By His Stripes

Following the temptation of Jesus, "...He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali... And 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. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan." (Matthew 4:12-13, 23-25) 

In every contact of Jesus with the people, He healed their sick. He did not turn any away. Everyone was healed. Some would have us believe that there are some cases which are not the will of the Father to heal. Others would say, that God uses sickness, diseases and injuries for a divine purpose in a persons life. Others, God has a specific time for healing and therefore allows sickness, diseases or injury to remain for a season. Yet, those same people will quickly see a physician and or take medicine though they declare it is not the will of God to heal them. This does not mean that physicians cannot help people, but, if it is God's will not to heal, for various reasons, then why do believers seek other means for healing. The fact is, there aren't any cases that are not the will of the Father to heal nor is it the Father's will that any die of disease. 

When Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches," (John 15:5) He meant we are united with Him as closely and vitally as a branch in the natural realm is connected to the vine. Therefore, as Jesus Himself could not have any sickness or disease as He is the vine, then it stands to reason that the believer, the branch, should have none of these things either. In the mind of the Father, it is abnormal for believers to be in bondage to sickness or poverty which would force His children to go to the world for help. The believer is of God. (1 John 4:4) He has been Redeemed out of the hand of the enemy. (Colossians 1:13) He is not only Redeemed out of the hand of Satan, he is also a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He has the very nature and life of God in him. (2 Peter 1:4) He is the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) These things have opened the door so that  believers can stand in the Fathers presence without the sense of guilt or condemnation.

The believer has the same liberty and freedom with the Father, now, that he will have after death when he goes to heaven. He stands before the Father, now, as Jesus stood before Him. The Father's love nature has taken the place of the fallen Satanic nature that held the believer in fear and bondage. The believer is no longer afraid of disease or adverse circumstances, because, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment..." (1 John 4:18) He is filled with the nature and life of God, and God's nature is love. (1 John 4:7-8) There is no ground for disease, sickness or poverty in the body of Christ. These new creations, "created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) are the "sons of God, heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ." (Romans 8:15-17) They have God dwelling in them, the very life and nature of God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead has made His home in the believers body. (Romans 8:11) 

In the three and a half years of Jesus' ministry on earth as the Son of Man, there was a perfect coordination between Himself and the Father. (John 4:34, 5:19-21, 30, 14:6-11) Jesus' attitude toward disease and sin was the Father's attitude. He lived among the Jews, God's Covenant people, and healed their diseases, breaking Satan's dominion over all who came to Him. (Acts 10:38) When He went to the cross, He became the Substitute, the Sin-Bearer, the Disease-Bearer. When He was nailed to that cross, Isaiah 53 became a reality, "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows; (pains) Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5) 

The reality of this was also expressed by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Notice, "by whose stripes you were healed." Healing was purchased for all as a portion of the meritorious work of redemption through Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John reveals, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The writer of Hebrews records, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) The Apostle John also tells us, "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13)

As it was prophesied by Isaiah before Christ came to earth; confirmed by Peter after the resurrection of Christ and spoken by John and the writer of Hebrews, healing is for everyone, because as sin was dealt with through Christ, sickness too was dealt with. The Bible shows us that God does not show partiality (Romans 2:11) He and His Word have not changed (Malachi 3:6), therefore, healing is as much available today as it was throughout the history of humanity, especially since Christ has forever purchased it through His work of redemption. It simply comes to what Jesus tells us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11) Bless the Lord!   

God's Billboard

No matter where you travel throughout the USA you will always find commercials, billboards, magazines, websites and pretty much any type of media advertising churches. There is certainly nothing wrong with using advertising methods to reach people. But what is the bottom line? How many souls are being saved and added to the church with all the costly advertisements run each year? According to researchers approximately 4000 new congregation start up every year in the USA but approximately 7000 existing congregations close their doors every year. If fact even with the millions of dollars in advertisement each year, research shows that church attendance has been and is still declining. So how can the church in the USA save money on advertising and still grow? Simply, we must return to the very principles that have always caused church growth without paying one cent for advertising.

Jesus emulated before twelve men, His Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan for three and one half years. During this intense time of training He sent them to do the same thing. Notice His instructions, "And when Jesus had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 8) In Luke's gospel we see another set of disciples that Jesus also sent out, "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. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Luke 10:1-2, 9)

After Jesus' resurrection and before His ascension, He meets with His disciples and gives them further instruction, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Do we see the picture that Jesus has painted not only for His disciples but for all who believe. As soon as a person became born again, God planned that they should advertise the transformed life that they experience in Christ by healing the sick in the Name of Jesus no matter where they would go throughout the world. Jesus' entire ministry was a battle against demonic forces. It is the same for the church today. All sickness, disease, pain and sin is a result of Satan's hatred of all humanity. The very ministry of Jesus was carried out in the early church as normal life in the Kingdom of God. No matter where believers went, miracles, signs and wonders were always present at the preaching of the Gospel.  What Jesus told His disciples is true for today also, Freely you have received, freely give.

Unfortunately, the church has missed its greatest method of advertising. God's method of advertising that reveals Himself to the natural mind was and still is through miracles, signs and wonders. Due to the lack of sound doctrine being taught today, there is a severe lack of spiritual development or growth among most believers. The apostle Paul had to deal with such with the church at Corinth. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) The writer of Hebrews faced the same problem. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) Ouch!!!

Now I know that some who read this may have been taught that God does not do the miracles today as He did in the early church. That God uses sickness and disease in a believers life for various reasons that only He knows as a means of the continuing work of sanctification. That God chooses who He wants to heal and when He wants to do it. But this is extremely distant from the truth. Even logic should dictate that we are missing it when we look at so many in the church today that are sick and diseased.  Disease and sickness are never the will of the Father, to believe that they are is to be disillusioned by the devil. If healing had not been in the plan of redemption, the Father would not have spoken it in His Word. Jesus healed all who came to Him, because He was carrying out the will of the Father.

The only reason sickness is in the body of Christ is due to a low state of knowledge of our rights and privileges in our redemption that has been provided by God through Jesus Christ. It is only our ignorance of our rights and or refusal to act upon God's Word that keeps believers ill. Every believer has a right to be free from sickness and disease. You are the ruler of your body. You have the greater one in you. All that is needed is for you to command sickness or disease to leave in the Name of Jesus. Healing is not only for the believer, but for all believers to also "lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." This was, is and always will be God's method of advertising and revealing Himself to the natural mind.

"Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:4-5 AMP). "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)...

"And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." (Mark 16:17-18) This is free advertisement God's Way!!!

The Doctor is in the House

I wrote a recent article entitled "I Really Doubt It." In it I share a story of a women who became so discouraged that she left the church and began to blame the LORD when things did not go right. The discouragement had left her in a place where she did not expect God to fix any of her problems. This came as a result of reading a book by a well know Christian author who basically discredits the supernatural as not being a part of the church today as it was in the early church.  Unfortunately, this very issue continues to crop up over and over again among believers who struggles with understanding God's will when it comes to healing or really, not knowing God's will when it comes to pretty much anything in this life.

I received an email from a believer that asked me if I would watch a particular video that they included in their email which was linked to a particular website. The video was a discussion between two well known figures from Christian circles. I will not mention their names, but I venture to say, you mostly know or heard of them. As I watched and listened, I was excited to hear their opening statements concerning the power of God. The one person was praising God for all the supernatural things that He is doing around the world. All kinds of miracles, healing and deliverance from demons. However, shortly after all the praises of the wonderful things of God, (which happened to be what the video was really about) it was stated, "God doesn't heal everybody. He chooses who He wants to heal and who He doesn't want healed." This statement was based on a young Christian woman that was seriously injured, received pray and was not healed. We must ask ourselves, "Why does God seem to do the supernatural all around the world but little to none in the USA?" There are many answers to this question, but the one that I believe is at the top of the list is a statement that Jesus made, "...Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

According to Numbers 19:23, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" In other words, God is incapable of saying anything but the truth. Jesus said, "...Your word (God's Word) is truth." (John 17:17) Furthermore, Numbers says, "...Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" In other words, God does exactly what His Word says. As He is eternal, so His Word is also eternal. It does not change with time and space nor does it change because people choose not to believe it or negotiate it away do to their personal belief or actually their unbelief.

The people in the video, like many others in the church today, made their statements about God not always healing with no regard to scripture, but personal experience. If this is not sad enough, they also indirectly made the church in the USA out to be an organization where healing is unpredictable because God picks and chooses who He wants to heal. Keep in mind Numbers 23:19 and look at what Jesus says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11)

Take notice to the words in this passage, "For EVERYONE who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Does this sound like a God who picks and chooses who receives healing and who doesn't? Next, Jesus asks some questions concerning the care and desire of human parents to their children. He then concludes with a powerful statement and promise,  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"  Look what the apostle John tells us, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15) Observing these two passages (there are numerous other with the same thought) it should be obvious, however it is unfortunate, that many believers do not know the will of God and therefore do not have the faith to believe Him for what He has given to the redeemed through Jesus Christ.

If we could take the best of the best parents on the entire earth and mold them into one super parent they would fall millions of miles short of the greatest parent of all, our Heavenly Father. Let's look at the statement again that was spoken on the video, "but God doesn't heal everybody. He chooses who He wants to heal and who He doesn't want healed." How many parents who had just given birth to twins would say to one, "I am going to make sure that you are always provided for and protected" and then say to another child "I chose not to provide for you or protect you." Of course no parent in their right mind would say something so ridiculous. The Bible repeatedly tells us that the believer is a child of God. (John 1:12, Romans 8:15-16, 1 John 3:1) Do we some how suppose that God will take care of one of His children and heal them and not another? Do we suppose that God is a respecter of persons when scripture says the contrary? (Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11) Can you see the twisted human logic in a statement such as "God doesn't heal everybody. He chooses who He wants to heal and who He doesn't want healed." Notice that I said "human logic." There is certainly no faith in a statement like that, only human logic or reasoning.

Why is it that Christians do not want to admit that it is not God who is holding back, but a lack of faith in their own lives. I believe the root stems from pride. Why do I say pride? James and Peter tells us, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5) Grace is the ability and desire to do God's will (Philippians 2:13). A lack of grace due to pride results in a lack of the ability and desire to do God's will. Plus, there is one other thing to consider. It is difficult, especially for church leaders to admit that they do not have enough faith to lay hands on the sick for them to recover. They look for a disclaimer, that is, someone or something to blame (in this case the LORD, although indirectly) by saying that no one truly understands His ways. Of course they site Isaiah 55:8-9 which was 750 years before the restoration of humanity through Christ. They should consider what the apostle Paul says, "...but we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16)

It grieves me to hear believers say that God's will is a mystery when Jesus said, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also...He who has seen Me has seen the Father..." (John 14:7, 9) and the apostle Paul tells us, "having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself." (Ephesians 1:9) Honestly, God's will is not a mystery. It's that God's children do not exercise faith by acting on God's Word. Instead of having an excuse let us practice building up our faith in His Word, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) and watch Him do the supernatural throughout the entire world using ordinary people like you and me who must have this one thing in place in our lives. We must believe and act on God's Word, period!!!

What is Missing

The gospel of Matthew reveals some very interesting things concerning the connection of the Lord Jesus Christ to humanity. We see a good portion of this, beginning at the end of chapter three, Christ's baptism, through chapter ten, the sending out of the twelve apostles. This is not to exclude the rest of Matthew's gospel, but to simply see that much is missing in the church when it comes to sound teaching on various important topics, mainly that of healing.

After the forty days and nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted of the devil, He comes out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14) and begins His ministry to humanity as the Son of Man. Not only does He begin to chose His disciples, but what we see that stands out most, is, "And 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. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them." (Matthew 4:23-24) Jesus begins to show us by word and action, something that most only see from one side. Not only did He teach and preach the gospel of the kingdom (of God, of Heaven), but He also assaulted the kingdom of darkness that had been holding humanity captive since the fall of man. (Genesis 3)

Assaulting the kingdom of darkness is very important for believers to not only know about, but to also implement in their daily lives. Unfortunately, we have a serious problem in many sectors of the church. The fact is, most are instructed on the Word of God concerning the salvation of the soul, but our education concerning ministering healing to the sick and disease and casting out demons has been neglected. What has happened is simple, yet disheartening. The church has lost her faith in God and has replaced faith with an intellectual approach, mental assent, to His Word. In doing so, we began to teach believers that maybe it is not God's will to heal them. With that, the church then has introduced the phrase, "Lord, if it be Your will." However, not only did Jesus heal all who came to Him, (Matthew 4:24, 8:16, 12:15), He also shows us that healing and deliverance from Satan, demons and evil spirits is not only in the plan of redemption, (Isaiah 53; John 8:36; Ephesians 1:19-23, 2:4-6; Colossians 1:13-14), but also the ministry of the church, all believers. (Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12)

In fact, Jesus did not leave us in a place where we should have any doubts about God's will concerning the supernatural flowing through believers, as we see, "When He (Jesus) had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:1-3) Taking this a step further, we see Jesus saying repeatedly, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (John 4:34) "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19) "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." (John 5:30) "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 6:38) (Also see, John 7:16, 8:26-29, 9:4, 10:25)

Although there are many church doctrines that have created more doubt than faith when it comes to God's position concerning these things, we can honestly conclude that it was, is, and will always be God's will to heal, period. The church in general is very clear in her faith on the subject of salvation of the soul through the vicarious sacrifice of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. However, the majority of believers today, have much doubt and are very inexperienced when it comes the the power of God. I believe the root of this problem has been and is reoccurring today, when believers do not see immediate results when it comes to healing. In most instances this has opened the door for doubt to overtake them and healing has come down to, "Lord, if it be Your will." However, we need to keep in mind that sometimes healing is instantaneous and sometimes progressive. Either way, it does not mean in any way that God does not heal or that He uses sickness and disease to perfect His children in some mysterious way that only He knows. In fact, looking at the ministry of Jesus we clearly see that God methods of healing are not always the same and not always instant, based on various conditions.  For instances...

"Then He (Jesus) came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.And he looked up and said, I see men like trees, walking. Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly." (Mark 8:22-25) "Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! So when He saw them, He said to them, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed." (Luke 17:11-14) "Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented. And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him.The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed...Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour." (Matthew 8:5-8, 13)

These are only a few examples that show us that healing is not always instantaneous, yet it was still God's will to heal. Keep in mind that Jesus flowed in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. He completely and wholly relied and depended of the Holy Spirit. Although believers receive the same Holy Spirit, as they yield more of themselves to Him, depend more on Him, He is able to operate in a greater way through us all. (Acts 2:4, 4:31; Ephesians 5:18) So, beloved, you and I must use the level of the Holy Spirit that we possess, knowing, we can, as a member of His body, operate in the same level of the Spirit as Jesus did. God does not expect us to fulfill Mark 16:17-18 and John 14:12 with less equipment than Jesus had. 

For us to return to the place that God had intended the church to flow, in the supernatural, we must first let go of doubt, fear and unbelief and know, what God's Word says, is, and what God's Word says, becomes! Therefore, if you pray and do not experience instant healing, do not give into doubt. Also, if you do not experience healing at all or receive only a certain amount of healing, keep praying and believing until healing is complete. This, however, is where many believer falter. They will pray for a day or two, and then quit when they see little or no results. This is one of the things that has discredited healing. For instance, a minister of the gospel will hold meetings. Many sick will come and be prayed for. Some are absolutely healed, others are only half-healed or quarter-healed and still others have only received a little touch of healing. This is where believers have permitted doubt, fear and unbelief to flood their soul, which causes faith to erode. Interestingly enough, this very thing occurs many times when the gospel message for salvation is preached and the call to receive Jesus is presented. 

For instance, ten people come to the altar at the invitation of the minister. One confesses Christ without hesitation because he/she recognizes the lost state of their soul. Another person may come and hear the gospel message preached again the next week, another for a month, and another even longer before they are convinced that they are in need of the Savior. The difference is not with God. The difference is inside the person. They have not permitted themselves to opened up to God. It is the same with healing. Every law of the Spirit that applies to salvation applies to healing, by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul puts it this way, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (to save, deliver from danger and suffering, made whole, delivered from the bondage of sin, healed, preserved) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

The promise of God through Jesus Christ is not only that believers can be healed and walk in divine health (1 Peter 2:24; Proverbs 4:20-22; John 10:10) but believers are to be ministers of the power of God to the world. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:17-20; John 14:12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5) However, the reality of this will not be experienced, but remain a mystery that is unpredictable and even unreliable until we believe God's Word and act upon it. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle James tells us, "faith without corresponding works is dead." (James 2:20) So, let us loose the Holy Spirit in us and believe. Jesus said, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) PTL!!!

Anointed to Destroy the Works of the Devil

One of the strongest Scriptures on healing is Romans 8:11, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." This refers to physical healing. This is the Holy Spirit taking the life of Jesus and manifesting it in our physical bodies releasing in it health, strength and life. The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-23) is now working in our mortal bodies, making them free from sin and sickness. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) 

Jesus did His part of destroying the works of the devil. After the resurrection when He left the earth to return to heaven, He gave us the Holy Spirit, (John 16:7), His Word (the Bible) and the ability to use His Name (Mark 16:17) that we, His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) here on the earth, might go on destroying the works of the devil. The reason why sin, sickness, disease and poverty are in the church today, is because of our not taking our legal place in Christ. They exist simply due to a lack of training to do the work that Jesus said we were to do. (John 14:12) Our work should be the continuation of His earthly ministry and that of the early church, destroying the works of the devil. 

The weapon we are to use is found in the next two verses in the gospel of John, "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14) The word "ask" in these verses means, to demand something due. The name of Jesus is to be used in the way we see it used by Peter who spoke to the lame man at the gate of the temple, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6) This is not prayer. This is casting out demons in Jesus' name. This is not demanding God to do anything, but simply demanding something due that Jesus has provided through His death and resurrection. It is like going to the bank where you have a thousand dollars in an account and you want to withdraw five hundred dollar from the account. You are not making a demand on the bank teller, per se, but simply making a demand that which is already yours.  

There is healing for the sick in His Name, there is power to break disease and sickness in the hearts and lives of all people in His Name. Can the Name of Jesus keep us from sickness? Can it keep us from want? Can it keep us from fear, and dread? Can His Name be used today just as He suggested in Mark 16:17-18? "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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." If  Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, and we are His ambassadors, His instruments to do His work, then yes, we too are to destroy the works of the devil in His Name. 

The fact that Jesus bore our sin by sacrificing Himself and that He provided the remission of all sin, that is, He has taken away every bit of sin as though it never was, proves that we should not be in bondage to sin or sickness, because they come from the same source, the devil. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14) "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2) Every believer in Christ is free from sin, free from disease and free from condemnation. 

Therefore, if sin cannot lord itself over the believer, then disease cannot lord itself over the believer either, because, again, they come from the same source. The nature and life of God that has come into you will give you life and health. "With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." (Psalm 91:16) Salvation means; deliverance, help, prosperity, save, security, victory, made whole, healing. This puts us into the realm of the supernatural because we are linked with Christ, "I am the vine, you are the branches..." (John 15:5) The life in the Vine is in the branch. As soon as the branch is wounded, the Vine pours life into it, so it can continue to bearing fruit. 

Therefore, Jesus' very life is poured into His body, healing the members of sickness, disease, and want, so they can go on bearing fruit to the glory of God. So, let us arise, take our place, and go out and carry this message of deliverance and victory to others. 

Be Healed

Following the temptation of Jesus, "...He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali... And 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. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan." (Matthew 4:12-13, 23-25)

In every contact of Jesus with the people, He healed their sick. He did not turn any away. Everyone was healed. Some would have us believe that there are some cases which are not the will of the Father to heal. Others would say, that God uses sickness and injuries for a divine purpose in a persons life. Others, God has a specific time for healing and therefore allows sickness or injury to remain for a season. Yet, those same people will quickly see a physician and or take medicine though they declare it is not the will of God to heal them. This does not mean that physicians cannot help people, but, if it is God's will not to heal, then why do believers seek other means for healing. The fact is, there aren't any cases that are not the will of the Father to heal nor is it the Father's will that any die of disease. Simply put, sickness does not belong to the body of Christ. It is not normal or natural.

When Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches," (John 15:5) He meant we are united with Him as closely and vitally as a branch in the natural realm is connected to the vine. Therefore, as Jesus Himself could not have any sickness or disease as He is the vine, then it stands to reason that the believer, the branch, should have none of these things either. In the mind of the Father, it is abnormal for believers to be in bondage to sickness or poverty which would force His children to go to the world for help. The believer is of God. (1 John 4:4) He has been Redeemed out of the hand of
the enemy. (Colossians 1:13) He is not only Redeemed out of the hand of Satan, he is also a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He has the very nature and life of God in him. (2 Peter 1:4) He is the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) These things have opened the door so that  believers can stand in the Fathers presence without the sense of guilt or condemnation.

The believer has the same liberty and freedom with the Father, now, that he will have after death when he goes to heaven. He stands before the Father, now, as Jesus stood before Him. The Father's love nature has taken the place of the fallen Satanic nature that held him in fear and bondage. The believer is no longer afraid of disease or adverse circumstances, because, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment..." (1 John 4:18) He is filled with the nature and life of God, and God's nature is love. (1 John 4:7-8) There is no ground for disease, sickness or poverty in the body of Christ. These new creations, "created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) are the "sons of God, heirs of God, joint heirs with Jesus Christ." (Romans 8:15-17) They have God dwelling in them, the very life and nature of God Himself, in the person of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead has made His home in the believers body. (Romans 8:11) 

In the three and a half years of Jesus' ministry on earth as the Son of Man, there was a perfect coordination between Himself and the Father. (John 4:34, 5:19-21, 30, 14:6-11) Jesus' attitude toward disease and sin was the Father's attitude. He lived among the Jews, God's Covenant people, and healed their diseases, breaking Satan's dominion over all who came to Him. (Acts 10:38) When He went to the cross, He became their Substitute, their Sin-Bearer, their Disease-Bearer. When He was nailed to that cross, Isaiah 53 became a reality, "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows; (pains) Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5)

The reality of this was also expressed by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter, "who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Notice, "by whose stripes you were healed." Healing was purchased for all as a portion of the meritorious work of redemption through Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John reveals, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." The writer of Hebrews records, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) The Apostle John also tells us, "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (Revelation 19:13)     

As it was prophesied by Isaiah before Christ came to earth; confirmed by Peter after the resurrection of Christ and spoken by John and the writer of Hebrews, healing is for everyone, because as sin was dealt with through Christ, sickness too was dealt with. The Bible shows us that God does not show partiality (Romans 2:11) He and His Word have not changed (Malachi 3:6), therefore, healing is as much available today as it was throughout the history of humanity, especially since Christ has forever purchased it through His work of redemption. It simply comes to what Jesus tells us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:7-11) Bless the Lord!     

Free Your Mind

The soul is an immaterial part of a human being. It consists of the mind, will, emotions and intellect. Our mind is the element or faculty of consciousness and thought. When one confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and takes Him as Savior, the unregenerate human spirit becomes alive, it is Born Again, with the very life and nature of God. (John 3:3-8, 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; 2 Peter 1:4) However, the soul is not immediately transformed as the spirit is. Jesus tells us, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh (body and soul) profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) Jesus is not telling us that we should become mindless, but that the Holy Spirit and His Word brings life to our recreated spirit which in turn renews the mind and brings the body into subjection.

The Apostle Paul tells us how we deal with our two unregenerate parts, also known as the flesh, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) This is something that must become apart of our daily lives. Everyday we should make it our declaration that we choose to use our bodies as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13) and renew our minds with God's Word. (Proverbs 4:20-22; John 6:63; Romans 10:17) Paul also shows one particular way to adjust our thinking, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Why is dedicating our bodies to the Lords service and renewing our minds everyday of the utmost importance to all believers? Peter tells us, "your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8) The adversary has not changed his tactics. He does the same thing today as he did in the Garden with Eve. He works at getting believers to use their mind, that is, their intellect, to figure out what God said, His Word. When the believer does this, they will eventually reason God's Word away and act out through their body in the same manner Eve did. (Genesis 3:1-6) Paul warns us, "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:7) He also tells us, "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) This very thing is what has become a natural occurrence in the church for centuries and seems to be even more prevalent today.

Notice what Adam and Eve did after they chose to listen to the adversary rather than God, "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:7-8) They hid, covered, themselves from one another and hid, conceal from view, themselves from God. They had lost their spiritual connection with God and now relied on their mind, their intellect. Now guilt, condemnation and unworthiness had replaced innocence, approval, and nobility. 

However, it did not stop there. Look at Adam and Eve's response to God, "Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13) The guilt, condemnation and unworthiness, the consequences of their acting upon their mind with their bodies, was so strong, that they could not even admit what they had done. Instead, Adam blamed God and the woman, and Eve blamed the serpent, the devil. This brings us to the point. Many times, believers will blame God, without actually saying it, for the works of the devil. 

For instance, sickness and disease continues to ravaged the Body of Christ. Many have been trained through church leaders and theologians that God permits sickness and disease to be apart of the believers life for some benevolent reason that no one, except He, knows. They are taught, that healing today is not in the redemptive work of God in Christ, but only belongs to the believer if God gives one faith to be healed. If He does not give you faith, there is no need to struggle for your healing from God, you simply put up with it or better yet, go to a physician for healing. The question that we need to ask ourselves then, is, if benevolent is defined as well meaning and kindly, then why would one go to a physician and work against God doing some that is well meaning and kindly?

That fact is, "...For I am the Lord who heals you" (Exodus 15:26); "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows; (pains) (Isaiah 53:4); "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:17); "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); "For I am the Lord, I do not change;" (Malachi 3:6); "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1); "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14);  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8)   

Notice, not one of these scriptures insinuates that God has anything to do with sickness and disease other than to heal. If you read the Gospels, you will find that the majority of Jesus' earthly ministry was to bring healing to the sick and diseased. We also see that Jesus tells us numerous times and in various ways, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 6:38)  So then, if God is the God who heals; if Jesus only did the will of the Father; if Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him; if God has not changed, then it goes without saying, that God still heals today and all sickness and disease is not of God, but from the adversary! 

Think about it, disease is, dis-(cut off)-ease. Disease is pain, weakness, loss of ability to bless and
help. It makes slaves of the people who care for the sick. The loved ones who are up day and night taking care of the sick ones, are robbed of joy and rest. Most importantly, sickness is not of love, and God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, 16) Disease is a robber. It steals health; it steals happiness. It steals money we need for other things. Disease is an enemy because it comes from the enemy and is not a benevolent work of God. All of this is of the devil. We see in Luke's Gospel that "there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God." (Luke 13:11-13) 

Naturally, Jesus doing the will of the Father dealt with the issue. However, the religious intellects of the day began to criticize because Jesus healed on the Sabbath, "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.”  (Luke 13:14) However, Jesus goes to the heart of the matter, "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? 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 13:15-16)

There are five things that we can take from this passage. First, the woman was dealing with a spirit of infirmity. There is not one verse of scripture in the entire Bible that even suggests, that a spirit of infirmity is of or from God. Second, Jesus heals the woman. Third, as it was then, it is today in many portions of the church, the religious intellects always have something to say that is contrary to the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God due to their lack of faith. Four, we see clearly that this spirit was of and from Satan himself. Five, we see healing, not sickness or disease, glorifies God!!! 

As I had mentioned before, God is love, sickness and disease is not of love. If sickness and disease is the will of love, then love has turned to hatred. If sickness and disease is the will of God, then heaven will be filled with it. Jesus said, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10) No, sickness and disease is the will of hate, the will of Satan, due to his hatred of God, His children, and in fact, all humanity. Sickness and disease were never and are never the will of the Father. To believe that they are, is to be deceived by the adversary. If healing had not been in God's plan of redemption, the Father would not have taught it in His Word.

Finally, Jesus healed all who came to Him, Jews and Gentiles alike. He was carrying out the will of the Father and so should all believers, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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." (Mark 16:17-18) However, for many believers, their mind must be renewed and their bodies dedicated to the service of the Lord daily so they can shed the doubts, fears and unbelief that thwart the church from releasing God's Kingdom, Power and Glory to the entire world. The struggles that most believers face is not with the adversary, per se, but with a mind that has not been renewed by the Word of God, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)         

The Reality of the Cross

Many believers have limited knowledge as to their identification in and with Christ. For most, the born again experience is the extent of their spiritual connection with the Savior, meaning that they have eternal life. (1 John 2:25) However, the Bible reveals some things that stagger the mind, because they are almost unbelievable. When the Apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) he meant that he had been judged, condemned, cast out, stripped naked, and nailed to the cross with Jesus. In other words, Paul literally identified himself with Christ in the disgrace and suffering of His crucifixion. Paul tells us, "that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6) Our spirit, the real person that we are, that Paul refers to as the old man, which was spiritual dead, having the satanic nature, was nailed to the cross with Christ. This means Jesus identified with humanity in sin and suffering, and we identify with Him in His crucifixion. We were crucified with Christ! We were nailed to the cross with Christ!

In the Father's great plan of redemption, as soon as Christ was nailed to the cross, with His crown of thorns, and with the howling mob that surrounded Him, justice began to do its awful work behind the scenes in the spiritual realm. The people at the cross could only see Jesus in the physical realm hanging on the cross, but God saw the real man, His spirit. Angels and demons could also see His spirit, the real man, hidden within His body. Isaiah records for us the Father's plan, "Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses) and carried our sorrows (pains), yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6) On that awful instrument of death, the cross, Jesus not only became sin with our sin, sick with our sicknesses, but He also became a curse. (Galatians 3:13)

Sin and sickness are both a spiritual condition that manifest in the physical body. They both come from the same source, Satan. As we see, Jesus was made sin. Therefore, because He took our sin we
need not be ruled by it ever again (Romans 6:14) Because He was made sick with our sickness, we need not be ruled by sickness and disease ever again. It was all nailed to the cross with Christ. When we recognize this, we will no longer struggle for faith, righteousness, and holiness, because we will
know that we were nailed to the cross and died with Christ. PTL...

The Holy Spirits revelation to Paul concerning this is an unveiling of what happened from the time that Jesus was made sin on the cross, until He sat down at the right hand of God. Jesus was our Substitute and we are to identify ourselves with Him in this truth. He poured out His life unto death.
Through that death we were made alive. It was our sin that slew Him and it is His righteousness that gives us life. He drank the cup of death, that we might drink the cup of life. In that mighty ministry before He arose from the dead, He destroyed death. In fact when death slew Him, it slew itself. The reality of Christ's death is, He conquered sin when He allowed it to overcome Him. He conquered sickness and disease when He let them take possession of Him for a most wonderful purpose, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Think about His wonderful, perfect work of redemption from the cross to the right hand of the Majesty on high. He became one with us in weakness, in sin, in disease, and spiritual death that He might make us one with Himself in righteousness, in perfect health, and fellowship with the Father. (John 17:20-26) He became death's prisoner in order to set us free. In the mind of Justice, we died to sin and its dominion when we died with Christ. The believer now has a perfect oneness with Christ (John 15:5) We have become New Creations in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  Therefore, sin, sickness and disease do not belong to the New Creation. It is an abnormal thing in the mind of the Father for a child of God to be sick and although many seem to carry the burden of sickness and disease, we simply need to remind ourselves, we died with Him; We died to the dominion of sin; We died to the dominion of sickness and disease; We died to the dominion of circumstances and habits. We must let 1 Peter 2:24 become a reality in our lives, "Jesus, Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed," because these things are so...

Free Church Advertisement

No matter where you travel throughout the USA you will always find commercials, billboards, magazines, websites and pretty much any type of media advertising churches. There is certainly nothing wrong with using advertising methods to reach people. But what is the bottom line? How many souls are being saved and added to the church with all the costly advertisements run each year? According to researchers approximately 4000 new congregation start up every year in the USA but approximately 7000 existing congregations close their doors every year. If fact even with the millions of dollars in advertisement each year, research shows that church attendance has been and is still declining. So how can the church in the USA save money on advertising and still grow? Simply, we must return to the very principles that have always caused church growth without paying one cent for advertising.

Jesus emulated before twelve men, His Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan for three and one half years. During this intense time of training He sent them to do the same thing. Notice His instructions, "And when Jesus had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:1, 8) In Luke's gospel we see another set of disciples that Jesus also sent out, "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. Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you." (Luke 10:1-2, 9)

After Jesus' resurrection and before His ascension, He meets with His disciples and gives them further instruction, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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. So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Do we see the picture that Jesus has painted not only for His disciples but for all who believe. As soon as a person became born again, God planned that they should advertise the transformed life that they experience in Christ by healing the sick in the Name of Jesus no matter where they would go throughout the world. Jesus' entire ministry was a battle against demonic forces. It is the same for the church today. All sickness, disease, pain and sin is a result of Satan's hatred of all humanity. The very ministry of Jesus was carried out in the early church as normal life in the Kingdom of God. No matter where believers went, miracles, signs and wonders were always present at the preaching of the Gospel.  What Jesus told His disciples is true for today also, Freely you have received, freely give.

Unfortunately, the church has missed its greatest method of advertising. God's method of advertising that reveals Himself to the natural mind was and still is through miracles, signs and wonders. Due to the lack of sound doctrine being taught today, there is a severe lack of spiritual development or growth among most believers. The apostle Paul had to deal with such with the church at Corinth. "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) The writer of Hebrews faced the same problem. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14) Ouch!!!

Now I know that some who read this may have been taught that God does not do the miracles today as He did in the early church. That God uses sickness and disease in a believers life for various reasons that only He knows as a means of the continuing work of sanctification. That God chooses who He wants to heal and when He wants to do it. But this is extremely distant from the truth. Even logic should dictate that we are missing it when we look at so many in the church today that are sick and diseased.  Disease and sickness are never the will of the Father, to believe that they are is to be disillusioned by the devil. If healing had not been in the plan of redemption, the Father would not have spoken it in His Word. Jesus healed all who came to Him, because He was carrying out the will of the Father.

The only reason sickness is in the body of Christ is due to a low state of knowledge of our rights and privileges in our redemption that has been provided by God through Jesus Christ. It is only our ignorance of our rights and or refusal to act upon God's Word that keeps believers ill. Every believer has a right to be free from sickness and disease. You are the ruler of your body. You have the greater one in you. All that is needed is for you to command sickness or disease to leave in the Name of Jesus. Healing is not only for the believer, but for all believers to also "lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." This was, is and always will be God's method of advertising and revealing Himself to the natural mind.

"Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. (Isaiah 53:4-5 AMP)...
"He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)...

"And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." (Mark 16:17-18)

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Is There a Doctor in the House

Medical science has made some incredible advances in recent years. For years physicians have help countless people through numerous physical ailments and have saved many lives. I respect physicians who truly have a desire to see sick people become well and believe that they deserve payment for their labors. However, I do draw the line with physicians whose only desire is to live well at the expense of sick people.A physician named Luke wrote two book found in the New Testament and shares some incredible stories of a Healer that did things beyond the minds comprehension.

Although Luke records a story concerning a particular woman who had a physical ailment for twelve years, Marks gospel gives more details which I think sheds more light. I am sure that most believers have read or heard the events of this story, but for many, they have not let these events permeate their spirit and therefore they struggle with various physical ailments.

"Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 
(Mark 5:25-26)

For twelve years this woman had to go through many painful things at the direction of physicians in order to be healed. She had also spent all the money she had, but grew worse. Isn't it interesting that today if you take your automobile to a mechanic (auto doctor so to speak) to have a problem fixed they too charge a fee for their labors and they have every right to do so. However, if the same problem reoccurs within a certain time frame, most mechanic will correct the problem and some will not charge an additional fee to correct the same problem. In this story we see just the opposite. Not one physician fixed her ailment, but they all took her money. I know of several believers who have had this very thing happen. They went to one physician who prescribe treatment, it did not work, so they went to another physician and then another, and unfortunately they met the same results as this woman. But let's look at what this woman eventually did... 

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." (Mark 5:27-28)

Notice that she had only heard about Jesus. This is one of those important keys to understanding God's will when it comes to healing. The four gospels reveal the ministry of Jesus as He walked on the earth as a man. The apostle Paul tells us, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
(Romans 10:17) As believers hear the Word of God we first must believe that it is truth and that it does not change. When this occurs, God's Word will build ones faith. This woman only heard about Jesus and it is apparent that whatever she heard began to build faith in her, For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." I am sure her mind was saying, "You saw many physicians and got worse, no one can help you," but her heart was saying, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.

This is where many believers miss the healing that God has provided for them through Jesus Christ. They have either been trained that "healing has stopped because the church has the completed Word of God in the Bible and therefore God does not provide healing in the church today as He did in the early church" or they believe that God does indeed heal but have trouble releasing their faith and receive it.

The first of these issues is one that is not easily over come. It has been taught and accepted by many church leaders due to a poor interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (if you read this passage you will note  that healing is not even mentioned) and a lack of faith applied to the scriptures. The second issue is common among believers that do believe that God heals today but as mentioned,  may have trouble releasing their faith to receive their healing. Hebrews records, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Faith (which is now) make hope (which is future) a present reality even though there may not be any physical evidence. The latter issue totally rejects divine healing whereas in the former issue, faith can always grow and the believer can receive their healing. Let's look at the results of faith overcoming physical realities... 

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  Her faith gave substance to hope and manifested the reality of Gods healing in the now. We must look beyond our minds saying something to this effect, "well that was her but it won't work for me." This is doubt working and will neutralize faith every time. God has provided healing through Jesus Christ and like the woman with the issue of blood all one needs to do is believe. Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23) Now let's look at Jesus response to the woman... 

"And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction." (Mark 5:25-34) Remember, this woman was motivated by only hearing about Jesus and by applying her faith in Him she was healed of her affliction. Beloved, it is just that simple. The LORD has not made it difficult for you to receive all that He has. He has only asked that we believe. 

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) He who comes to God must believe that He is. That He is what? Savior, Healer, Deliver, Provider, Protector, etc. Paul tells us in Romans 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." The word saved is the Greek word "sozo" which means to deliver, protect, heal, preserve, make whole, and so on. Romans 10:9 carries a far greater promise than regeneration only. However, most of the church today only uses this verse for salvation (in the sense of regeneration) and yet the Greek word for salvation "soteria" has the same definitions as does saved (sozo).

Again, I am not speaking out against physicians, but there are some sicknesses that medical science cannot cure. However, if you need a physician, then see a physician. It takes time for faith to develop in some areas of your Christianity. Sometimes a sickness may have a head start on your faith so don't let any one put you under any condemnation for going to see a physician. You must operate in the level of faith that you have, but do not stay on that level. Build up your faith through God's Word. Let His Word take up residence in your spirit and become part of you. In doing so, sickness will not be able to have place in of your life.

In short, the woman with the issue of blood heard of Jesus, turned hope into faith and then acted upon her faith by pressing through the sense realm of seeing is believing into the reality of the spiritual realm that believes without seeing. Please take some time and learn from the woman who had the issue of blood. Meditate on God's Word and then act upon it which will build your faith. Honestly, the same grace and faith that was present when you received Jesus as LORD and Savior is available for you today to be healed, delivered, protected, preserved and made whole, only believe...

A Noble Gesture

So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.  (John 4:46-48)

Here we see a nobleman coming to Jesus seeking help for his son who was sick. Look at Jesus’ response to the nobleman’s request, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” It almost sounds like Jesus is rebuking those around Him, especially the nobleman. Well, He is. This is noteworthy to every believer that needs to see a manifestation in order to believe. This was the problem that we see with the apostle Thomas after Christ's resurrection (John 20:24-29) he needed to see in order to believe. The God kind of faith (Mark 11:22) is able to believe that is has received without seeing to believe (Mark 11:24)

There may be times when there are not immediate results when looking to be healed of sickness, disease, injuries, all matter of pains or when you have a financial need, etc. If you have spoken God's Word or prayed and this happens, do not get discouraged, but think how you may have prayed or spoken. Are you sure that your words came from a heart filled with faith or a head filled with faith? Every person has faith, but not every person operates in the God kind of faith. Faith must be based on what God’s Word says and not based on a manifestation! If it is based on a manifestation then we are not operating in a heart filled with faith but in a head filled with faith.
Unfortunately when circumstances don’t immediately change, many believers become discouraged and slip into the natural (head) kind of faith. Their faith turns to hope by saying or thinking “If others see this person get up from this wheel chair” or their confession becomes one of doubt “I am not sure that God wants to heal” they defeat themselves because they give place to the devil. Doubt, fear and unbelief come from the devil not God.

Smith Wigglesworth said it this way, “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m moved only by what I believe.”
What he was talking about is not what he beleives in his mind, what what he believes in his heart. The apostle Paul tells us, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10) Next we see the nobleman's response to Jesus...

"The nobleman said to Him, Sir, come down before my child dies! Jesus said to him, Go your way; your son lives. So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, Your son lives! Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives. And he himself believed, and his whole household." (John 4:49-23)

Once again we see the nobleman plead with Jesus on behave of his son. Jesus respose to the man in an entirely different way and says, "Go your way; your son lives." Why would Jesus go from rebuking those around Him to speaking the word's of healing, "Your son lives?" It is due to one thing, "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him." His son was not present. The nobleman did not see a manifestation of healing. He simple believed and recieved the word that Jesus spoke to him and then he got the manifestation.
It is just that simple.

However, for most believers it is a diffecult thing (pride) to admit that their faith is weak so they have been taught to blame God for them not receiving what they have desired of Him. They do not blame Him directly but their words are cloaked in religious jargen like, "Whatever the LORDS will is" or "God has some purpose for not healing or providing for me." Please understand three things...

God's Word never fails. What He said He will do, He does...
"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Number 23:19)
Faith from the heart and not the head is the only faith that God responds to...
"For with the heart one believes..." (Romans 10:10)
Your faith can always grow...
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)  

Jump up and Shout

The Apostles Peter and John had a very interesting encounter one day as they made their way to the temple to pray at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. When they arrived at the temple there was "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 from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms." The incredible thing is what took place next...

"And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: 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. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them walking, leaping, and praising God." (Acts 3:4-8)

What had taken place is that Peter used the authority in Jesus’ name to command or demand the lame man to be healed. Peter did not demand anything of God, because God didn’t make this man lame, Satan did. Peter was demanding that which was contrary to God’s will to come into alignment with God’s will. Peter knew what Jesus had spoken to them. He had no doubt, only faith in God's Word.
"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. And whatever you ask (demand something due) in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask (demand something due) anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:12-14) This was not only a statement made to the Apostles but to "HE WHO BELIEVES."
When Jesus taught His disciple to pray as recorded in Matthew's gospel He made some very important and powerful declarations, one of which is...

"Your (Our Father in Heaven) kingdom come. Your (Our Father in heaven) will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) So let's answer this question. Is it the Father's will for there to be sickness, diseases, plagues, pains or injuries in heaven? Of course not! Well if it is the Father's will for these things in heacen, then it is also the Father's will that these things take place on earth. HEALING IS GOD'S WILL!!!

Now we know that there is all manner of  sickness, diseases, plagues, pains or injuries on the earth, but it is not the Father's will, it is Satan and the destructive nature of sin that is still in operation on the earth. However, like Peter, believers have the authority in the name of Jesus to "ASK" demand that which is contrary to God’s will to come into alignment with it. "Whatever you ask (demand) in My Name, I will do it.”

We also see in this encounter that Peter and John had with the lame man something else that is revealed here. “And he (Peter) took him (the lame man) by the right hand and lifted him up…” James says, "I will show you my faith by my works;" Peter was acting upon his faith. What he believed he confessed and acted upon it. Next we see the lame mans response; “So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them walking, leaping, and praising God.” The lame man also had a response in faith by acting upon what Peter demanded. How do we know this?

"And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." (Acts 3:16) Faith is produced or comes through Jesus. The church is His body and His fullness dwells in His body. If this is so, then we must understand as the head has power and authority to move mountains, then the body also has the same power and authority because the head and the body are one. But believers must keep this very important fact in mind. Believers are not the basis of power and authority, "It is His name, faith in His name" that releases the supernatural, period.