Some people declare that “the Lord isn’t healing like He used to in the church”. My answer to that would be, “Are you positive about that?” Just because we are not personally witnessing it, hearing about it, or receiving it doesn’t mean that healing is not happening. However, there are scriptural injunctions we need to look at regarding Divine Healing. There are also things we all need to ask ourselves if our healing has not come.
Read MAIN SCRIPTURE: Heb 10:22-26 (You may ask what this scripture has to do with Divine Healing, but bear with me.)
(22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
A. MAKE SURE OUR HEARTS ARE TRUE. Something I learned from my parents was that when they were not being healed, they did 2 important things.
This lesson is not with the intent of questioning our faith, (For God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith), but asking the question, Are we “in full assurance (entire confidence) of faith”?
Do I believe God? Do I believe that His Word is True?
There comes a point in our Spiritual lives that we learn to trust God not only for our salvation, but also for our healing. We learn that we can rest in God first, instead of panicking in fear. The Scriptures do not say that going to a physician or taking medicine is a sin. This is solely between a person and God. However, Bro. Hawkins shared in a convention message. “Even if we have a pocket or cabinet at home full of medicine, the Word of God still teaches Divine Healing and The Church of God does too.”
We do, however, need to examine in whom we place our faith.
Physicians (whose knowledge came from the tree of knowledge good and evil) can only treat and suppress disease symptoms until the body’s natural immune system can have a chance to restore itself. However, medicine normally used to treat diseases typically cause other and worse diseases of their own. We are not called to be conformed to this world and its way of doing things. Only the blood of Jesus Christ, the Great Physician can divinely heal our bodies. We are called to partake of the Tree of Life, not the Tree of knowledge good and evil.
Rom 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Mat 17:19-21 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble (also means to vanquish) themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
C. CONFESS OUR FAULTS: having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Jas 5:15,16 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
(23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Mar 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
There are some who will not believe a good report.
There once was a woman who at one time wouldn’t pray for her disease because God had not healed her loved one and they had died. She suffered from that disease till the day she herself passed away. She never knew if God would have healed her because she didn't have the faith to believe. Many right now may feel that their affliction is just too minor to bother God with…or right the opposite, too big for God to deal with.
Many in the body of Christ bristle, judge and find fault with those who have decided to place their entire trust in the divine healing power of God. They prefer to pick apart their faith (instead of encouraging it) by saying silly things like, “if you won’t take medicine, then why do you wear glasses?”
Rom 14:10-13 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
And If there are those who judge their brother for not placing their faith solely in Divine Healing, please remember that Jesus Christ did not condemn the woman with the issue of blood for spending all she had on doctors. He still healed her.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
(24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
1Pe 3:8-12 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
(25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Mighty things happen when the "lively stones" of The Church of God is assembled and is in fit spiritual condition. Faith is increased, Compassion is stirred, Physical and Spiritual healings occur.
ARE WE OBEDIENT TO ALL THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD?
God is faithful to those who are His, especially when they are homebound or bedridden. But unfortunately, many are frequently lackadaisical about church attendance and still expect the full attention and blessings of the Father. How can we expect to be healed if we are not obedient to the Word of God?
Are we like Zacharius and Elisabeth and walking in ALL the commandments and the ordinances of the Lord? Luk 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
DO WE CALL FOR THE ELDERS TO ANNOINT WITH OIL?
Jas 5:13-16 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
DO WE PARTAKE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER?
1Co 11:28-32 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Many fearing of taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily will absent themselves from this ordinance. But the Bible says not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and 1Corinthians 11:28 commands us to examine ourselves and then partake. If we skip the ordinance willfully, then we suffer the same curse as the unworthy. It is only through the blood of Jesus that we are made worthy. If we are not worthy to partake of the Lord’s Supper, then we are sinners in need of repentance..
DO WE PARTAKE OF FEET WASHING?
Joh 13:13-17 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
ARE WE FAITHFUL IN TITHING & GIVING?
Mal 3:8-11 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
IFTHE ANSWERS TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS IS NO, THEN HOW CAN WE EXPECT TO BE HEALED?
26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Heb 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
God CAN...DOES...and WILL answer petitions to be healed with a resounding and immediate “YES”. I have personally witnessed and been partaker of God’s Divine Healing power.
AFTER WE HAVE DONE ALL WE KNOW TO DO...HOW DO WE RESPOND WHEN GOD SAYS, “WAIT”?
Heb 10:35-36 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
1Pe 1:7-9 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Pro 3:5-8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
HOW DO WE RESPOND WHEN GOD SAYS “NO”?
2Co 12:8,9 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
2 comments:
Here's two verses the Lord spoke to heart recently--it was a special messsage just for me:
Jeremiah 17:5 "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."
Jeremiah 17:14 "Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise."
I just read Jeremiah 17:14 last night.
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