Healing: Part 4
1. Some the common misconceptions concerning healing.
2. How both forgiveness and healing are apart of God’s plan of redemption.
3. How healing is the will of God for our lives.
If it is God’s will to heal, then what about Paul’s thorn in the flesh?
2 Corinthians 12:7 [NLT], even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh…
To interpret the Scripture correctly, we need to remember to use “The Law of First Mention.”
Numbers 33:55 [ESV], But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and THEY shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.
Joshua 23:13 [ESV], know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but THEY shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.
Judges 2:3 [ESV], So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but THEY shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
The “thorn” was used to refer to difficult people.
2 Corinthians 12:7 [NLT], …I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment [and harass] me…
The word messenger means; “a demonic angel was dispatched on a specific assignment to torment and harass.”
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 [NLT], Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
If healing is for all, then how do people die?
Psalm 104:29 [AMP], You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
Hebrews 9:27 [NLT], And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes the judgment...
One of the reasons WHY God desires to heal us.
Exodus 23:25-26 [NKJV], “And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. 26 …I will fulfill the number of your days.”
Psalm 139:16 [TPT], You saw who You created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days You planned for me were already recorded [written] in Your book.
“Divine healing goes no further than the personal promise of God for our individual lives.”
Is it possible for a person to die before their appointed time?
The Bible tells us that…
-Hezekiah prayed and God extended his life by 15 years. [2 Kings 20:5-6]
-Elijah raised a widow’s son from the dead. [1 Kings 17:17-24]
-Elisha raised a widow’s son from the dead. [2 Kings 4:18-37]
-Man’s body thrown into Elisha’s grave. [2 Kings 13:20-21]
-Jairus 12 year old daughter. [Mark 5:21-43]
-Jesus stopped a funeral procession. [Luke 7:11-17]
-Lazarus was dead for three days. [John 11:38]
-Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit. [Acts 5:1-11]
-Eutychus fell out of a window. [Acts 20:9]
Psalm 102:24 [TPT], So I cry out to You, my God, Father of eternity, please don’t let me die! I know my life is not yet finished.
Ecclesiastes 7:17 [AMP], Why should you die before your time?
Many Christians just have an Attitude of Acceptance. Where they just accept things that happen to them as God’s sovereignty at work.
We should adopt the same attitude that Jesus has towards sickness, disease and death.
1 John 3:8 [NKJV], For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Acts 10:38 [NKJV], 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…
Jesus wouldn’t have given us His authority if He didn’t expect us to have His attitude towards sin and sickness.
Matthew 4:23 [NKJV], …Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
Luke 9:1-2 [NKJV], Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them [delegated] power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Power means: “miraculous power to work miracles”
Authority means: “delegated influence, jurisdiction, power and right”
Luke 10:1, 9 [NKJV], After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. …9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”
Matthew 28:18-20 [NKJV], “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” <—Which means it is now up to Him with what He does with it!
Watch what Jesus chose to do with the authority He was given.
Mark 16:15-18 [NKJV], Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table… 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
1 John 4:4 [NKJV], You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
John 14:12-14 [NKJV], Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
Jeremiah 1:12 [AMP], “I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.”
Psalm 107:20 [NKJV], He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.