Amazing Love

Though resurrection Sunday was celebrated yesterday, let us never forget the great price that our wonderful Savior paid to save humanity from the grips of the devil. Let's begin by turning to the four gospels, it is there we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that He would ever face. We see Him arrested, taken to the High Priest Caiaphas; insulted and struck; He is taken before Pilate, then Herod; He was mocked; see Him scourged, His back laid open, blood flowing, His flesh torn as the cruel blows fall mercilessly upon His bared back by the awful Roman lictor. His own clothes replaced with the mock garment of kingly authority; a mock crown of thorns pressed deep upon His brow; more mocking comes and His own clothes are placed roughly about Him, and He is started out for Golgotha, staggering beneath His own Cross. We see Him fal1under its weight, and Simon of Cyrene is compelled to bear it.

Weakened by the loss of blood from the merciless beating, He staggers blindly up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers who encircle Him. He is laid roughly down upon the cross on His back, and the Roman soldiers with cruel hate drive the spikes into His hands and feet; then He is lifted up naked, and the Cross is dropped into a hole to support it. Jesus the Nazarene is crucified! We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the chief priest's hurling their bitter taunts in the face of the suffering Son of God. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their priesthood. Such a horrific sight. It was not a sight for angels, or for men, but for demons only, and yet the worse was yet to come for the suffering Substitute.

Jesus, who is God the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14) is now man's sin Substitute. He has taken Man's place. The whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. (Galatians 3:13) God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and places it upon Jesus until the sin of the world has entered into His very being. Jesus, nailed to the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, has become the outcast of heaven and earth. From the cross the Son of God cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Finally, the time had come when "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." (Mark 15:37) As mentioned before, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that he would ever face, it was finally here.

Not only was it the Father's plan for His sinless Son to die on the cross and His blood be shed for all humanity, but he was to go to hell itself to pay the full penalty of man's sin. God in His justice could not have acquitted humanity so that he could stand in His presence through eternity, until every charge against him had been wiped off the books. (Isaiah 43:25) Only then could man stand before God as clean and as free as though he had never sinned. God could not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. Jesus tells us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Peter quotes David the king, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27)  The story unfolds.

Peter tells us, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18) Notice that He was made alive in spirit. He would not have been made alive in spirit had not He died in spirit. As it was with Adam, so it was with Jesus. Jesus died in spirit on the cross, before He died in the flesh. Peter declares that Jesus not only died in the flesh, physically, but that He also died in spirit, spiritually, and therefore His resurrection was a double resurrection. He was made alive, first in spirit, and then in the flesh, His spirit being raised from the dead and re-united with His body. The Apostle Paul tells us, "He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Here is a picture of Christ in hell, with the whole host of demons attempting to keep Him there, but when the penalty of our sin had been paid in full, Satan had no power to hold Him.

Paul tells us, "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The very moment the sin problem was settled, the moment Jesus
Christ was legally justified, was made alive in spirit once more, He cast off the hosts of demons, and became the Master of hell by taking from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:8) Jesus died as our sacrificial Lamb, but He rose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. The matchless, mighty Son of God had gone into the strong mans house, bound him and took his spoils. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus has taken from Satan all his authority, his dominion and now offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace. What does this mean to humanity?

It means that every person who turns from their sin, confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and takes Him as their Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God, free and clear of all charges against them. It means that God is vindicated, He has taken advantage of no one. He can now save believers and judge the sinners for rejecting His way to freedom. It means that Satan is defeated, and man can be free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, death and all the works of the devil. (Romans 8:37) It means that man is legally justified, declared righteous (Romans 5:1) and is an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). It means that man, through faith in Christ receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25) It means that man can become a child of God and have all the privileges as sons and daughters. (John 1:12-13) It means that heaven is legally the home of God's children. (John 14:1-4)

So, let us look beyond "Resurrection Sunday" and live in the triumphant, abundant life that Jesus has given to us. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Remember, we are no longer imprisoned or enslaved by the god of this world. So, let us never forget the cross, that is, what Jesus has done for us!!! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always....

Love Enters Jerusalem

The life and ministry of Jesus Christ while He was physically on earth was nothing less the the operation of the surrounding, abounding, infinite love of God. This is clearly revealing throughout scripture. We see the revelation of the God of love more clearly portrayed in the New Testament.  ^"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10) These are just a few scriptures among many, but they do express God's great unwavering, incredible  love for sinful man.

We only have to look at verses of scripture like these to realize that everything that God does toward humanity is all through love. Even at the treason committed by Adam in the Garden, did not arouse God's wrath toward Adam or the woman. Yes, judgment was past, but it was the result of Adam's transgression not God's wrath. In other words, Adam made the decision, he made the choice to rebel against the one command that God gave to him. The result was what God said would happen, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) The literal translation says, "In dying you will die." In other words, Adam died spiritually the moment he broke God's commandment and then he died physically 930 years later. God did not bring this upon Adam, he chose it for himself. It was not God's will! It was Adam's choice. I labor this because many believers have been trained to believe that things like sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc., are God's will when they are not.

Not only do scriptures like John 3:16, Romans 5:8 and 1 John 4:10 clearly show us God's loves towards fallen man, we must also keep in mind scripture like John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  God's love is to save humanity not condemn or destroy humanity. If sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc., are God's will for humanity, they why did he set in motion before the foundation of the world the redemption of man?  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." (Ephesians 1:3-4) In fact, His redemption for man began at the fall of man, "So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

God did not stop there, He shed innocent blood to cover mans sin, "Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21) This points to innocent blood that would be shed by God again. This time, His own blood. The ultimate sacrifice that would not cover sin but take it away forever. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. However, prior to the death of Jesus we see the love of God in action through Him. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) "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)

It should not take much faith to see that love has no part in sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. All of these things are the result of the fall of man, the actions of the devil and the poor choices that people constantly make, not God. In fact, God describes love this way, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) Let's be not only honest but logical. If sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. is the will of God, who is love, then we either have no idea how loves works; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a misprint and should not be part of the Bible; or love is hatred in disguise. Because we know in our heart that none of these three ideas are true, we also know that sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. are not the work of God nor are they His Will. He is love and all that He does is through love. 

The life and ministry and life of Jesus is the greatest revelation of the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan that the Bible records. "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them..." (Matthew 9:35-36) This again is only one incident of many, revealing the love of Father God operating through the life and ministry of Jesus. God has not limited these things from operating today. It is the faithless doctrines of the so called religious wise who have taken the same position of the Pharisees and Sadducee's as recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. "Jesus answered and said to them, well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:6-8, 13)   

Food for thought: Is there any parent among you that can say it is your will that your child or children should suffer from sickness or disease? That somehow sickness and disease would be a good and loving thing for your child or children because it has a mysterious purpose to teach them something? That if your child is disobedient, you would like sickness or disease to ravage their body or mind to disciple them? Of course you would not. In fact if your children do become sick or injured your heart cries out for relief so they do not have to suffer. Jesus said, "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 7:11) "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) 

Next Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday. It is when agape enter Jerusalem for the purpose of setting humanity free. Praise the Lord for His surrounding, abounding love for all people especially His Children!!!      

Building On Christ Alone

The entire earth ministry of Jesus is one of the most exciting events in the history of man. It was completely focused on Jesus revealing the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan to humanity. His ministry and what is revealed in the Gospel's is the foundation for all doctrine in the church. However, many of the doctrines accepted by many sectors of the church since the Protestant Reformation completely exclude the very things that Jesus said and did. This was not so in the early church. We must remember that the doctrine that the Apostle Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 was the revelation that God Himself gave to him from he Old Testament concerning Christ. He did not have the New Testament. It had not yet been written. Galatians 1:11-18 reveals Paul's previously advanced knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures and the revelation of Christ the he received directly from God during the three years that he spent in Arabia.

It was Paul himself that said, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."   (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) First, the apostle Paul warns us to "take heed how we build." He goes on to tell us that he builds upon Christ. So all doctrine must be built upon Christ. Any doctrine the circumvents Christ will always lead to error.

I mention the above in greater detail than in the last part of this series because of the importance of us fully understanding the ministry of Jesus as He reveals the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan. If we do not see these facts, we can be drawn into believing the erroneous doctrines accepted in the church that promote sickness and disease as a part of God's will for His children. Remember, Jesus only spoke and did what was from the Father. He did not initiate any of His words or actions. They all came from the Father. Let us now look at addition scripture that reveals the Father's Will concerning healing as seen through the ministry of Christ.

The Apostle Peter was sent by God to preach Christ to Cornelius and His household and makes this statement, "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) If God does not change (Malachi 3:6) and Jesus Christ (the Word became flesh) is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) then we must accept the fact that Jesus is still doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." How does He still do this? Through the church, His Body!

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) Sin is the work of the devil and as we discovered in a previous part of this series, sin and sickness come from the same source, the devil and therefore they are synonymous.

Finally, the writer of Hebrews records, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14) Although this refers to spiritual death and eternal life, let us be honest, sickness and disease in any form steals life. It is death in progress. Jesus not only destroyed death, but took away the power of the one who had the power of death. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) It is the devil that brings sickness and disease upon people, not God. As we clearly see, Jesus brings life. There is absolutely no life in sickness and or disease. If we truly believe that God's Word is truth, and it most certainly is, then me must exercise faith and accept His truth. The grace of the Lord be with you...

The Report of the LORD

Probably the most overlooked truth to specific matters involving healing is revealed in the earth walk ministry of Jesus Christ. There are several places in the New Testament that express this truth but it is more profound in the Gospel of John. During Jesus' final instructions to the apostles found in John chapters 13 through 17, we see a conversation that Jesus has that focuses around both Thomas and Philip. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:1-7)

Notice the statement that Jesus makes in response to Thomas. His response holds a very important key for us to grasp, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Jesus is the way to the Father, the truth concerning the Father and life as the Father is life. In other words, any teaching on healing must be built upon Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that John has already revealed to us in the first chapter of his Gospel who Jesus is. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...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 1:1-2, 14) God the Word simply put on human flesh and was given the name Jesus. The Word in human flesh did not change or diminish in any way. (Isaiah 40:8; Malachi 3:6) So when Jesus said, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also" He meant exactly that. Knowing Jesus, His nature, character, words, actions, His very person was to know the Father, that is, the Godhead. The apostle Paul tells us, "For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9) Again, any teaching on healing (as well as all doctrine) must be upon Christ. "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:1)

Next, we see Philip question Jesus and Jesus' response. Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (John 14:8-11) Here lies another important key. To see Jesus is to see the Father. Jesus is telling Philip that every verbal expression and every action that is observed in the life and ministry of Jesus is the Father. Jesus is revealing the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan. The writer of Hebrews tells us in a similar way, "Who (Jesus) being the brightness of His (The Father's) glory and the express image of His (The Father's) person..." (Hebrews 1:3} Another translation says, "And He  (Jesus) is the radiance of His (The Father's) glory and the exact representation of His (The Father's) nature..." To fully grasp this, faith must operate over the reasoning of the mind. 

Jesus tells Philip that His words and actions are not His but the Father's. This is due the the connection that Jesus has with the Father. Remember, the Word simply put on Human flesh. Jesus is God the Word in human flesh. He is the exact representation of the Godhead. The very essence of the Godhead in human flesh. Jesus makes another statement concerning His relationship with the Father to Philip. "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works." If Philip does not have the faith to believe who Jesus is, then Jesus is asking Philip to consider the very works that He did or was doing. Facts are, no other person to date in the history of man performed the works that Jesus was doing. Why? His works were the works of deity. They were a reflection of the Father's will.

The sad thing for many believers today is that they have been inoculated with the doctrines of man that contradict the very words that Jesus spoke to Thomas and Philip. They teach that God does not heal in the same manner as He did through the ministry of Jesus and the early church. Therefore, healing is today is unpredictable, unreliable and inconsistent. That healing comes down to a choice that only God makes. God chooses who he wants to heal and when He wants to heal. This of course is completely inconsistent with scripture and has permitted the devil to raise havoc in the Body of Christ in the form of sickness, disease and even premature death. God's will has not changed. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Remember, God the Word simply put on human flesh, He was called Jesus and as we see clearly, He never changes. The statement that Jesus made to Philip is what must be addressed today, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works." What are you going to believe? Where is your faith? Whose report are you going to believe, Gods or mans? No doubt, we will believe the report of the LORD! .        

What A Comprehensive Redemption

God's brilliant plan of redemption is so far reaching, and unfortunately far to many Christians have limited it to only the forgiveness of sin and a trip to heaven at the end of this life.  The word redemption itself means, deliverance upon payment of ransom; to rescue. For Christians it carries with it, deliverance from sin through the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ. Deliverance means, to rescue from bondage; to rescue from moral corruption or evil. This is the price that Jesus paid for humanity. The hope of heaven is just that, it is future. But while we are on this earth we have been delivered, we have been set free from all the bondage, corruption and evil that has come upon the earth through Satan.

Sickness and disease is bondage! To be in bondage is to be bound by, subjected to, or under the influence of an external power. That external power is Satan. How did Satan get this power to hold humanity in bondage? It started in the Garden of Eden when Satan approached the woman as a serpent and deliberately challenged God's Word to deceive her. (Genesis 3:1) Once she allowed her mind to reason, it was all but over for her. The Bible records that the woman was deceived (I Timothy 2:13-15) She believed the lie of Satan instead of God’s Word. However, Adam sin was a deliberate choice. He sinned knowingly. (Genesis 3:6) Due to his position as the representative of all mankind, his sin was therefore charged to the entire human race. (Romans 5:12-21)

In both Genesis 1:26-30 and Psalm 8:3-8 we see that God gave Adam control over creation. In a sense, Adam was the god of the world. However, the Gospel according to Luke records the temptations of Christ. It is here that we see the result of Adam's treason concerning God's original plan for man in man's God given responsibility to have dominion over God's work of creation. "Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” (Luke 4:5-7) Notice that the kingdom's of the world had been delivered to Satan. Adam's act of treason was just that. He forfeited his dominion, authority and control of "The work of God's hands" into the hands of Satan. The Bible tells us that now Satan is the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Although Satan is the God of this world, God's incredible plan of redemption came to earth. The Word of God, God the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14) to save the world, to bring salvation. (John 3:16)

However, taking a closer look at the words save, saved and salvation that we find in the Bible, we see that they have far greater meaning that most believers have come to know. The Greek Words that are translated salvation and saved in most English versions of the Bible are a form of the Greek word sozo. Various forms of this word are used more than 100 times in the New Testament. Although most churches and ministries tend to limit the words salvation and saved to the rebirth experience. However, the full meaning of this word goes beyond just being born again and going to heaven. A more complete meaning of sozo is; to save; deliver; protect; preserve; be made whole; to cure; to be made well; to heal. As we can see, sickness and disease have been dealt with through the redemption that God has brought to humanity through Jesus Christ. PTL..

What's A thorn Anyway

The Bible records another incident in which some teach as being God's Will concerning sickness and disease. It states that the Apostle Paul dealt with sickness in his body. However, a closer look at this reveals something entirely different.  This incident deals with what the Bible records as Paul’s thorn in the flesh. “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

For many, the thought that is widely accepted is that Paul had a sickness which God refused to heal. So let us look at this and see if this thinking is scriptural. First, the expression “thorn in the flesh” is used elsewhere in the Bible. It refers to what God said would happen to the Israelite's if they failed to obey Him by not driving out the inhabitants of the land which the Lord had given to them. “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.” (Numbers 33:55) 

Next, Paul says, “…a messenger of Satan to buffet me…” The word messenger is the same word most often transliterated as “angel” elsewhere in the New Testament. Paul is saying that the thorn in the flesh was an angel of Satan that buffeted him. To buffet means to strike with a fist. Paul never says that the buffeting was sickness. After Gods response, Paul then says that he would rather boast in his infirmities. The word infirmity in this scripture does not mean sickness, but weakness. This is why God’s response is as such, “… for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Again, not sickness but weakness. Therefore, we conclude that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a satanic angel that stirred up persecution against Paul wherever he went.

Let's look at some of the things that Paul dealt with for the gospel's sake that reveals the persecution that he faced. "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:22-28)

Can any one of us honestly say that they have suffered what Paul had suffered for Christ? No! He was not sick or sickly but persecuted. He understood something that most in the church cannot even comprehend, Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, (weakness) that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, (weakness) in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul understood that weakness was nothing more than the place where the power of God could come upon him. Honestly, if God's power is going to come upon a person, sickness and or disease will certainly be dispossessed. PTL

Good and Perfect Things From God

Some of the misconception concerning God's will and sickness again arise out from, "Not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29) One of these comes from the life of Job. In short, many have taught that because God was present when Satan came before Him concerning Job, that it must have been Gods will for Job to suffer such great loss. But is this true? Let us look at what happened in the life of Job.

Many believe that God allows suffering and sickness to come on His children, believers, in the same or similar way that He allowed it on Job. First, we must keep in mind that Satan is the accuser. (Revelation 12:10) When we look at the account of Jobs life, we must keep this in mind. First, Satan accused God of protecting Job. Next, he accused Job in saying that Job would curse God to His face if he were permitted to assault him, his family and possessions (Job 1:6-22, 2:10) Most are taught that this was all part of God’s will for Job, yet why would God speak so highly of Job in both attacks of the devil if this were so?  "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” (Job 2:3)

The fact of the matter is, these attacks on Job had absolutely nothing to do with Gods will nor some mysterious purpose of God for Job. Job himself had given Satan permission to do these things by his own words, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Fear is not from God, it is from Satan. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, "God has not given you a spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7) We must also keep in mind that God is just. Look at what Elihu tells Job and his three friends concerning God, “As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.” (Job 37:23)

Notice, God is abundant in justice; He does not oppress or afflict. If I may paraphrase in more modern terms what Elihu said, "Hey guys, none of these things that has happened to Job is from God nor a part of His will, He done not afflict, oppress, torment, torture or cause one to suffer." Another important thing to keep in mind is God is just, He is consistent with what is morally right; He is righteous; Everything He does is good and right. Do we honestly believe that what Job had experienced matches up even in the most minute way with God who is just?

The fact is, God who is just does not bend justice for anyone. He is just to Himself, man and even the Satan. If He did not hold His justice on an immovable plain, then man and Satan could accuse God of not being just, showing favoritism and or partiality to who he chooses. However, that is not consistent with scripture. "For there is no partiality with God." (Romans 2:11) No, Gods justice is so immovable that Perfect Deity had to become humanity to satisfy a broken law and the claims of justice. It was not God’s will, nor some mysterious purpose for these things to happen to Job, it was Satan who was given permission by Job's own words. Job gave place to the devil and when accused before God, Gods justice had to be upheld.

Another key factor in these events is revealed at the end of the book of Job. First Job repents before the Lord, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) Repentance takes away all territory in ones life that Satan has laid claim to. Satan is no place in a believers life through repentance. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) the confessing of sin to God removes the unrighteousness which gives place to Satan in ones life.   

Next, we see what God was able to do, due to Job's repentance, “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 42:12) Some have been led to believe that it was God's will for Job to suffer in the way he did so that God could bless him. I do not know about you, but that sounds sadistic to me. No, God’s will is to bless, especially those who are in Christ. (Galatians 3:29) There is not one sane person that can honestly say that what Job suffered was a blessing. God is a God of life (John 10:10) There is certainly no life in sickness and disease, on the contrary, sickness and disease is death in progress, but Jesus came to bring life and life more abundantly and James also tells us, "Every GOOD gift and every PERFECT gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17) PTL...