35. Divine healing - III
1. Meaning of healing
Healing means the restoration of someone to full health who had been ill - in mind and/or in body. This includes recovery resulting from medical treatment and spontaneous remission from a disease.
It is important to note the difference between a healing and a miracle:
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Healing: |
gradual - natural recoveries; |
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Miracle: |
spontaneous and unexplained; |
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Remission: |
time - the respite of disease. |
2. Healing - Author (Who is He?)
God is the One Who heals all our diseases - Ps.103: 3 - Acts 3:12-16
Even today when medical and surgical skill is so developed, God is the Healer, using men (trained and untrained) to do His work for Him in the same way that He uses the governing and ruling authorities to execute justice in the world (Rom.13:1-5).
3. Healing - The use of means
Even in Biblical times, when so few treatments for disease existed, people were encouraged and expected to use the means that were available, both in O.T. times and N.T. times, e.g. a cake of figs for Hezekiah’s boil (Is. 38: 21). Other examples are: medicines, blood transfusions or surgical operations to prevent death as much as life jackets to prevent drowning.
4. Faith healing
Various terms are currently used to describe healing that occurs without the use of means in response to faith. Because all true healings come from God, the term divine healing is not helpful to distinguish this special form:
“Spiritual” healing suggests more the restoration of health to the spirit than to the body, and moreover may be confused with the work of spiritists who, in the name of the devil, can produce spurious ( = false) healing.
Faith healing is a helpful term so long as the object of faith is clear (it is by no means always God).
God is able and does heal today. God loves us and does not want us sick - He longs to bless us.
It is absolutely certain, that the death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary was to atone or pay for our sins; yet many people have not realised, that the same Scriptures say, that on the cross He paid for us to be healed - Is. 53: 5.
5. God’s Word contradicts people’s opinions
God makes you sick to teach you a lesson (Wrong!)
God’s Name means healing (Jehovah Rapha). Ex.15: 26 - …..I, the Lord, am hour Healer. So how can He make people sick? He says in Ps. 147: 3 - He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Sickness is the devil’s work.
We can bring sickness on ourselves: smoking, drinking, drugs abuse, adultery, aids; fear causes heart trouble.
Accusing God of punishing us; it is His fault (Wrong!)
God is good! God is love! Read Acts 10: 38.
Sickness comes through the fall of man. When Adam sinned, the earth was cursed. Jesus came to free us from these curses. We accuse God for floods, accidents, earthquakes, etc. Insurance companies wrongly call these disasters “Acts of God”. Satan is the author of sickness, not God.
Sickness - a blessing - keeps you humble (Wrong!)
Sickness is a curse. Is it a blessing being in pain, going through disasters? Things against us are not a blessing, but a curse.
Healings ceased with the last apostles (Wrong!)
Heb.13: 8 says: Jesus Christ is the same…..
Ps. 85:12 - …..the Lord will give what is good…..
Why is there so much sickness then?
Disobedience, sin (aids); committed by men; you sow what you reap.
Unbelief, fear, sin, pride, anger, unforgiveness (also towards myself), spirit of infirmity, unclean spirits, faith in man, selfpity and depression, wrong confession, a curse or occult involvement.
Anointing with oil: James 5:14, Mark. 6:13;
Cloths and aprons: Acts 19:11,12, also called “absent healing”;
Special gift of healing: 1Cor.12: 9; think of Smith Wigglesworth, Katherine Kuhlmann, Reinhard Bonnke; actually, all believers are to be used in the gifts of healing: Mark 16:17,18, Acts 3:1-8;
Prayer of agreement: Matt.18:19; prayer with the right partner;
Confessing the Word in the Name of Jesus:
Ps.107: 20 - He sent His Word and healed them….. - the Word has power;
asking anything in His Name; that Name is also power;
The laying on of hands: Mark 16:17,18; however, 1Tim. 5:22 warns against wrong practices; be careful who lays hands on you;
Praying with faith (from the heart): Mark 11:24; speak to the problem;
Listening to the Word: e.g. tapes, music.
Commanding the forces of sickness to leave: Ask God’s healing power to take over. Rebuke the cause - fear, fever, etc.;
Act on your faith: Luke 17:11-19. Be positive rather than negative. Positive thoughts generate positive action; negative thoughts generate negative action.
4. Hints for healing
Not everyone who is sick is demon-oppressed, but some are. Be gentle on the sick person, but hard on the devil.
Broken hearts, sadness through loss of a loved one, etc. need comfort, and joy has to be brought back instead.
Alcoholics need deliverance from bondage; and drug addicts: the bondage of addiction has to be broken.
Chastisement is not sickness. God does discipline, guide, train and correct when we sin. Heb.12: 6 - …..those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines….. Parents correct their children.
Persecution is not sickness, but suffering for the Name of Jesus (1Pet. 4:14).
5. Helps for healing
The Lord’s Supper;
Using the key of binding and loosing; bind the sickness, loose health (Matt.18:18);
Use knowledge - be guided by the Holy Spirit;
Expect a miracle. People came expecting;
Be desperate! Jairus begged Jesus for his daughter (Marc 5: 22-24);
Compassion is the key to healing (Luke 10:33). One of God’s names is El Rachoam (= compassion). He knows, He loves, He cares;
Pray for others - God honours those prayers for others;
Giving to God; tithes; good gifts in return (look at e.g. Mal. 3:10).