We start this discussion with two scripture texts:
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:14-21 KJV)
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 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." (Isa 53:1-5 KJV)
Next to salvation, the greatest desire of God is to set His people free from the pain and suffering which was brought into the world through sin and the work of the devil. The desire to heal is so great that Jesus underwent scourging, torture and agony in order to make it available to us. If it is God's desire to heal, why are so many people still sick? In my search to find out why, I discovered that there are several areas where problems can develop to hinder or block God's healing.
The kingdom of God can be compared to choosing a soft drink:
A preacher named Leslie D. Weatherhead once said, "Too many of us have been inoculated with small doses of Christianity -- which keep us from catching the real thing." Many people are looking for the REAL THING, but ended up settling for Pepsi instead. But, the ones with the real problems ended up with the UN colas.
When you are looking for God's healing touch, its the deadly UN's that stand in your way. Unbelief, lack of Understanding, Unrepentant sin, Unthankfulness or a spirit of Unforgiveness can totally block God from moving in your life and situation.
It is important that we understand what God has made available to us. Jesus healed many people everywhere He went. Many passages in the scriptures indicate that He healed ALL who were afflicted that came to Him. We also see that in order for this to happen, the people had to have faith in Him. When He was in an area where faith was low, His healing ministry was greatly hindered.
Unbelief, or lack of faith is most often caused by a lack of understanding. Many of the mainline denominations lost the power of the Holy Ghost a long time ago. When they did, and the miracles ceased, they had to come up with a reason why so they wouldn't loose the people. They began to say that God doesn't work miracles anymore, or God is Sovereign and can decide not to heal. This sort of thinking now has people going to the Gospel Casino. They go in and throw their prayer on the table and take a spin at the wheel. They think, "Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones," while they do not really expect anything to happen. Brethren, praying to God for healing from a proper biblical prospective is a sure thing.
Another mistake many make is they believe that God's healing has to be done a certain way, or take a certain amount of time. I challenge you to find one passage in the bible where any healing that was performed by the prophets, Jesus or one of His disciples took days, weeks or months to come about. No they were immediate! They might have required some action on the part of the person being healed - The blind man had to wash in the pool of Siloam, and Naman the leper had to wash 7 times in the Jordan - but the healing was sudden, immediate and complete.
Have you noticed how most people who receive dramatic healing ended up going to God as a last resort? We go to the doctors until they put us under the death sentence. "I'm sorry, there's nothing more we can do." Suddenly, that person is very motivated to pray to God. He's believing now because he doesn't have any choice. I wonder what would happen if we went to God first.
Instead of seeking God, the Israelites usually did a whole lot of murmuring and complaining. In the book of Exodus 15:23-26, we find them at the bitter waters of Marah. "And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee." Archeologist have recently discovered that the wisdom of the physicians of Egypt were not much more than sorcerers and witch doctors. Almost every one of their prescriptions contained human or animal dung or some other equally obnoxious ingredient. The doctor's of Egypt made sure that their patients didn't die of the sickness or injury they were seeking help for, they died from infections caused by the cure.
In the Old Testament, the sacrificial death of Jesus was foreshadowed in the Passover. The lamb was slain, its blood placed on the frame of the door of the house and the lamb was eaten along with unleavened bread. A healing miracle took place for the entire nation of Israel. Psalms 105:37 (KJV) says, "He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes." In the New Testament, Jesus became our Passover Lamb, His blood cleanses us from our sins and when we share in the Lord's Supper, we are able to take part in the healing power of God.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
How would one partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily? This brings us to the other UN's.
If you have an unrepentant heart -sins in your life that you have not yet confessed to God and asked forgiveness, then you are in rebellion against God. If you know the Word says something is wrong, and you do it anyway, without being a bit sorry for it, God is not going to be able to work healing in your life. In fact, God may have brought the sickness in the first place as a chastisement. The good news is that God is faithful to forgive if we make a sincere effort to repent.
The Bible says that we enter His gates with thanksgiving. We must learn to be thankful for what we have and for the present circumstances. God allows trials, and certain circumstances for our own good. He leads and teaches through these experiences. Ask God to reveal to you the lesson He is trying to teach, but always give thanks and praise. If we are not thankful for all the good things God has already given us, how can we expect more?
One of the most dangerous UN's is Unforgiveness. Once you have been born again, having been forgiven of the debt you could not pay, you no longer have the right to hold an unforgiving spirit against anyone. Satan starts very early placing hurt after hurt in our lives to set up offenses for which we will hold grudges in our adult lives. It is very prevalent in this age. Child abuse is rampant. I witnessed one day to a woman that was suffering from a terminal disease. The Lord gave me specific instructions that she needed to forgive something in her past. She confessed that she had never been able to forgive her father. He had molested her throughout her teenage years. She let it go that day and was healed of lung cancer.
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." (Matthew 18:21-35)
Healing and forgiveness go hand in hand. Jesus once said " Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" Mark 2:9
In order to receive healing, sins must often be forgiven. In order to be forgiven, we must first forgive others. In the Lord's prayer we say "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Satan uses sin and a spirit of unforgiveness as his legal ground to put sickness and diseases upon us. He then uses deception, doubt and a lack of knowledge to keep us sick.
I should also mention here that if you know of anyone you have wronged, you should also seek their forgiveness. In Matthew 5:21-25 we read, "Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Under the Law of Moses, the people of Israel had to bring a sacrifice or gift to the temple to atone for their sins. Jesus was saying that the gift would not be acceptable to God if you had wronged others and had not sought to reconcile with them. Let us now be wise in the way of the Lord and remove these hindrances to healing from our lives.
Mark 6:12-13 records that Jesus commissioned His disciples, giving them authority, "And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." The same anointing that was on Jesus is ours through the Holy Ghost. We must learn to reach out and share it with others. Jesus said, " Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
Finally in James 5:14-15 we find, "Is any sick among you? 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 shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
"But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:27-38)
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