Hos 6:2
2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.
NKJV
Heb 2:9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
NKJV
My Comments:
The prophet Hosea prophesied in chapter 6 verse 2 concerning the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; but not only that, that we also would be raised along with Him.
Jesus had no obligation to die for our sin, yet He chose to. The Son of God chose to come down in human flesh to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sin for all eternity. That in itself is something that we can never comprehend as to the depth of His love for us, that He would come and die for us, frail creatures as we are.
He took on Himself at the cross all our sins and sicknesses that we could be freed from such. A Divine Exchange which encompasses more than what I can number below:
1. He took our Sin and gave us His righteousness
2. He took our Sicknesses and gave us Healing
3. He took our separation from God and gave us His access to the Throne
But on the Third day, He rose again, and took us with Him! Paul confirms this in his letter to the Ephesian church where he writes that God raised us up together with Christ and that we're seated together with Him in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6).
In Hosea 6:2, the root word for the word 'revive' and 'live' is the word 'chayah', which has many different meanings, but all of which have one thing in common: being physically whole or having restoration of one's physical health.
So we can rejoice, knowing that on Resurrection Sunday, we have a yearly marker to remind us that God raised us with Christ, and not only that, that He also has restored us to our state of physical health that we should walk in today!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Speak His Word, Speak Life!
John 6:63
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life [the God kind of life].
NKJV
John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life [the God kind of life], and that they may have it more abundantly.
NKJV
My Comments:
There are many different words used for the word life in the New Testament, but in the above passage of Scripture, the word used for life is the word zoe, which can be taken to literally mean life! Some commentators also refer to it as the "God kind of life". This is also valid as John described Jesus as having zoe (or the God kind of life) in Himself, and that He (being Jesus) manifested that life on the earth.
Jesus said that His purpose of coming was that we could have and enjoy life in all its fullness, in every area of our lives. This also applies to us in the area of our health! We could be as rich as Bill Gates yet not enjoy life a result of sickness or disease in our bodies.
Notice that Jesus said to His disciples that the words He spoke were "Spirit, and they are life". Also consider that throughout His ministry, He spoke, and things happened. Blind eyes were opened, deaf ears made whole, people were raised from the dead. There was power in what He said, because life was in them!
Likewise when we face sickness or disease, rather than speak what our circumstances dictate, why not just speak the Word of God concerning bodily healing; knowing that when you do so, you release zoe or the God kind of life into your bodies, which is more than enough to take care of whatever ailment it is that's troubling you?
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life [the God kind of life].
NKJV
John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life [the God kind of life], and that they may have it more abundantly.
NKJV
My Comments:
There are many different words used for the word life in the New Testament, but in the above passage of Scripture, the word used for life is the word zoe, which can be taken to literally mean life! Some commentators also refer to it as the "God kind of life". This is also valid as John described Jesus as having zoe (or the God kind of life) in Himself, and that He (being Jesus) manifested that life on the earth.
Jesus said that His purpose of coming was that we could have and enjoy life in all its fullness, in every area of our lives. This also applies to us in the area of our health! We could be as rich as Bill Gates yet not enjoy life a result of sickness or disease in our bodies.
Notice that Jesus said to His disciples that the words He spoke were "Spirit, and they are life". Also consider that throughout His ministry, He spoke, and things happened. Blind eyes were opened, deaf ears made whole, people were raised from the dead. There was power in what He said, because life was in them!
Likewise when we face sickness or disease, rather than speak what our circumstances dictate, why not just speak the Word of God concerning bodily healing; knowing that when you do so, you release zoe or the God kind of life into your bodies, which is more than enough to take care of whatever ailment it is that's troubling you?
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Don't Look At Your Circumstances - Look To Jesus!
Num 21:8-9
8 And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived.
AMP
John 3:14-15
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life
NKJV
My Comments:
In the Old Testament, it is seen that when the Israelites were bitten by serpents as a result of their sin against God, the Lord gave them a remedy by commanding Moses to make a bronze serpent and to place it on a pole; and that whoever looked at the serpent after being bitten, he would live (that is to say that he would recover). We see that this was a shadow of what Jesus would do on the Cross for us 2,000 years ago.
It is not to say that He was compared to a serpent. In Bible interpretation, the serpent is identified with sin, as it was because of it that Man fell from his position and relationship with God; and bronze is identified with a sign of God's righteous judgement which can be seen in Deuteronomy 26:23 where the Lord established it as a statute that the heavens would be like bronze over the heads of Israel if they turned from Him. (Or it'll not rain at all, which was vitally important to them for the growth of their crops.)
So when Jesus was crucified on the Cross, in the eyes of God; He was considered as a sinner not because He actually sinned, but because He took our sins upon Himself. But He also took our sicknesses as well!
The Lord's remedy to Moses for the people was that they should look at that serpent on the pole, and they would live. Notice Numbers 21:9 in the Amplified translation:
9 ...when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived.
The Israelites had to choose between looking at the snake bites or at the bronze serpent on the pole. It was not a case of switching their gaze from serpent to bite from time to time, it was looking steadfastly at the serpent!
Likewise we have to decide whether to look at our physical circumstances that may tell us our health problems, or to look at Jesus, who took our sin and our sicknesses for us. Choose to look at Jesus, attentively, expectantly, knowing that we will be healed by looking to Him!
8 And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived.
AMP
John 3:14-15
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life
NKJV
My Comments:
In the Old Testament, it is seen that when the Israelites were bitten by serpents as a result of their sin against God, the Lord gave them a remedy by commanding Moses to make a bronze serpent and to place it on a pole; and that whoever looked at the serpent after being bitten, he would live (that is to say that he would recover). We see that this was a shadow of what Jesus would do on the Cross for us 2,000 years ago.
It is not to say that He was compared to a serpent. In Bible interpretation, the serpent is identified with sin, as it was because of it that Man fell from his position and relationship with God; and bronze is identified with a sign of God's righteous judgement which can be seen in Deuteronomy 26:23 where the Lord established it as a statute that the heavens would be like bronze over the heads of Israel if they turned from Him. (Or it'll not rain at all, which was vitally important to them for the growth of their crops.)
So when Jesus was crucified on the Cross, in the eyes of God; He was considered as a sinner not because He actually sinned, but because He took our sins upon Himself. But He also took our sicknesses as well!
The Lord's remedy to Moses for the people was that they should look at that serpent on the pole, and they would live. Notice Numbers 21:9 in the Amplified translation:
9 ...when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived.
The Israelites had to choose between looking at the snake bites or at the bronze serpent on the pole. It was not a case of switching their gaze from serpent to bite from time to time, it was looking steadfastly at the serpent!
Likewise we have to decide whether to look at our physical circumstances that may tell us our health problems, or to look at Jesus, who took our sin and our sicknesses for us. Choose to look at Jesus, attentively, expectantly, knowing that we will be healed by looking to Him!
Monday, March 18, 2013
If Jesus Is Willing, The Father Is Too!
John 14:8-9
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
NKJV
Mark 1:41
41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
NKJV
Heb 13:8
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
NKJV
My Comments:
Throughout the Bible we read how Jesus went about healing the sick who came to Him in the course of his three-and-a-half year ministry in Israel. We see how He was moved with compassion for the people, and showed His willingness to heal them all. There was no exception, no bias in His ministering to the sick.
Some of us may have heard Christians tell us that if we just believed and came to God, He would heal us. But it's a reasonable assumption to say that some may entertain doubt, saying that "Jesus is Jesus, God is God. Just because Jesus was willing to heal does not mean that God is just as willing to heal"
Note how Jesus answered that question in His own way. When Philip, once of His disciples asked Him to show them the Father (that being God), his answer was simply this, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."
By saying that, He was declaring this, "That what I do is what the Father does, If I am willing, He is too!" He goes on to establish that statement in v 10, where He said to them,
...The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (John 14:10)
What Jesus did is what God did! If Jesus stretched out His hand to heal the sick, it was the Father in Him who stretched out His hand to heal! If Jesus was willing, it is because the Father is willing!
So when thoughts come flashing through your mind on whether God is willing to heal you of your sickness, refuse to entertain them! Just look to Jesus, and know that as He is willing to heal, the Father is willing to heal!
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
NKJV
Mark 1:41
41 Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
NKJV
Heb 13:8
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
NKJV
My Comments:
Throughout the Bible we read how Jesus went about healing the sick who came to Him in the course of his three-and-a-half year ministry in Israel. We see how He was moved with compassion for the people, and showed His willingness to heal them all. There was no exception, no bias in His ministering to the sick.
Some of us may have heard Christians tell us that if we just believed and came to God, He would heal us. But it's a reasonable assumption to say that some may entertain doubt, saying that "Jesus is Jesus, God is God. Just because Jesus was willing to heal does not mean that God is just as willing to heal"
Note how Jesus answered that question in His own way. When Philip, once of His disciples asked Him to show them the Father (that being God), his answer was simply this, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father."
By saying that, He was declaring this, "That what I do is what the Father does, If I am willing, He is too!" He goes on to establish that statement in v 10, where He said to them,
...The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. (John 14:10)
What Jesus did is what God did! If Jesus stretched out His hand to heal the sick, it was the Father in Him who stretched out His hand to heal! If Jesus was willing, it is because the Father is willing!
So when thoughts come flashing through your mind on whether God is willing to heal you of your sickness, refuse to entertain them! Just look to Jesus, and know that as He is willing to heal, the Father is willing to heal!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Behold - Your Healer!
John 1:29
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
NKJV
1 Peter 2:24
24 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.
NKJV
My Comments:
In the first chapter of John's Gospel, we see how John the Baptist (who's different from the Gospel writer John by the way) described Jesus the first time he saw Him; as the Lamb of God who bore all our sins. Jesus, as the Son of God, was also the sacrificial offering made once and for all for us, that we could be reconciled back to God. The Bible also says that He was made an offering even before the world was made as we know it (Revelation 13:8).
We also know that the Bible says that He took our sins, and He took our sicknesses upon His own body at Calvary. And that as children of God, we can boldly come to God for bodily healing when we need it.
Notice however how John starts it off by exclaiming "Behold!" The Greek word used here is the word 'ide' which is the active version of the word 'eido'. The word 'eido' has many meanings; one of which is behold, but some of the others are as follows:
to - be aware, consider, have knowledge, look on, perceive, understand,
By inserting the alternative meanings above into John 1:29, we can see that John the Baptist was not merely making an exclamation of surprise when he saw Jesus for the first time, he was exhorting the people around him to be aware of Jesus as the Lamb; to consider Him as their offering for their sin, to understand His purpose for coming, to have knowledge that their sins were to be forgiven because of Him, etc!
But not only are we to be aware that Jesus is the Lamb of God who took our sins, we must also be aware that He took our sicknesses upon Himself! We must consider His sacrifice that we could be made whole physically, to understand that by His stripes we are healed, and to have knowledge that we can trust Him for our healing!
So just look to Jesus and as John said, Behold Him, the Lamb who takes our sins and sicknesses!
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
NKJV
1 Peter 2:24
24 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.
NKJV
My Comments:
In the first chapter of John's Gospel, we see how John the Baptist (who's different from the Gospel writer John by the way) described Jesus the first time he saw Him; as the Lamb of God who bore all our sins. Jesus, as the Son of God, was also the sacrificial offering made once and for all for us, that we could be reconciled back to God. The Bible also says that He was made an offering even before the world was made as we know it (Revelation 13:8).
We also know that the Bible says that He took our sins, and He took our sicknesses upon His own body at Calvary. And that as children of God, we can boldly come to God for bodily healing when we need it.
Notice however how John starts it off by exclaiming "Behold!" The Greek word used here is the word 'ide' which is the active version of the word 'eido'. The word 'eido' has many meanings; one of which is behold, but some of the others are as follows:
to - be aware, consider, have knowledge, look on, perceive, understand,
By inserting the alternative meanings above into John 1:29, we can see that John the Baptist was not merely making an exclamation of surprise when he saw Jesus for the first time, he was exhorting the people around him to be aware of Jesus as the Lamb; to consider Him as their offering for their sin, to understand His purpose for coming, to have knowledge that their sins were to be forgiven because of Him, etc!
But not only are we to be aware that Jesus is the Lamb of God who took our sins, we must also be aware that He took our sicknesses upon Himself! We must consider His sacrifice that we could be made whole physically, to understand that by His stripes we are healed, and to have knowledge that we can trust Him for our healing!
So just look to Jesus and as John said, Behold Him, the Lamb who takes our sins and sicknesses!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Be Slow, Speak Life Not Death!
Prov 18:21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
NKJV
Prov 12:18
18 There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
AMP
My Comments:
We know by virtue of Mark 11:23 that what we say or confess will manifest itself in the physical. Jesus Himself taught that lesson through the physical demonstration of His cursing the fig tree before He entered Jerusalem, and after leaving Jerusalem, the fig tree was found withered and dried from the roots.
What we must also know is that this principle of confession will work in either direction, depending on the words that come out of our mouth.
King Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, said this: that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue". Think about it. The words that come out of your mouth can either produce life or death to anything! The effect is that tremendous! But notice also that he finished the proverb by saying this, that "those who love it will eat its fruit."
He also said in Proverbs that "There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." In essence, what he said was to not be so quick to speak, as the words you say can't be retracted back. People who speak rashly and don't think much about the words that come out of their mouth tend to regret what they said later. What you say can either bring death or healing to anything!
There's an old saying that goes like this: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Don't kid yourself. Words can and will kill you if spoken wrongly, especially in the area of physical healing
Using the example of a gun with live bullets, you can aim the gun in any direction you want; but once you pull the trigger, you can't retract the bullets. They'll keep on going in the direction you aimed them in until they hit the target. Now think about what you've been saying about your situation, whether it's related to finances, health, relationships, etc!
By putting both Proverbs 18:21 and Proverbs 12:18 together, we can say this, use your tongue to speak life and healing into your body, not death! In fact, be slow to speak death, and quick to speak life!
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
NKJV
Prov 12:18
18 There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
AMP
My Comments:
We know by virtue of Mark 11:23 that what we say or confess will manifest itself in the physical. Jesus Himself taught that lesson through the physical demonstration of His cursing the fig tree before He entered Jerusalem, and after leaving Jerusalem, the fig tree was found withered and dried from the roots.
What we must also know is that this principle of confession will work in either direction, depending on the words that come out of our mouth.
King Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, said this: that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue". Think about it. The words that come out of your mouth can either produce life or death to anything! The effect is that tremendous! But notice also that he finished the proverb by saying this, that "those who love it will eat its fruit."
He also said in Proverbs that "There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." In essence, what he said was to not be so quick to speak, as the words you say can't be retracted back. People who speak rashly and don't think much about the words that come out of their mouth tend to regret what they said later. What you say can either bring death or healing to anything!
There's an old saying that goes like this: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Don't kid yourself. Words can and will kill you if spoken wrongly, especially in the area of physical healing
Using the example of a gun with live bullets, you can aim the gun in any direction you want; but once you pull the trigger, you can't retract the bullets. They'll keep on going in the direction you aimed them in until they hit the target. Now think about what you've been saying about your situation, whether it's related to finances, health, relationships, etc!
By putting both Proverbs 18:21 and Proverbs 12:18 together, we can say this, use your tongue to speak life and healing into your body, not death! In fact, be slow to speak death, and quick to speak life!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Manifested For A Purpose!
1 John 3:5,8
5 And you know that He [being Jesus] was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
NKJV
Isa 53:5
5 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.
NKJV
My Comments:
The fundamental doctrine of Christianity is that Jesus came, bore our sin [or transgressions against God] upon His own body on the Cross at Calvary, died and rose again for our justification [right standing with God].
The Apostle John, in writing to the Church, expressed this fundamental doctrine as the purpose behind why Jesus was manifested on the earth. We know that as we express our faith [conviction] that Jesus bore our sins for us and that we have right standing with God because of what He has already done, we're justified by our faith.
Notice however that Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 that Jesus was not only wounded just for our sins, it is also by His stripes that we are healed!
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested [Or this is why Jesus came], that he might destroy the works of the devil" is what John wrote to the Church. Notice however that He only did that when He died at the Cross. Peter, in preaching to the Gentiles on who Jesus was and what He did, spoke in Acts 10:38,
38 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.
When Peter says that Jesus "healed all who were oppressed by the devil", he could not have been referring to spiritual healing, or bearing the sins of the people as He only did that on the cross; but Peter mentions that He "went about doing good". I believe that this "good" Peter referred to was the physical healing of the people who came to Jesus! Not only that, Peter would have referred to physical sicknesses as demonic oppression.
I am not implying that all sicknesses are demonic in origin, but I suggest that what Peter was saying was essentially this, sickness does not come from God. God is not the author of sickness and disease, and He won't strike people with illnesses just to teach them a lesson, or to get them to repent and turn back to Him!
By going through all four Gospels in the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), we can see that the ministry of Jesus throughout Israel was punctuated by Him going about healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead.
So we can see that Jesus had a two-fold reason for His coming,
1. To bear our sins for us
2. To heal us of our sicknesses.
Therefore we can have full confidence in the reality that we can believe God for physical healing, knowing that sickness and disease does not come from Him! For this reason Jesus came, that we might be forgiven AND healed!
5 And you know that He [being Jesus] was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
NKJV
Isa 53:5
5 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.
NKJV
My Comments:
The fundamental doctrine of Christianity is that Jesus came, bore our sin [or transgressions against God] upon His own body on the Cross at Calvary, died and rose again for our justification [right standing with God].
The Apostle John, in writing to the Church, expressed this fundamental doctrine as the purpose behind why Jesus was manifested on the earth. We know that as we express our faith [conviction] that Jesus bore our sins for us and that we have right standing with God because of what He has already done, we're justified by our faith.
Notice however that Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53:5 that Jesus was not only wounded just for our sins, it is also by His stripes that we are healed!
"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested [Or this is why Jesus came], that he might destroy the works of the devil" is what John wrote to the Church. Notice however that He only did that when He died at the Cross. Peter, in preaching to the Gentiles on who Jesus was and what He did, spoke in Acts 10:38,
38 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.
When Peter says that Jesus "healed all who were oppressed by the devil", he could not have been referring to spiritual healing, or bearing the sins of the people as He only did that on the cross; but Peter mentions that He "went about doing good". I believe that this "good" Peter referred to was the physical healing of the people who came to Jesus! Not only that, Peter would have referred to physical sicknesses as demonic oppression.
I am not implying that all sicknesses are demonic in origin, but I suggest that what Peter was saying was essentially this, sickness does not come from God. God is not the author of sickness and disease, and He won't strike people with illnesses just to teach them a lesson, or to get them to repent and turn back to Him!
By going through all four Gospels in the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), we can see that the ministry of Jesus throughout Israel was punctuated by Him going about healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead.
So we can see that Jesus had a two-fold reason for His coming,
1. To bear our sins for us
2. To heal us of our sicknesses.
Therefore we can have full confidence in the reality that we can believe God for physical healing, knowing that sickness and disease does not come from Him! For this reason Jesus came, that we might be forgiven AND healed!
Friday, March 8, 2013
Your Time Of Captivity Is Over!
Ps 126:1-3
1 When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad.
NKJV
My Comments:
Psalms 126 was written after Israel's return from Babylonian captivity (~538 B.C) when Cyrus the Great, King of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland. This psalm was written as a song of praise, praising Jehovah God for having restored them to their homeland after 70 years of exile.
When the psalmist wrote "The Lord has done great things for us", he also wrote that even the nations said of Israel, "The Lord has done great things for them", referring to their deliverance from captivity into freedom.
When you're down with some physical issue that affects your health, you're a captive of that sickness. Here's news for you: You've been released from captivity because of what Jesus has already done for you at Calvary! He was God's payment for our freedom, so that our captivity has been overturned! God purchased us, spirit, soul and body to walk in freedom from bondage, physical and spiritual.
We don't have to wait for God to bring us out of captivity from sickness, He's already brought us out 2,000 years ago! We can just rejoice that our captivity's been turned into liberty, and that even others will say that "God has done great things for them" as we ourselves can declare, "God has done great things for me, and I am glad!"
1 When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad.
NKJV
My Comments:
Psalms 126 was written after Israel's return from Babylonian captivity (~538 B.C) when Cyrus the Great, King of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland. This psalm was written as a song of praise, praising Jehovah God for having restored them to their homeland after 70 years of exile.
When the psalmist wrote "The Lord has done great things for us", he also wrote that even the nations said of Israel, "The Lord has done great things for them", referring to their deliverance from captivity into freedom.
When you're down with some physical issue that affects your health, you're a captive of that sickness. Here's news for you: You've been released from captivity because of what Jesus has already done for you at Calvary! He was God's payment for our freedom, so that our captivity has been overturned! God purchased us, spirit, soul and body to walk in freedom from bondage, physical and spiritual.
We don't have to wait for God to bring us out of captivity from sickness, He's already brought us out 2,000 years ago! We can just rejoice that our captivity's been turned into liberty, and that even others will say that "God has done great things for them" as we ourselves can declare, "God has done great things for me, and I am glad!"
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Healing And Deliverance When You Call!
Ps 107:19-21
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
NKJV
My Comments:
We know in this passage of Scripture that one of the methods of Divine Healing that we can find in the Bible is through God sending His Word and healing us. We also know that He delivers us from all things that are not of Him.
However, note that Psalm 107:19 says that they (being the Israelites) cried out to Him, and He healed them in response to their cry! I propose that if they did not cry out to God, He may not have responded to their requests.
This can be seen throughout the Old Testament, where God moved in response to the cries of the Israelites. When they went through hardship in Egypt, it says that God heard their cries; remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and sent Moses to them (Exodus 2:23-25). Even when they sinned against God throughout the time of the Judges and they were attacked by their enemies, He raised up people who led them in response to their cries (Judges 2:18)
Likewise, in the New Testament, we see how Jesus taught His disciples, and us that we can have what we say (Mark 11:23). And that whatever we ask in prayer; if we believe, we will receive (Matthew 21:22). If we do not come to God and call on Him in times of trouble, we should not be expecting any answer to our problems!
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended on high, we see that the principle of asking and receiving is still in effect even in the Church of Acts and beyond. James wrote to the Church, rebuking them that "You do not have, because you do not ask". All the way down through Church history up till today, we can see that God is a prayer answering God, but we have to pray first!
So just call out to God, knowing that when you call on Him, He will answer, and heal you!
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
NKJV
My Comments:
We know in this passage of Scripture that one of the methods of Divine Healing that we can find in the Bible is through God sending His Word and healing us. We also know that He delivers us from all things that are not of Him.
However, note that Psalm 107:19 says that they (being the Israelites) cried out to Him, and He healed them in response to their cry! I propose that if they did not cry out to God, He may not have responded to their requests.
This can be seen throughout the Old Testament, where God moved in response to the cries of the Israelites. When they went through hardship in Egypt, it says that God heard their cries; remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and sent Moses to them (Exodus 2:23-25). Even when they sinned against God throughout the time of the Judges and they were attacked by their enemies, He raised up people who led them in response to their cries (Judges 2:18)
Likewise, in the New Testament, we see how Jesus taught His disciples, and us that we can have what we say (Mark 11:23). And that whatever we ask in prayer; if we believe, we will receive (Matthew 21:22). If we do not come to God and call on Him in times of trouble, we should not be expecting any answer to our problems!
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended on high, we see that the principle of asking and receiving is still in effect even in the Church of Acts and beyond. James wrote to the Church, rebuking them that "You do not have, because you do not ask". All the way down through Church history up till today, we can see that God is a prayer answering God, but we have to pray first!
So just call out to God, knowing that when you call on Him, He will answer, and heal you!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Who Has The Final Report?
Isa 53:1
1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
NKJV
Rev 22:13
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
NKJV
My Comments:
Everyone likes to believe God and walk by faith. It's easy to walk the life of faith when everything's going fine and we're not experiencing trouble at all, whether it be in the area of our health, finances, relationships, etc. It's when we go through the storms of life that we wonder whether God's there.
Before Isaiah described how Jesus; as Messiah bore all our sickness and disease upon His own body, he began the chapter by asking this one question, "Who has believed our report?". Then he went on to describe what we read on in the later verses concerning Jesus.
When you're down with sickness or ill health; and the doctor gives you a bad report, don't give up and resign yourself to going through that sickness! Jesus has the final say on your condition! He said of Himself in the book of Revelation, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
What that means is that He has the final judgement to make concerning your physical state of health, not anyone else! And we also know that He is able and more than willing to heal you of your condition! This doesn't just work for physical healing, it'll work for any area of your life!
So when you receive a negative report, look to Jesus, knowing that He has the final report!
1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
NKJV
Rev 22:13
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
NKJV
My Comments:
Everyone likes to believe God and walk by faith. It's easy to walk the life of faith when everything's going fine and we're not experiencing trouble at all, whether it be in the area of our health, finances, relationships, etc. It's when we go through the storms of life that we wonder whether God's there.
Before Isaiah described how Jesus; as Messiah bore all our sickness and disease upon His own body, he began the chapter by asking this one question, "Who has believed our report?". Then he went on to describe what we read on in the later verses concerning Jesus.
When you're down with sickness or ill health; and the doctor gives you a bad report, don't give up and resign yourself to going through that sickness! Jesus has the final say on your condition! He said of Himself in the book of Revelation, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
What that means is that He has the final judgement to make concerning your physical state of health, not anyone else! And we also know that He is able and more than willing to heal you of your condition! This doesn't just work for physical healing, it'll work for any area of your life!
So when you receive a negative report, look to Jesus, knowing that He has the final report!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
You Have Authority - Use It!
Matt 10:1
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power [exousia] over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
NKJV
Luke 10:19
19 Behold, I give you the authority [exousia] to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
NKJV
My Comments:
In the course of His ministry on earth, it is written that Jesus gave His disciples power to cast demons out and heal the sick in Israel. It is interesting that just before Matthew 10, it is also written that Jesus was filled with compassion for the people in Israel and He said to His disciples to pray that more laborers be sent out into the field because the harvest was plentiful. Immediately after that, Matthew 10:1 says that His disciples were given power to do the mentioned.
There are several different words used for the word 'power' and in Matt 10:1, the word 'power' is the word 'exousia' which means 'authority'. Authority is defined as 'The power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience.' An example of the same Greek word being translated into different English words is seen in both Matt 10:1 for 'power' and Luke 10:19 for 'authority'. Both words are the same in Greek - exousia.
So when the Bible says that Jesus gave His disciples power over unclean spirits, it actually means that He gave them the power or right to give orders to demonic powers, make decisions and enforce obedience from those demonic powers! The disciples could heal the sick and command demons to leave based on the authority that they had from the Lord.
Likewise in today's context, because we too disciples of Jesus; and even better, we're children of God, we have the same authority that the disciples had in the Bible. All we need to do is use that authority when we find we have sickness in our body! Exercise your right to command sickness to leave your body in the Name of Jesus, and enforce obedience from that sickness!
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power [exousia] over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
NKJV
Luke 10:19
19 Behold, I give you the authority [exousia] to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
NKJV
My Comments:
In the course of His ministry on earth, it is written that Jesus gave His disciples power to cast demons out and heal the sick in Israel. It is interesting that just before Matthew 10, it is also written that Jesus was filled with compassion for the people in Israel and He said to His disciples to pray that more laborers be sent out into the field because the harvest was plentiful. Immediately after that, Matthew 10:1 says that His disciples were given power to do the mentioned.
There are several different words used for the word 'power' and in Matt 10:1, the word 'power' is the word 'exousia' which means 'authority'. Authority is defined as 'The power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience.' An example of the same Greek word being translated into different English words is seen in both Matt 10:1 for 'power' and Luke 10:19 for 'authority'. Both words are the same in Greek - exousia.
So when the Bible says that Jesus gave His disciples power over unclean spirits, it actually means that He gave them the power or right to give orders to demonic powers, make decisions and enforce obedience from those demonic powers! The disciples could heal the sick and command demons to leave based on the authority that they had from the Lord.
Likewise in today's context, because we too disciples of Jesus; and even better, we're children of God, we have the same authority that the disciples had in the Bible. All we need to do is use that authority when we find we have sickness in our body! Exercise your right to command sickness to leave your body in the Name of Jesus, and enforce obedience from that sickness!
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