Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Who is the author of sickness and disease?

 

Dear friend,  I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health,  just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 2 MOUNCE

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

Healing and health in this life can be a controversial issue, especially when it comes to God's role and will concerning health. Ask the average Christian about healing and the answers will differ greatly. Some regulate healing to only the "Bible days." Other Christians and even ministers believe prayer for healing is generally acceptable but to believe God will actually answer that prayer with tangible results is fanaticism and extremism.

 What is God's view of healing? One need look no further than the life and ministry and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Healing was always part and parcel of Jesus' work on earth. 

 The religious tradition of man only sees Jesus' healing power as a means to attest to and prove His identity as the promised Messiah. They relegate His healing ministry to only the time of His earthly walk. They fail to see His true motive behind healing. Jesus healed to reveal His Father's, endless Love. Throughout the Gospels, we see it recorded Jesus was moved with compassion and healed the sick. What's changed? Is Jesus any less compassionate? Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever, Jesus is still moved with compassion to heal you!

 Let's look again at  Luke's Gospel, the 13th chapter. We see a powerful truth concerning healing and a revealing answer as to where sickness comes from. Look again at Jesus' words;

 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:16 NKJV

 Where do sickness and disease come from? Who is its author? Jesus gives us the complete answer but its application is two-fold.

 Jesus reveals to us the author of sickness and disease is satan himself. Jesus didn't mince words. He didn't hesitate to uncover the work of the enemy. 

 Notice here in Luke 13, Jesus didn't assign this crippling condition as the handiwork of God. He didn't declare this ailment was God's design to lead this woman into a place of humility, deeper trust, becoming a better witness for the Lord, to develop her character, and bring her to a better place of piety. Jesus identified the ailment as incapacitating bondage and the culprit as the devil. 

 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:10 AMP

 Jesus came to heal and make whole. The enemy, the thief, came to steal and kill and destroy. Anything in your life that is stealing, that is killing, that is destroying is the work of satan and not the work of God.  

 The religious tradition of man assigns sickness to the work of God and satan. They are very disingenuous and highly crafty and deceptive when they speak of sickness being the work of God.

 One notorious proponent of mischaracterizing God in order to discredit any ministry, minister, or believer who promotes divine healing cited King Uzziah as a proof text that God makes people sick according to His sovereignty. Any honest simple check of Scripture can see how that is a subversion of Scripture. Even secular sources agree. 

 Uzziah, abiding under the Old Covenant, brought the curse upon himself by disobeying and disregarding clear instructions God had detailed about offering incense. This brings us to the second application of how satan afflicts. There exists a curse on this earth.

 If we go back to the beginning, we see when man fell, so did creation. Because of the fall, this planet is a fallen and fractured creation. When God declared the ground was cursed for Adam's sake it wasn't that God brought this curse or created it. God was revealing that because of sin, the result is a fallen and fractured creation.

 Who tempted Adam? It wasn't God. It was the enemy. So in essence the enemy indirectly is the author of the fall. Why do we see disasters, droughts, desolation, or devastation on earth? Why do we see dejection, despair, depression, discouragement, distress, or downheartedness among us? We see all these terrible things because we live in a cursed, fallen creation. 

 Be it satan's work indirectly through a fallen creation, or his demonic hand of oppression, sickness, and disease all have their origins with satan. This doesn't mean we are proverbial sitting ducks living on this earth. It doesn't mean we can do nothing but sit and suffer.

 Jesus wore the crown of thorns for us in His Finished Work. Thorns are representative of the curse. Jesus bore the curse for us. Because of this, we can resist the work of the enemy in our life. 

 We don't have to earn our redemption. We don't have to struggle and strive to get our Father's attention. We don't have to perform well enough to receive His Goodness and Love. It is by Grace through Faith we receive redemption. 

 If sickness and disease strike, know it's not the work or will of God for you. Stand strong in the Finished Work of Christ and your perfect right standing with God. Because of the blood you are accepted and approved by God. Trust Him knowing all your sins are forgiven and cleansed once for all time. 

 In your Righteousness, put a demand on the supply of healing that Redemption procured for you. Feed on God's Word concerning healing. Speak out His promises, speak to that mountain of sickness to be removed, speak to the enemy and order him to flee, speak forth, commanding that sickness to leave your body. Partake of holy communion and remember Jesus' perfect work, it's the meal that heals. 

 In summation, know who God is, always good and always for you. Know God's will for you, healing and wholeness. Know who the author of evil and sickness and disease is, the enemy satan, never our Father. Put your complete trust in Him. God is a Good God and the enemy, who is defeated, is a bad devil. 


Image by FotoRieth from Pixabay 

Monday, January 17, 2022

Healing: Your New Covenant Right

Dear friend,  I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health,  just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 2 MOUNCE

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

In studying the Grace whereby healing is received my eyes were drawn to even more truths of healing that Jesus touched on in Luke's Gospel. When Jesus speaks He doesn't waste words. He is the person of Grace and Truth. 

 In Luke's Gospel, the 13th chapter Jesus heals a woman from a crippling ailment. In His discourse with the religious traditional leaders, He lets us in on some great truths concerning divine healing and health. Let's explore these great truths to gain more understanding and insight into God's will concerning healing.

 When Jesus responds to the religious leaders He makes a powerful statement. 

 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:16 NKJV

 Jesus made it a point to reveal who she was. She was a recipient or benefactor of a Covenant God had made with Abraham. He saw her as an heir to Abraham's blessing. 

 Take notice of this Grace-based statement. Jesus didn't state she was a daughter of Moses and Mount Sinai. He was not pointing them to their current Covenant, the Old Covenant of Mosaic Law. He pointed them to the Abrahamic Covenant. Why?

 He was revealing that as He took care of Abraham's needs He would also do the same for a daughter of Abraham. Jesus used the language of Covenant here. He is giving us some insight into divine healing and His Father's will. 

 In Christ, we are blessed with faithful Abraham. 

 So then those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Galatians 3:9 MEV

Jesus said ought not this woman be loosed from her infirmity. He didn't teach that this infirmity was for her best. He didn't teach that her best life couldn't be here on earth, for it's idolatrous to believe that we can have happiness, wholeness, health, and blessing this side of Heaven. He didn't teach that this sickness was given to her by God. He didn't teach that this infirmity was God's best to instruct her, perfect her character, or humble her. Jesus said it is good and right that she be healed and whole, and He is saying that to you too!

 Think of your own children. Think of a healthy parent and child relationship. Do your children need to ask permission to enter your home? Must they ask to be fed daily? Must they ask for clothes to wear each day? Of course not. They are your children. You already freely provide for them. 

 In a Covenant relationship, there are rights and privileges afforded to the benefactors. This New Covenant was cut between the Father and the Son. We who believed are the benefactors of that Covenant.

 In this New Covenant, Jesus purchased and procured our total healing at Calvary. Healing is not just an accomplished truth. Healing is not just a provision of the Finished Work. Healing is our New Covenant right because of Jesus. Healing belongs to us now because of all Jesus provided in His perfect Redemptive work.

 When symptoms or circumstances arise, we can resist them with all of Heaven's backing and guarantee. When the enemy rears up attacking with sickness or disease dare to take your place as a New Covenant Righteous believer. Take authority, tell the enemy I demand my rights. Don't let go, and don't quit resisting, until the enemy's defeat has been totally enforced.

 Look in the natural realm. In America, the Constitution lays out our rights as US Citizens. If any entity tries to curtail those rights citizens have a just cause to demand their rights. Citizens have the backing of the Law and the Gov't to demand their rights. 

 We who have believed are citizens of Heaven. We have the backing of the Finished Work, Jesus' victorious resurrection, God's Word, and His amazing Grace. We can lay claim boldly on what's ours by Covenant right. Healing is ours and we can freely and fearlessly, boldly receive what's ours in Christ.

 In summation, we who believed are in Christ. We are the benefactors of a Covenant cut between the Father and the Son. We are made Righteous and approved of God. We are Loved by God and brought into His Family. We can boldly take our place at the King's table and freely receive all He provided. This sonship affords us rights and privileges. We therefore can take what's ours by right. Healing is ours because Jesus purchased it. Healing and wholeness are our New Covenant Right, let's not allow anything Christ provided to be unclaimed by us.

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

Monday, January 10, 2022

Healing Grace: Divine Healing, a gift we receive or work we earn and achieve?

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2 KJV

 God is a Good Father. The Scriptures testify to this. The life of Christ Jesus confirms this. His great Grace reveals this. 

 One of the most beautiful and loving aspects of His Goodness is His willingness to heal sickness, disease, and infirmities. He so longs to bring healing and wholeness that He doesn't just will it, He actually purchased our healing in the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. Healing is in the Finished Work of Christ. 

 Many believers and ministers would readily agree. God's will is healing. Where there exists a division is how this healing is received. 

 As we revisit a familiar passage concerning divine healing I want to point out something the Lord revealed to me about Healing, Jesus, and you. Let's look again at the 13th chapter of Luke's Gospel.

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Luke 13:10-13 NKJV

 Such Goodness and Grace. Jesus saw the woman afflicted and brought healing. This is God's perfect will in operation. God was glorified not because she was sick but because she was healed and whole and now free from her infirmity.

 Unlike the modern preachers who teach and proclaim God only desires our holiness and not happiness, Jesus demonstrated God's will was otherwise. Notice the woman with the infirmity didn't reason this was God's best for her. Notice she didn't reason God is sovereign and He must have wanted her afflicted for instruction's sake. Note she didn't reason that her best life isn't now but when she's in Heaven. No to all of man's traditions, she saw the mercy, Love, and Goodness of God in present power and demonstration and freely received, and you can too.

 Now the religious leaders here weren't angry about God's healing power. They weren't in denial of God's willingness to heal. They weren't preaching like the modern ministers who believe suffering and despair are all we can expect in this life. No none of these things upset them. What did?

 14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:14-16 NKJV 

 Jesus' healing on the Sabbath really upset these leaders. Why? It cut cross-grain to their understanding of the Law. They believed God could heal, but apparently, there are certain stipulations. Then these leaders said something that the Lord really highlighted to me that I had not considered much.

 These leaders respond to Jesus' healing with an admonition to heal only on non-Sabbath days. Why? Look at what they said again. There are six days when men should work, come on those days, and find healing. Never mind they couldn't tap into God's healing power for 18 years and bring help, but look closer at their words.

 They speak of six days and work. What is the significance of this? Six is the number of man. Work means to toil. The Holy Spirit was so perfect in including this discourse for it shows how some religious men see healing. 

 This is what the Spirit highlighted to me. You see it isn't enough to just believe God is Good and healing is made available. It's vital to know and understand how we receive this healing.

 These leaders relegated healing to workdays only. This means they saw healing as some form of work. If we really define work we can see how the religious tradition of man has disqualified so many from receiving healing. 

 To work means to labor to attain something. If we are laboring to attain something then that which we are working for is not a gift. We don't attain a gift, we freely receive a gift. Religion sees healing as a work to attain, Jesus sees healing as a gift, and a gift can't be attained but only received. Healing is a gift we receive not a work achieved. 

 Think of it, work is about a wage earned not a gift received. If you are basing receiving healing upon anything but what Jesus did then you are attempting to earn what is only freely received. If you're laboring, or working, or performing then you aren't freely receiving.

 Jesus became a curse for us when He hung on that tree. He bore the curse of sickness and disease. Because He became a curse we are redeemed from the curse. That's the only way we are redeemed from sickness. Not by our performance, not by our works, not by our doing, it's only by freely receiving this gift of perfect redemption will we experience healing.

 Preachers today will agree God heals willingly. Yet they still see healing as a work achieved. They will say if you're unfaithful, unloving, unforgiving, acting unrighteous then you can't be healed. They see redemption as a reward for good behavior. They see redemption as a work attained. This is simply the religious traditions of men. You can receive because Jesus was made a curse and because He bore your sickness and disease. He doesn't require your goodness or perfect performance, He just asks you to believe.

 In summation, healing is a work of Grace and redemption and has nothing to do with man's goodness or faithfulness. Healing is not a work that needs to be labored for to be attained. Healing is a gift to be received. Jesus became a curse to redeem us from the curse. We experience this redemption not by our works but by His work alone. He is worthy of all our praise and adoration. Thanks be to God for His Goodness and Grace.  

 

Image by Monika Grafik from Pixabay 

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

How Faith Works: Faith Receives

 

Now the just shall live by faith... Hebrews 10:38a MEV

 We've been in a series examining how Faith works. An important distinction must be made as we conclude this study. We are exploring Faith and how it works in light of the Grace of God and His Finished Work. Faith and Grace go hand in hand in order to walk in the complete victory Christ procured for whosoever will believe. 

 In studying how Faith works we've seen that Faith sees. Faith when continually fed the Word produces an image inwardly of all the promises of God. This Faith image not only inwardly illustrates the promise it also brings about an image of us actually possessing and walking in those promises of God. 

 We've seen that Faith believes. Faith believes what God has declared true concerning us. Faith believes because God said it and because His Goodness proves He is Faithful to His Word. 

 We've seen that Faith speaks. Faith agrees with God. Faith speaks out what the Grace of God and Finished Work have made available. Faith speaks out and agrees with what God has spoken. God said we are Righteous when we believed. Faith agrees and speaks declaring I am the Righteousness of God in Christ. God said the believer is forgiven of all their sins forever. Faith agrees and speaks forth saying I am forgiven. God said by Jesus' stripes we are healed. Faith agrees and declares boldly I am healed. God said we are blessed and provided for. Faith agrees and speaks out saying I am blessed.

 Today, we want to conclude by looking at the last aspect of how Faith works. Faith receives. Faith is not passive or nonparticipative. Faith reaches out and lays hold on what Christ made available.

 Not to bring shame or make light of someone but simply ask an average person what it means to receive. Many will conclude receiving simply means having a positive expectation of something good coming their way. That sounds nice but as we saw last week this is only hope in operation. This isn't how Faith functions. 

 Faith isn't passive or unresponsive. Faith is active and assertive. Faith lays hold of the purchased promises and provision the Finished Work of Grace and Redemption purchased for us. Faith receives it as its own. Faith lays claim to what Grace provided and refuses to be denied.

 What does it mean to receive? To receive means one can't be passive or uncommitted. To receive means to lay hold of, to take, to seize, to make your own. Going deeper, to receive means to take possession of, to claim for one's self. To receive also means of that which is taken, none is let go, it means to not refuse what's been offered. 

 Name it and Claim it?

This phrase was created by detractors of Faith and propagators of unbelief and a powerless Christian experience as some sort of pejorative. It's used to describe anyone who believes Faith can change circumstances. That Faith can create a better life in the here and now and not just in the afterlife.

 Thus said Jehovah, The Holy One of Israel, and his Former: Ask Me of the things coming concerning My sons, Yea, concerning the work of My hands, ye command Me.' Isaiah 45:11 YLT

 God invites us to partake and freely receive from His kingdom. God welcomes us to take our place at the King's table. To freely partake of the King's feast and pull up a chair next to the King at His banqueting table. 

 Name it and claim it? The truth is God "named it" through His Finished Work. He already "named it" by His Grace and His Word agrees with and confirms it. We who walk by Faith are simply claiming what His Grace has already purchased, procured, and provided.

 God purchased our Righteousness. We lay claim to that Righteousness by receiving it. God purchased our forgiveness and freedom from guilt, shame, and condemnation. We lay claim to that by receiving it freely. We don't reject it whenever we miss it or blow it. We receive it as ours now and forever. God provided for our every need. We lay claim to this by fully receiving it and not being moved by contradictory circumstances. God's Grace named it and we who believed claim it!

 In summation, Faith works. Faith sees. Faith believes. Faith speaks. Faith receives. Take God at His Word. Believe Him and trust Him. He is a Good Father who loves us unconditionally. Lay claim freely to all that's yours because of Him. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay