........infirmity. And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God." (vs. 11-13) She had a spirit from Satan. God may choose to cast out those demons and heal people of infirmities.
God can also make you sick! He has made the deaf and the dumb and the blind. God allowed the man in John 9 to be born blind. God wanted Lazarus dead. Jesus wanted him dead; He stayed away (John 11:1-11). Some people are sick because God wants them sick. You may have a little baby who is sick, but that may be God's plan so that you will seek Him to heal the baby.
God sometimes allows Satan to make you sick for special reasons. God had a purpose for Job. God said to Satan, "I want you to see that I have a man who can handle you. He can handle any test you give him." (Job 1:8) God may allow Satan to buffet you, such as he sent a messenger of Satan to do to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:17, where Paul prayed three times to God to remove his thorn in the flesh, but God chose not to deliver him! So it could be a demon, or it could be God letting it happen; letting Satan do it to perfect you.
God makes you sick to perfect you. He might allow you to get sick because He has a purpose. David prays in Psalm 119:67, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word." Then he says in vs. 71, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." So, sometimes sickness drives us to seek God. It is better to be sick and Godly than well and ungodly!
Then, as I have already stated, God chastens for sin, such as Miriam's leprosy (Numbers 12:9-12); pestilence (Deut. 28:21-22); etc. God also gave Gehazi leprosy when he sinned (2 Kings 5:15-27) and in 1 Corinthians 11:30, God chastened them for their desecration of the Lords table. Paul said, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
Just as when God fed the Jews with manna in the desert, but then, when they got to the promised land where it was no longer needed, he retracted it. The same applies to the gifts of healings and miracles. Once the Word, or the Canon was complete, the signs ceased!
How can we be sure of this? Paul had the gift of healings and only used it to confirm the word of his preaching! "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." (1 Corinthians 2:4) However, Paul never used his gift outside of it's purpose which was to confirm the word. Paul's friend, Epaphroditus was sick to the point of death, but Paul did not heal him! It is recorded in Phillipians 2:25-27. "Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and companion in labor, and fellow soldier---for he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed, he was sick near near unto death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow." So, in this case, God would not let Paul use his gift. The sickness that Epaphroditus had, was brought on by his persecutors, for trying to help Paul. The Greek word for "sick" is "Astheneo", and means: "to be without strength; powerless; unable to acheive anything great, infirm." However, the fact is, he almost died, and Paul did not heal him until God had mercy on them both! If Paul could have used the gift of healing at will, he would have then! But, the purpose of the gift was not to keep Christians healthy, but was given as a sign to unbelievers. The gift was used only at the point when God revealed that the purpose was clear, the time was right, and it was necessary for proclamation.
Another instance, proving the gift was not given to keep Christians healthy, but was a sign to unbelievers to hear the Gospel of the kingdom is in 2 Timothy 4:20. Paul says, "---Trophimus have I left at Miletus sick." Timothy must have been sick on occassion also. Instead of using his gift of healing, or instructing to seek out someone else with the gift, he said "use a little wine for thy stomach's sake." (1 Timothy 5:23).
The fact remains, every human being on earth, including Christians, get sick! Although the Lord heals us, there is always one more sickness that takes its place, and finally, there is one sickness that none of us ever recovers from, and that is our last one! The only ones exempt from the last sickness unto death were the Old Testament Saints, Enoch and Elijah. Other than those, sickness unto death has been claiming every person born, from Adam!
POSITIVE CONFESSION-CAN IT PRODUCE HEALING?
The Bible gives many verses, which teach us that if we use good words, such as are given us in the Scriptures and Holy Writings, will definately improve our dispostion while on earth! No one likes to be around a "bad mouther", or a negative person. However, the faith healers seem to insinuate that all we have to do is verbally confess anything that we want from God, over and over, and by our confession, it will finally materialize! However, that is fantasy and is not Biblical.
You can confess healing to our last breath, but the fact is, you will finally die! "It is appointed unto every, man once to die, and then the judgement." (Hebrews 9:27) The faith teachers take verses out of context to propagate their "name it and claim it" doctrine. They use verses such as: "as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were." (Romans 4:17). I have even heard a brother stand up in a "Full Gospel" meeting and speak to a crippled
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
HEALING: Part 8
.........Sickness and disease have been the biggest foe of humanity since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Since the world population is rapidly increasing, naturally there are more sick people in the world also.
God has always, since the fall up to present, healed by His divine grace when it was His will to do so, but the only time He gave the actual "gift of healings" to any men other than Himself, was when He passed the gift on to men to authenticate the Gospel, and the New Testament dispensation!
First, Jesus gave the gift to His twelve apostles. These gifts were temporary sign gifts which were also miracles, unlearned languages and interpretation of those languages, in addition to the gifts of healings.
The progression of the power to use the sign gifts at will by the men possessing them were as follows: Jesus first gave the gifts to the twelve apostles. In Luke 9:1 we are told, "Then He called His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all demons---" this was actually the gift of miracles or powers, however this never gave them any ability to work natural miracles such as Jesus did when he walked on water, changed water into wine, multiplied food, made a tree fall dead, or controlled the sea and wind. This miracle gift was the gift of "dunamis", power over Satan, the ability to cast out demons. The end of the verse says, "---and to cure diseases." They were given the power over disease, and could heal at their own will, whenever they chose to manifest the gifts! This is quite a contrast between those claiming to have the gifts today.
In Luke 10:1 Jesus extended these abilities another group of seventy: "after these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two," then He said to them in verse 9, "and heal the sick that are there, and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come near unto you."
Up to this point, only the twelve apostles, and the seventy were given the gifts of miracles and healings. From that point, a few of the associates of the apostles, used of God, were given the gift. Therefore, Christ had the gifts, along with His apostles, the seventy, and some of the apostle's associates. The gifts were never used at random in the churches, but were always associated with Christ, the twelve, the seventy, and the associates of the twelve, such as Philip and Paul. It was never extended beyond those men, so was very limited in terms of the people who possessed the gifts.
The purpose of the gifts, as I stated before, was to confirm the Gospel message. As they went out preaching, proclaiming the good news of salvation, God gave them the ability to heal diseases instantaneously and totally in order to convince people that they were from God and that their message was indeed believable. (Mark 16:20) So, these gifts were given in order to authenticate and confirm the proclamation of these particular individuals. I have heard of the gifts being given again all over to use at will, but the evidence is very superficial, except on hearsay, especially in Gospel hardened nations such as the United States and others like it. I have heard of reports in the mission field overseas, such as T.L. Osborn reported, of the Lord confirming his ministry to heathen who had never heard the Gospel before, by healings and miracles.
In those instances, I believe it is very possible, the Lord will, and has honored the prayer of faith and performed healings and miracles to authenticate the preaching of the Gospel to unbelievers who never heard the word. However, that is not the normative, and certainly does not apply to the claims we are hearing today, such as controlled, advertised tent meetings, or to the other extremes of even mass healing on the air waves by radio and T.V. on even delayed taping!
Concerning the hypocrisy of modern healers, I have never heard it said better than how John MacArthur Jr. says it: "The question I hear all the time is: "well, how do you explain what goes on?" All right, let me ask you a question. Since none of the healers can heal with a word or a touch, instantaneously, totally, everybody, organic diseases, and raise the dead; since none of there have received the gift of healing from Jesus or the apostles; since the Bible is complete, the revelation has ceased, and more signs are no longer necessary; since the Word needs no confirmation, it is sufficient that the man of god might be perfect; since their healings are based on faulty theology of the atonement and salvation; since they disallow God His own purposes in having some people remain sick; since their personal lives are not known to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; since so many tricks, gimmicks, and special effects are often used; since the evidence is weak, unsupported, and so called testimonies exagerated; since they do not go to where the sick are, as Jesus did; since they cannot heal all who come to them; and since their healings can have other possible explanations rather than that God has acted supernaturally; let me ask you this question: "How do you explain it? You can't explain it Biblically - it is a fraud, they are deceived. Maybe they don't know they are deceived; maybe they are honestly deceived, but the are deceived."
Since sickness and disease is used by God for His sovereign purpose, it is only logical, only He can heal at His will, not our will!
Other than the fall, why are Christians sick, especially if they have already been spiritually healed by conversion? Several possibilities are as follows: Satan makes you sick. Luke 13:11 says, "And, behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together, and could in no way lift herself up. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, woman, thou are loosed from thine
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>
God has always, since the fall up to present, healed by His divine grace when it was His will to do so, but the only time He gave the actual "gift of healings" to any men other than Himself, was when He passed the gift on to men to authenticate the Gospel, and the New Testament dispensation!
First, Jesus gave the gift to His twelve apostles. These gifts were temporary sign gifts which were also miracles, unlearned languages and interpretation of those languages, in addition to the gifts of healings.
The progression of the power to use the sign gifts at will by the men possessing them were as follows: Jesus first gave the gifts to the twelve apostles. In Luke 9:1 we are told, "Then He called His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all demons---" this was actually the gift of miracles or powers, however this never gave them any ability to work natural miracles such as Jesus did when he walked on water, changed water into wine, multiplied food, made a tree fall dead, or controlled the sea and wind. This miracle gift was the gift of "dunamis", power over Satan, the ability to cast out demons. The end of the verse says, "---and to cure diseases." They were given the power over disease, and could heal at their own will, whenever they chose to manifest the gifts! This is quite a contrast between those claiming to have the gifts today.
In Luke 10:1 Jesus extended these abilities another group of seventy: "after these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two," then He said to them in verse 9, "and heal the sick that are there, and say unto them, the kingdom of God is come near unto you."
Up to this point, only the twelve apostles, and the seventy were given the gifts of miracles and healings. From that point, a few of the associates of the apostles, used of God, were given the gift. Therefore, Christ had the gifts, along with His apostles, the seventy, and some of the apostle's associates. The gifts were never used at random in the churches, but were always associated with Christ, the twelve, the seventy, and the associates of the twelve, such as Philip and Paul. It was never extended beyond those men, so was very limited in terms of the people who possessed the gifts.
The purpose of the gifts, as I stated before, was to confirm the Gospel message. As they went out preaching, proclaiming the good news of salvation, God gave them the ability to heal diseases instantaneously and totally in order to convince people that they were from God and that their message was indeed believable. (Mark 16:20) So, these gifts were given in order to authenticate and confirm the proclamation of these particular individuals. I have heard of the gifts being given again all over to use at will, but the evidence is very superficial, except on hearsay, especially in Gospel hardened nations such as the United States and others like it. I have heard of reports in the mission field overseas, such as T.L. Osborn reported, of the Lord confirming his ministry to heathen who had never heard the Gospel before, by healings and miracles.
In those instances, I believe it is very possible, the Lord will, and has honored the prayer of faith and performed healings and miracles to authenticate the preaching of the Gospel to unbelievers who never heard the word. However, that is not the normative, and certainly does not apply to the claims we are hearing today, such as controlled, advertised tent meetings, or to the other extremes of even mass healing on the air waves by radio and T.V. on even delayed taping!
Concerning the hypocrisy of modern healers, I have never heard it said better than how John MacArthur Jr. says it: "The question I hear all the time is: "well, how do you explain what goes on?" All right, let me ask you a question. Since none of the healers can heal with a word or a touch, instantaneously, totally, everybody, organic diseases, and raise the dead; since none of there have received the gift of healing from Jesus or the apostles; since the Bible is complete, the revelation has ceased, and more signs are no longer necessary; since the Word needs no confirmation, it is sufficient that the man of god might be perfect; since their healings are based on faulty theology of the atonement and salvation; since they disallow God His own purposes in having some people remain sick; since their personal lives are not known to manifest the fruit of the Spirit; since so many tricks, gimmicks, and special effects are often used; since the evidence is weak, unsupported, and so called testimonies exagerated; since they do not go to where the sick are, as Jesus did; since they cannot heal all who come to them; and since their healings can have other possible explanations rather than that God has acted supernaturally; let me ask you this question: "How do you explain it? You can't explain it Biblically - it is a fraud, they are deceived. Maybe they don't know they are deceived; maybe they are honestly deceived, but the are deceived."
Since sickness and disease is used by God for His sovereign purpose, it is only logical, only He can heal at His will, not our will!
Other than the fall, why are Christians sick, especially if they have already been spiritually healed by conversion? Several possibilities are as follows: Satan makes you sick. Luke 13:11 says, "And, behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years and was bowed together, and could in no way lift herself up. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, woman, thou are loosed from thine
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>
HEALING: Part 7
...........unhealthy soul! In other words, a sin infested soul. That is why the Greek words for "salvation" and "save", mean "deliverance, perservation, healing, health, soundness, and salvation.
The Greek word for "salvation" is "soteria".Since salvation is a progressive process finally leading to absolute glory in Heaven with a glorified body, naturally there is both spiritual and physical healing involved in the process. In systematic, or dogmatic theology systems, there is part of the system which includes the study of "Soteriology", or salvation.
The word "save",in Greek, is "Sozo", and has the same meaning as salvation. In the New Testament, the word is used interchangably for heal, make whole, or save. The word from the original Greek word, which is "Sozo" is the original word used in all of the following passages. The word "Sozo" is used wherever quotation marks are located: Matthew 1:21 - for he "shall save" his people from their sins; Matthew 8:25 saying, Lord, "Save" us: we perish; Matthew 9:21 - but touch his garment, I "shall be whole"; Matthew 9:22 - thy faith "bath made" the "whole"; and the woman "was made whole" from that hour; Matthew 10:22 - he that endureth to the end "shall be saved"; Matthew 14:30 - he cried, saying, Lord "save" me; Matthew 16:25 - whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it; Matthew 18:11 - is come "to save" that which was lost; Matthew 19:25 - saying, who then can "be saved";Matthew 24:13 - endure unto the end, the same "shall be saved"; Matthew 24:22 - there should not flesh "be saved"; Matthew 27:40 - buildest it in three days, "save" thyself; Matthew 27:42 - He "saved" others; himself he cannot "save"; Matthew 27:49 - whether Elias will come to "save" him; Mark 3:4 - to "save" life, or to kill?; Mark 5:23 hands on her, that she "may be healed"; Mark 5:28 - may touch but his cloths I "shall be whole"; Mark 5:34 - thy faith "hath made 'thee' whole"; Mark 8:35 whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it, the same "shall save" it; Mark 10:26 - who then can "be saved"; Mark 10:52 - thy faith "bath made thee whole"; Luke 8:36 - was possessed of the devils "was healed"; Luke 8:48 thy faith "bath made" thee "whole"; Luke 8:50 - and she "shall be made whole"; Acts 4:9 - by what means he is "made whole"; Acts 4:12 - whereby we must "be saved"; Acts 14:9 - he had faith "to be healed"; Romans 5:10 we "shall be saved" by his life; 1 Corinthians 1:18 "to save" them that believe.
By examination of all the preceeding references, where the original Greek word "Sozo" was used either for heal, save, or make whole, it becomes quite plain that healing is a benefit of salvation! However, that type of healing is not the instant miraculous type of healing performed by those which possessed the gift of healings in the apostolistic age. The church was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20) Therefore, once the foundation has been laid, we need not keep laying it, but we need to build upon it! God now heals us by His grace; but in His own sovereign will, not by our command!
The faith teachers pull context, and apply it to the present age. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) They claim, since those who do not get healed have not "the higher knowledge" which they say comes by studying their "name it and claim it" methods, is the reason they are destroyed!
The fact is, if any believer will feed his spirit on the Word of God and meditate upon it, it will be medicine to his body as well as his soul! "My son, attend to my words, for they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) The "life" spoken of, refers to "eternal life", and by feeding on his word, health comes to the flesh! "He sent the word and healed them." (Psalms 107:20) So, the word of God is what is needed, to give spiritual healing for the soul, which in turn, brings health to the physical
body.
The faith healers tell people it is those seeking healing who must use their own faith in order to believe. They claim that since God spoke the earth into existance by things not seen, then those seeking healing, or whatever should use the same formula! A favorite proof text is Mark 11:24, when Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." They use this verse as an umbrella to get every thing they possibly can! However, they never quote the following verse, as it "taboo" to their theology! "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 John 5:14,15)
So, in order to get prayer answered, it must be in line with the Lord's will! The faith healers say that the biggest builder of doubt which will kill faith, is to pray a prayer including in it "if it be his will". they claim since it is God's will to heal all, that we should know his will before we pray! However, that approach does not hold up under the light of Scripture, considering all the verses we quoted of God's chastening. Even the devil has to get permission from God to afflict anyone! This is made clear in the story about Job. The devil could not touch him without God's permission. Even though God uses angels, demons, or people to execute His judgements and chastements. "The Lord bath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Proverbs 16:4).
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>
The Greek word for "salvation" is "soteria".Since salvation is a progressive process finally leading to absolute glory in Heaven with a glorified body, naturally there is both spiritual and physical healing involved in the process. In systematic, or dogmatic theology systems, there is part of the system which includes the study of "Soteriology", or salvation.
The word "save",in Greek, is "Sozo", and has the same meaning as salvation. In the New Testament, the word is used interchangably for heal, make whole, or save. The word from the original Greek word, which is "Sozo" is the original word used in all of the following passages. The word "Sozo" is used wherever quotation marks are located: Matthew 1:21 - for he "shall save" his people from their sins; Matthew 8:25 saying, Lord, "Save" us: we perish; Matthew 9:21 - but touch his garment, I "shall be whole"; Matthew 9:22 - thy faith "bath made" the "whole"; and the woman "was made whole" from that hour; Matthew 10:22 - he that endureth to the end "shall be saved"; Matthew 14:30 - he cried, saying, Lord "save" me; Matthew 16:25 - whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it; Matthew 18:11 - is come "to save" that which was lost; Matthew 19:25 - saying, who then can "be saved";Matthew 24:13 - endure unto the end, the same "shall be saved"; Matthew 24:22 - there should not flesh "be saved"; Matthew 27:40 - buildest it in three days, "save" thyself; Matthew 27:42 - He "saved" others; himself he cannot "save"; Matthew 27:49 - whether Elias will come to "save" him; Mark 3:4 - to "save" life, or to kill?; Mark 5:23 hands on her, that she "may be healed"; Mark 5:28 - may touch but his cloths I "shall be whole"; Mark 5:34 - thy faith "hath made 'thee' whole"; Mark 8:35 whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it, the same "shall save" it; Mark 10:26 - who then can "be saved"; Mark 10:52 - thy faith "bath made thee whole"; Luke 8:36 - was possessed of the devils "was healed"; Luke 8:48 thy faith "bath made" thee "whole"; Luke 8:50 - and she "shall be made whole"; Acts 4:9 - by what means he is "made whole"; Acts 4:12 - whereby we must "be saved"; Acts 14:9 - he had faith "to be healed"; Romans 5:10 we "shall be saved" by his life; 1 Corinthians 1:18 "to save" them that believe.
By examination of all the preceeding references, where the original Greek word "Sozo" was used either for heal, save, or make whole, it becomes quite plain that healing is a benefit of salvation! However, that type of healing is not the instant miraculous type of healing performed by those which possessed the gift of healings in the apostolistic age. The church was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20) Therefore, once the foundation has been laid, we need not keep laying it, but we need to build upon it! God now heals us by His grace; but in His own sovereign will, not by our command!
The faith teachers pull context, and apply it to the present age. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) They claim, since those who do not get healed have not "the higher knowledge" which they say comes by studying their "name it and claim it" methods, is the reason they are destroyed!
The fact is, if any believer will feed his spirit on the Word of God and meditate upon it, it will be medicine to his body as well as his soul! "My son, attend to my words, for they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22) The "life" spoken of, refers to "eternal life", and by feeding on his word, health comes to the flesh! "He sent the word and healed them." (Psalms 107:20) So, the word of God is what is needed, to give spiritual healing for the soul, which in turn, brings health to the physical
body.
The faith healers tell people it is those seeking healing who must use their own faith in order to believe. They claim that since God spoke the earth into existance by things not seen, then those seeking healing, or whatever should use the same formula! A favorite proof text is Mark 11:24, when Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." They use this verse as an umbrella to get every thing they possibly can! However, they never quote the following verse, as it "taboo" to their theology! "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 John 5:14,15)
So, in order to get prayer answered, it must be in line with the Lord's will! The faith healers say that the biggest builder of doubt which will kill faith, is to pray a prayer including in it "if it be his will". they claim since it is God's will to heal all, that we should know his will before we pray! However, that approach does not hold up under the light of Scripture, considering all the verses we quoted of God's chastening. Even the devil has to get permission from God to afflict anyone! This is made clear in the story about Job. The devil could not touch him without God's permission. Even though God uses angels, demons, or people to execute His judgements and chastements. "The Lord bath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Proverbs 16:4).
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>
HEALING: Part 6
................by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt." (Dt. 24:9) So, it becomes plain who put the disease on her! After she was properly disciplined, the Lord restored her to her health seven days later! This follows right in harmony with His recorded inspired word when He said, "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no God with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." (Dt. 32:39) Then, the Lord stated, "and the Lord said unto him (Moses), who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Have not I the Lord?" (Exodus 4:11)
Therefore, in light of the above scriptures, it is perfectly reasonable to understand that the Lord can choose to either put sickness on anyone, or heal them, according to His sovereign will! When His use of sickness for chastening or whatever purpose is fulfilled, then He can choose to heal, also for His own purpose and glory! "I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26) "I will take sickness away from thee. The number of thy days I will fulfill." (Exodus 23:25,26) The main point that the Lord wants to get across to us, is that He does the deciding of whether we are to be sick or well! "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:5,6,7). The word "evil" is taken from the Hebrew word "Ra" and means just that: evil, but it does not mean sin! That is one of the things which God is unable to do, and that is sin! He also is unable to lie, as we are seeing by examining His word.
God makes it plain, all through the Bible, He loves His children, but He is the boss and "calls the shots". He loves and disciplines as well! "And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:28). To those who persist in their wickedness, without responding to chastisement, God even utterly destroys. The Bible is loaded with the various incidents!
ARE CHRISTIANS PROMISED HEALING IN THE ATONEMENT?
The favorite "proof texts" of healing being promised in the atonement of Christ is taken from Isaiah 53:4,5. Faith healers love "Surely he bath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4,5) Isaiah prophesied this prophecy about Jesus 700 years before it came to pass. Faith teachers use these texts to claim healings for the present age. What makes it even more inviting is the fact that the word "griefs", in vs.4, is translated from the Hebrew word "gholee", meaning "sicknesses or diseases", and the word "sorrows" is taken from the Hebrew word "Machohv" which means "pains". So, faith healers tell those seeking healing "Jesus already bore your sicknesses and diseases and carried all of your pains on the cross, so if you will believe He did it for you, you do not need to bare any sickness or carry any pain! By his stripes which He took with the Roman whip, you are healed!
When I used to preach that sermon, I really believed it, and couldn't understand why all would not "believe and receive" their healings! However, with diligent study, I finally came to the correct exegeses of these verses. I found, as many others have, that the actual fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy was actually fulfilled in the actual, literal healing ministry of Jesus Christ when He was on earth! Since it was fulfilled in Jesus, we are in error to claim those scriptures out of context to claim healing for ourselves in this present age! The fulfillment to Isaiah 53: 4,5 is recorded in Matthew 8:16,17. "When the evening was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses."
So, in light of those two verses, it is plain to see, the fulfillment to Jesus baring any sickness and diseases were fulfilled right there when He personally ministered on earth in the flesh! So, we, as believers, cannot claim any unfulfilled promises from the atonement! The prophecy has already been fulfilled! However, we can claim something else from the atonement, which was done right there, once and for all, for all of the elect of all ages, past, present and future, and that is the fact that Jesus bore our SIN on the cross! The apostle Peter brought that to the attention of the redeemed when he reminded them, "who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripe ye were healed."4 (1 Peter 2:24) So, Isaiah was looking ahead to the cross, and Peter was looking back to the cross, both realizing that the healing which came by the stripes Jesus took was the once and for all healing of the sins of the elect!
Therefore, we are promised healing from sin for our souls from the atonement, but the physical healings part of the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' earthly 3-1/2 year ministry! However, it is a known fact that when the soul is healed from the burden of sin, the body also starts to function better, because most diseases are due to some inbalance of the bodily system due to an unhealthy soul!
In other words, a sin infested soul. That is why the Greek words for "salvation" and "save", mean "deliverance, perservation, healing, health, soundness, and salvation. The Greek word for "salvation" is "soteria". Since salvation is a progressive process finally leading to absolute glory in Heaven with a glorified body, naturally there is both spiritual and physical healing involved in the process. In systematic, or dogmatic theology systems, there is part of the system which includes the study of "Soteriology", or salvation.
The word "save", in Greek, is "Sozo", and has the same meaning as salvation. In the New Testament, the word is used interchangably for heal, make whole, or save. The word from the original Greek word, which is "Sozo" is the original word used in all of the following passages. The word "Sozo" is used wherever quotation marks are located: Matthew 1:21 - for he "shall save" his people from their sins; Matthew 8:25 saying, Lord, "Save" us: we perish; Matthew 9:21 - but touch his garment, I "shall be whole"; Matthew 9:22 - thy faith "bath made" the "whole"; and the woman "was made whole" from that hour; Matthew 10:22 - he that endureth to the end "shall be saved"; Matthew 14:30 - he cried, saying, Lord "save" me; Matthew 16:25 - whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it; Matthew 18:11 - is come "to save" that which was lost; Matthew 19:25 - saying, who then can "be saved";
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Therefore, in light of the above scriptures, it is perfectly reasonable to understand that the Lord can choose to either put sickness on anyone, or heal them, according to His sovereign will! When His use of sickness for chastening or whatever purpose is fulfilled, then He can choose to heal, also for His own purpose and glory! "I am the Lord that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26) "I will take sickness away from thee. The number of thy days I will fulfill." (Exodus 23:25,26) The main point that the Lord wants to get across to us, is that He does the deciding of whether we are to be sick or well! "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:5,6,7). The word "evil" is taken from the Hebrew word "Ra" and means just that: evil, but it does not mean sin! That is one of the things which God is unable to do, and that is sin! He also is unable to lie, as we are seeing by examining His word.
God makes it plain, all through the Bible, He loves His children, but He is the boss and "calls the shots". He loves and disciplines as well! "And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:28). To those who persist in their wickedness, without responding to chastisement, God even utterly destroys. The Bible is loaded with the various incidents!
ARE CHRISTIANS PROMISED HEALING IN THE ATONEMENT?
The favorite "proof texts" of healing being promised in the atonement of Christ is taken from Isaiah 53:4,5. Faith healers love "Surely he bath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4,5) Isaiah prophesied this prophecy about Jesus 700 years before it came to pass. Faith teachers use these texts to claim healings for the present age. What makes it even more inviting is the fact that the word "griefs", in vs.4, is translated from the Hebrew word "gholee", meaning "sicknesses or diseases", and the word "sorrows" is taken from the Hebrew word "Machohv" which means "pains". So, faith healers tell those seeking healing "Jesus already bore your sicknesses and diseases and carried all of your pains on the cross, so if you will believe He did it for you, you do not need to bare any sickness or carry any pain! By his stripes which He took with the Roman whip, you are healed!
When I used to preach that sermon, I really believed it, and couldn't understand why all would not "believe and receive" their healings! However, with diligent study, I finally came to the correct exegeses of these verses. I found, as many others have, that the actual fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy was actually fulfilled in the actual, literal healing ministry of Jesus Christ when He was on earth! Since it was fulfilled in Jesus, we are in error to claim those scriptures out of context to claim healing for ourselves in this present age! The fulfillment to Isaiah 53: 4,5 is recorded in Matthew 8:16,17. "When the evening was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with demons: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses."
So, in light of those two verses, it is plain to see, the fulfillment to Jesus baring any sickness and diseases were fulfilled right there when He personally ministered on earth in the flesh! So, we, as believers, cannot claim any unfulfilled promises from the atonement! The prophecy has already been fulfilled! However, we can claim something else from the atonement, which was done right there, once and for all, for all of the elect of all ages, past, present and future, and that is the fact that Jesus bore our SIN on the cross! The apostle Peter brought that to the attention of the redeemed when he reminded them, "who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripe ye were healed."4 (1 Peter 2:24) So, Isaiah was looking ahead to the cross, and Peter was looking back to the cross, both realizing that the healing which came by the stripes Jesus took was the once and for all healing of the sins of the elect!
Therefore, we are promised healing from sin for our souls from the atonement, but the physical healings part of the prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' earthly 3-1/2 year ministry! However, it is a known fact that when the soul is healed from the burden of sin, the body also starts to function better, because most diseases are due to some inbalance of the bodily system due to an unhealthy soul!
In other words, a sin infested soul. That is why the Greek words for "salvation" and "save", mean "deliverance, perservation, healing, health, soundness, and salvation. The Greek word for "salvation" is "soteria". Since salvation is a progressive process finally leading to absolute glory in Heaven with a glorified body, naturally there is both spiritual and physical healing involved in the process. In systematic, or dogmatic theology systems, there is part of the system which includes the study of "Soteriology", or salvation.
The word "save", in Greek, is "Sozo", and has the same meaning as salvation. In the New Testament, the word is used interchangably for heal, make whole, or save. The word from the original Greek word, which is "Sozo" is the original word used in all of the following passages. The word "Sozo" is used wherever quotation marks are located: Matthew 1:21 - for he "shall save" his people from their sins; Matthew 8:25 saying, Lord, "Save" us: we perish; Matthew 9:21 - but touch his garment, I "shall be whole"; Matthew 9:22 - thy faith "bath made" the "whole"; and the woman "was made whole" from that hour; Matthew 10:22 - he that endureth to the end "shall be saved"; Matthew 14:30 - he cried, saying, Lord "save" me; Matthew 16:25 - whosoever will "save" his life shall loose it; Matthew 18:11 - is come "to save" that which was lost; Matthew 19:25 - saying, who then can "be saved";
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
HEALING: Part 5
.........They say, "God is a good God, and Satan is a bad devil." All good comes from God, and all evil from Satan. Therefore, God cannot be the source of it. Therefore, it is only logical that anyone sick must be outside of God's protective realm due to either unconfessed sin, or lack of faith on their part, in order for Satan to afflict them. They "proof text" all of the Scriptures such as, "Great multitudes followed him and he healed them all." (Matthew 12:15) "As many as touched him were made perfectly whole." (Matthew 14:36). "The whole multitude sought to touch him, and he healed them all." (Luke 6:19) "He healed all that were sick." (Acts 4:40)
Then, all of the writers will take those verses, and apply them to this verse: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) In fact, at a past General Council meeting for the Assemblies of God, which was held at Anaheim Convention Center in California, and televised on three networks coast to coast, Thomas Zimmerman, the Assemblies of God General Superentendant used that very verse as his text for his key note message! The message stated, in agreement with all of the faith healing teachings that since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can expect him to perform the same acts of healings and miracles for us today, as he did during his personal ministry on earth! It sounds great! It did to me also, when I was preaching it! But, when it was not working for me, I had to analyze whether it was sound Biblical doctrine or not. for me, I had to analyze whether it was sound Biblical doctrine or not.
It is a fact Christ never changes, however, His divine will and Sovereign purpose for different individuals definitely do change! I am not able to part the Red Sea with a staff like Moses was given the ability to do! I cannot do most of the things the Old Testament prophets were given the ability to do. Just because Jesus did certain things in His ministry, does not give me the same power to do them! Jesus may have healed all in some verses, but in other verses, which faith teachers do not choose to bring attention to, Jesus did not choose to heal all! There were many sick people all around, wherever Jesus went, that He did not choose to heal.
This doctrine logically follows the Armenian school of theology which states that it is God's will to save all. However, in the reformed school of theology, the teaching is that Christ came to redeem only the elect who were predestinated to be adopted by Christ! (Ephesians 1:4,5) I am in agreement with the Reformed school of thought, therefore, I cannot accept the fact that it is His will to heal all, no more than it is His will to save all!
The faith teachers use a few verses to prove believers should never be sick such as:
"Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust." (Psalm 104:29). "Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn coming in his season." (Job 5:26), "with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." (Psalms 91:16) However, the proponents of this doctrine do not take into consideration that doctrine must harmonize with scripture, and must be compatible from Genesis to Revelation, if it is true doctrine! It must teach and stabilize the same thing all the way through the Bible not leaving any questions unanswered.
If it is always God's will o heal all, and no sickness can come from Him, what can we do with verses like the following, except tear them out of the Bible if we are to hold with the faith teaching doctrine? "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the almighty. For he rnaketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole." (Job 5:17,18) So we should understand that God does sometimes use sickness for His purpose of correcting us! Right in harmony with that verse is, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:11,12). "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with Sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers; then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:7,8)However, the faith teachers bring to our attention, concerning "chastening" that the word "chasten" comes from a Greek word meaning "to instruct, train, discipline, teach or educate. It does not mean to "make sick, smite with disease, or make infirm!"
They also bring to our attention that the word "afflictions" in the Bible does not mean sicknesses either, but means other problems or tribulations. But, regardless of the meaning of "chasten" the fact is, the Lord has on occassion actually put sickness and disease on various people to chasten them!
In an account given in the twelth chapter of Numbers, the Lord became angry with Miriam, the sister of Moses, because of her rebellion against His chosen servant, her brother Moses! He called her, Moses, and their brother Aaron together to discipline them, and the result is recorded in Numbers 12:9,10. "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold, she was leprous." Some look at those verses and say it does not actually say it was God who gave Miriam leprousy, so it must have been the devil who did it when God took His protection away from her. However, much later, Moses was instructing the Jews concerning domestic relations in the 24th chapter of Deuteronomy, and he brought the incident of Miriam's leprousy to them as a reminder when he said, "Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Then, all of the writers will take those verses, and apply them to this verse: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) In fact, at a past General Council meeting for the Assemblies of God, which was held at Anaheim Convention Center in California, and televised on three networks coast to coast, Thomas Zimmerman, the Assemblies of God General Superentendant used that very verse as his text for his key note message! The message stated, in agreement with all of the faith healing teachings that since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can expect him to perform the same acts of healings and miracles for us today, as he did during his personal ministry on earth! It sounds great! It did to me also, when I was preaching it! But, when it was not working for me, I had to analyze whether it was sound Biblical doctrine or not. for me, I had to analyze whether it was sound Biblical doctrine or not.
It is a fact Christ never changes, however, His divine will and Sovereign purpose for different individuals definitely do change! I am not able to part the Red Sea with a staff like Moses was given the ability to do! I cannot do most of the things the Old Testament prophets were given the ability to do. Just because Jesus did certain things in His ministry, does not give me the same power to do them! Jesus may have healed all in some verses, but in other verses, which faith teachers do not choose to bring attention to, Jesus did not choose to heal all! There were many sick people all around, wherever Jesus went, that He did not choose to heal.
This doctrine logically follows the Armenian school of theology which states that it is God's will to save all. However, in the reformed school of theology, the teaching is that Christ came to redeem only the elect who were predestinated to be adopted by Christ! (Ephesians 1:4,5) I am in agreement with the Reformed school of thought, therefore, I cannot accept the fact that it is His will to heal all, no more than it is His will to save all!
The faith teachers use a few verses to prove believers should never be sick such as:
"Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust." (Psalm 104:29). "Thou shall come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn coming in his season." (Job 5:26), "with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." (Psalms 91:16) However, the proponents of this doctrine do not take into consideration that doctrine must harmonize with scripture, and must be compatible from Genesis to Revelation, if it is true doctrine! It must teach and stabilize the same thing all the way through the Bible not leaving any questions unanswered.
If it is always God's will o heal all, and no sickness can come from Him, what can we do with verses like the following, except tear them out of the Bible if we are to hold with the faith teaching doctrine? "Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the almighty. For he rnaketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole." (Job 5:17,18) So we should understand that God does sometimes use sickness for His purpose of correcting us! Right in harmony with that verse is, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." (Proverbs 3:11,12). "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with Sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers; then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:7,8)However, the faith teachers bring to our attention, concerning "chastening" that the word "chasten" comes from a Greek word meaning "to instruct, train, discipline, teach or educate. It does not mean to "make sick, smite with disease, or make infirm!"
They also bring to our attention that the word "afflictions" in the Bible does not mean sicknesses either, but means other problems or tribulations. But, regardless of the meaning of "chasten" the fact is, the Lord has on occassion actually put sickness and disease on various people to chasten them!
In an account given in the twelth chapter of Numbers, the Lord became angry with Miriam, the sister of Moses, because of her rebellion against His chosen servant, her brother Moses! He called her, Moses, and their brother Aaron together to discipline them, and the result is recorded in Numbers 12:9,10. "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold, she was leprous." Some look at those verses and say it does not actually say it was God who gave Miriam leprousy, so it must have been the devil who did it when God took His protection away from her. However, much later, Moses was instructing the Jews concerning domestic relations in the 24th chapter of Deuteronomy, and he brought the incident of Miriam's leprousy to them as a reminder when he said, "Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>
HEALING: Part 4
...........people say they "feel better", but only they know! There are some but in proportion of the reports, very few, actual well documented healings, but, in those cases, it was His will to heal! Personally, I can understand why so few genuine healings take place in meetings we see in the U.S. because faith healing evangelists would take all the credit and "hawk" their power to the uttermost!
Overseas, where the news media is absent or where there is little or no publicity, the Lord usually manifests His glory in greater proportion, but in the U.S., the meeting would be live on one or more T.V. stations, and if anything significant took place, it would be replayed until the healing evangelist would be an instant success and would inherit an instant following!
The fact is, the plan is that those that believe are to seek and follow Christ, and not any man! I think the Lord is gracious not to give us the gift of healing to use at our will, as none of us could handle this power for very long without thinking we had some merit to the power! The way the Lord keeps us humble is to let us know, He heals by His will, and not our will!
From experience, I know it is easy to "talk" healing faith, but it requires much more to produce the results-actual healing! Having said this much, through personal experience, I would like to look at some of the faith healing doctrine being taught today, by radio, T.V., books and seminars, as well in thousands of churches. As we go along, we will comment on whether the teachings are Biblical, and if not, where did they originate from or where do they go wrong.
FAITH HEALING AND PROSPERITY DOCTRINE
The greatest truth available to all of the seeking is that healing still takes place in our age! That fact is recognized by those who spend enough effort to research the subject! Whether they can verify it by personal experience, or not!
The fact that Christians cannot agree on the doctrine of divine healing, makes it one of the prominent controversial issues within the. church. Since we are all still human, and still look through a dark glass, not having been yet glorified, we are all subject to misinterpreting the various Scripture passages which may shed light on healing.
It is also a fact that we are not all at the same level of enlightenment, therefore, none of us contain all of the truth on every doctrine! That is why we must "study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (1 Timothy 2:15)
Naturally, there are those in the church that take the position that divine healing and miracles do not exist at all in our age, and have ended with the early church. However, even within the ranks of those who do believe in healing and miracles, is very little, sound, agreeable Biblical theology which can be standardized upon. What there is available is mostly the faith healing, positive confession, mind over matter doctrine, which actually borders on the edge of mind science and metaphysics cults, and if studied closely, can be found to even identify with early Gnosticism, which was an early non-Christian cult who thought they had arrived at a higher spiritual level of knowledge than others.
The greatest danger of practicing this type of worship is the ever present temptation to seduce God into becoming your own private "genie in the bottle" by "proof texting" but must be arrived at by the proper interpretation which is a study called "Hermeneutics". We have all heard, at one time or another, a zeleous recently converted Christian extract some lone Scripture passage out of the Old Testament somewhere and mistakenly apply it to his situation at present saying, "There it is! God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!" The actual fact is, it may settle it for him or her, but it does not change the verse, depending on its context in that particular location!
I feel this error of misapplying and misinterpreting various Bible verses are the greatest cause of error which leads even the most sincere Christian, if he doesn't study, to go astray. I have no doubt that most of those caught up in the faith of prosperity, positive confession movement are very sincere in their beliefs. I know because I was sincere when I was preaching it! However, that did not make my doctrine any more pure by the fact that I believed it!
IS IT GOD'S WILL TO HEAL ALL; EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO ASKS?
In studying all of the faith healing writer's teachings, that is the first and most important lesson for those seeking healing to learn. They teach that it is not God's will for anyone to be sick, and that if it is His will to heal a115 of His children, or "who ever will receive".
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>
Overseas, where the news media is absent or where there is little or no publicity, the Lord usually manifests His glory in greater proportion, but in the U.S., the meeting would be live on one or more T.V. stations, and if anything significant took place, it would be replayed until the healing evangelist would be an instant success and would inherit an instant following!
The fact is, the plan is that those that believe are to seek and follow Christ, and not any man! I think the Lord is gracious not to give us the gift of healing to use at our will, as none of us could handle this power for very long without thinking we had some merit to the power! The way the Lord keeps us humble is to let us know, He heals by His will, and not our will!
From experience, I know it is easy to "talk" healing faith, but it requires much more to produce the results-actual healing! Having said this much, through personal experience, I would like to look at some of the faith healing doctrine being taught today, by radio, T.V., books and seminars, as well in thousands of churches. As we go along, we will comment on whether the teachings are Biblical, and if not, where did they originate from or where do they go wrong.
FAITH HEALING AND PROSPERITY DOCTRINE
The greatest truth available to all of the seeking is that healing still takes place in our age! That fact is recognized by those who spend enough effort to research the subject! Whether they can verify it by personal experience, or not!
The fact that Christians cannot agree on the doctrine of divine healing, makes it one of the prominent controversial issues within the. church. Since we are all still human, and still look through a dark glass, not having been yet glorified, we are all subject to misinterpreting the various Scripture passages which may shed light on healing.
It is also a fact that we are not all at the same level of enlightenment, therefore, none of us contain all of the truth on every doctrine! That is why we must "study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (1 Timothy 2:15)
Naturally, there are those in the church that take the position that divine healing and miracles do not exist at all in our age, and have ended with the early church. However, even within the ranks of those who do believe in healing and miracles, is very little, sound, agreeable Biblical theology which can be standardized upon. What there is available is mostly the faith healing, positive confession, mind over matter doctrine, which actually borders on the edge of mind science and metaphysics cults, and if studied closely, can be found to even identify with early Gnosticism, which was an early non-Christian cult who thought they had arrived at a higher spiritual level of knowledge than others.
The greatest danger of practicing this type of worship is the ever present temptation to seduce God into becoming your own private "genie in the bottle" by "proof texting" but must be arrived at by the proper interpretation which is a study called "Hermeneutics". We have all heard, at one time or another, a zeleous recently converted Christian extract some lone Scripture passage out of the Old Testament somewhere and mistakenly apply it to his situation at present saying, "There it is! God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!" The actual fact is, it may settle it for him or her, but it does not change the verse, depending on its context in that particular location!
I feel this error of misapplying and misinterpreting various Bible verses are the greatest cause of error which leads even the most sincere Christian, if he doesn't study, to go astray. I have no doubt that most of those caught up in the faith of prosperity, positive confession movement are very sincere in their beliefs. I know because I was sincere when I was preaching it! However, that did not make my doctrine any more pure by the fact that I believed it!
IS IT GOD'S WILL TO HEAL ALL; EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO ASKS?
In studying all of the faith healing writer's teachings, that is the first and most important lesson for those seeking healing to learn. They teach that it is not God's will for anyone to be sick, and that if it is His will to heal a115 of His children, or "who ever will receive".
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>
HEALING: Part 3
.........wanted prayer for healings! I even advertised in several local newspapers weekly for six months in large bold print: "Healing, Deliverance, Salvation! Whatever your need, bring it and let Jesus Christ meet it!" Needless to say, those ads drew many of the "special" cases who had given up all hope of receiving healing anywhere else!
I can report, after I prayed, there were those who "confessed" their healing", without it being manifested. There were those who said they "felt better' after I prayed and were believing for the full manifestation! There were also many who were "slain in the Spirit", or "fell prostrate under the power" when I prayed for them. There were some favorable reports of improved conditions, but no instant manifestations of healing such as the incident with my wife's bee sting!
Then, there were the sorrowful cases of those that died shortly after I prayed for them! All of those were cancer cases, and one of those included one of my best friends, who was only 37 years old! I honestly have to report that in every single cancer case, there was extreme faith on their part to receive, and they did all of the right things to their knowledge and instruction, and even followed through by "confessing" their healing before it was actually manifested, and claiming it daily, to their last breath! There was nothing lacking in my faith either! My 37 year old friend, as a result of his tragedy, received Christ as Savior, and I am absolutely expectant of his waiting to welcome me on the "other side" when I get there; but in spite of all my efforts and prayers, He still died!
There are those who have said to me, "The problem was you! You did not have the gift of healing!" However, I must also report, of all the cancer victims I prayed for, they had all been prayed for by others, either before or after me. In the case of my 37 year old friend, when I first became aware of his condition, I shared Christ with him for salvation for the first hour, and then shared Christ for healing the second hour. This resulted in his accepting my invitation to accompany me to a Full Gospel Businessmen's meeting. Once there, I reported his condition to those there, requesting prayer by any of those with faith for healing. The result was, 17 men responded, and we sat my friend in a chair, and we all stood around him, annointed him with oil, and prayed! The result was, He made a proclamation of faith in Christ the next day, but still died within 18 months after having his right arm and shoulder amputated!
I do not share these incidents to discredit the glorious healing power of Christ, but by doing so, I hope to reflect the fact that when he does heal, it is by His grace and His will, not by the efforts of men who think they personally have any special power that other Christians do not have.
There are many other incidents I could report, but by doing so would bring no glory to Christ who is all deserving of all glory. However, if only I had failed, I could accept the fact it might have been me and my failure, but other men claiming the "gift of healing" prayed for others also, either before or after I did, and they still died!
There was one Nazarine minister I knew very well who had been prayed for by many others supposedly with the gift of healing, as well as by myself, and he went on to be with Jesus confessing with his last breath that "he was healed", I am sure!
One night in my church, in response to my "healing" ad, a man about 70 drove in, and helped his wife out of his car into a wheel chair. He wheeled her in and asked for the pastor. I talked to him, and he informed me that his wife was in bad pain, due to several operations from a car accident. Then he revealed to me that he had terminal cancer, and the doctors had given him 6 months or less to live! He said they had seen my ad, and had come to be healed! I preached the best healing message I possibly could with "a full annointing" and they naturally responded to prayer. Try as I might, I could not get her to rise from her wheel chair, but she later reported her pain left for two weeks, but then returned. They came to one more of my services about a month later, and I found out they had been to several other services elsewhere and had been prayed for. With all the many beautiful testimonies of healings that I have heard of, I would like to give a positive report in this case also, however---the brother died on schedule as the doctors stated, about six months later!
With all of this negative testimony I have given so far, the reader might think I do not believe Christ heals any longer. Wrong!! I believe He heals today, just as He did always, however, those lessons I learned the hard way sent me back to "The Bible" instead of other "faith healers" books! The Christian bookstores are flooded with, "How to Receive Your Healing" books, and I think I have read almost every one written in this century! I read all I have missed as I have come upon them.
In re-evaluating all of their teachings, I have come to the position of believing that God will heal in answer to prayer (only if it is His will), however, no man presently living possesses any gifts of healings or miracles which he can use at his discretion whenever he pleases!
In other words, I do not believe anyone can schedule God to be at a "healing and miracle" meeting and command Him to perform! I personally have gone to every advertised, such meetings I had a chance to, and have personally sat in the meetings of all of the present big time, professing healing evangelists meetings! I can honestly say, as a Spirit filled, born again believer who is not a skeptic, I have never seen any manifestation of instant physical healing I could prove on anything but hearsay! The record is the same as my personal record,
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I can report, after I prayed, there were those who "confessed" their healing", without it being manifested. There were those who said they "felt better' after I prayed and were believing for the full manifestation! There were also many who were "slain in the Spirit", or "fell prostrate under the power" when I prayed for them. There were some favorable reports of improved conditions, but no instant manifestations of healing such as the incident with my wife's bee sting!
Then, there were the sorrowful cases of those that died shortly after I prayed for them! All of those were cancer cases, and one of those included one of my best friends, who was only 37 years old! I honestly have to report that in every single cancer case, there was extreme faith on their part to receive, and they did all of the right things to their knowledge and instruction, and even followed through by "confessing" their healing before it was actually manifested, and claiming it daily, to their last breath! There was nothing lacking in my faith either! My 37 year old friend, as a result of his tragedy, received Christ as Savior, and I am absolutely expectant of his waiting to welcome me on the "other side" when I get there; but in spite of all my efforts and prayers, He still died!
There are those who have said to me, "The problem was you! You did not have the gift of healing!" However, I must also report, of all the cancer victims I prayed for, they had all been prayed for by others, either before or after me. In the case of my 37 year old friend, when I first became aware of his condition, I shared Christ with him for salvation for the first hour, and then shared Christ for healing the second hour. This resulted in his accepting my invitation to accompany me to a Full Gospel Businessmen's meeting. Once there, I reported his condition to those there, requesting prayer by any of those with faith for healing. The result was, 17 men responded, and we sat my friend in a chair, and we all stood around him, annointed him with oil, and prayed! The result was, He made a proclamation of faith in Christ the next day, but still died within 18 months after having his right arm and shoulder amputated!
I do not share these incidents to discredit the glorious healing power of Christ, but by doing so, I hope to reflect the fact that when he does heal, it is by His grace and His will, not by the efforts of men who think they personally have any special power that other Christians do not have.
There are many other incidents I could report, but by doing so would bring no glory to Christ who is all deserving of all glory. However, if only I had failed, I could accept the fact it might have been me and my failure, but other men claiming the "gift of healing" prayed for others also, either before or after I did, and they still died!
There was one Nazarine minister I knew very well who had been prayed for by many others supposedly with the gift of healing, as well as by myself, and he went on to be with Jesus confessing with his last breath that "he was healed", I am sure!
One night in my church, in response to my "healing" ad, a man about 70 drove in, and helped his wife out of his car into a wheel chair. He wheeled her in and asked for the pastor. I talked to him, and he informed me that his wife was in bad pain, due to several operations from a car accident. Then he revealed to me that he had terminal cancer, and the doctors had given him 6 months or less to live! He said they had seen my ad, and had come to be healed! I preached the best healing message I possibly could with "a full annointing" and they naturally responded to prayer. Try as I might, I could not get her to rise from her wheel chair, but she later reported her pain left for two weeks, but then returned. They came to one more of my services about a month later, and I found out they had been to several other services elsewhere and had been prayed for. With all the many beautiful testimonies of healings that I have heard of, I would like to give a positive report in this case also, however---the brother died on schedule as the doctors stated, about six months later!
With all of this negative testimony I have given so far, the reader might think I do not believe Christ heals any longer. Wrong!! I believe He heals today, just as He did always, however, those lessons I learned the hard way sent me back to "The Bible" instead of other "faith healers" books! The Christian bookstores are flooded with, "How to Receive Your Healing" books, and I think I have read almost every one written in this century! I read all I have missed as I have come upon them.
In re-evaluating all of their teachings, I have come to the position of believing that God will heal in answer to prayer (only if it is His will), however, no man presently living possesses any gifts of healings or miracles which he can use at his discretion whenever he pleases!
In other words, I do not believe anyone can schedule God to be at a "healing and miracle" meeting and command Him to perform! I personally have gone to every advertised, such meetings I had a chance to, and have personally sat in the meetings of all of the present big time, professing healing evangelists meetings! I can honestly say, as a Spirit filled, born again believer who is not a skeptic, I have never seen any manifestation of instant physical healing I could prove on anything but hearsay! The record is the same as my personal record,
CONT.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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