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Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
OSAS is it true?
What these OSAS teachers fail to see is that true saving faith turns a person from sin and produc es good works. Jesus tells us that those that love Him are those that keep His commandments. John 14:15
Yet we have false teachers telling people that you can still love Jesus and not obey Him or keep his commandments. In fact acording to these teachers you not only don’t have to obey Him but you can turn your back on Him and even deny Him, and acording to these false teachers “Jesus will still not deny you”. Yet Jesus himself said, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 10:33
Today when any man or woman of God stand up and begin quoting scripture, warning the ungodly and disobedient professors of faith that they need to repent, and turn from there sins to be saved, all of a sudden you hear false teachers stand up and yell legalism. They will yell “we are saved by grace not by obedence or works”. Then they will go on to tell you how you are condeming people and bringing them into bondage. I thought when someone was living in sin they were already in bondage!
What these once saved always saved teachers fail to see is that true saving faith turns a person from his sins and to producing good works. We have to remember that there are “works of the law” which can not save you, “Works of the flesh” which will dam you, and works or fruits of the Spirit which is the evidence of saving faith. All three of these works are spoken of by Paul and we know what works he means by the context the word is used in. There is a world of difference between works and sin. Works is trying to earn your way to heaven by doing good deeds or obeying the cerimonial laws, like circumcision, holydays, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days. Colossians 2:14-16
I think this next quote will help clear things up a little better.
“Here we need to make a distinction between the Laws of Moses and the 10 commandment, moral law. Does the Bible lend itself to that perspective? Absolutely! The 10 commandments were written by the finger of God (Ex 31:18) on tables of stone. The ceremonial law, also called the “book of the law” (Deut 31:26), was written by Moses hand (Deut 31:9). The 10 commandments were in the Ark of the Covenant (implying that they should be internalized) while the ceremonial law was placed on the outside (Deut 31:26) (indicating that they were imposed in a civil manner, not as intrinsic moral issues). The ceremonial law was the structure for the theocracy of Israel. It was not moral law, but rules to support the nation. Many of them are not bad ideas, they are simply no longer binding for the Christian.” Patrick Fagenstrom, 10/03
Author David Hunt says, “Falling away” doctrine makes us worse off after we are save than before. At least before conversion we can get saved But after we are saved and have lost our salvation (if we could). We can’t get saved again, but are lost forever. Hebrews 6:4 declares, “If (not when) they shall fall away... it is impossible (vs. 4) ...to renew them again unto repentance.” That “falling away” is hypothetical is clear (vs.9): “But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak” so “falling away” does not “accompany salvation.” The writer is showing us that if we could lose our salvation, we could never get it back without Christ dying again upon the cross. This is folly.”
For David to say that that verse is hypothetical is ludicrist. The bible has many warnings about falling away that are very clearly not hypothetical, including the above one just quoted.
Lets look at the one above first,
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Hebrews 6:4-6
First the writer is not speaking hypothetical, he is giving a very clear warning. But then he goes on to say that he is persuaded of better things. Meaning “but I don’t think this applies to you”.
Here is the same verse in another translation for ferther clarity.
“For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come — and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.
Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.” (Heb. 6:4-10 New Living Translation)
Someone that was once enlightened and has experienced the goodthings of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit would have to have been someone that was save. It is also obvious from the fact that they had already repented of their sins, for the word says “to bring such people back to repentance” proves that they had repented in the past. So Mr. Hunt is very wrong in this passage of scripture as I will show other scripturel warnings also.
Peter warns, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 2 Peter 2:20
Breaking down this verse we can see that,
1. The person was saved because the scripture very clearly says that “they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” They were freed from their life of sin, for the word goes on to say, “they are agin entangled therein, and overcome,” speaking of falling back into a life of sin. The verse goes on to say it will be worse for them at the end than from the begining.
Now if they were hell bound sinners at the begining how could it be worse for them at the end if they could never lose their salvation. Think about this, what could be worse than going to hell a a sinner? The answer is going to hell as an enlightened sinner. Meaning you knew what was right and you rebelled against the truth of Christ. Those that resist truth will not only receive the greater damnation, but will also buy into the biggest lies. God will give those that want to believe a lie a strong delusion so that they may be damed. Rom. 1:18-32
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.” God has writen his word so that a child if he want’s truth can find it. But many because of their love for sin, or for those that have loved ones in sin will suppress the truth in their own hearts so as to not to turn people off. They refuse to exept and read the scriptures for what they really say and twist and destort scriptures to fit their world veiws.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
No one will be able to pleade ignorant. History, science and Holy Scriptures have made it so very clear for those that wan’t truth.
vs.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Many people after holding on to sins for so long become dull to the Spirit’s convicting power. Eventualy if the sin is not confessed and forsaken it becomes such a strong hold that the person actually believes that God is aproving what he or she does. The mind at this point becomes very hard if not imposible to reach with the truth. For truth was rejected and because of this their mind became darkened and defiled.
vs.26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
This is were there is no more shame in sin. Men turn to men, women to women and eventually if sin is aloud to run it’s course these defiled adults will turn to children and animals. They do not see there wickedness for God has given them over to their lust and evil desires. Others may not turn to perversion but other sins. They may become thieves, slanders, trublemakers, athiest, drunkerds and the like. Sin has taken their souls. When they continue in sin when they know the truth is a very dangerous folly.
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Heb. 10:26-29
This verse should strike terror into all those that are playing around with sin that are confessing the name of Christ.
In 2 peter 2:21 goes on to say that , “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.”
Common sense tells us that if someone does not know the way of righteousness he does not know Jesus. How can this verse say that it would be better to have never known Jesus or the way of righteousness then to turn from the commandments that were given to them. This vers very clearly teaches that a person can turn away from Christ and be lost.
Paul warns in Romans that if we do not continue in Gods goodness that we could be cut off.
“For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:21,22
If we could never lose our salvation, why would Paul warn the Christians in Rom about the dangers of falling or not continuing in God’s goodness.
Satan has succeeded in making many people that have no heart for the things of God, to believe they are still saved. Many think just because they said a prayer many years ago they will never lose there place in heaven. Yet they have no desire for the word of God, no desire to obey the Lord and no desire for prayer, and yet they think they will be welcomed in heaven. Some of the arguments that once save always saved proponents are,
1. Jesus saves and forgives us all our sins. “and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
But this vers they take out of context for their is a condition to the above verse. That condition says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” vs.7 This is the condition, meaning if we don’t walk in the light (obeying what you know), the blood of Jesus will not cleans us from our sins.
What does it mean to walk in the light? This is walking in truth or walking in the Spirit, for it says we have to walk as Jesus does. This is why John goes on to say that, “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he (Jesus) walked. 1 John 2:6
When we walk in the light as he is in the light, we will walk even as Christ walked. What are these verses saying? We will follow Jesus, we will obey him, live like him.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27,28
Who has eternal life? Those who hear his voice and follow (obey) him. The once saved always saved teachers say that “you don’t have to follow Christ, just believe in him”, or “You don’t have to obey, just believe.” They will quote Colossians 2:13 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[a] God made you[b] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” The OSAS teachers will say “you see all our sins are forgiven past, present and future.”
If that is true why do we have 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Seems like this verse is just a wast of space if we don’t need to repent of anything anymore. They say that “God has cancelled their sin debt completely.” God has even coverd there “falling away” sins or backsliding. Of course these false teachers can not back up their doctrine with sound scriptures. They must twist and ignor mountains of opposing scriptures to make the word say what they want it to say.
Colossians 2:13 can not mean that all sins no matter how you live are forgiven, because in the very next chapter Paul warns the same people he was just writing to that if they don’t put to death the deed of there flesh, they will receive the wrath of god.
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” Col. 3:5,6
2. Another argument that OSAS use is that they say we can never lose what God gave us. The verse they stand on are,
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28 This verse again, they take out of contet for the verses right above it states that true christians hear Gods voice and they follow, or in other words obey him. vs. 27
So these verses are conditional. Meaning if you will turn from your sins trust in Christ and follow Him instead of your sinful nature you will be saved. Many OSAS teachers will scream “that is legalistic you are trying to be saved by obeying the law.”
Here are a few analogies to help you see what true love for Christ will do. If a man marries a woman and vowes to honer her, and protect her, love her and to be with her his hole life we call that true love. Yet when a Christian follows and obeys Christ because of a stronger love, the OSAS teachers cry out “your trying to win your salvation by works” and yet if you see a man cheating on his wife, beating his kids and cheating on his taxes as long as he says he believes in Christ, these same teachers will say “He’s trusting in God’s grace.” How blind can people be?
We consider ourselves free here in America, yet we have all kinds of laws in our country to keep us safe. Yet I don’t see Americans yelling and saying to there government, “we don’t need laws against murder,” or “we don’t need laws against rape.” Why don’t we see this? Because the laws are not there for the law abiding citizen, but for the law breakers. If someone were to stand up in our country and yell, “those laws are to confining,” how much do you want to bet he is planning on, or would like to break one of those laws. The 10 commandments only feel legalistic to those that want to break them, not to those that walk with them in their heart. A true Christian loves the law of God, he delights in it.
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8 He obeys it not out of legalistic motives (If I don’t do this I go to hell) but because he loves God and wants to please Him.
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” John 14:21
“He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:24
It is very clear that those that love Jesus obey Him, and those that don’t love Him don’t. Just like the man that really love his wife will not cheat on her, if he does not love her, he in all likely hood not be faithful to her.
We are faithful to Christ by abiding in Him through His word, prayer and obediance to Him.
3. Another thing that OSAS proponents will stand on is “It’s a free gift and it can’t be earned.” another scripture they will misquote is, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
So they say if it’s free, then there’s nothing you can do to earn it and nothing you can do can cause you to lose it.
The question is what is the gift? Everyone would agree it is eternal life. What then is eternal life? Is it a passport to heaven with the same demonic dna that you had to begin with? The Word tells us that if we are born of God (or born again) we will not live in sin anymore. The old man has died, the new man is born. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Someone that is truly born again will begin to walk with God’s nature in him. He will turn from all known sin.
“We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.” 1 John 5:18
Hebrews 5:9 tells us that eternal life or salvation is to those who obey Christ. Romans tells us God will render to every man according to his deeeds. To those who obey and do well will receive eternal life. Again, this is not works that we are talking about, but real fruit of a blood bought child of God. There are so many scriptures that speak of obeying God. The word says if you don’t obey you will receive indignation and wrath. Romans 2:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:8. The word tells us that judgment is to begin in the house of God, and if it starts with us what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel. 1 Peter 4:17
I have never seen a person that smokes be fully baptized with power yet. The word says the the Holy Spirit is given to thos that obey him. Acts. 5:32
Evan though the OSAS say that eternal means no begining and no end, just remember that Lucifer had eternal life in him and he turned away. Remember God word says that, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that naturea will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:7
The word is clear, if we sow or walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galations 5:16
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” Romans 13:14
“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:24
Freely Ye Have Received
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. … Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matt. 10:1,8
What did the disciples receive freely? What was it that caused the disciples to be able to heal the sick and raise the dead? Power! It was the baptism in the Holy Spirit that Jesus prophesied would come after his death and resurrection. “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49 Then Jesus told them what he wanted them to do. He told them to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:15-18 The word tells us that once we are born again and filled or baptized in the Holy Ghost we will be able to heal the sick, cast out devils to prove or confirm His word.
We receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit the same way we receive healing. Ask. It’s that simple! “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Luke 9,10
Here Jesus is telling us that every one that ask will receive. Are you an everyone? Yes! He tells us to ask, and then he tells us that we will receive. This Is the word of the Lord. In Mark the Lord tells us that if we have faith in him we will be able to command a mountain to move and it must. He tells us that if we ask anything in his name, believing, that is believing the answer is on it’s way, we will have it. One of the problems with those trying to get healing is they are always looking at their body, feeling for symptoms. W.V. Grant a mighty faith teacher in the early 1900 says, “Ignore symptoms after a touch from God and complete deliverance is yours.”
We are people of faith now. We walk by faith and not by sight. Our faith is our eyes. We cast down all that opposes the word in our minds. Faith to us is just as real as any other of our other five senses. Just because you can’t see the chair your sitting on does not mean it’s not there, you know it’s there because you can feel it under you with your sense of feel. In the same way just because your other senses have not picked up on the fact of your healing, it is there nonetheless.
“No person who allows his mind to be ruled by his senses can have victorious faith. The mind that is ruled by his senses lives in a realm of uncertainty. Until God’s word gains mastry over your mind, your mind will be swayed by feelings and by the things you see or hear, rather than by the word of God.” F. F. Bosworth
As children of God we have to realize that we “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7 We have been redeemed from this fallen world by one greater. His name is Jesus. The word says that all those that believe in him (Jesus) were given the power to become the sons of God. John 1:12
What does that mean to the average Christian? It means you walk like Jesus down here. We are a dwelling place for God, a habitation. We walk in his fullness. We are members of his body, flesh of his flesh and of his bones.
Ephesians 2:22, 3:19 5:30 If we could only realize who and what we are in Christ. We are dead to sin and alive to God. Sickness does not have a holed on us anymore. We have the law of the Spirit quickening and making us alive with power and life. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
One time when John G. Lake went to Africa the bubonic plague broke out. People were dying all over the place and John G. Lake was praying over the sick that were there. When the doctors got their they asked Mr. Lake why he was not sick, and he told them because he walked in the law of the spirit of life. They thought he was crazy but could not figure out why he was not getting sick. So they took a sample of the bubonic plague and put it under the microscope it was still alive, but when they placed it in Mr. Lakes hand and then put it back under the microscope it, the plague was dead. The disease could not live on Mr. Lakes body because of the anointing of God on His life. If we can believe God will fill us in the same way also. If you are born again, you are redeemed. Sickness has no more claim to you.
We know that all the fullness of God dwelt in Jesus, but many of us don’t know that we are complete in Christ lacking nothing. If someone says something is complete. They are saying that is all of it. There is nothing left to add. The word says in Colossians that we are complete in Christ, which is the head of all principality and power. Col. 2:9,10 Think about that for a second. You have all of God you will ever need. If you ask God for more of Him, He will say were am I to get more of me? You don’t just have the pinky toe of God due you? No! You are complete in Christ. You have enough power in you to raise the dead, kill cancer, cast out devils or mental problems and heal all manor of sicknesses and diseases. Do you believe that? It is the word of God. People are always waiting on God. For God to give them some kind of sign that he is with them and has given them the power of the Holy Spirit. Smith Wigglesworth commented on why people have a problem receiving the Holy Spirit. He said, “If we wait for such power, we have mistaken the position we have through the Spirit. God is waiting…So act! “If I could only feel the power” we say. We have been too much on that line. God is waiting for us to act; to be like Jesus.”
The word says that Jesus Christ spoiled or destroyed the power of the devil and made an open show of them. Col. 2:15 In Luke 10:19 Jesus gave that authority to us. Is there anything that can stand in our way? No! We have authority to cure diseases, raise the dead and cast out devils. Some teach well God only let the twelve disciples do all those miracles because the church was just starting out. Turn your Bibles to Luke 10:1 which says, “After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.” What did he send them to do? He sent them to do the same thing the others did. See vs.9 “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.”
Jesus when he was praying to His father said, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18 He sent us to do the same things he did. In fact do you know he said we would do greater miracles than he did? “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” John 14:12
Are you starting to see your position yet? We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” Eph. 2:6 If we will get this into our spirit no disease will be able to stand before us. Before we can go against sickness we must first recognize it as an enemy of God. We must treat all sickness and disease the same way Jesus treated it. He treated all sicknesses and diseases the same, He treated them like a person, or something with a personality. He rebuked the things and called them devils. Jesus never begged his father to remove a disease, he commanded it to go and it left. Jesus always spoke to the sickness or devil, he never talked to his father about the sickness or devil. We as Christians must wake up to our authority and get fed up with letting satan take our loved ones and friends. We must begin by getting aggressive in our attitude against sickness. We must not look at symptoms, but trust God’s word. We must be like our Lord and speak to peoples sicknesses and not to the people about the sicknesses. None of this will work unless we spend time in the word every day building our faith.
“And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.” "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?" Luke13:11,16
Satan was the auther of this womans disease not God.
“If I can get you enraged against the powers of darkness, and the powers of disease, if I can wake you up, you won’t go to bed without you prove that there is a master in you – greater than the power that s hanging round about you.” Smith Wigglesworth
Faith will begin to grow as we meditate on Gods word.
” So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 The more of the word we have the greater your faith will be. If you have faith you will be able to look someone in the eyes that has cancer or some other disease and command it to go and it will go. Mark 11:23,24 testifies to that fact. Faith is believing even when you can see no physical evidence.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1 The Internataional Standard Version words the same verse this way, “Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.” If we have need of healing we may obtain it now. Not five days, or five months, but now. Today is the day of salvation. “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:2
The word tells us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9,10
In fact did you know that the greek word for saved is sozo which means, made whole, healed, sound. The greek word for salvation is soteria, which means, deliverance, healing, health, soundness and protection. Paul prayed that God preserve the Thessalonians spirit, soul and body. 1 Thess. 5:23 The word for preserve means to keep or save from injury or destruction; to guard or defend from evil, harm, danger, etc., to protect. Sickness and illnesses injure the body. When some one is sick they are not being preserved. Notice also that this verse says that if we confess with our mouth. Your mouth will always give away what you believe for out of the abundance of your heart your mouth will speak. Matt. 12:24
If you believe that God has healed you, you will talk as though you are healed. Even if you don’t feel it.
Mr. A. B. Simpson had an incurable heart condition and was very sick. He had to carry a bottle of ammonia with him every where he went. He could not climb stairs or go far for fear of exhaustion to the point of dying. He found Christ as his healer through the word of God and stepped out in faith and claimed his healing. He did not feel any different after he prayed, than before. He just took God at his word and believed that God’s word was true for him. When he became convinced that it was God’s will to heal him. He stepped out and began to share his testimony, not to try to convince God to heal him, but because he really believed that God was working in his body now. Some young men that heard him share his testimony invited him to go mountain climing with them. He thought to himself, “If you refuse to go, it is because you do not believe that God has healed you. If you have taken Him for your strength, need you fear to do anything to which He calls you?” So he went with these men and the whole climb up he battled the symptoms of his body with the word of the living God. When he reached the top of the mountain he was wonderfully healed. Mr. Simpson said regarding his healing that, “ God did not ask me to testify of my feelings or experience but of Jesus and His faithfulness. And I am sure He calls all who trust Him to testify before they experience His full blessing. I believe I should have lost my healing if I had waited until I felt it.”
You may have to wait a few days for your body to strengthen it’s self. Many people miss their healing because they are looking for a creative miracle. But God says they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. To recover is progressive. Remember Hezekiah, he was healed and yet it took three days before he could go to the house of the Lord. That is not to say that God does not instantly and creatively heal today. I remember once I had something rip or rupture in my back end it was like a very serous hemroid, but my wife said it looked like I would have to have surgery. I told her that this time I was going to take it to the Lord. I was in intense pain. My wife had to read the word to me while I laid on my stomach, for I could not sit or lay on my back because of the pain it caused me. I meditated on God’s promises every free second I had to build my faith. I had believers lay hands on me according to James 5:14,15. After prayer I thanked the Lord for my healing and began to praise him as though he already healed me. I knew healing had been deposited in me by faith so all I had to do was keep meditating on the word and confessing the word and wait for my body to come into alignment with the word of God. I went about a week with no bowel movement at all. But a couple of days after prayer things began to change. The pain was leaving and my body was beginning to respond to the prayer. Another week after the prayer I was totally healed.
We must believe that we are carriers of God’s glory. His healing power lives in us. We are the hands and feet of Christ in this dark and dingy world. We must show a demonstration of power that will convince the world that God is with us.
When we get God’s word in us it will transform us and the way we think. I know that I am healed, not because of the way I feel, but because God’s word says I am. When I feel a pain, I know satan would love me to give life to whatever disease he can make me think I have. So I resist him in the name of the Lord and cast down all thoughts that don’t line up with God’s word. I speak to my body just like Jesus said I could speak to a mountain. I command sickness to leave my body in the name of Jesus Christ. I then confess that by Jesus stripes I am healed. I resist the devil and he must flee from me. I am more than an over comer in Christ Jesus and so are you.
One thing you will come to realize is that you will never rise above your confession. Your confession reveals what Is really in your heart. If you talk sickness you will have sickness if you talk health you will have health. True faith if it is in your heart will always speak before God will act.
“Faith always blows the ram’s horn before, not after the walls are down. Faith never judges according to the sight of the eyes. It is the evidence of things not seen but promised.” F. F. Bosworth
We need to see more of God’s power today. In this world full of doubt and unbelief their has never been a time more urgent time for the church to demonstrate the power of God. We have become lazy with our faith. It has become much easer to take an aspirin for a headache than to command the headache to leave. In order for faith to grow it needs to be exercised. Faith grows by reading the word and practicing what you read. People need to understand that God wants to heal us more than we have the desire to receive it.
Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Gal. 3:6 When we trust God’s word nothing will be impossible. Matt. 19:26 But there are many that get upset because they believed for big things and they did not get them. But they need to search their hearts and ask why. For instance if a woman wants to be healed of lamness just so she can dance in front of men, she is asking amiss. James tells us that if we ask God for something with the wrong motives we will not receive. Some people are asking for things to feed their lusts and not to bring glory to God. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 Our purpose in life should be to bring glory to God in all things.
When we are sure of God’s word in a matter we can step out in faith knowing that not only does God hear us, but he will answer us. When God promised Abraham a son, the word says that Abraham did not look at his body that he was over a hundred years old, or the fact that his wife was barren. He believed God would do what He said he would do. “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” Romans 4:19, 20
When we ask God for healing, forgiveness, or for deliverance, we must thank him and expect him to be answering us. Not tomorrow, not five days or five months from now. But right now he answers, you may not see or feel anything at the moment, that does not matter in the least. Jesus tells us that when we pray we must believe that God is answering us the very moment our lips stop uttering our prayer. When you are done praying if you believe God’s word, it is done! You have the petition you asked for.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matt. 7:7,8
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” John 14:13
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24
Let me ask you when do you receive from God, before or after you believe? God tells us that once you ask, you have the answer that you asked for. Many think that just because they can’t see it, they don’t have it. When a person is prayed for just because the symptoms don’t disappear right away does not mean that you are not healed. When a tree is cut down it still has all it’s leaves and vibrent colors yet as far as a woodcutter is concerned that tree is dead. The tree has been disconnected from the roots. The same thing happens when we curse a disease in the name of Jesus Christ. The spiritual source from which that disease grew from has been destroyed. Without that spiritual source in place that disease dies and the body begines to heal it’s self.
“I am not moved by what I see. I am moved only by what I believe. I know this. No man looks if he believes. No man feels if he believes. The man who believes god has it. Every one who comes into the Pentecostal condition can laugh at all things and believe God.” Wigglesworth
Now begin to get the word inside of you. Meditate on it daily and confess the word out loud. “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.” Prov. 20-22
Proverbs tells us we need to pay attention to the word. To keep them in front of our eyes and in the mist of our heart. This means we are meditating on them. In order to meditate on them you have to find them. You need to find a word from God about your situation. This teaching has many promises to stand on. Learn them and make them your own. Get your own revelation in your heart on the subject and watch what God will do. Do not ever base your healing on what you feel, but only on the word of God. After all, you might feel worse after prayer. Satan is not going to say O he said the prayer I gess I’ll have to go. You have to believe that prayer! What are you speaking after prayer? Your tongue will always give you away. If you turn and tell your pastor “ I believe I received my healing” and then go out to your doctor the next day and say “O I’m such a mess, I think I have the swine flue,” you have just given yourself away to the enemy. He knows you did not believe. For one thing when was the last time you saw someone in the waiting room of a hospital that was totally healed, to see a doctor for a condition he did not believe he had? I’m not saying to pretend your healed ether. If you don’t believe your healed, you had better get to a doctor. Better to see a doctor and live to fight another day, than to fight a battle your not ready to fight. But if you do go to the doctor keep reading the word until the word grows so big in your heart that you know, that you know, that you know, you are healed even when satan tries to lie to you.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession).” Heb. 4:14-16 The word in this verse for profession can also be translated as confession. If I was to hand you a rope and tell you to hold fast to it, you would think that because I said to hold fast that there would be a hard tug that might yank the rope from your hand, so you would hang on tight. In the same way Paul tells us to hold fast to your confession. Your confession reveals what you are really believing. If I told you that I just deposited five thousand dollars in your account for you to use anyway you wanted, and you went around complaining afterwards telling people that you wish you had a hundred dollars to pay a bill you had, you would know that you did not really believe that I had given you money. Because If you did believe, you would not complain, you would rejoice and pay your bill.
Paul tells us not to look at things that are seen, but look to that which is unseen. The promises of God are what we are to look at. For they will manifest if you hold to them and believe God’s word. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18
Real faith will step out and say that it will come to pass even as the Lord has said. Smith Wigglesworth used to say, “fear looks, faith jumps”. Why would we ever think that God would not fulfill his word to us. He cannot lie. Trust in the Lord and He shall truly bring it to pass. “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5 If you really trust him you will throw all your concerns in his promises and know that he will take care of you. “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
So do you need healing? Believe the word of the Lord ask Him to heal you and believe that he does now touch your body with life, not tomorrow, not in the future, but right now. This moment if you will believe that God healed you by the stripes of Jesus, you can and will be healed. Jesus is no respect of persons if he heals someone else he will heal you. Don’t look at your symptoms, but look to the word. What does God’s word say about your sickness? The word says that “by His stripes you are healed.” Belief comes first, manifestation comes second. Mark 11:24
Job's & Paul's afflictions
Paul's affliction
2 Corinthians 12:7 - “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” It is commonly believed that Pauls thorn in the flesh was a sickness. Yet when we dig into the word a little we find that it is not a sickness but a devil trying to wear Paul down. The term “thorn” is also refered to in the old testiment as enemies of Israel.
Numbers 33:55 says, “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.”
Joshua 23 13 says, “ Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.”
Judges 2:3 says, “Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.”
Paul refers the thorn in the flesh as a messenger of satan, not a sickness. The Greek word is here is “Angelos” which means a messenger, it has a personality. The messenger is not from God is clear when the scripture says, “a messenger of satan”.
Also if being buffeted with a sickness, Paul would be sick, then not sick, sick then not sick. To buffet means to hit or beat, repeatedly. To hit with repeated blows. So what where the buffetings that Paul faced? “… I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” 2 Cor. 11:23-27
So we see here that it was being beaten, whipped, without sleep, hungry and thirsty, that was his buffetings (persecution) and not sickness. Sickness is not even mentioned here. When Paul asked God to remove his thorn. 2 Cor. 12:8 God told Paul that His strength was made perfect in weakness, not sickness. Some say Paul’s sickness was his eyes. This cannot be because God healed Paul’s eyes in Acts 9:17,18 “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” In this verse it very clearly says that God healed Paul, and we know that all of God’s gifts and callings are without repentance. “for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29
Many that have been in healing services, seeing other people healed begin to build expectancy (faith) to be healed themselves. Now what kind of faith do you think would be generated by Paul if he was walking around with ugly puss using out of his eyes telling people that God wanted them well?
Job’s afflictions
I have heard many people say that they are like Job. That God is making them sick to teach or show them something. This is wrong, because when we read the book of Job we realize that it is not God at all that is attacking Job but satan. Job lived in a constant state of fear for his family. We know this because he says,
” “For the thing which I feared greatly is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come upon me.” Job. 3:25 He was in constant fear that his children would sin against God. Job did not have the promises that we have in this covenant, nor did he have the revelation of the Word as we do today. Fear is the opposite of faith. Faith moves God, fear moves the devil. Demons feed of from fear. When God said to satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Job 1:8 It was not that God was letting satan have Job. Job already had an opening through fear. The word for “considered” can also be taken to mean “have you fixed your eyes on”, so in essence God could be saying “have you spotted my servant Job? Remember satan had just come before God after going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it. Job. 1:7 When God mentioned Job, satan answered as though he had already knew everything about him. So it was not like satan had not seen him and then God points him out. It would make more sense that satan was pointing out to God that he saw Job and was going to go after him. God is a loving God, he would never give his children over to the devil just to see how they act. It was satan not God who smote Job with sore boils. We know that because of Jesus we have power over satan now. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 So we have to remember some facts about Job. Number one he did not have a mediator as we do. Two, he did not have revelation of the word. Three he was under an old covenant, and he was very ignorant about his rights in that. Not to mention we live under a new covenant. We have also been given power through the Holy Ghost, Job did not have that. Also before we move on, remember that Job even admitted that he spoke foolishly of the things he did not understand. “Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6
There are usually four reasones someone becomes sick or gets symptoms of sickness.
1. Satan is trying to slow a man or woman of God down who is doing a great work for the Lord.
2. A person is ignorant of God’s word so satan is just trying to take that person out while he has the opertunity.
3. There is a doorway open through sum kind of sin in the persons life.
4. The person is not taking care of his body. He is eating junk that has no nutritional value and so the body begins to break down because it lacks proper nutrition to survive.
If you are the first person listed, and satan has attacked you know that if you abide in the word and hold to your confession you will come out on the other side healed. Satan is just trying to intimidate you. Hold on to your confession “by His stripes you are healed.” God will not let you down.
If you are the seconed person on the list, just keep pressing in and learning and applying God’s word to your situation. Never doubt God, he will always come through if you trust him.
There are still those that fail to receive healing sometimes, but that could be because of a lack knowledge (Hosea 4:6) or unbelief, or through disobedience to God in some way. It is never God’s fault. “…let God be true, but every man a liar;” Romans 3:4
If you are the third person listed then your only hope is to repent and turn from those things you know are wrong and begin to obey God and grab onto His word and God will heal you. James 5:15 You can be forgiven and healed at the same time. In fact John G. Lake would say that “the moment a man was born again he was healed”. Why would he say that? Because he knew that sin and sickness are related to each other. They both come from the same tree, Death. One branches into sickness the other branches out into sin. We defeat them both the same way. By faith! Jesus bore our sins and our sicknesses. You don’t ever hear a preacher saying God forgives some sin, but others he might not.
If you are the fourth person listed, you are probably eating fast food all the time and making microwave food. Some people just need to sit back and look at the junk they are putting into there bodies. Remember you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, take care of that temple. Just a few quick facts to think about. If you can plant the food your eating and in a few weeks it sprouts up a vegetible or fruit plant you are eating real living food. If you plant a pizza or a box of noodles in the ground what will you get? Mold! That’s right your body is creating new cells every second, and what ever you put into that body is what it uses to rebuild damaged and old cells. Did you know that scurvy is a disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C. In the same way cancer, many believe is a vitamin B17 deficiency. B17 is found in many kinds seeds, like apple and apricot seeds. (World without cancer video). Pharmaceutical companies try to scare the public away from natural cures because it makes them no money and they can’t patent it. If doctors and Pharmaceutical companies got paid only when people were well, we would have more healthy people. But they don’t, they make a living of from people being sick. The love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) Don’t get me wrong there are many, many godly doctors that love people and even love God. But unfortunately the system they are working for is broken. The word warns us about the pharmaceutical companies “…for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.” Revelation 18:23 More people are dying from prescription drugs than from the diseases they are supposed to be curing. So God expects us to take care of our selves the best that we can. We can not all afford to eat really good, yet if we try to treat our bodies as the temple of God we will be all right.
The Bible says that God forgives all sin! He also heals all diseases. Psalms 103:3 If I take all your food, how much do you have left? None! If Jesus took all of our penalty for sin, how much is left for you? None! If Jesus took all of our sicknesses how much is left for you? None!
So how do we partake of this blessing from God? By faith. To get faith you must be fully persuaded of the word of God concerning healing. That way you don’t waver in your fight. The way to do this is to know God’s in this matter. You can’t believe it just because I said it, you must know it for your self from the word of God. You need to know your authority in Christ. You will never get anywhere begging God for something he has already given you. Satan is the one you will have to deal with. You will have to command him to leave your body in the name of Jesus Christ. Satan is not intimidated by little “if it be your will” prayers. Satan knows when you pray like that you don’t know what God’s will is in the matter and he will try to stay his ground. You must be sure of who you are in Christ and what he has done for you on calvary. You must also make sure that you are right with God before you ask for prayer for healing. Why? Because if you leave the door open, when the spirits are cast out they may bring more back with them.
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” Matt. 12:43-45
The Lord warned one of the men that he healed to make sure he did not go back to sin, for he told him something worse may come upon him. This is why it is so dangerous to pray for people to be healed that are still living in sin. “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." John 5:14 Once we have asked God’s forgiveness and turned our back on known sin, and follow Christ, satan will not be able to touch you. 1 John 5:18 Sure you may be tempted to believe a sickness is coming on you through symptoms. But, if you refuse them, pay no mind to them and claim the promises of God and stand stead fast in faith. Those symptoms will eventually go.
Now we also know through scripture that God will still heal someone even if there is sin in their life. How do we know that? Simple James 5:15 tells us that “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.” According to this verse what came first? Healing or forgiveness? It was after Jesus healed the man by the pool that he told him to go and sin no more. John 5:14
Just a side note, how is it Jesus had no problem telling people to stop sinning, and most Christians think that would be imposable to do? (John 8:11, John 5:14) Jesus would never tell us to do something we could not do. If you love God you will obey him. John 14:15, 21,23
Doctrine of Healing
Doctrine of Healing
Sin gave birth to sickness in the beginning. It was after satan deceived Eve in eating the forbidden fruit that sin and sickness entered in this world. Genesis 3:1-19 There was no sickness because their was no sin. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit that God had warned them about they died spiritually. Thank God that He had a back up plan that was better than the original plan. He sent Jesus Christ to give us back what the devil took.
Salvation does not only include deliverance from sin, but also sickness. This is what is clearly shown in scriptures.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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.” Isaiah 53:4,5
The word tells us that Jesus bore our “griefs” and carried our “sorrows”. The word griefs in Hebrew means Kholee, which means sicknesses in english. The word sorrows is translated from the Hebrew word makob, which means pains.
So this verse could be quoted as saying, “Surely he (Jesus) hath carried our sicknesses and carried our pain.” The word for sickness, chalah means to be weak, afflicted or sick.
1 Peter 2:24 confirms the above with, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
You can see here that Peter says that Christ bore or carried our sins, and that by His stripes we were healed. Past tense is used here. Isaiah says we are healed, Peter says we were healed. Two thousand years ago Christ took, or carried your sicknesses on his body, that you and I could be healed. There are those that try and teach that the healing spoken of in Isaiah and Peter is spiritual, not physical. Someone must have forgotten to mention that fact to Matthew, because he said in chapter eight verses sixteen and seventeen that, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
Matthew tells us that Jesus healed them all that it might be fulfilled by Esaias the prophet. The reason Jesus healed them all is because healing is in the atonement. Healing was available in the atonement in the old testiment, why would it not be in the new? The old testiment was a shadow of things to come. There are many times in the old testiment that an atonement was made for some one that was sick. Look at Psalms 105:37 "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes" Moses made an atonement for the people of Israel when they sinned against the Lord. “Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has started." So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. Num. 16:46-48
Another time Moses had to offer an atonement when the people sinned and brought God’s judgment upon them and poisonous snakes came and began biting the people. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9 Now the word tells us that just, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14,15
Moses even made atonement for leper’s for them to be healed physically. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:… And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean Lev 14:1-4, 19-20
Now are we to believe that the old covenant is better than the new? To say that healing has past away is to say that the old covenant was better than the new. But this is not true for the word tells us that “God sent his Word and healed us.”
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Psalms 107:20
We are not to forget any of his benefits. He heals us of all our diseases and forgives all sin. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;” Psalms 103:1-4 The word tells us that God never changes. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Heb. 13:8 That means if he healed in the old testiment, he heals in the new. If he healed in the gospels and the book of Acts, he still heals today. When we take communion, we partake of the bread and wine. We take the bread in remembrence, of Jesus broken body, when he was whipped at the wipping post. “By his stripes, ye were healed.” “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” 1 Cor. 11:24 We partake of the wine in rememberance of the blood that was shed for us at the cross. “In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 1 Cor. 11:25
Many people have received their healing just by taking communion. Communion is remembering a covenent that was made between God and his son for our redemption.
Jesus healed them all
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.” Matt.4:23-24 This verse shows very cleary that Jesus healed all the people that were brought to him. So we can see his compassion here. He loves people so much that he wants to set them free. What father would want to see his son injered or deformed? Yet many teachers are teaching that God wants some of us to be sick and in pain. This is not the Jesus shown in these verses, as you will see he heals all. Where faith is in operation, God can do mighty works. Jesus healed everyone that ever came to him in faith.
“But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;” Matt.12:15 You will never find in scripture anyplace where Jesus told someone, “ it is my will for you to be sick”. No in each and every case Jesus healed all that came to him in faith.
“And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.” Luke 9:11
Do you have need of healing? Jesus can and will heal all that have need of healing. The only thing missing in this generation to receive is expectancy. “Only believe and you shall see the Glory of God.”
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matt. 9:35 Here Jesus heals every, not just a few, but every kind of sickness.
There is no sickness that Jesus has not taken care of. In fact it does not even matter if your sickness is due to an accident. Your answer is older than your problem. Two thousand years ago God healed you through Jesus stripes. If Jesus took care of your sickness that long ago, then your answer is also greater than your problem.
“And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.” Matt. 15:30,31 Those that are maimed are those that are missing limbs. Jesus will even restore limbs that don’t exist. Why? Because he is the master of matter. He speaks things that are not as though they were. He speaks to the invisible and they become visible. Everything starts out in the spirit realm first, then it grows into the physical as a manifestation.
If God did not want you well, why would you go to a hospital? You would be rebelling against God's perfect will for you, if he wanted you sick. When a doctor says you have cancer do you rest in the sweet will of God? No! You do everything you can to get out of this “will of God” for your life. If we really believed that God gets glory out of us being sick why don’t we just pray for a greater sickness next time your not well. Even nature testifies of the fact that God wants us well by the fact that we all have immune systems. Who do you think gave us our immune system? If God wanted people sick then every hospital would be a house of rebellion. In every case where Jesus healed it says that the people glorified the God of Israel. God was glorified when people were healed, not when they were sick and in pain. How is it that in the old testiment and new testiment that when someone was sick it was because of the devil and when someone was healed it was because God healed them. Now in the twentith centry we have people that say that God is glorified when someone is sick, and if someone is healed we say it’s the work of the devil. How wicked and twisted has this generation become. The word says that Jesus healed them all. All that needed or wanted healing Jesus healed. (see Matt. 4:24, 12:15, 14:14 and Luke 4:40.
Or how about when the disciples could not cast out the devil in the boy. Did the fact that the disciples could not cast out the devil mean that it was not God’s will to heal that boy? No! Jesus said it was because of their unbelief that the boy was not healed.
“And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 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.” Matthew 17:14-20
Many today think that because they have been prayed for and they see no change that it must be God’s will that they remain sick. But James said we must believe when we pray, not doubting. James 1:5-7 The word is very clear, if someone is sick we are to take them to the elders or mature Christians and get prayer. The prayer of faith will, not maybe, not hopefully, but shall, save the sick.
“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: 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.” James 5:14,15
In fact some people were healed and they never asked to be healed, and in some cases Jesus did not even know the people that took healing from him. “And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.” Mark 6:56
“And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.” Matt. 14:36
Here people just reach out and touch him and they are healed. They must have had the mentality of the woman with the issue of blood to press in and get their portion. “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” Mark 5:25-34
Did you notice that the woman said to herself “if I may touch his cloths I will be whole.” Who told her that? Faith will always dare to speak what it believes. She new that Jesus cloths had his power in them, just as Elisha had power in his bones. 2 Kings 13:21 When she touched Jesus, He did not even know who had done it. Yet she got her healing. That was the womans contact point. A contact point is where faith meets your knowledge of the word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
We will only rise to the level of our faith. If we believe that God healed us through Christ stripes two thousand years ago we will experience it. Another proof that Jesus wants us healed is to look at what Jesus called sickness. He called it a work of the devil.
“And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? “ Luke 13:10-16
The word clearly says that the woman had a spirit of infirmity. This spirit was from satan as we can see in verse 16. Jesus said that it was satan that had bound her, not God. The word tells us that Jesus went about doing good healing all that were oppressed by the devil. Acts 10:38 God had given Jesus power through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This power was God himself in the spirit. The spirit of God is life. This is why people that are dying can come into contact with this power and life will begin to flow where death once was. Life is more powerful than death. The word says that God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul. Gen. 2:7
This explains why people could just touch Jesus cloths and they were healed. Healing vertue was constantly on Him. We can see the same thing in Paul. “So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:12 The same healing power flowed from Paul as from Jesus. Why? Jesus told us that we would do the same things and greater. John 14:12
God was healing people through Peters shadow. “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” Acts 5:14-16 Notice something else here, it says, “they were healed every one.”
Jesus was still healing everyone, even through His disciples. If we could understand that God wants us healed more than we want to be healed. It would cause our faith to rise in expectancy. For we all know God has the power to heal, most are just unsure of His willingness to heal.
Look at Peter he knew it was God’s will to heal the lame man in Acts 3:1-8 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” Notice that Peter said, “such as I have” he knew he had the power of God on his life. He knew that when he spoke power would be released. His faith was put in action when he grabed the lame man’s hand and pulled him up, saying “rise up and walk”. He commanded the lame man to walk in Jesus name. He did not pray for him or ask God “if it be your will”. No, he new God’s will based on the Atonement in Christ. We as children of God don’t have to begg God or plead with him. He has given us all things. He has given us power over all the enemy. Luke 10:19 Just as the Spirit of the Lord was upon Christ, so is He on us. For He is in us, and he works through us. It was also after the lame man was healed that he glorified God. So healing glorifies God. Would you deform your child or make him sick to show him how much you love him? Yet so many people think that God has made them sick to show them something or teach them. The bible is clear when it says that sickness is of the devil and healing is of God. Acts 10:38
Let’s look at Paul’s faith. “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.” Acts 14:8-10
Paul looks at the crippled man and senses that he has faith to be healed. Once he notices that the man has faith, he speaks the word to him and commands him to be healed and to stand up on his feet. Do you realize that you have the same power and authority as Paul has. You just have to know that what you speak will happen. Jesus tells us that if we speak to this mountain and command It to be removed and do not doubt in our heart but believe what we speak we will have what we say.” Mark 11:23
So when you speak to a disease and command it to be gone and curse the disease it will from that point begin to die and disappear, as long as the person does not speak life into his sickness again by saying he has it still. An example of this would be if you were prayed for, for healing say for cancer, and right after we cursed it and commanded it to leave, you go out and start telling people how bad your cancer is, and how long the doctors say you have to live. You would be undoing everything the preacher just prayed for you. Instead, you should be sharing your testimony that God has healed you and that you are now recovering from that illness. Faith will always believe the word of God over symptoms and feelings. Feelings and symptoms don’t mean anything to the man that walks by faith. He listens only to the word of God and not to his body. If your spirit is strong in faith your body will follow you wherever you go. If you believe that sickness can not touch you, you will get to the point that it won’t.
Even non believers can be healed if ones faith is strong enough. John G. Lake one time ran into an atheist that was on crutches and John G. Lake started talking with the man and as soon as the man was involved in conversation, Lake began to remove the mans crutches one at a time, and the man did not even notice that Lake had taken his crutches. After the conversation ended the man said good by to Lake and started down the hall not even realizing that he had been healed. Lake shouted out to him holding his crutches and asking the man what he wanted him to do with them. The man when he relized what had happened and that he was healed said, “to hell with them”.
Any hindrances to healing come from the enemy, never God. Any disease can be overcome when one realizes that the enemy has no power at all over the Christian.
When one understands the law of the Spirit, one can not help but to know that healing, (if he is baptized in the Spirit) flows continually from his body. This is a law, just as gravity is a law. If you drop something, the law of gravity will bring it to the ground. When God establishes a law He cannot retract it. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
God’s laws or attributes can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what side you are on. God told the Israelites during the time of Moses that they were not to touch the ark. Not at all! God warned them that if they touch it they would die. Numbers 4:4-6, 15-20
Yet what happened? Uzza tried to steady the ark because he thought it was going to fall, and when he did, he droped dead. That is the last thing Uzza ever did, for God struck him down. 2 Samuel 6:3-8 In the same way God tells us that if we obey him he will keep sickness away from us. “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” Exodus 15:26 But with every promise is a warning. God warns us that if we rebel we are under a curse. Deuteronomy 28:45-68 Yet if we obey, we have God’s protection and blessings.
“Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.” Deut. 7:12-15
The exiting news is that Jesus redeemed us from the curse. Galations 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” Now the Lord promised to redeem his people from sickness, that obeyed him in the old testiment. So how much more, seeing that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.
Many will point out Pauls thorn in the flesh or Job to justify their sickness as being from God. Let’s look at them.
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