change
through the renewing of our minds, by the washing of God’s Word.
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Let us read it, hear it, confess it and live it until we become one with
it, and appropriate its promises.
Note: In cases where faith is either at a low level or non-existent,
and the person is not able to receive healing through a mature
Christian’s faith, the person should acknowledge this fact and then
go to a doctor for the necessary help. People in this situation should
not allow condemnation to attack them. They should acknowledge
their weakness - their lack of faith in that area - and then search out
and study the scriptures in order to hear the voice of the Spirit, gain
faith and become strong in the power of God’s Word.
Also, as we have stated, people may take a short time to be
completely healed or healing may occur immediately - for God has
to deal with the complexities of each individual person. Whatever
method God chooses or is allowed to use does not alter His promise
to the sick. The Word states clearly that whatever we ask of the
Father, in faith, in Jesus’ Name (according to the Word), He will give
to us.
“. . .As we have stated, people may take a
short time to be completely healed or
healing may occur immediately - for God
has to deal with the complexities of each
individual person. . .”
We need, however, to be balanced and realistic in our faith-walk.
There are many Christians who try to operate in so-called “hyperfaith,” otherwise known as presumption. They believe with their
heads but not their hearts, and so are deceived into thinking they
have strong faith when in fact they do not. All they usually have is
mental assent to the truth, with a determination to “confess” their
healing into existence. Some of these people are so zealous, they do
not see or perceive the blockages in their own lives.
If the illness is serious enough, such people, if they are seeking
healing, can be putting their lives at risk. God’s power can only be
released as we have active faith in His Word and meet all the Word’s
conditions.
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Remember - from whom much is given, much is required.
LUKE 12:48 But he who knew not, and did commit
things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be
much required (demanded): and to whom men have
committed (entrusted) much, of him they will ask
(expect) the more.
More is required of an adult than a child. Much more is
required of an eighteen year old than a ten year old. And so it is with
older Christians. God’s principles do not change, but the
responsibility to perform - to make use of the knowledge given increases with time. For example, some people when first saved
seem to receive healing very easily. However, a few years later on,
God may not overlook their wrongs or their ignorance so easily, and
when they seek healing or a promise, sometimes it does not seem to
come as readily as it did in their early Christian walk.
OBTAINING GOD’S GRACE
Those who are in need, for example in need of healing or
deliverance, or who lack spiritually or physically because they are
ignorant of God’s Word, do not need justice but rather extra (greater)
grace. It is through God’s mercy we obtain grace (Hebrews 4:16;
Hebrews 10:19). And the only way to obtain this grace is by
clothing ourselves with humility. We can only enter the throneroom
of grace when we are humble in heart - and even though a person
may be ignorant of God’s Word in certain areas, if they come to Him
in humility, God’s mercy may reach such a person who wants to be
delivered and desires to do things God’s way. Jesus said:
MATTHEW 11:28 “Come unto Me, all you who labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (peace, rest
from your own works).
MATTHEW 11:29 Take My yoke (refers to the cross of
self-denial: Matthew 16:24, Luke 14:27) upon you, and
learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly (humble) in heart:
and you shall find rest for your souls.
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MATTHEW 11:30 For My yoke is easy (when we carry
it in His strength : John 15:5), and My burden is light.”
The condition for receiving this rest, however, is that we must
take up Christ’s yoke of humility. Therefore:
JAMES 4:10 Humble yourselves (allow yourselves to be
humbled) in the sight of the Lord (under God’s hand),
and He shall lift you up.
1 PETER 5:5 . . . Yes, all of you be subject one to
another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists
(opposes, sets Himself against) the proud, and gives
grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)
1 PETER 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you (lift you up)
in due time
With this attitude of heart we are able to come into the
throneroom of grace in full confidence, expecting to be delivered in
our time of need:
HEBREWS 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace (the goodness of God that is required) to help in
time of need.
Note: It is the work of the Spirit within us to bring us to this
condition of humility. In other words, it is only when God’s hand is
allowed to mould us, and only under His direction and
empowerment, that we become truly humble of heart.
“. . .it is only when God’s hand is allowed
to mould us, and only under His
direction and empowerment, that we
become truly humble of heart. . .”
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So if you do not know the reason your need has not been met,
repent of all known sin and even that which you may be unaware of.
Come before the Lord with “a contrite (repentant) and humble
spirit” (Isaiah 57:15). Repentance will eliminate any legal ground
which the enemy may have. Then ask God for His help (power).
After doing so, you will need to follow up with study and prayer in
order to discover any area of wrong or ignorance, and to correct it
accordingly by purposing to act on God’s Word in all humility. With
this attitude of heart we can be empowered by the Spirit of Grace to
receive all that God has for us.
If you, dear Saint, would allow the Holy Spirit to do so, He can
take you on a journey which will give you enlightenment that would
cause you to believe and not doubt. By His empowering grace that
enables us to believe, we enter the realm of faith, causing heaven’s
current to run through our very being. This current then flows
outward to meet the need, whether it be our need or the need of
another dear soul who has their hand stretched toward heaven, asking
for salvation of spirit, soul or body.
In regard to power to live the saved life, the Cross is the fuse in
the spiritual wiring which stretches from heaven to us. The moment
we place our trust in anything else, including our good works, the
fuse is blown and mighty as heaven’s power is, the Father cannot
help His son or daughter. This is because every grace must come via
the Cross. Indeed the message of the Atonement must form the
basis of our every prayer, for it is from this sure ground that
every promise of the Bible stems.
OUR FOCUS POINT WHEN PRAYING
When praying, many people have a wrong focus. They
concentrate on the negatives and centre on the symptoms, the
circumstances or themselves, instead of believing the promises in
God’s Word. We should, however, always place the Word above
everything that would come against the truth of God’s promises.
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“. . .the Cross is the fuse in the spiritual
wiring which stretches from heaven to
us. The moment we place our trust in
anything else, including our good works,
the fuse is blown and mighty as heaven’s
power is, the Father cannot help His son
or daughter. . .”
Those who allow circumstances to govern their actions and do
not give God’s Word pre-eminence in their lives, walk in unbelief.
Because of this, they become ineligible to receive the fruit of God’s
promises. In fact, God cannot help them, for with this attitude they
have willed Him not to do so through their unbelief.
Hebrews 11:6 states that we must activate faith in order to
receive from God, for faith opens the door to God’s blessings and
provision.
HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to
please Him (faith is heaven’s currency): for he who
comes to God must believe that He is (exists), and that
He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him.
MARK 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things
soever you desire (one seeking to do the Will of God, will
want only what God desires), when you pray (the value
of prayer, without which these things cannot be done),
believe (have faith) that you receive them, and you shall
have them (as is obvious here, the receiving of these
things, whatever they might be, requires relationship, and
that is the key). (E.S.B.)
In order to pray effectively, we must believe that we already
have the promise before we can receive it. To insist we must see
before we can believe is to remain in the natural realm. Those who
must see before they can believe will be limited in gaining help from
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God. As Christians, we must have faith before God can properly
fulfill His promises to us.
For example, a Christian who needs to take hold of the promise
of healing will first need to be healed on the inside before they can
be healed on the outside. That is, they will need to allow God to fill
them with His Word concerning the promises of healing so that they
can be totally convinced and assured in their hearts that it is God’s
will for them. They will then be standing in a place where trust can
be deposited in the inner mould of hope, thereby producing faith.
When this faith is activated (the promise is believed and acted upon),
it will bring into existence the manifestation of God’s healing power
upon the flesh of man.
“. . .a Christian who needs to take hold of
the promise of healing will first need to
be healed on the inside before they can
be healed on the outside. . .”
MAJOR CONDITIONS FOR RECEIVING
We have been addressing the issue of Christians being prayed for
in Jesus’ Name and still not receiving from God (healing,
deliverance, etc).
The following list gives some requirements which may need to
be fulfilled before proper demands can be made on heaven’s power.
Of course all prayer must be conducted in the power of faith.
1. Humility: We must submit to God before we are able to
resist the devil (James 4:6-7).
2. Honesty: We must acknowledge any sin which has not been
dealt with (Psalm 66:18).
3. Confession: We must confess all known sin (1 John 1:9).
There is no reason we cannot do this privately, but sometimes
deliverance can be more effective if we confess our sins in front of
another (who has our best interests at heart) (James 5:16).
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4. Renunciation: After acknowledgement and confession of
sin, we need to renounce (forsake) any known sin (Proverbs 28:13).
A sinner must be willing to forsake not only “his way” (his outward
acts) but also “his thoughts” (any inward sinful leanings or desires)
(Isaiah 55:7). Having the willingness to forsake or abandon sin is
essential in order to obtain God’s mercy, forgiveness and
empowerment to overcome. To forsake sin we will need to rely on
God’s empowerment. Remember that our focus must always centre
on the finished work of the Cross, and the nailing of our sins to the
Cross through repentance.
5. Forgiveness: Jesus showed us in Mark 11:25 that when we
come to receive from God, we need, in the power of the new Nature
of which we are now partakers, to forgive anyone who has wronged
us, and to let go of all unforgiveness, hatred, resentment, etc. A
resentful and unforgiving spirit will block God’s power from
operating (Hebrews 12:15). In fact all traces of resentment and
unforgiveness should be uprooted entirely.
After all this has been done, a prayer for deliverance or healing
etc., can be prayed by:
1. The person concerned, or
2. Another who has the faith to do so.
In either case, the person who needs God’s help can claim the
promise contained in God’s Word:
JOHN 14:13 And whatsoever you shall ask in My
Name, that will I do (the Christian is given the Power of
Attorney to use the Name of Christ . .), that the Father
may be glorified in the Son (is accomplished through the
great Work of Christ being extended through all
Believers) (E.S.B).
JOHN 14:14 If you shall ask any thing in My Name, I
will do it (refers to that which is in harmony with His
Character and Will). (E.S.B.)
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This promise is based on the finished work of Christ at Calvary which gives us the faith and the power to be delivered from any
bondage.
GOD’S DESIRE FOR US
God is always willing and able to forgive, forget and heal, for
God is a God of truth, Who always fulfills His Word. So in every
situation, we can always trust Him and rely on Him unreservedly.
God has placed so much importance on His Word that He has
magnified it above His very own Name. He does this by submitting
to His Word, and the evidence of this is seen in His works throughout
history. In other words, whatever God has said He will do, He will
do (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 55:11).
“. . .God is always willing and able to
forgive, forget and heal, for God is a God
of truth, Who always fulfills His
Word. . .”
We too should magnify the Word of God above all else, and hold
it in absolute esteem.
Note: Even though the Lord exalts His Word above His Name,
the Word of God brings integrity to His Name because He fulfills it.
PSALM 138:2 I will worship toward Your holy temple
(Oh Lord), and praise Your name for Your
lovingkindness and for Your truth and faithfulness: for
You have exalted above all Your name and word and
You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
(Amp.)
The Word of God, if properly studied, shows us clearly that He
desires to heal us, spirit, soul and body. Some Christians still struggle
in this area because of erroneous doctrine which claims that God
afflicts us with sickness in order to test us. However we see in the
Old Testament that God told His people, “I will put (allow) none of
these diseases (to come) upon you . . . for I am the Lord Who heals
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you” (Exodus 15:26). And in the New Testament, Jesus healed all the
sick who came to Him, none being excluded (Matthew 4:23-24;
Matthew 8:16). Scripture also reveals that it is Satan himself who
would afflict and torment man:
ACTS 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and with power: Who went about doing
good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil;
for God was with Him.
We also find Satan to be identified as “the thief (who) comes ....
to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). However Jesus
says in this same verse, “I am come that they might have life and
that they might have it more abundantly.”
“. . .The Word of God, if properly studied,
shows us clearly that He desires to heal
us, spirit, soul and body. . .”
So immerse yourself in the Word of God - for it reveals to us
our Heavenly Father’s desire, character and nature. Know that He
loves you and would have you well in every area of your life,
beginning with spiritual health and ending with physical health, yes
perfect health. Understanding this, we can then seek the victory we
need in our lives, basing our faith on the Word of God and following
its instruction, digesting the Word as medicine for our souls. When
we do this we are indeed esteeming God’s Word and giving Him
glory.
The Bible reveals that God desires to fellowship with us and
manifest Himself to us:
REVELATION 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
Me.
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JOHN 14:21 He who has My commandments, and
keeps them, he it is who loves Me (the measure to which
we obey the Lord’s commands in His strength is here
defined as the measure of our love for Him): and he who
loves Me shall be loved of My Father (John 14:6), and I
will love him, and will manifest (reveal) Myself to him
(means to fully disclose His Person, Nature, and
Goodness to the Believer : E.S.B.).
Jesus said to knock (at the door of truth) and the door will be
opened - but we need to knock with a sincere, unbiased heart, really
desiring to know.
MATTHEW 7:7 Ask and it shall be given you; seek,
and you shall find; knock, and it (the door) shall be
opened unto you.
MATTHEW 7:8 For everyone who asks (believing)
receives; he who seeks (truth) finds; and to him who
knocks, the door (of truth) will be opened.
God communicates with us primarily through His Word and
personal fellowship. This is why it is so important to have a daily
study program. We also need to hear the preaching of the Word
under the Anointing of the Spirit, and to join in corporate fellowship
in the Lord with fellow Believers. Through all these avenues, God
will speak to us - but we must ready ourselves to hear His voice of
direction and correction.
As we spend time in His Word, and in meeting together with our
Heavenly Father on a daily basis, we can allow God to share more of
Himself with us. Indeed the Lord desires to fellowship with each of
His children, and to share His love with us - and He will reveal
Himself to us as we seek Him, day by day, again with a true, sincere
and open heart.
JEREMIAH 29:13 And you shall seek Me, and find
Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.
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Let us therefore live in the love of Christ and experience the joy
of fellowshipping with the Lord in the way that this scripture
promises.
May you have the victory in Christ. Amen!
For further information or teaching material to help you grow in
the Christian faith, please visit:
CROSSROADS INTERNATIONAL
FULL GOSPEL MINISTRIES
crossroadsministries.org.au
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NOTES
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NOTES
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NOTES
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1 Wood, D. R. W., New Bible Dictionary, 3rd Ed., page 102.
2 Wuest, K. S., Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, 1
Peter 2:24.
3 S.B.C. Matthew, pg. 136.
4 Hayford, J. W., Hayford’s Bible Handbook.
5 F.J.Dake., Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible.