Compromised teaching and preaching are everywhere and you can't find a single Local Church which will not open their doors to preachers with doubtful man-pleasing doctrine. As long as you have credentials for a "big time" ministry and as long as you have a title before your name, like Dr. or Rev. you are welcome. You are more than welcome if you are skillful in keeping Churchgoers happy so that the pews of the Church will always be occupied. You can be sure you will be invited again and again if the majority of the Churchgoer like your entertaining preaching. In fact mega Churches have been built with men-pleasing doctrine (Please read my earlier message: "Mega-Churches that are merely Store Houses").
The apostle Paul warned Timothey that the time would come when his teaching would come under attack as believers will desert the truth for ear-itching words - words that are pleasing and gratifying.
Paul said, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth ...." (2 Tim. 4:3, 4, NIV, emphasis added).
I believe this prophecy of Paul is being fulfilled now. Sound doctrine is so offensive to many Church going Christians that they have to up with it. In order to ease the pain and discomfort of Churchgoers Church leaders everywhere welcome this "new breed" of man-pleasing preachers. Unfortunately they failed to realize that unsound doctrine is a product of believers' lust and evil desires compounded by the lies of Satan adding and subtracting from God's Word. In the eyes of God a compromising preacher makes himself in a position higher than Him - they have the self-given authority to edit the Bible so as to improve on what the Scripture says!
Definition of Compromised teaching
It is not easy to define exactly what is meant by compromised teaching. It is easier to illustrate with examples. To me an uncompromised preacher is someone who is ever ready to preach or to teach any Bible topic at any time. Try asking a woman Pastor to preach about her role in the Church you will see what I mean (Please refer to my earlier message: "Male-Female Role Relationship in the Church"). She will not be able to do it without having to compromise. Or you can ask any Pastor to preach about Tithing in the New Testament Church. Ask him to support his view by referring to the Churches mentioned in the Book of Acts. Ask him whether the Testament church should practice tithing or free-will offering. Again he will not be able to do it without having to compromise. A compromised preacher will choose a Bible topic that is generally accepted so as not to offend anyone.
The passion and integrity in Ministry
We are dealing with the ministry of teaching and preaching of God's Word. There is a difference in the ministry of a teacher and the ministry of a preacher. A preacher's desire is to impact the hearers' individual lives with God's Word in a meeting to get them to do something. On the other hand, a teacher's desire is to change your life for the rest of your life. In fact this precisely is the purpose of my weekly Bible messages.
The passion, integrety and consistency in Paul's ministry
Paul was an apostle and a preacher, teacher, evangelist and a Church planter. He was at the end of his ministry and he called for the Ephesian Elders and exhorted them with these words:
"You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:18 - 21, NKJV, emphasis added).
In my opinion, from the above discourse, Paul was the most tender, affectionate, and eloquent man of God ever found in any of the New Testament epistles.
As a preacher Paul lived among the people and "served the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials". A true preacher not only preaches the Word but preaches out of his lifestyle.
As a teacher Paul "kept back nothing that was helpful and taught publicly and from house to house.
As an evangelist and a Church Planter Paul "testified the Good News to both Jews and Gentiles and preached to them the need of "repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ".
Paul, a faithful servant of the Lord was able to say: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
Paul finished his calling well! Can we say the same thing with our contrmporary ministers who minister in Churches world wide?
The Problem of Professionalism in today's Church ministry
One of the problems with long time ministry today is that it begins will - with passion and ends up with professionalism. It begins with passionate love and concern for people and passionate love for Christ and His Church but ends up with complacency and self love. It begins with seeking out anointed people with ministry gifts (1 Cor. 12) with the right character but ends up hiring people who have credentials and offering them professional ministries in the Church. These people are very professional in the way they preach; in the way they organize the Church and Church groups and whatever.
One of the strong emphasis coming out of the American Mega Churches is professional in whatever things you do - professional in the music, professional in their children and youth ministries, professional in their presentation, drama, etc, etc. Some say they are doing things "a-cut-above" in excellence. But do they know that there is a big difference between excellence and professionalism? I support being excelled in excellence and I wrote about it - you can find it in this Blog.
Professionalism has something to do with the heart where our spirit dwells! The root of the problem is the heart. The major difference between the passionate ministry of Paul and the ministry of today's professinal ministers is that, in the case of Paul he walked in the Spirit and at all time led by the Spirit of God. On the other hand, these professional ministers failed to walk in the Spirit but led by their flesh.
Paul said, "walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish" (Ga;. 5:16, 17).
"The lust of the flesh" includes "selfish ambitions" and "heresies" (Gal. 5:19 - 21). And Paul said these people "will not inherit the kingdom of God".
The Holy Spirit in Paul caused him to "serve the Lord with all humility, with many tears, ..." (Acts 20:19).
Paul finished the "race" with humility, tears and with passion and compassion. He finished his God given ministry and looked forward to receive the crown of righteousness (1 Tim. 4:8). On the other hand, these professional ministers will finish their race when they have no more gimmicks to offer - but they end up missing heaven! Furthermore professional Church Elders and professional Pastors produce professional Church members. All of them will meet the same end!
An example of a professional healing minister
A professional minister comes to your Local Church equipped with a string of credentials and written testimonies and recommendations from his mother Church. He misquoted (taking a verse out of context) - John 14:12 which he said make ordinary Churchgoers do greater works than Jesus! He gives Churchgoers a healing seminar and also brings along some tapes and books to sell. The Local Church Pastor and leaders get excited and produce bulletin to inform Churchgoers of other Local Churches so that those who are sick could get healed and at the same time learn how to minister healing to the sick. At the end of the seminar all who attended will be awarded with a certificate indicating that they are now qualified to minister healing to the sick. I wonder who is truly qualified to issue this type of certificate in the eyes of God. But one thing I know this certainly appeal to the ego of those who received it - the work of the flesh again!
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave a warning to the His disciples:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matt. 7:21 - 23, NKJV, emphasis added).
Personally I don't believe these professional ministers who made these claims of able to prophesy, cast out demons, and work wonders are lying. They had actually done what they claimed. But being able to do all these and teach others to do likeswise does not necessarily prove that God knows this person. God looks at his heart and the hearts of those who were taught by him. From God's perspective in eternity He had looked below their public ministry into their personal lives. He had searched for the nature of the Lamb, manifested in meekness and purity and holiness. But in vain!
Outwardly, these professional ministers had been busy serving the Lord, but in their innermost character God had discerned something described as "lawlessness". This expressed itself in attitudes such as pride, arrogance, self -seeking, covetousness and personal ambition. For such, He had no place reserved in heaven!
Compromised teaching is a recipe for sickness and disease
Please refer to my previous healing messages before you read this. As I have said God's Word is the source of healing and God's Word is His recipe for health. Now if this is true then adulterated God's Word is a recipe for sickness and disease. Compromised teaching or preaching is the same as proclaiming adulterated God's Word. It follows that both preacher and hearers of adulterated God's Word are likely to be unhealthy.
Different emphasis on Proverbs 4 on "health"
Allow me to quote Proverbs 4 again but this time with different emphasis:
"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20 - 22, NKJV, emphasis added).
God was speaking to believers because non-believers will not read or understand His Word. When God said, "my words" and "my sayings" He expects us to get His message. He was essentially telling us that there are other words and other sayings. His emphasis was on His Words and His Sayings.
God's conditions or recipe for good health is that you keep His Word, and His Word only, in the midst of your heart. He promised life and good health for you if you do that. If you are going to keep other words and other sayings in the midst of your heart instead, you are essentially opening the doors for the devil to bring sickness and disease to your body.
The average churchgoer, even Pastor, read more Christian books than the Bible. And they can quote you what famous book writers said. They are able to quote because they keep the book writers' words in the midst of their heart - or rather, in their soul. Man's words appeal to the soulish part of your person and certainly can make you feel good. God's Word is Spirit and the Bible is written by the Holy Spirit and it has the power to heal you and keep you healthy.
You can read and remember to quote the words of the most famous devotional Christian book writer but you will not enjoy good health. The end result is that you might even open doors for a curse to come in your life.
Moses said, "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you" (Duet. 28:15, NKJV).
Notice that God's voice is His Words for He speaks to us through His Words. Notice also that the cause of curses is exactly the opposite to that of blessings. Blessings result from hearing God's voice and doing what he says. Curses result from not hearing God's voice and not doing what He says. The refusal to hear and obey God's voice can be summed up in one word: Rebellion - not against man, but against God.
Moses' list of curses in Deuteronomy 28 includes various chronic sicknesses and diseases - severe burning fever and inflammation (V. 22), incurable boils (V. 27, 35), tumors (types of cancer) (V. 27).
Tumor or cancer is a direct result of God's judgment on sin
1 Samuel 5 tells us that when the Ark of God was captured by the Philistines they did not know what to do with it. So they took the Ark and brought if from town to town. But wherever they took the Ark the people there were cursed with tumor of cancer:
"But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory" (1 Sam. 5:6, NKJV).
"For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city: the hand of God was very heavy there, and the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven" (1 Sam. 5:11, 12).
The Philistines repented and made restitution by sending the Ark of God back to Israel (1 Sam. 6).
Therefore Christians afflicted by cancer because of their rebellion against God need to seek the Lord and repent. Surely true Christians are more humble than the Philistines!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Major Causes of Sickness and Disease
According to a survey made by a well known Health Organization about 80% of all patients in hospitals world wide cannot be cured with medicine. Also about 90% of all mentally disturbed Christians admitted in mental hospitals in some Western countries simply because they feel within themselves they have committed unpardonable sins and that there is no way that God can forgive them. So we see, people are being destroyed by something. If medicine is not curing them and God does not send sickness and disease to destoy them, then someone or something is destroying them. If Christians are indeed what the Bible says they are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), how come these things have power over them?
It is amazing that both the Bible and medical science tell us that the major causes of sickness and disease are strife, anger, bitterness, envy, contention, dissention, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc., etc. These are stress and emotional disturbances which produce chemical changes in human bloodstreams. These emotional disturbances cause our adrenal glands to secrete a hormone called adrenaline. When the body is under stress, the glands increase their secretion of adrenaline and pour it into the blood, which carries it to every part of the body. The hormone speeds up the beating of the heart. It also causes an increase in blood pressure and enables the muscles to work faster and longer. Adrenaline has extensive uses in medicine. It is used as a stimulant in certain heart conditions and is helpful in case of bronchial asthma and shock. But it causes stress on your heart and artery and also detrimental to your nervous and muscular system. This in turn brings symptoms of infirmity, sickness, disease and eventually death to your physical body.
The Biblical Viewpoint
First of all we must realize that the human mind which is the soulish part of the person can be subject to the devil's control. Medical doctors find this difficult to understand unless he is a Christian.
Paul said, "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the gods of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Cor. 4:4, NKJV, emphasis added).
If your mind is blinded by circumstances that cause strife then there is no way you can see the things of God and there is no way you can think the thoughts of God.
God said through Jeremiah, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and an hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
God's thoughts toward you are not evil but good. So you will have peace and not strife; joy and not harassment. On the other hand, the devil's thoughts toward you are evil and he takes away your peace and your joy by causing you to strife and at odds with other people around you.
The root cause of strife
People must get rid of the cause and not just the symptoms of strife because it can kill them. If you have a tree that produces too much leaves and you try to prune it by pulling out some leaves you will not solve the problem. The tree is going to bear more leaves. In order to stop the leaves to grow out of contol you have to get rid of the root because the root is what causes the leaves to come as it brings food to the tree.
Likewise if you have a problem of strife in your life you have to go to the root problem. The problem is in you and not in those around you - your mother-in-law or your Pastor. If you sove your own problem, the problem of those around you won't bother you at all. Or maybe the person in your life is a mirror of you and the people around your are just trying to show you that some of the things in your life need to be removed.
Paul said, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18, KJV, emphasis added).
The phrase "Hold the truth" means "keep back, restrain or hinder the truth". Notice you cannot know the truth if you are unrighteous at the beginning. That means before you are born again. Then God saves you and you begin to know the truth because the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you. Now God's wrath is against you because you purposely keep back the truth.
Paul said further, "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiter, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, desobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmercifu; who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Romans 1:29 - 32, KJV, emphasis added).
When you do these things or allow part of of the world to come into your life then the Bible says it will cause death to your physical body.
Now compare the above with what Paul said to the Galatians, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleaness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: ... that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19 - 21, KJV, emphasis added).
Notice the sin of strife is listed here with the sin of murder. Paul was saying that Christians who allow "the works of the flesh" to come into their lives will not inherit the kingdom of God.
So Christians have a choice and the right choice is to stay away from strife and live!
Strife is an abomination to God
Solomon wrote: "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16 - 19, NKJV, emphasis added).
In the original Hebrew language "discord" means "strife. strive, and disharmony". And so God hates people "Who sows strife among brethren". This is an abomination to Him
As members of the Body of Christ we have to understand that if we do what God hates it will open the door for the devil to come in and to do whatever he wants to do to us. He has the legal right to harass and torment us.
Solomon said, "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins" (Proverbs 10:12).
Hatred is of the devil and it stirs up strife; love is of God and it covers all sins. We have a choice and the logical thing to do is to choose love and not hatred.
Joy of the Lord
Paul said, "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowhip of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself" (Phil. 2:1 - 3, NKJV, emphasis added).
For Christians joy and love go together. If we think of our brethren more honorably than we think of ourselves and give them recognition and love them as Christ loves them, then we will fulfill God's joy. Now if you have God's joy then you also have God's strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When you have God's strength you don't have the sickness and disease operating in your life.
What if the person gets old? People get old in the flesh but that does not necessarily means when you are old you must be sick also. Old-age is not synonymous with sickness; it has nothing to do with sickness. You can be 120 years old and still perfectly healthy.
Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even thogh our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16).
If your inward man is being renewed day by day there is no room for sickness and disease!
The harmfulness of strife
Strife is harmful because it causes you to serve the devil and not God. If you are the man of the house and you have strife in your heart you are in essence bringing strife into your household. The devil can attack your wife, your children and make them sick. When you are sick with disease it can destroy your business. Christ has redeemed you and you have no right to condemn yourself with sickness and disease.
Strife hinders your prayers
Peter said, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7, emphasis added).
When you give honor to your wife you will not have strife with her. If you have strife in your heart even if you are praying in tonques God will not hear your prayer, let alone answering you. I believe this does not apply to your relationship with your wife alone, but to the whole Body of Christ. We are brethren and we are heirs together of the grace of life.
Strife makes your ministry ineffective
Paul said, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, ..." (2 Tim. 2:24, KJV, emphasis added).
The word "strive" in Greek means "quarrel, dispute or strife".
Paul was not just giving us a casual suggestion. As a servant of God you can't afford to have strife in your heart because it opens the door for sickness and disease to come in. Have you ever wondered why so many servants of God with great ministries have deadly diseases like cancer? You can't even pray for a minister down with cancer because God will not hear your prayer if he does not humble himself and repent. I believe God will restore him if he repents (1 John 1:9).
Strife keeps the Holy Spirit away
The Holy Spirit will not operate in your life when strife is operating. Why? Simple because darkness and light has nothing in common.
James said, "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of good conversation his words with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:13 - 15, KJV, emphasis added).
Strife is the product of the wisdom, not of God, but of the world, of the soul and of the devil. It is totally contrary to work of the Holy Spirit. Strife is in the soulish realm and it tries to control you. If your soul is not in control of you, then the question is, who controls your soul? If Christ controls your soul then you will do all things that God says to do. If someone else controls your soul then you will do what the world says to do.
Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so tha you do not do the things that you wish" (Gal. 5:16, NKJV).
If you want to do the things of God and not the things of the world you will have to crucify your flesh. You cannot crucify your own flesh. You need the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Call on Him and He will come and help you.
Strife causes one's bone to rot
Solomon said, "A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones" (Proverbs 14:30).
A sound heart (man's spirit) is a healthy heart controlled by the Holy Spirit. It gives life to the body. But envy, the product of the flesh (or carnal desire), like strife and all those listed in Galatians 5:19 - 21 cause the bones to rot.
Bone has bone marrow, a soft, gelatinous substance, consists of a network of blood vessels and fibers holding together blood-producing cells. If your bones start to rot, your blood will not be healthy, and your body will eventually be destroyed. Blood and bone disease can kill you.
Conclusion
I strongly believe that the Bible can explain things what medical science fails to explain. In a sense the Bible is an up-to-date medical encyclopedia.
Solomon said, "It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel" (Proverbs 20:3, NIV).
In the eyes of God a man who does not stay away from strif is a fool! And God has nothing good to say about a fool!
It is amazing that both the Bible and medical science tell us that the major causes of sickness and disease are strife, anger, bitterness, envy, contention, dissention, jealousy, unforgiveness, etc., etc. These are stress and emotional disturbances which produce chemical changes in human bloodstreams. These emotional disturbances cause our adrenal glands to secrete a hormone called adrenaline. When the body is under stress, the glands increase their secretion of adrenaline and pour it into the blood, which carries it to every part of the body. The hormone speeds up the beating of the heart. It also causes an increase in blood pressure and enables the muscles to work faster and longer. Adrenaline has extensive uses in medicine. It is used as a stimulant in certain heart conditions and is helpful in case of bronchial asthma and shock. But it causes stress on your heart and artery and also detrimental to your nervous and muscular system. This in turn brings symptoms of infirmity, sickness, disease and eventually death to your physical body.
The Biblical Viewpoint
First of all we must realize that the human mind which is the soulish part of the person can be subject to the devil's control. Medical doctors find this difficult to understand unless he is a Christian.
Paul said, "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the gods of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Cor. 4:4, NKJV, emphasis added).
If your mind is blinded by circumstances that cause strife then there is no way you can see the things of God and there is no way you can think the thoughts of God.
God said through Jeremiah, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and an hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
God's thoughts toward you are not evil but good. So you will have peace and not strife; joy and not harassment. On the other hand, the devil's thoughts toward you are evil and he takes away your peace and your joy by causing you to strife and at odds with other people around you.
The root cause of strife
People must get rid of the cause and not just the symptoms of strife because it can kill them. If you have a tree that produces too much leaves and you try to prune it by pulling out some leaves you will not solve the problem. The tree is going to bear more leaves. In order to stop the leaves to grow out of contol you have to get rid of the root because the root is what causes the leaves to come as it brings food to the tree.
Likewise if you have a problem of strife in your life you have to go to the root problem. The problem is in you and not in those around you - your mother-in-law or your Pastor. If you sove your own problem, the problem of those around you won't bother you at all. Or maybe the person in your life is a mirror of you and the people around your are just trying to show you that some of the things in your life need to be removed.
Paul said, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18, KJV, emphasis added).
The phrase "Hold the truth" means "keep back, restrain or hinder the truth". Notice you cannot know the truth if you are unrighteous at the beginning. That means before you are born again. Then God saves you and you begin to know the truth because the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you. Now God's wrath is against you because you purposely keep back the truth.
Paul said further, "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiter, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, desobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmercifu; who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Romans 1:29 - 32, KJV, emphasis added).
When you do these things or allow part of of the world to come into your life then the Bible says it will cause death to your physical body.
Now compare the above with what Paul said to the Galatians, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleaness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: ... that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19 - 21, KJV, emphasis added).
Notice the sin of strife is listed here with the sin of murder. Paul was saying that Christians who allow "the works of the flesh" to come into their lives will not inherit the kingdom of God.
So Christians have a choice and the right choice is to stay away from strife and live!
Strife is an abomination to God
Solomon wrote: "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16 - 19, NKJV, emphasis added).
In the original Hebrew language "discord" means "strife. strive, and disharmony". And so God hates people "Who sows strife among brethren". This is an abomination to Him
As members of the Body of Christ we have to understand that if we do what God hates it will open the door for the devil to come in and to do whatever he wants to do to us. He has the legal right to harass and torment us.
Solomon said, "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins" (Proverbs 10:12).
Hatred is of the devil and it stirs up strife; love is of God and it covers all sins. We have a choice and the logical thing to do is to choose love and not hatred.
Joy of the Lord
Paul said, "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowhip of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself" (Phil. 2:1 - 3, NKJV, emphasis added).
For Christians joy and love go together. If we think of our brethren more honorably than we think of ourselves and give them recognition and love them as Christ loves them, then we will fulfill God's joy. Now if you have God's joy then you also have God's strength (Nehemiah 8:10). When you have God's strength you don't have the sickness and disease operating in your life.
What if the person gets old? People get old in the flesh but that does not necessarily means when you are old you must be sick also. Old-age is not synonymous with sickness; it has nothing to do with sickness. You can be 120 years old and still perfectly healthy.
Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even thogh our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16).
If your inward man is being renewed day by day there is no room for sickness and disease!
The harmfulness of strife
Strife is harmful because it causes you to serve the devil and not God. If you are the man of the house and you have strife in your heart you are in essence bringing strife into your household. The devil can attack your wife, your children and make them sick. When you are sick with disease it can destroy your business. Christ has redeemed you and you have no right to condemn yourself with sickness and disease.
Strife hinders your prayers
Peter said, "Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7, emphasis added).
When you give honor to your wife you will not have strife with her. If you have strife in your heart even if you are praying in tonques God will not hear your prayer, let alone answering you. I believe this does not apply to your relationship with your wife alone, but to the whole Body of Christ. We are brethren and we are heirs together of the grace of life.
Strife makes your ministry ineffective
Paul said, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, ..." (2 Tim. 2:24, KJV, emphasis added).
The word "strive" in Greek means "quarrel, dispute or strife".
Paul was not just giving us a casual suggestion. As a servant of God you can't afford to have strife in your heart because it opens the door for sickness and disease to come in. Have you ever wondered why so many servants of God with great ministries have deadly diseases like cancer? You can't even pray for a minister down with cancer because God will not hear your prayer if he does not humble himself and repent. I believe God will restore him if he repents (1 John 1:9).
Strife keeps the Holy Spirit away
The Holy Spirit will not operate in your life when strife is operating. Why? Simple because darkness and light has nothing in common.
James said, "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of good conversation his words with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:13 - 15, KJV, emphasis added).
Strife is the product of the wisdom, not of God, but of the world, of the soul and of the devil. It is totally contrary to work of the Holy Spirit. Strife is in the soulish realm and it tries to control you. If your soul is not in control of you, then the question is, who controls your soul? If Christ controls your soul then you will do all things that God says to do. If someone else controls your soul then you will do what the world says to do.
Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so tha you do not do the things that you wish" (Gal. 5:16, NKJV).
If you want to do the things of God and not the things of the world you will have to crucify your flesh. You cannot crucify your own flesh. You need the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Call on Him and He will come and help you.
Strife causes one's bone to rot
Solomon said, "A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones" (Proverbs 14:30).
A sound heart (man's spirit) is a healthy heart controlled by the Holy Spirit. It gives life to the body. But envy, the product of the flesh (or carnal desire), like strife and all those listed in Galatians 5:19 - 21 cause the bones to rot.
Bone has bone marrow, a soft, gelatinous substance, consists of a network of blood vessels and fibers holding together blood-producing cells. If your bones start to rot, your blood will not be healthy, and your body will eventually be destroyed. Blood and bone disease can kill you.
Conclusion
I strongly believe that the Bible can explain things what medical science fails to explain. In a sense the Bible is an up-to-date medical encyclopedia.
Solomon said, "It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel" (Proverbs 20:3, NIV).
In the eyes of God a man who does not stay away from strif is a fool! And God has nothing good to say about a fool!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Healing and Health
We have seen from my two previous messages that as far as God is concerned when Jesus died on the cross He has provided mankind with salvation and healing. If you are not sure read 1 Peter 2:24 again. Because of this fact it is not appropriate for Christians to ask God to heal anyone. And if you are sick you don't ask God to heal you. The only thing you need to do is to receive it, thank Him, praise Him and walk in the healing you have received from God even in the midst of your symptoms of sickness, pain and discomfort. If you think it is not easy or impossible then read on.
Prerequisite for healing
In order to receive your healing you need to do three basic things:
1. You must hear the Word of God.
2. You must release your faith in God's Word and not your faith in your symptoms, not in your circumstances or in the words of your spouse, your friends or your fellow believers.
3. You must believe and trust the truth of God's Word. You must believe His Word whole heartedly in spite of what your symptoms tell you. You must believe that God cares about you whether you feel Him near you or not. God is omnipresent; He is everywhere and He covers everything.
The Bible says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chron. 16:9).
Biblical facts concernign sickness, disease and healing
The following is a list of Biblical facts about sickness, disease and healing. Some I have already mentioned in my previous messages:
1. Sickness does not come from God and He does not send sickness upon anyone. It is possible that someone close to you is a faithful and lovely Christian, recently got sick and died of a horribel disease. You can be sure God did not put it on him or her. God does not specialize in making people sick. Sickness or disease does not come from heaven because there is no evil in heaven. If sickness comes from heaven then God must be the source of it. No, God is the source of healing and not sickness. The devil is the source of sickness and disease.
2. God permits sickness but He does not ordain sickness. Sometimes God allows sickness to come as a result of man's sin, rebellion, disobedient to God's Word or lack of knowledge of God's Word. Sometimes He allows sickness to come to humble us - like Paul's thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7).
3. God said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you" (Ex. 15:26, NKJV).
Obedient to God's Word will keep you from sickness - He will not permit the devil to come near you. God will build a hedge around you as long as you do what the Bible says. In other words, health comes from following His Word!
4. Just as faith comes by hearing God's Word sickness comes by hearing the devil's words. Sickness comes from the devil and so if you open the door for the devil sickness will come. So the choice is yours - You can either choose to hear and obey God's Word or choose to hear and obey the words of the devil.
5. God sent both His written Word and His Living Word unto us. The written Word reminds us of the Living Word Jesus Christ (John 1:14). Therefore when we confess Christ we confess His Word.
Jesus said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32).
The right confession of His Word is very important in the sight of God. If we confess the things of God we'll possess the things of God and if we confess the things of the devil we'll possess the things of the devil (sickness and disease).
That is the reason why God said through Isaiah, "And the inhabitant will not say, 'I am sick'" (Isaiah 33:24).
Some God's people are so possessive that you often hear them say: "I have a headache". In other words, they are saying: "This headache is mine". Well, if this headache is yours you can keep it and why would God take what is yours away from you?
6. If I can't say "I am sick" then what should say? Well, say what Peter said, "... by whose stripes you were healed".
But what if I have the symptoms? Am I going to lie about it? No, you don't lie about symptoms because symptoms are real and the devil is also real! You should ask yourself - Who is more real, your symptoms or God? If God is more real then why do you major on the minor? If you feel all the pain in your body then you should get rid of it. How do you get rid of it? You should push the Word in and push the devil out!
Matthew said, "... that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses'" (Matt. 8:17).
Now, if He took our infirmities then we don't have it and if you take it then He doesn't have it. It is either you are set free or you are still in the bondage of sicknesses.
Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
The Lord's Prayer says, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).
If God's will is truly done on earth as it is in heaven then we should be free from any sickness or disease.
The word "disease" means exactly what it says - "dis-ease" or "no ease" or "no comfort". If we have disease then we are being tormented. But the Comforter (Holy Spirit) has come to set us free.
7. God's healing is not faith healing. God's healing is supernatural but the so-called faith healing is not of God. Your faith can't heal you but your faith in God's Word will heal you! See the difference? you are likely to find many "faith" people even in the Christian Church. These people like to generate faith in themselves by saying, "By faith I'm not sick" or "By faith I have no fever". What if someone says to you: "If you don't have a fever how come you are burning up"?
When the symptom is there you must recognize it or otherwise you are found lying. The symptom is put there by the devil to attack and torment your body. But knowing who you are and knowing what you are, you can speak the Word of God even if you don't feel like it. Ask yourself - which is greater, your pain or the Word of God? One thing about the devil is he is persistent and he will not quit; you have to punch him out with the Word of God.
8. Paul said, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God's" (1 Cor. 6:19, 20, emphasis added).
If your body is in pain with sickness and disease are you glorifying God with your body and spirit? Furthermore, if you are sick with pain you simply can't claim your body is truly the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is an insult to God to say that! Your body can't be the temple of the Holy Spirit and the house of the devil at the same time. Never listen to the lies of the devil.
Yes, it is difficult to praise God when you are in pain. But you must not stop praising God. The Bible says: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). The devil can't come betwee you and God because the One between you and God is Jesus Christ!
God's recipe for health
God has recipes for many things. God has a recipe for manna. He created manna to feed His people in the wilderness. God has a recipe for milk and honey. He also has a recipe for new wine. When Jesus turned water into wine He used the kind of recipe thaken from the natural and made it into supernatural. And because He has recipes for all these things He must have a recipe for health as well. My Bible says He has!
God's Word is His recipe for health
God is speaking to believers because non-believers will not read His Word:
"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20 - 22, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that life and health go together; when you have health you have life and when you have life you have health. In fact life and health are two things all men seek after above everything else, even money. How are you going to use your money if you are sick and diseased?
Jesus said, "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).
Note the contrast here: The devil comes to steal your life by killing and destroying you with sickness and disease but Jesus comes to give you abundant life! The abundant life that Jesus speaks about is a life without sickness and disease.
John said, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2).
Surely John was spreaking about true prosperity and abundant life!
Let us study this passage of Proverbs phrase by phrase:
1. "Give attention to my words". The primary key to receiving healing from God is hearing.
Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear" (Mark 4:24). He also said, "Take heed how you hear" (Luke 8:18). Putting the two together, it is what we listen to and how we listen to it that counts. We must listen to His Word (not the devil's words) attentively.
Notice what Jesus said is totally in line with what Exodus 15:26 says concerning the healing power of God's Word.
2. "Incline your ear to my sayings". To incline is to bend down and in order to incline your ear you have to incline your head. It is an attitude of humility and meekness in receiving His Word.
James said, "... and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).
3. "Do not let them depart from your eyes". The word "them" refers to God's words and God's sayings. The key thought in this command of God is "focus". Lack of focus gives rise to distraction - especially by unbelief and the devil's sayings.
Jesus said, "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, the whole body also is full of light; but when thene eye is evil, they body also is full of darkness" (Luke 11:34, KJV, emphasis added).
Here Jesus was dealing with the way we use our eyes. The phrase, "When thine eye is single" means we need to form a single image or focus. When we focus only on Jesus the result will be manifested in the whole body: "Thy whole body also is full of light".
I believe if your body is full of light it does not have room for sickness and disease. Sickness is from darkness but health is from light:
Prophet Malachi said, "But you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings" (Mal 4:2, NKJV).
The "Sun of Righteousness" speaks of Christ. If you fear the Lord, Christ will arise in you with with righteousness of God and healing of God. And a condition for healing and health is to fear God! A Christian who does not fear God will not get healed and enjoy good health!
4. "Keep them in the midst of your heart". God's Word is spirit and it must be taken in the midst of your heart where your spirit is.
If your doctor give you some medication for your ailment it will not do you any good unless you swallow the medicine regularly. Similarly, you can be a good born-again tongue-speaking Christian, go to Church regularly and listen to anointed sermons. But if you don't get the Word of God inside your spirit it will not do you any good and you are not going to get healed if you are sick.
Conclusion
If you have followed all the above steps, His Word will keep you healthy and will give you life (Proverbs 4:22).
God's recipe for health works for me and I believe it will work equally well for any Christian who believes.
Every Christian should have a sign following him:
Jesus said, "These signs will follow those who believe" (Mark 16;17). What you believe is what is going to follow you. If you believe the healing power of His Word the sign following you will be good health.
Prerequisite for healing
In order to receive your healing you need to do three basic things:
1. You must hear the Word of God.
2. You must release your faith in God's Word and not your faith in your symptoms, not in your circumstances or in the words of your spouse, your friends or your fellow believers.
3. You must believe and trust the truth of God's Word. You must believe His Word whole heartedly in spite of what your symptoms tell you. You must believe that God cares about you whether you feel Him near you or not. God is omnipresent; He is everywhere and He covers everything.
The Bible says, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those heart is loyal to Him" (2 Chron. 16:9).
Biblical facts concernign sickness, disease and healing
The following is a list of Biblical facts about sickness, disease and healing. Some I have already mentioned in my previous messages:
1. Sickness does not come from God and He does not send sickness upon anyone. It is possible that someone close to you is a faithful and lovely Christian, recently got sick and died of a horribel disease. You can be sure God did not put it on him or her. God does not specialize in making people sick. Sickness or disease does not come from heaven because there is no evil in heaven. If sickness comes from heaven then God must be the source of it. No, God is the source of healing and not sickness. The devil is the source of sickness and disease.
2. God permits sickness but He does not ordain sickness. Sometimes God allows sickness to come as a result of man's sin, rebellion, disobedient to God's Word or lack of knowledge of God's Word. Sometimes He allows sickness to come to humble us - like Paul's thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7).
3. God said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you" (Ex. 15:26, NKJV).
Obedient to God's Word will keep you from sickness - He will not permit the devil to come near you. God will build a hedge around you as long as you do what the Bible says. In other words, health comes from following His Word!
4. Just as faith comes by hearing God's Word sickness comes by hearing the devil's words. Sickness comes from the devil and so if you open the door for the devil sickness will come. So the choice is yours - You can either choose to hear and obey God's Word or choose to hear and obey the words of the devil.
5. God sent both His written Word and His Living Word unto us. The written Word reminds us of the Living Word Jesus Christ (John 1:14). Therefore when we confess Christ we confess His Word.
Jesus said, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32).
The right confession of His Word is very important in the sight of God. If we confess the things of God we'll possess the things of God and if we confess the things of the devil we'll possess the things of the devil (sickness and disease).
That is the reason why God said through Isaiah, "And the inhabitant will not say, 'I am sick'" (Isaiah 33:24).
Some God's people are so possessive that you often hear them say: "I have a headache". In other words, they are saying: "This headache is mine". Well, if this headache is yours you can keep it and why would God take what is yours away from you?
6. If I can't say "I am sick" then what should say? Well, say what Peter said, "... by whose stripes you were healed".
But what if I have the symptoms? Am I going to lie about it? No, you don't lie about symptoms because symptoms are real and the devil is also real! You should ask yourself - Who is more real, your symptoms or God? If God is more real then why do you major on the minor? If you feel all the pain in your body then you should get rid of it. How do you get rid of it? You should push the Word in and push the devil out!
Matthew said, "... that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 'He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses'" (Matt. 8:17).
Now, if He took our infirmities then we don't have it and if you take it then He doesn't have it. It is either you are set free or you are still in the bondage of sicknesses.
Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).
The Lord's Prayer says, "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).
If God's will is truly done on earth as it is in heaven then we should be free from any sickness or disease.
The word "disease" means exactly what it says - "dis-ease" or "no ease" or "no comfort". If we have disease then we are being tormented. But the Comforter (Holy Spirit) has come to set us free.
7. God's healing is not faith healing. God's healing is supernatural but the so-called faith healing is not of God. Your faith can't heal you but your faith in God's Word will heal you! See the difference? you are likely to find many "faith" people even in the Christian Church. These people like to generate faith in themselves by saying, "By faith I'm not sick" or "By faith I have no fever". What if someone says to you: "If you don't have a fever how come you are burning up"?
When the symptom is there you must recognize it or otherwise you are found lying. The symptom is put there by the devil to attack and torment your body. But knowing who you are and knowing what you are, you can speak the Word of God even if you don't feel like it. Ask yourself - which is greater, your pain or the Word of God? One thing about the devil is he is persistent and he will not quit; you have to punch him out with the Word of God.
8. Paul said, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God's" (1 Cor. 6:19, 20, emphasis added).
If your body is in pain with sickness and disease are you glorifying God with your body and spirit? Furthermore, if you are sick with pain you simply can't claim your body is truly the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is an insult to God to say that! Your body can't be the temple of the Holy Spirit and the house of the devil at the same time. Never listen to the lies of the devil.
Yes, it is difficult to praise God when you are in pain. But you must not stop praising God. The Bible says: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). The devil can't come betwee you and God because the One between you and God is Jesus Christ!
God's recipe for health
God has recipes for many things. God has a recipe for manna. He created manna to feed His people in the wilderness. God has a recipe for milk and honey. He also has a recipe for new wine. When Jesus turned water into wine He used the kind of recipe thaken from the natural and made it into supernatural. And because He has recipes for all these things He must have a recipe for health as well. My Bible says He has!
God's Word is His recipe for health
God is speaking to believers because non-believers will not read His Word:
"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:20 - 22, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that life and health go together; when you have health you have life and when you have life you have health. In fact life and health are two things all men seek after above everything else, even money. How are you going to use your money if you are sick and diseased?
Jesus said, "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).
Note the contrast here: The devil comes to steal your life by killing and destroying you with sickness and disease but Jesus comes to give you abundant life! The abundant life that Jesus speaks about is a life without sickness and disease.
John said, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2).
Surely John was spreaking about true prosperity and abundant life!
Let us study this passage of Proverbs phrase by phrase:
1. "Give attention to my words". The primary key to receiving healing from God is hearing.
Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear" (Mark 4:24). He also said, "Take heed how you hear" (Luke 8:18). Putting the two together, it is what we listen to and how we listen to it that counts. We must listen to His Word (not the devil's words) attentively.
Notice what Jesus said is totally in line with what Exodus 15:26 says concerning the healing power of God's Word.
2. "Incline your ear to my sayings". To incline is to bend down and in order to incline your ear you have to incline your head. It is an attitude of humility and meekness in receiving His Word.
James said, "... and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21).
3. "Do not let them depart from your eyes". The word "them" refers to God's words and God's sayings. The key thought in this command of God is "focus". Lack of focus gives rise to distraction - especially by unbelief and the devil's sayings.
Jesus said, "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, the whole body also is full of light; but when thene eye is evil, they body also is full of darkness" (Luke 11:34, KJV, emphasis added).
Here Jesus was dealing with the way we use our eyes. The phrase, "When thine eye is single" means we need to form a single image or focus. When we focus only on Jesus the result will be manifested in the whole body: "Thy whole body also is full of light".
I believe if your body is full of light it does not have room for sickness and disease. Sickness is from darkness but health is from light:
Prophet Malachi said, "But you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings" (Mal 4:2, NKJV).
The "Sun of Righteousness" speaks of Christ. If you fear the Lord, Christ will arise in you with with righteousness of God and healing of God. And a condition for healing and health is to fear God! A Christian who does not fear God will not get healed and enjoy good health!
4. "Keep them in the midst of your heart". God's Word is spirit and it must be taken in the midst of your heart where your spirit is.
If your doctor give you some medication for your ailment it will not do you any good unless you swallow the medicine regularly. Similarly, you can be a good born-again tongue-speaking Christian, go to Church regularly and listen to anointed sermons. But if you don't get the Word of God inside your spirit it will not do you any good and you are not going to get healed if you are sick.
Conclusion
If you have followed all the above steps, His Word will keep you healthy and will give you life (Proverbs 4:22).
God's recipe for health works for me and I believe it will work equally well for any Christian who believes.
Every Christian should have a sign following him:
Jesus said, "These signs will follow those who believe" (Mark 16;17). What you believe is what is going to follow you. If you believe the healing power of His Word the sign following you will be good health.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Hindrances and Barriers to Healing
We are fully confident that God is both able and willing to heal. But in order to receive God's healing there are conditions that we have to meet. God will not heal anyone at any time unconditionally. A lot of desperately sick people failed to receive their healing because they failed to fulfill God's conditions. There are also hidden barriers in their life. But before we look at the conditions and barriers revealed by the Scripture let me list here some observations concerning the total provision of God.
God's total provision for all human needs
The following points are what came to my mind and they are not exclusive. But I believe they will help us to understand better the total provision of God for all human needs - including healing and good health.
1. The main instrument by which God provides healing is His Word.
The psalmist said, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction" (Ps. 107:20, NKJV).
His Word has healed people in the Old Testament and His Word will continue to heal in our time. Therefore we can never bypass the Word and receive God's healing. There is power in the anointed preaching of His Word and so just by listening to the Word being preached some people might receive healing without actually being prayed for.
2. Another thing the Bible says is faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). So if you need healing but you don't have the faith to receive that healing; if you will listen carefully to what the word of God says it will impart to you the faith that you need to recieve your healing.
3. God has provided for every human need through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has provided forgiveness of sin; He has provided healing of sickness; He has provided a means to meet every single need that can occur in the life of any person. God has not done a lot of different things to achieve His purpose - He did only one thing, once and for all, when He sacrified His only Son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. Therefore there are no more barriers on God's side. In other words, the cross removed every barrier on God's side toward men. If there are any barriers left they are left on our side. And so it it extremely important for us to identify these barriers and remove them before we come to God to receive the healing that we seek after.
4. First of all let us just look at the clear statement of the Word of God, in Isaiah 53, that through the death of Jesus on the cross healing is already provided. Isaiah 53 is a prophetic preview of the suffering of Jesus written approximately 700 years before Jesus actually suffered.
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4, 5, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that there is both the spiritual and physical aspect of God's provision. The spiritual side is stated: "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities". Jesus took the punishment that is due to us that we might be forgiven and have peace.
The physical side is stated: "He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed". Griefs and sorrows are sickness, disease, anxiety and affliction.
Notice also that Isaiah 53:4, 5, was stated twice in the New Testament - Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24.
The work of the Holy Spirit in the provision of God
I have mentioned in my previous message that it is the Holy Spirit who administers to us that which has been provided by Jesus. In John 16 Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit. He told His disciples that when He left them and went back to heaven He would send the Holy Spirit to take His place with them.
"He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:14, 15).
Clearly the Holy Spirit is the administrator of God's provision for us. God has a wonderful store house filled with everything we are ever going to need but the keeper of the store house is the Holy Spirit. He is the One who takes from God the Father and makes it available to us. He is the One who actually imparts it to you. So if you want to receive what God has provided for you, you must learn how to relate to the Holy Spirit. We will not get from God any more than we can receive through the Holy Spirit.
One of the pictures of the Holy Spirit we have in the New Testament is that of a dove that descended upon Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16). It is also a symbol of tender and devoted affection (Song of Solomon 1:15; 2:14). It is a very timid bird and therefore easily frightened.
We have to conduct ourselves in such a way that we honor the Holy Spirit, be sensitive to Him and respect Him. One thing the Holy Spirit does not like is disorderliness in a healing meeting. The Bible says God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).
Common Barriers to healing
1. Ignorance
We are talking about ignorant of what the Bible teaches; ignorant of what God has already provided for you and ignorant of how to receive it. There are many warnings in the Scripture about ignorance and two of them are from the prophets.
A. The Lord said through Isaiah, "Therefore my people have gone into captivity. Because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst" (Isaiah 5:13, emphasis added).
Due to their lack of knowledge and ignorance God's people have gone into captivity, both physically and spiritually. Multitudes of professing Christians and Churchgoers today have gone into spiritual captivity. They are in captivity because they don't know what God has provided for them and don't know how to receive God's provision.
B. The Lord said through Hosea, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being a priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children" (Hosea 4:6, emphasis added).
Again this is a picture of many of the professing Christian Church today. Notice that Christians are made priest and kings to God the Father (Revelation 1:6).
2. Unbelief
It is not enough to have heard the Word of God and have understanding in what God was telling you, but you have to believe it it.
The writer of Hebrews said, "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:12, 13, emphasis added).
There are two strong words here - "Evil" and "Sin". An unbelieving heart is an evil heart in the sight of God.
Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, "And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ..." (John 16:8, 9, emphasis added).
Therefore unbelief is not just a harmless weakness, but it is both of evil and of sin. We need to repent and renounce it before we can minister and receive healing.
3. Unconfessed sin
Solomon said, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).
Without the mercy of God no one could minister or receive healing.
The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Ps. 66:18).
When there is unconfessed sin between God and you, God will not hear any of your prayers including your prayer for healing.
4. Unforgiveness
Jesus said, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25, 26).
Obviously Jesus was talking about a barrier that keeps God from forgiving you and from answering your prayer. If you have any unforgiveness, any resentment, any bitterness in your heart against anyone, before you go further you must forgive and lay down that resentment and bitterness. Your forgiveness is not for the sake of another person primarily, but for your own sake. The one who resents suffers much more than the one who is resented!
5. Occult involvement
This concerns the involvement of all kinds of satanic supernatural activities, superstition, fortune telling, worshipping the dead and various kinds of magic and charm. This includes anything that dishornor Jesus and honor Satan.
Moses warned the children of Israel about serving false gods and their images in Exodus 23.
Moses said, "You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (Exodus 23:24, 25, emphasis added).
Think of all the promises of God if you break away from the occult and serve the Lord only. Not only you will receive your healing but enjoy good health as well - your food and water will be blessed as well!
6. Unscriptural covenant
The children of God must not make any unscriptural covenant with people who are in some way associated with false gods.
Moses said, "You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods" (Exodus 23:32).
The most common is the involvement in Freemasonry. This is a precise example because in Freemasonry you link youself with some terrible oaths with people who worship false gods. Whether you are involved with Freemasonry personally, or someone close to you is involved, or your spouse, your parents are involved you need to renounce that and severe all links and contacts with it.
7. The effects of a curse
It is beyond the scope of this message to consider how a curse could come upon a person.
But Solomon said, "A curse without cause shall not alight" (Proverbs 26:2).
The following is a list of indications that there may be a curse over a person's life. A curse not only affects individuals but members of the entire family from generation to generation until somebody learned how to cut the curse off.
A. Mental or emotional breakdown.
B. Breakdown of marriage and family alienation.
C. Barrenness, a tendency to miscarry, or related female problems.
D. Repeated or chronic sicknesses of hereditary nature.
E. Continuing financial insufficiency.
F. Being "accident-prone".
G. A history of suicides and unnatural or untimely deaths.
Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galations 3:13, 14, emphasis added).
The fact that Christ became a curse for us we need not be under a curse anymore. And so we can be released from any curse so that we can receive the blessing of the Spirit through faith. Healing is a blessing of the Sprit through faith. In other words, if a curse becomes a barrier to our healing we can remove it by appropriating what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
God's total provision for all human needs
The following points are what came to my mind and they are not exclusive. But I believe they will help us to understand better the total provision of God for all human needs - including healing and good health.
1. The main instrument by which God provides healing is His Word.
The psalmist said, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction" (Ps. 107:20, NKJV).
His Word has healed people in the Old Testament and His Word will continue to heal in our time. Therefore we can never bypass the Word and receive God's healing. There is power in the anointed preaching of His Word and so just by listening to the Word being preached some people might receive healing without actually being prayed for.
2. Another thing the Bible says is faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). So if you need healing but you don't have the faith to receive that healing; if you will listen carefully to what the word of God says it will impart to you the faith that you need to recieve your healing.
3. God has provided for every human need through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has provided forgiveness of sin; He has provided healing of sickness; He has provided a means to meet every single need that can occur in the life of any person. God has not done a lot of different things to achieve His purpose - He did only one thing, once and for all, when He sacrified His only Son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. Therefore there are no more barriers on God's side. In other words, the cross removed every barrier on God's side toward men. If there are any barriers left they are left on our side. And so it it extremely important for us to identify these barriers and remove them before we come to God to receive the healing that we seek after.
4. First of all let us just look at the clear statement of the Word of God, in Isaiah 53, that through the death of Jesus on the cross healing is already provided. Isaiah 53 is a prophetic preview of the suffering of Jesus written approximately 700 years before Jesus actually suffered.
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4, 5, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that there is both the spiritual and physical aspect of God's provision. The spiritual side is stated: "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities". Jesus took the punishment that is due to us that we might be forgiven and have peace.
The physical side is stated: "He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed". Griefs and sorrows are sickness, disease, anxiety and affliction.
Notice also that Isaiah 53:4, 5, was stated twice in the New Testament - Matthew 8:17 and 1 Peter 2:24.
The work of the Holy Spirit in the provision of God
I have mentioned in my previous message that it is the Holy Spirit who administers to us that which has been provided by Jesus. In John 16 Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit. He told His disciples that when He left them and went back to heaven He would send the Holy Spirit to take His place with them.
"He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you" (John 16:14, 15).
Clearly the Holy Spirit is the administrator of God's provision for us. God has a wonderful store house filled with everything we are ever going to need but the keeper of the store house is the Holy Spirit. He is the One who takes from God the Father and makes it available to us. He is the One who actually imparts it to you. So if you want to receive what God has provided for you, you must learn how to relate to the Holy Spirit. We will not get from God any more than we can receive through the Holy Spirit.
One of the pictures of the Holy Spirit we have in the New Testament is that of a dove that descended upon Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16). It is also a symbol of tender and devoted affection (Song of Solomon 1:15; 2:14). It is a very timid bird and therefore easily frightened.
We have to conduct ourselves in such a way that we honor the Holy Spirit, be sensitive to Him and respect Him. One thing the Holy Spirit does not like is disorderliness in a healing meeting. The Bible says God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).
Common Barriers to healing
1. Ignorance
We are talking about ignorant of what the Bible teaches; ignorant of what God has already provided for you and ignorant of how to receive it. There are many warnings in the Scripture about ignorance and two of them are from the prophets.
A. The Lord said through Isaiah, "Therefore my people have gone into captivity. Because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst" (Isaiah 5:13, emphasis added).
Due to their lack of knowledge and ignorance God's people have gone into captivity, both physically and spiritually. Multitudes of professing Christians and Churchgoers today have gone into spiritual captivity. They are in captivity because they don't know what God has provided for them and don't know how to receive God's provision.
B. The Lord said through Hosea, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being a priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children" (Hosea 4:6, emphasis added).
Again this is a picture of many of the professing Christian Church today. Notice that Christians are made priest and kings to God the Father (Revelation 1:6).
2. Unbelief
It is not enough to have heard the Word of God and have understanding in what God was telling you, but you have to believe it it.
The writer of Hebrews said, "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:12, 13, emphasis added).
There are two strong words here - "Evil" and "Sin". An unbelieving heart is an evil heart in the sight of God.
Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, "And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ..." (John 16:8, 9, emphasis added).
Therefore unbelief is not just a harmless weakness, but it is both of evil and of sin. We need to repent and renounce it before we can minister and receive healing.
3. Unconfessed sin
Solomon said, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).
Without the mercy of God no one could minister or receive healing.
The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Ps. 66:18).
When there is unconfessed sin between God and you, God will not hear any of your prayers including your prayer for healing.
4. Unforgiveness
Jesus said, "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25, 26).
Obviously Jesus was talking about a barrier that keeps God from forgiving you and from answering your prayer. If you have any unforgiveness, any resentment, any bitterness in your heart against anyone, before you go further you must forgive and lay down that resentment and bitterness. Your forgiveness is not for the sake of another person primarily, but for your own sake. The one who resents suffers much more than the one who is resented!
5. Occult involvement
This concerns the involvement of all kinds of satanic supernatural activities, superstition, fortune telling, worshipping the dead and various kinds of magic and charm. This includes anything that dishornor Jesus and honor Satan.
Moses warned the children of Israel about serving false gods and their images in Exodus 23.
Moses said, "You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (Exodus 23:24, 25, emphasis added).
Think of all the promises of God if you break away from the occult and serve the Lord only. Not only you will receive your healing but enjoy good health as well - your food and water will be blessed as well!
6. Unscriptural covenant
The children of God must not make any unscriptural covenant with people who are in some way associated with false gods.
Moses said, "You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods" (Exodus 23:32).
The most common is the involvement in Freemasonry. This is a precise example because in Freemasonry you link youself with some terrible oaths with people who worship false gods. Whether you are involved with Freemasonry personally, or someone close to you is involved, or your spouse, your parents are involved you need to renounce that and severe all links and contacts with it.
7. The effects of a curse
It is beyond the scope of this message to consider how a curse could come upon a person.
But Solomon said, "A curse without cause shall not alight" (Proverbs 26:2).
The following is a list of indications that there may be a curse over a person's life. A curse not only affects individuals but members of the entire family from generation to generation until somebody learned how to cut the curse off.
A. Mental or emotional breakdown.
B. Breakdown of marriage and family alienation.
C. Barrenness, a tendency to miscarry, or related female problems.
D. Repeated or chronic sicknesses of hereditary nature.
E. Continuing financial insufficiency.
F. Being "accident-prone".
G. A history of suicides and unnatural or untimely deaths.
Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galations 3:13, 14, emphasis added).
The fact that Christ became a curse for us we need not be under a curse anymore. And so we can be released from any curse so that we can receive the blessing of the Spirit through faith. Healing is a blessing of the Sprit through faith. In other words, if a curse becomes a barrier to our healing we can remove it by appropriating what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
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