Cast On The Bed Of Affliction

Many years ago, two married ladies were cheating on their husbands. Both of them became pregnant with their lover's child. The child of the first lady died in her womb when she was eight months pregnant. The second lady (a pastor's wife) delivered her baby but three days after giving birth she became ill and stayed in the hospital for several months. Although she returned home she was never the same and was unable to care for her child. Something happened to her mentally and physically, she would not bathe, she could not speak or care for her children, she merely wrote numbers and words in a notebook. The oldest daughter became mother to the newborn and the other seven children. Did God bring or allow sickness to come upon the ladies to reprove them and perhaps save their souls, leading them out of a sinful lifestyle?

Although referring to the church in Thyatira Jesus said, "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works." (Revelation 2:21-23).

I have seen many "cast into a bed. They were cast into a bed of sickness, affliction and tribulation because of sin. I know people don't like the idea of thinking that God punishes people for sin but He does and is not ashamed to admit it.

In the book of Genesis, God unashamedly admitted that it was His hand and His will to destroy the earth and everyone on it except Noah and his family because the earth was filled with violence. The text reads: Genesis 6:17 "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die."

Did you read that, He said, "I, even I do bring a flood." Yes, God wanted everyone to know that "He" was the one sending the flood and killing everybody!

Paul said, "All Scripture is God breathed and useful for training in righteousness, doctrine, correction and rebuke." (2 Timothy 3:16). He also noted the narrations of scripture regarding the events in the lives of our fellow brethren were written as examples for us (1 Corinthians 10:6).

I know God was merciful to the ladies and gave them many years to repent before punishing them. The second lady was a family member as a child I would answer the telephone and knew the men calling her were not her husband and the first lady was a neighbor.

Jude 1:4, says "There are certain preachers who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. These men deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Due to their erroneous teaching these men and women deny the very reason Jesus came to the earth, which was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and the works of the devil are manifested in the works of the flesh.

Jesus came to destroy Satan's power over you and He completed the task successfully! Sin no longer has power over you but you can yield to it and become subject to punishment. You may be handed over to Satan as noted in 1 Corinthians 5:5. In that text a man is living with his father's wife (sounds like a Jerry Springer or Maury Povich type situation). Paul said, hand the man over to Satan. We know what happens when someone is handed over to Satan, take a look at what happened to Job, sickness came upon him, All ten children were killed in an accident, and all his financial resources were devoured. One day he's the richest man in the East and the next day he's the poorest. You can believe false teachers and their twisted view of grace but you do so at your own peril.

Perhaps sin in your life is keeping you from getting the breakthrough you are expecting. We've prayed for you, and anointed you, you've been to healing services and you are confessing healing but healing hasn't come.

There is a man in scripture who could not walk and Jesus contributed the condition to sin.

Let’s read the account: Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate. This pool in the Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches (alcoves, colonnades, doorways). In these lay a great number of sick folk—some blind, some crippled, and some paralyzed (shriveled up)— waiting for the bubbling up of the water. For an angel of the Lord went down at appointed seasons into the pool and moved and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was cured of whatever disease with which he was afflicted.