~Healing Is Yours~

In Romans 4:18 we read how Abraham believed in the promise of God even when all the circumstances were against him.  Against all hope, he believed in hope.  In verse 19 it says that without becoming wishy-washy in his faith he faced the fact that he was limited in his own power to do anything about the situation he was in.  And again in verse 20 we see that he didn’t wavier a bit in unbelief about the promise he had received from God.  He was fully convinced that God had the power to do what He said He would do.

So what does this mean to you and me?   How do you, when surrounded by problems, by sickness, disease and overwhelming circumstances, cling to hope and stand in faith? 

For Abraham, the circumstances were extremely bleak.  His body was over 100 years old and his wives womb had long been dead and unable to sustain the life of a baby.  They wanted a child, an heir to their kingdom.  This was definitely a hopeless situation.

Are you facing a seemingly hopeless situation?  Maybe you have been diagnosed with cancer.  Or possibly you have a heart disease, arthritis and are progressively getting worse.  Weaker, sicker, depressed, ready to give up. 

Exodus 15:26 says, “…for I am the Lord who heals you.”  Take that promise as your own, receive it and act upon it.  Let it grown and take root on the inside of you.  Receive Your Healing! 

Having come to the point where we face the fact that in our own earthy power we are limited, we can follow in the steps of Abraham.  We can hope against hope.  We can grab hold of the promises of God and stand in the face of adversity, fully persuaded that He is able to do what He promised He would do.

God does see your need and is touched by it.  In Mark 1:41 Jesus is moved with compassion and clearly states He is willing to meet your need.  God was so touched by your need that 2000 years ago He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to meet your greatest need.  (John 3:16).  (If you have not yet made Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life, click here.)

Abraham reached out, and received a promise from the Master of the Universe. He had heard the Word of the Lord and then believed what was spoken to him.  Romans 10:17 says, “Consequently, faith comes (to you) from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

You grow in faith by hearing the Word of the Lord.  The word you hear is then received in your heart and you believe what was spoken.  Hebrews 4:12 says the word of the Lord is alive, living and active.   When heard and received it begins to work on the inside of you, healing and binding the infirmities, which have been plaguing you all this time.

When you hear the word, you grow in faith.  Without this faith you cannot please God.  Hebrews 11:7 tells us this and it also says we must believe that God exists.  But we not only need to believe that He exists, but also that He rewards those who believe and seek Him. 

You must realize that faith does not instantly appear and say, “Here I am, let’s hang out together.”  It is something that gradually grows and becomes stronger as we listen more and more to the word.  In Mark 4 Jesus presents us with the parable of the sower who grabs his bag of seeds and begins the process of planting.  Once the seed has been planted, the sower is aware that not all the seed will produce.  He also knows it will take time and continual care to produce a harvest.

The sower exercises patience and waits for the seed to take root.  We also, once we have heard the word, need to exercise patience and wait for it to produce the desired result.

Now maybe you would say, “Healing passed away with the Apostles.”  Sorry, no way.   Jude 1:3 says, “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” 

The same faith the Apostles received, for salvation, for healing, for deliverance and so forth was also given to you.  Two faiths do not exist, only one.  The same message and power given to Peter, James and John has been given to you.  James 1:17 says God does not change.  He is always the same. 

In the gospels, the Holy Spirit gives us a picture of what happened at the cross in the natural, earthly realm.  The book of Isaiah however, gives us a picture of what happened in the spirit realm where your miracle originates.  Your miracle of salvation began in the spirit realm, then manifests itself in the natural.  It is the same for healing and working of miracles, wisdom you need to receive and anything else you are standing in faith for.

Psalms 103 proclaims the following, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Now that pretty well covers it all.  He forgives your sins.  Heals you of all diseases. Notice that was not some of them, but all.  There are no exceptions it is all diseases. He redeems your life from any destruction you have fallen into and even those you have brought on yourself.   He smothers you with kindness, love and undeserved mercy. 

Healing occurred continually in Jesus Ministry.  In Matthew 20 we see Him having compassion on the blind and in Mark 1 He is willing to heal the leper.  In Matthew 14 we see a display of His compassion as He heals their sick.  In Hebrews 13:8 we see that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He hasn’t changed in His compassion on the sick.  He is reaching out His hand, ready to grab yours.

Isaiah 30:18 says the Lord longs to be gracious to you and rises to show you compassion.  Healing is something you receive from Him, like a gift your receive at Christmas.  Just like salvation, you cannot earn it.  You just reach out and receive it.  He doesn’t force it on you.  He is not going to chase you around trying to get it to you.  It is your move on this great chessboard of life.  He moved at Calvary, your turn.

We also need to realize healing is a process.  Once you have reached out and believe God at His word, healing begins to take place.  You may not notice it right away, but it is working.  Like an antibiotic, where you have to wait for it to work and you have to take all of it to be effective.

In Mark 16 it says that believers will lay their hands on sick people and as a result of this action, they will get well.  The phrase, “they will get well” denotes a process, not instant manifestations.  

Does God bring sickness and disease unto His people?  Absolutely not.  He is not the author of sickness or disease.  Consider the following:

·          Acts 10:38 tells us how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. 

·          Deuteronomy 28 describes sickness and disease as a curse

·          Galatians 3:10-14 confirms we have been redeemed from the curse of the law

·          John 10:10 says the thief comes to kill steal and destroy but Jesus came to give live and that more abundantly than we could ever imagine

·          In Luke 13 Jesus reveals to us that it is Satan who had bound the woman for 18 years then He set her free

So what happens now?  You have found a promise for your circumstance.  Remember that God is no respecter of persons. What He promised one, He allows for all. You have stood in faith on that promise being fully aware that God has the power to perform His word and is perfectly willing to exercise that power.

From this point on we have to see ourselves well.  Faith believes before it sees results.  Mark 11:22-24 explains this best. 

“Have faith in God.” Jesus answered, (know He is willing to perform His word).  I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, (in their life), “Go throw yourself in the sea, (says, “Be gone from Me.”), and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.  (Notice you don’t have to make it happen, you only have to believe, speak and wait.)  Therefore I, (Jesus), tell you, (Your Name), whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. “

In Hebrews 11:1 it says that faith is the substance of things hoped for.  What does that mean to us?  Let’s look at the Webster’s Dictionary definition for the word substance.

Substance:

1.      the real or essential part or element of anything: essence, reality, or basic matter

2.      the physical matter of which a thing consists: matter of a particular kind or chemical composition

3.      solid quality; substantial character; consistency; body

4.      the real content, meaning or gist of something said or written

5.      material possessions; property; resources; wealth

6.      a drug or controlled substance

7.      something that has independent existence and is acted upon by causes

8.      actually; really (or a reality)

Now please, for your own benefit, meditate on this definition.  Memorize it. 

Faith is the substance.  Faith is the real or essential part or element of anything.  Faith is reality and it is basic matter.  Faith is solid, has character, consistency and body.  Faith is the real content, meaning and gist of anything spoken or written.   Faith is a material possession, your property, a resource, and adds to your portfolio.  Faith can control your mind like a drug and cause you to believe in things not seen.  Faith has independent existence.

Without faith in Him and His word you cannot believe that He exists and you cannot believe the fact that He can heal your body as well as your soul.