Healing for the Christian

by Billy Joe Daugherty

 

God Is the Healer

God revealed Himself to the people of Israel as a healer God, Jehovah Rapha. He promised to keep disease from them if they would obey His Word.
“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.” Exodus 15:26

Healing – One of God’s Benefits

God is a Father to His children. Because of His compassion for those He loves, He has made provision for their healing. This is one of the benefits of having a loving heavenly Father who cares for your every need. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who FORGIVES all your INIQUITIES, who HEALS all your DISEASES. Psalm 103:2-3

Notice that forgiveness is one of God’s benefits. Both forgiveness and healing are placed together in this passage of Scripture. God is concerned about both your spiritual healing and your physical healing.

Messiah Suffers for Our Healing

The prophet Isaiah wrote about God’s suffering servant, the Messiah or Redeemer of Israel. He was writing about Jesus taking your punishment for your sins. Jesus suffered for you in every way you deserved to suffer: physically, mentally, and spiritually. He did it so you would not have to suffer these things. He was your substitute, your Savior.

The four Gospel writers tell you what they SAW and HEARD about he suffering of Christ. On the other hand, Isaiah tells you what was REVEALED to him by the Spirit of God concerning Christ’s sufferings: 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 our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us
all. Isaiah 53:4-6

The two words “griefs” and “sorrows” in the first phrase of the passage could equally be translated “sicknesses” and “pains”. This will be clearer after reading Matthew 8:16-17. From these three verses you see the variety of things Jesus suffered as He took your place and God’s judgment for sin fell on Him.

He Took Our Infirmities and Bore Our Sicknesses

While Jesus walked the face of the earth, He ministered healing to every part of man. He cast out devils, healed the sick, forgave sins, and restored wholeness to those tormented by Satan. In recording these events, Matthew quoted from Isaiah 53:4 concerning the substitutionary work of Christ.
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demonpossessed.

And he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INIRMITIES AND BORE OUR SICKNESSES.” Matthew 8:16-17

Not only did He take your infirmities and bare all your sicknesses on the cross, but also during His ministry, He relieved people of infirmities and sicknesses. He did this in relation to sins also. Not only did he take your sins on the cross, but He also forgave men of their sins before the crucifixion.

Healed by His Stripes

Peter was a man who witnessed the mock trial of Jesus. He was well acquainted with the happenings on Calvary. He wrote about the effects that Jesus’ suffering would have on your life. he mentions both the spiritual and the physical results of Christ’s atonement: Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – BY WHOSE STRIPES YOU WERE HEALED. 1 Peter 2:24

The phrase, “By whose stripes you were healed,” is a direct reference to Isaiah 53:5. You remember that Jesus was scourged or whipped before His crucifixion (Mark 15:15). The physical punishment that He took was for your healing, for “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). All the punishment Jesus received before and during the crucifixion was for your healing – spirit, soul, and body.

Satan Is the Author of Sickness and Disease

Before Adam’s sin in the garden, there was no sin or death in the earth. After his disobedience, sin and death with all of their evil companions (hatred, bitterness, jealousy, sickness, disease, torment) entered into the world (Romans 5:12).

Jesus was sent to establish the wholeness that man had before the fall. He was the Redeemer, the One sent to buy you back from the dominion of Satan. Jesus loosed the people who were captive to Satan’s devices. He healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, opened prison doors, and preached the good news.

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

This scripture, as well as all four Gospels, clearly reveals that the devil oppresses people with sickness, and Jesus heals people who are sick. Never confuse these two. God desires an abundant life for you, and the devil wants to steal, to kill, and to destroy(John 10:10).

God Wants Us in Health

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). God is interested in your health spiritually and
physically. he wants your body to be just as free from Satan’s influence as He does your heart. “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:10). Not only are you to live a holy and pure life in your body, but also it is possible for you to live in health. You have been bought with the blood of Christ. The price has been paid for spiritual and physical health.

Redeemed from the Curse

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. Galatians 3:13-14

There was a curse pronounced upon those who would not keep God’s laws (Deuteronomy 18:15-68). This curse generally included poverty, sickness, and death. Since all men were sinners, there was no man who could fully keep all God’s laws (Romans 3:34). Jesus entered the earth as a man and lived His life without sin. As He hung on the cross, He was actually made to be a curse for you as your substitute. He took the curse you deserved. He took your poverty, your sickness, and your death (sin), so that you might receive the blessings God had promised to Abraham and those keeping His law. These include an abundant supply for every need in your life (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

Jesus Is Still the Same

“ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The reason Jesus healed people was because of His compassion. He saw their needs and met them. He is still the same. His compassion has not stopped. He loves you just as much as He did those in the time of His earthly ministry. His power is not stopped just because He is no longer visibly in our midst. His power and effectiveness are even greater today because He can be present in all places at all times by His Spirit. “For his mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136).

Prayer of Faith – Anointing with Oil
We know from the book of Acts that the healing ministry of Christ did not stop with His death and resurrection. It continued through the twelve disciples and the other believers (Mark 16:15-19).

There were numerous ways in which people received healing under Jesus’ ministry. Today men can receive healing from the basis of numerous passages of scripture. These include: Mark 11:22-24, John 16:23-24, Matthew 18:18-20, Mark 16:18, James 5:14-15, Exodus 15:26, Psalm 103:3, 1 Peter 2:24, and Matthew 8:16-17.

One particularly important method is anointing with oil and praying the prayer of faith. It demonstrates to us that God’s power can be ministered by believers and thus shows that healing did not end when Christ died or when the apostles died. Healing is still provided for you today.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. James 5:14-15

Your Faith Has Made You Whole

by Billy Joe Daugherty

One of the best chapters in the entire Bible on the subject of faith is the 11th chapter of Hebrews. Any in-depth study of faith would include a study of the men listed in this chapter. I suggest the chapter be read while you read the words in this book on the subject of faith.

According to Paul, there abides now “faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).I definitely believe that all three of these are important. Without hope of eternal life,you would have no reason to live. Without love you could not experience the nature of God. These two are vital to the Christian. But right now, we will deal primarily with faith.

What is Faith?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is in the present tense. It believes NOW. It receives NOW. It acts NOW. One of the great differences between faith and hope is in the tense. Hope is usually concerned with the future, whereas faith is most often concerned with the present.

Sometimes we hear someone say that they are stepping out in faith in a new venture. Generally, they mean they don’t know what is going to happen or what the future holds. They feel an urge to try something new and take a stab at it.

The type of faith defines in Hebrews 11:1 does NOT operate this way. Instead, true faith in God has substance. When a person steps out in this type of faith, he will be standing on solid rock. THE SUBSTANCE IS FAITH IN GOD’S ETERNAL, UNCHANGING WORD.

You may hope for something for years. As long as you continue hoping, it will always be just beyond you. There are, on the other hand, many things you can bring into your life by faith. For instance, salvation is a good thing to hope for. But if you want to be saved, you need to put substance to your hope and receive Christ by faith right NOW. Although you do not see Him burst through the clouds or feel ninety-nine goose bumps, you are still saved if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ.

Although there may be no physical evidence for your faith, you do have sufficient evidence in God’s Word. Your evidence for what you believe is your faith in God’s Word. God is a witness. He will never lie. If you take God at His Word, that Word will stand good in the trial.

How Do We Get Faith?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). The best way to get faith is to hear the Word of God. It is important for you not only to hear it with your ears but also with you heart. To hear God’s Word in your heart requires openness and hunger for God’s message.
I suggest reading the Bible aloud, particularly the New Testament.

Say the Scriptures to yourself. Insert your own name where the message is personal. Make a list of the promises God’s Word has for you. By faith, believe, receive, and confess them daily. Faith will grow as you are continually hearing God’s Word.

Who Can Have Faith?

”God has dealt to EACH ONE a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome. God has dealt to every Christian the measure of faith. But you also have faith to be saved before you are a Christian. The Bible says, “Whoever desires” (Revelation 22:17) can be saved. Evidently, any person who hears god’s Word and will act on it can exercise faith. That includes all who will HEAR and OBEY God’s Word – saved or in the process of being saved.

People who do not hear God’s Word or will not obey it do not have the God-kind of faith. Faith requires hearing and obeying.
“And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for NOT ALL HAVE FAITH” (1 Thessalonians 3:2).

Faith Acts on God’s Word

God has spread a table before you filled with bountiful blessings. Naturally speaking, if someone sets a beautiful table of food before you, you know what to do with it. You don’t sit wishing and hoping that you could have some of that food. You don’t complain to your host that you do not have enough. Neither do you get mad and upset if someone at the table gets a big helping of creamed potatoes. You begin to help yourself to the food. It has been set before you to eat and be filled. There is probably more in the kitchen if you empty the serving bowls. You know that everyone at the table has equal rights and privileges to get their portion of each dish.

Now, God’s Word is the same. God has made ample provision for every need in your life. He promises a full, abundant supply. It is all yours for the asking. God just wants you to believe His Word and take what has been set before you. It does not offend God for you to take all you need. Any host is disappointed if she discovers one of her guests did not get enough. She wants each one to be satisfied. God is certainly the Almighty Creator, but He has chosen to set a table for you. What you receive from Him will come as a result of your actively reaching out and claiming His promises.

So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you? The blind man said to Him, ‘Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.’ Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. Mark 10:51-52

Faith Is Not a Feeling

Sometimes people base their spiritual experiences on feelings and emotions.
Problems arise when the feelings and emotions change. If they have not been grounded in the Word of God, doubt will arise as to whether or not the experience was genuine.
For faith to be consistent, it must be based on something with more stability than your feelings.

You are not saved because you feel saved. You are saved because you have put your faith in God’s Word and acted on it. You may feel great today, tired tomorrow, and lonely next week, but hallelujah! God’s Word is going to say the same thing yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)

Feelings are influenced by what you see, what you read, and what you hear. Everyone is exposed to things that are not consistent with God’s Word. If these things control your feelings and your feelings control your faith, you can be a Christian yet controlled by Satan’s devices.

Your faith must be controlled by God’s Word, not by what you feel, not by what circumstances look like, and not by what others tell you. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Your eyes, ears, heart, and mouth should be turned to God’s Word.
While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things
which are not seen are eternal.1 Corinthians 4:18

God’s Word is eternal. Your spiritual eyes must be focused on God (who is unseen) by looking at His Word.

 

You Must be Born Again

These were the words Jesus spoke to one of the most religious men of his day (John 3:1-8). Nicodemus had come to Jesus one night to inquire about His new doctrine. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He believed in God, he prayed, fasted, tithed, attended worship services, read the Scriptures, and tried to keep high moral standards. Yet, with all these credentials, Jesus told him he had to be born again in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

The Word and the Spirit.

Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Later in the book of John He said, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3)

Paul wrote that Christ gave Himself to sanctify and cleanse the Church with the washing of water by the WORD (Ephesians 5:26).
Peter wrote that we are born again “not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and
abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23). The WORD is the seed that comes into your heart and causes faith to grow.

Not only must you have God’s Word in order to be born again, but you must have God’s Spirit. It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)

There are several ingredients needed in making concrete. You need sand, cement, and water primarily. There is plenty of sand in the desert, but concrete doesn’t appear just because it is there. There is an abundance of water in the ocean and plenty
of sand, but the ocean is not full of concrete. Likewise, in order for you to be saved, the Word and the Spirit must be mixed with repentance and faith in your heart.

Believe and Confess

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you CONFESS with your mouth the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one BELIEVES unto righteousness, and with the mouth CONFESSION is made unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10

Your faith in God’s Word is expressed with your heart (believe) and with your mouth (confess). If you truly believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, there is 7 no reason you should not be willing to confess Him as Lord. The moment you believe in your heart upon Jesus and confess Him as your Lord and Savior, you are born again.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”
John 1:12

Saved by Grace Through Faith

There is a mixture of God’s grace and power with your will and faith. It is not just all of God, and certainly it is not just all up to you. It takes both GOD’S ABILITY and YOUR WILLINGNESS to bring about the new birth.

For by grace you have been SAVED through FAITH, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.Ephesians 2:8-9

We could never be saved except by the pure grace of God. Man is certainly undeserving according to his own merits. It is God’s power working through His Word and Spirit that brings about the new birth. Yet without an attitude of repentance and
faith, God’s power will not work in a man’s heart. Man’s will must be obedient to God’s will before he can receive God’s blessings.

A New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

The new birth makes you a brand-new creation. You are created after the image of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10). In your heart you are made to be like Christ.

In order to live like Christ you must “put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:10). This is done by RENEWING THE MIND WITH GOD’S WORD and submitting your body to
the authority of that Word (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23-24).

Into God’s Kingdom

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. HE HAS DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS AND CONVEYED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:12-14

When you are born again, you are taken out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness, and you are placed into the Kingdom of Jesus, the Kingdom of light. It is not something you 8 just hope or wish for. It is a fact. The child of God does not have to be lorded over by
Satan ever again. ”Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus

This new kingdom is a spiritual kingdom; but just because salvation is basically a spiritual rebirth does not mean that it has no effect on your body, mind, or everyday living. It can and should have a great impact on every part of your life. In every society, there are certain laws that govern the actions of the inhabitants of that area. It is the same in spiritual life. There are laws for those in Satan’s kingdom, and there are laws for those in God’s Kingdom. The new birth gives you a new law.

“FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2)
The law of life includes love, joy, peace, happiness, prosperity, abundance, health, contentment and blessings.

These provisions are made for the Christian in the New Covenant. It is law – spiritual law. You must enforce it in your life. God will back you. His Word is true and unchanging.

Forgiveness – Remission of Sins

The day you make Jesus your Lord and Savior, you are forgiven of all your sins; in fact, you were legally forgiven when Jesus gave His life as a ransom for you. But you do not experience that forgiveness until you receive it by faith.

Although a person may have committed many sins, the chief sin of the unsaved is NOT BELIEVING ON CHRIST (John 16:9). When a person gets that straightened out, the root of the problem is solved. The blood of Christ cleanses the heart the moment a
person believes and confesses Him as Savior. Thus all past sins are remitted or taken away by the powerful cleansing work of His blood (1 John 1:7). “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”
(Ephesians 1:7).

Water Baptism

It is clear from the Scriptures that water baptism is important to the believer. In the Great Commission Jesus told His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16: 15-16).

Matthew records these words of Jesus in the 28 th chapter and the 19 th verse: “Gotherefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the 9Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus Himself was baptized by John in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17).

At the close of his message on the day of Pentecost, Peter told the Jews, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Luke records, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized . . . “ (Acts 2:41).

Paul was baptized after his conversion (Acts 9:18). He later baptized the believers at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6). Those at Cornelius’ house were baptized after they had received the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-48). The Philippian jailer and all his household were baptized after they had believed on Jesus (Acts 16:31-33).

Assurance of Salvation

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, THAT YOU MAY KNOW that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to BELIEVE IN THE NAME of the Son of God. 1 John 5:11-13

If you meet the conditions given in God’s Word for salvation, you can know you are saved. God’s Word says that you can know. That is what you must stand on – His Word – not your feelings, emotions, church membership, high morals, or sincerity.

Prayer for Salvation

God in Heaven, I come to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus. I confess that I haven’t lived my life for You. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that He died on the cross and rose again from the dead so I might have a better life now and eternal life in heaven. Jesus, come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. From this day forward, I’ll live my life for You to the best of my ability. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.