Healing


God has healed me twice (see later)


He's healed thousands of people all over the world


So He can also heal you & others you want to be healed!




1. God wants us to be healthy



3 John 2 ~ Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.



Further reading

Isaiah 53:5

Ezekiel 34:4 & 16

James 5:14




2. Prevention is better than cure! Three ways we can keep ourselves healthy:




#1 Avoid harmful food


Doctors only discovered recently, that eating too much animal fat is dangerous.


But God warned us thousands of years ago:


Leviticus 7:23 ~ Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.



Further reading

Leviticus 3:17




#2 Exercise every day


The Bible doesn’t say much about exercise - because folks used to walk a lot anyway.


Today, most of us use: buses, cars & trains to get around - so we need to plan our exercise.




It’s easy and cheap if we exercise as part of our DAILY ROUTINE:







#3 Be kind to others and to ourselves



Proverbs 16:24 ~ Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.



Proverbs 17:22 ~ A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.




If:





-->  We get upset.


--> This raises our blood pressure.


--> Health problems.




Remedy?  Let's:






3. It's good to be healed - but much more important to be saved



Mark 2:1-12

1And again He (= Jesus) entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised (= heard) that He was in the house.


2And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them,


no, not so much as about (= around / outside) the door: and He preached the word unto them.




3And they come unto Him, bringing one sick of the palsy (= a paralysed man), which was borne of four (= four men carried the man).


4And when they could not come nigh (= near) unto Him for the press (= crowd), they uncovered the roof where He was: 


and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 


5When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.




6But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,


7Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?




8And immediately when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?


9Whether(= which) 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? 




10But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (He saith to the sick of the palsy,)


11I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.




12And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.




--> Imagine that you’re the man who was paralysed - where he is now:






--> However many times we’re healed - one day our body WILL die:






Further reading

‘What happens when we die?’ message on WholeCounselofGod.com




4. If we are sick - God can still use us



Galatians 4:13 ~ Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.


--> Paul was unwell.




1 Timothy 5:23 ~ Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often (= frequent) infirmities.


--> Timothy was often ill.




2 Timothy 4:20 ~ Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.


--> Trophimus was sick.




So there’s no shame in being sick - we can STILL serve God. 




5. How does HEALING work?



There’s no formula, and we can’t predict how God will heal someone. 



There are however some features common to many healings.



The letters:  H. E. A. L. I. N. G.  remind us of these features.




H = We lay HANDS on the person who needs healing



Mark 1:40-42

40And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him (= asking Him earnestly), and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.


41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.


42And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 




Acts 28:8 ~ And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 




Q - Why do we lay hands on people for their healing?




A:







So we need to TRANSMIT the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -  from us, to the sick person.


We do this by laying our hands on them (or via touch, as below).




Luke 8:43-46

43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,


44Came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched (= stopped flowing).


 45And Jesus said, Who touched Me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, Who touched Me?


46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue (= healing power) is gone out of Me.




Example


I injured my right knee playing football - and it was a recurring issue.


About twenty years later, I was in a Christian meeting:


A. The speaker said: ‘God wants to heal someone who has a problem with their right knee.’


B. So I went forward for prayer.


C. The man laid his hands on me, and I felt the heat as the Holy Spirit flowed into my knee, and completely healed it!




Further reading

Matthew 8:14-15, 9:18 then 25, 27-30; 14:35-36


Mark 1:30-31, 3:10, 6:56, 7:32-37, 8:22-25, 16:18


Luke 4:40, 5:12-13, 13:11-13, 22:50-51




E = God can heal EVERY condition




Matthew 4:23 ~ And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom,


and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 





Matthew 10:1 ~ And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out,


and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 





Acts 5:16 ~ There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks,


and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.







Further reading

Deuteronomy 7:15

Psalm 103:2-3


Matthew 9:35, 10:8, 15:30-31, 21:14

Mark 7:37


Luke 4:40, 6:19, 7:21-22, 9:11, 18:35-43, 22:50-51


John 9:1-7

Acts 9:36-41, 14:8-10




A = The healed person needs to take ACTION



We need to move / work the affected part of our body - to show ourselves & others that we’ve been healed.




This is what JESUS said to the:


… Paralysed man lowered through the roof: 


Mark 2:11 ~ Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.



… Man with the withered hand: 


Luke 6:10 ~ Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.



… Man at the Pool of Bethesda, who had been disabled for 38 years:


John 5:8 ~ Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.




PETER had watched and learnt from Jesus:


Acts 9:32-34

32And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. 


33And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed (= had been bedridden) eight years, and was sick of the palsy (= paralysed). 


34And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. 




Example

God suddenly & supernaturally healed my right shoulder (which I’d injured in a car crash a few days earlier):






Further reading

Mark 3:5


Luke 4:38-39, 5:24-25, 7:12-15, 8:52-55, 17:12-14


Acts 14:8-10




L = We're just the LINK between the sick person & God



The first mention of healing explains how it works:


Genesis 20:17 ~ So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.


#1 Abraham prayed to God.


#2 God healed.




When we pray for the sick - we’re just the LINK between them and God.


We’re like the wire joining the electricity socket to our: kettle, lamp, TV etc.




Of course, God CAN heal people directly - without involving humans:


Psalm 30:2 ~ O LORD my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me.



That’s what happened when God healed my shoulder (see above: A = Action).


I was on my own - when I felt the Holy Spirit suddenly flow through my shoulder like a hot, strong, electric current and instantly heal it.




But God USUALLY heals sick people in PARTNERSHIP with believers.


We don’t have any special powers - we’re just the Link to God’s healing power.



Further reading

James 5:14-15




I = God usually heals people IMMEDIATELY




Jesus immediately healed:




A. The woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years:


Mark 5:29 ~ And straightway (= immediately) the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.




B. Simon Peter’s mother in law:


Luke 4:39 ~ He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.




C. The man at the Pool of Bethesda who had been disabled for 38 years:


John 5:9 ~ And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. 




Why should there be any delay?


When God heals people - He usually does it IMMEDIATELY after we pray.




Further reading


Matthew 8:13, 9:22 & 27-30


Mark 1:30-31 & 40-42, 7:32-35, 10:51-52


Luke 5:12-13 & 24-25, 8:43-44 & 52-55, 13:11-13, 18:35-43


John 4:46-53


Acts 9:32-34




N = NOT DOUBTING that God can heal


Another way of describing ‘Not doubting’ is ‘Faith’ (but there’s no F in HEALING!)




Jesus to the leper:


Luke 17:19 ~ And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.




The Roman centurion who had a paralysed servant:


Matthew 8:8, 10 & 13

8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

…

10When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

…

13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.




Q - If there’s a fire, why do we call the fire brigade?


A - Because we have No doubt that they’ll deal with the problem.



--> God wants us to have the SAME FAITH IN HIM - that He’ll heal people.




Further reading


Matthew 9:18 then 23-25; 15:28


Mark 5:34, 10:51-52


Luke 5:20-25, 7:1-10; 8:43-48; 49-50 then 54-55; 18:35-43


Acts 14:8-10


James 5:14-15




G = It's GOD who does the healing - not us


Exodus 15:26 ~ 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 (= listen to & obey) 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. 




At Lydda, Peter didn’t heal Aeneas - JESUS did:


Acts 9:34 ~ And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately. 








It’s best practice for MORE THAN ONE PERSON to pray for someone’s healing.


Then God correctly receives the glory - because no-one can then claim / imply that ‘they’ healed the sick person!




Further reading

Exodus 23:25-26

Deuteronomy 32:39

2 Kings 20:5


Luke 5:17

Acts 4:9-10 & 29-30

James 5:14-15




6. Recap of H.E.A.L.I.N.G.



H We lay Hands on the sick person.


E God can heal Every condition.


A The person needs to take Action - to show that they’ve been healed.


L We’re just the Link between the sick person and God.


I God usually heals people Immediately.


N Not doubting that God can heal (= Faith).


G It’s God who does the healing.




7. H.E.A.L.I.N.G.  Example #1

Acts 3: The lame man at the Temple



Verses 1-2

1Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 


2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried,


whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms (= a gift of money) of them that entered into the Temple;



--> God can heal Every condition.




Verses 3-6

3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple asked an alms.


4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.


5And he (= the lame man)  gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 


6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.



--> Peter had No doubt that Jesus would heal the man.


--> The healing was in the name of Jesus Christ: Peter was the Link between Jesus and the lame man.




Verse 7

7And he (= Peter) took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.


--> Peter used his Hand to lift up the man.


--> The lame man was healed Immediately.




Verse 8

8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the Temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.


--> The man  Acted on his healing: he leapt up,  walked and praised God.




Verse 12

 12And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this?


Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?



--> Peter explained that it was God who healed the lame man.




Verse 16

 16And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know:


yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

 


--> Peter had Faith = Not doubting that Jesus would heal the man.




So in this example we have the CAPITAL LETTERS:  H  E  A  L  I  N  G




8. H.E.A.L.I.N.G.   Example #2

Mark 5: Jairus' daughter



Verses 22-23

22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him (= Jesus), he fell at His feet,


23And besought Him (= pleaded with Him) greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: 


I pray thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.



--> Jairus asked Jesus to lay His Hands on his daughter.


--> The girl was about to die - but Jesus can heal Every sickness.




Verses 35-36

35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 


36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.



--> Jesus told Jairus to believe = Not to doubt.




Verse 41

41And He (= Jesus) took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.



--> Jesus used His Hand to touch the girl's hand.


--> Jesus told the girl to arise = to Act on her healing.




Verse 42

42And straightaway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.


--> Jesus (who is God) healed the girl Immediately.




In this second example we have the CAPITAL LETTERS:  H  E  A  (l)  I  N  G




9. Conclusion



Today, God can heal: you, me & other people of every condition!




Amen