How the Holy Spirit Gifts Us - Part 12
What we believe series
Acklnowledgements: Dr. Henry Schorr, Centre St. Church, Calgary AB
oWell good morning. So great to see you.
o The story is told of a young couple who had a nasty argument
o And when the dust settled they decided to give each other the silent treatment
o That is a bad idea, but none of you have done that, right?
o But they did that for several days and by Sunday night the young man knew he had a real problem
o His alarm clock was broken and he needed to be up by 5:00 AM Monday morning to board a plane; therefore he needed his wife’s help to wake him up
o So not wanting to be the first to break the silence and lose he wrote on paper ‘please wake me at 5:00 AM’
o He woke up the next morning discovering it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight
o So he was furious and thought he would give his wife a piece of his mind
o But as he was headed out of the bedroom he noticed his note with his wife’s handwriting written ‘It is 5:00 AM. Wake up’ (PAUSE)
o Well friends careless and ungraceful communication can have devastating results
o I am conscious of this as for the last several weeks I have been preparing to speak on the sign manifestation gifts – today healing and miracles – next week speaking in tongues and prophecy
o The sign manifestation gifts have been the centre of abuse, misuse, and misunderstanding for two thousand years
o This has created unnecessary confusion and division between churches and Christians – something I refuse to get drawn into
o As I prepared these messages my prayer has been that we would have clarity where there is confusion, freedom where there is fear, and grace when we believe differently
o So before we start let’s agree not to let our differences cause disharmony in the local church. Agreed?
o All factions and dissensions are a work of the flesh and are not from the Holy Spirit
o Let’s not talk behind each others backs about this – if you want to speak about this come with your Bible open after you have prayed
o Then I would be glad to hear you out
o Do we agree?
o Let me be candid with you once again
o I do not believe there is any Biblical evidence that the sign manifestation gifts ceased in the first century
o That is what some call the Cessationism approach
o To put it simply some theologians and pastors believe the sign gifts ceased with the death of the last apostle; however most today believe they continue on, and I am one of them
o I do not support Cessationism
o The important point is what does the Bible teach
o There is little or no support for the cessations view in most major Christian denominations in Canada, in our Bible schools and seminaries today, although it is still taught in a few
o I am going to speak more on that next week when we cover speaking in tongues and prophecy – so be patient
o Let me make another strong statement
o One should never bring the word of God down to ones experiences; but rather filter your experiences through the Word of God
o Let me make another strong statement
o The sovereignty of God overrides my faith and prayers when it comes to healing and miracles
o All right, now we can start with the gift of healing
o Let’s be honest. Often we do not see the miracles and healing that we pray about
o We struggle with doubts
o We have questions like do I not have enough faith
o What is wrong with me
o Did I not pray long and hard enough
o And we wonder does God even heal today?
o Those are honest questions
o Friends God still heals today
o The Bible is full of miracles and healing
o Remember that Jesus did not heal everyone, but he did heal people wherever he went
o Jesus taught all his apostles and followers to pray for healing (Mt. 28:19; James 5), regardless of our experience
o If healing was not for today, then why would Jesus and James implore Christians to pray, asking for healing and miracles
o Now miracles tend to be God working through nature; healing tends to be God working through a personf
1. Miracles: is the divine enablement to pray for supernatural changes to take place through nature that authenticate who God is, bringing glory to God (Jesus – calming of the sea or God divides the Red Sea)
o A miracle is an event beyond any known physical law that increases faith
o Christians may experience these phenomena through fervent prayer
o I think we would be shocked if God pulled back the curtains and showed us how many times He has spared our lives through miracles and angels we do not even see
o My motorcycle accident story
o I think we all can come up with times when God intervened in miraculous ways in our lives
o When the last liter of gas went way further than expected
o When that person on the highway stopped and fixed that flat and then vanished before you could even say thanks
o God still does miracles
o If our prayer for a miracle will bring glory to God we should pray fervently and faithfully for God’s hand to move
o But what about healing?
o Definition of healing : is the divine enablement to pray and see people healed, thereby seeing the kingdom of God advanced through people who are restored to wholeness
o Before I speak about healing I need to set the stage
o First what does scripture teach about sickness?
o The Scripture teaches that there are three different kinds of sickness.
o The Bible says that there is the sickness for death (1 John 5:16, John 11:4). God allows this sickness to take someone to heaven. There will be an illness someday that we will never recover from. If every sickness could be healed by faith then we would have no graveyards. We can great faith but when God says to me ‘Randy your time is up’ I am out of here. The same will happen to you.
o Then there’s a sickness for discipline. An example is in 1 Corinthians 11:28- 32 where they were abusing the Lord’s Supper. The Lord will discipline you if you’re outside of the will of God. When we sin it will bring sickness into our lives; emotional, physical, or relational. It will happen. Or God’s discipline will be, OK you want to do things your own way, I am letting you go. That is the sickness for discipline.
o The third kind of sickness is sickness for God’s glory. He allows this sickness to heal us as a testimony to the world of God’s glory. John 9 a man came to Jesus who was blind. The disciples said, "Lord, who’s sinned, him or his parents?" Jesus said, "Nobody’s sinned, this is a sickness for the glory of God." Then he healed the guy and it brought glory to God.
o Based on the scriptures I do believe we should ask God for healing and miracles
o But we must ask in faith with the right motives
o In Matthew 9 we read about a woman who had hemorrhaged for 12 years
o The woman had spent all she had on doctors and was worse
o She snuck through the crowd and believed that if she just touched the edge of his robe she could be healed
o Jesus said ‘take courage, woman, your faith in Me has healed you’
o What is the nature of such faith?
o When Jesus healed two blind men he asked them a question (Mt. 9:28)
o ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’
o Jesus question tells us that the important thing is faith in the ability of God to heal; that God in fact has the power to heal
o Now most Christians today will say that they believe God has the power to heal
o Then people pray and someone close to them gets healed
o So what do we do, try to rationalize it
o It is true that when you ask Christians to come to a prayer meeting for healing many will not make any effort to come.
o there was a group of theologians discussing what they would not pray to God about for healing
o Some issues were blindness, a coma, cancer, deafness, other difficult things, they went on and on
o The leader says that by the time they got done there was not much left to pray for except colds and headaches
o Now on an intellectual basis the theologians would say that God heals today
o But on a practical basis they gave mental assent that God heals today; but their actions show something very different
o If we lack faith, are too proud and cynical to believe that God does heal, then we will receive exactly what we ask for, nothing
o Our responsibility is to pray in faith believing that God does heal and then leave the results to Him
o Because even when God chooses not to heal He has increased my faith and given me peace as I came to Him in prayer
o No question there are some scary people out there who claim the name to Jesus in healing
o Many of those flamboyant faith healers on TV ‘let me warn you. Just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it is good.’
o They are what I call the sensationalists, the eccentric TV people of the world. They come into large cities and hold giant meetings, advertise miracles. There are bright lights, TV cameras rolling. Often the healer is flamboyant, like a Don Cherry only religious.
o He shouts at the people in a highly charged emotional atmosphere. The guy might say, "Do you feel the Spirit?" and he’s standing before 15,000 people, with a Christian worship team and TV cameras and spotlights! Of course you’re going to feel moved! There is psychological motivation in this. Be careful of this. Be discerning.
o Jesus did the exact opposite in His healing. Jesus never manipulated people nor used them for show. He always cared about their needs more than He did about making an impression on the crowds. He healed people quietly, usually privately. And he always cared more about their eternal destiny than their healing
o So be skeptical about what you see on TV. If God was truly healing through these crusades, why do they block people from going on stage? Why do they pre-select those to come forward? Why are amputees not growing their limbs back?
o Also do not assume that every miracle is from God. Just because something is done in Jesus name doesn’t mean it’s of God.
o Jesus said in Matthew 7 "Many will come in that day and say, `Lord, Lord didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’ Jesus will say, `I didn’t even know you.’"
o But does that mean we should run away from embracing the power of God, the one who still has the power to heal – this Christian does not think so
o What are the evidences of someone with the gift of healing:
o The person with the gift of healing has the unusual faith that God can heal anyone
o Loves worship that emphasizes the healing power of God
o Are a channel that God uses to restore someone physically, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally
o Authenticates the Bible and God’s inherent power to heal
o One red flag is this:
o The person with this gift should remember that God does not heal everyone – we know this from the Bible and experience
o Sometimes the faith to carry on is more important than the physical healing
o For many of us, myself included we have lived to see God heal people in miraculous ways
o But I have also experienced the exact opposite
o My own baby son died right in my arms at ten days old
o I am sure as a new Christian I did not have deep faith at the time, but others who prayed for me did
o I am at perfect peace about the baby dying. In fact the next baby was a boy, he also died, then the third who was a girl
o Today God has given us the two boys back through our grandsons
o God makes everything beautiful in His time
o Others of us have experienced healing in various ways including the supernatural strength to carry on despite many hardships
o Your going to hear the story of one man, one of my prayer partners, somebody I have come to know and love who experienced the power of God through a stormy time in his life
o Al, please come forward at this time and share with us
o The truth of the matter is, as Al shared, every heartbeat is a miracle of God
o Did you know that over 25% of the gospels have healing stories
o Recall Jesus words were ‘you will do greater things that I have done when the Holy Spirit comes.’ And that includes seeing healing
o We may taste the fruit of these gifts through the body of Christ by fervent prayer, even though we do not have the gift ourselves
o Prayer for healing with two ladies with cancer
o One at 60 years old was totally healed
o The other at 30 years old was taken home to heaven
o Which one did God heal?
o He healed both of them
o We genuinely prayed for both
o God is not obligated to heal anyone nor do any miracle
o But the scripture and experience says to me that we should pray and seek God for miracles and healing
o Then leave all the results to God for his glory
o Including the method and timing
o There is a story of a leper who came to Jesus and said Lord if you are willing you can make me clean
o He did not assume that Jesus would automatically heal him if he asked
o Don’t get all hung up on the words or process
o Jesus did not say well I guess you don’t have much faith using the words ‘if you are willing’
o God does not demand that we have perfect theology or faith to ask Him for healing
o Rest in the truth that God loves you and brings healing to whom he chooses
o There is a certain teaching in one segment of the Christian church that I call the confess and claim it group
o The inference is that God is obligated to heal
o This borders on presumption
o Those of us a little older will recall Jim Baker who headed up the PTL ministry
o He ended up in jail for an assortment of crimes
o While in prison the Spirit of God led him to examine his life
o He wrote a book entitled ‘I was wrong’
o By law he can receive no royalties from the sales
o This is what he says in his confession.
o I even got to the point where I was teaching people at PTL. "Don’t pray, ’God, Your will be done,’ when you’re praying for health or wealth. You already know it is God’s will for you to have those things!
o To ask God to confirm His will when He has already told you what His will is in a matter is an insult to God. It is as though you don’t really trust Him or believe that He is as good as His Word.
o Instead of praying ’Thy will be done’ when you want a new car, just claim it. Pray specifically and tell God what kind you want. Be sure to specify which options and what color you want too."
o His confession is ‘Such arrogance! Such foolishness! Such sin! The Bible says we are not to presume upon God, but we should say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" (James 4:15).
o Baker said the more I studied the Bible the more I realized I was wrong
o He said name it and claim it are teaching a false gospel
o They are teaching that your faith is weak, didn’t pray the right way, say the right things
o Baker said my heart was crushed when I realized I had led so many people astray
o He said I am amazed that God did not strike me dead for being a false teacher
o Friends the name it and claim it group are putting heavy burdens and false guilt on people
o Do yourself a favor – shut off those TV evangelists on Sunday mornings and come to the services
o I think the modern day TV evangelists are the talk show people of the world
o Ask yourself this: Do they open the Bible? Do they pray on TV for the people? Where is this slick theology that they propound coming from? Is it based on God’s truth? Why don’t they have Franklin Graham, Rick Warren, James McDonald, somebody who preaches the Bible on their shows? Don’t be deceived by what you watch and listen to?
o You can easily be led astray by such arrogance and false teaching
o It was there in the Apostle Paul’s day as well (2nd Co. 11:13-14)
o Be careful who you watch and listen to; we will reap what we sow
o Just because they sound good on TV or the Internet, well that does not mean they are scripturally sound
o If you want to know what I believe just check our statement of faith in our constitution or our WEBSITE, listen to my sermons, or just ask
o The name it and claim it group forces a person to somehow whip up a psychological certainty for healing
o Faith is not a power by which we control God
o Faith is trusting God, knowing that he will do what is right and just thing in His time
o So then that begs the question, how does he heal today
1. Through medicine
o Some would say this is a lack of faith in God; but I have to disagree
o Some would say to look elsewhere, other than God alone, demonstrates a lack of faith
o But did God not create mankind, doctors, nurses, those who make drugs, the roots for medicine
o Who is it who gave these people those abilities?
o In the magazine Christianity Today in 2003 there was an article about a the Gilmore’s, a family that attended a small U. S. church
o Gilmore’s brought their 15 month old son, who had flu like symptoms to the church for prayer
o Members of that church believed that God heals, no problem there, but they believe to look elsewhere is a lack of faith
o On May 15, 1978 the preacher preached a rousing message on God’s healing and faith
o The family refused to take the boy to the hospital
o The next day the son went blue and lay limp
o Then they prayed that the boy would be raised from the dead
o He died
o The autopsy revealed that he had Meningitis, which the doctor said would have been easily treatable
o The man made his story public because he knew of 12 other children that died the same way
o Friends medicine is a gift from God that He uses to bring healing in our lives
o In the Bible we have King Hezekiah
o God sent a prophet to advise him to get his house in order because he was dying
o Hezekiah asked God for extra years in his life
o God gave him 15 more years
o Do you know how God the miracle worker chose to heal him?
o Through medicine
o Isaiah told the king "Prepare a poultice of figs." They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered (2 Kings 20:7NIV).’
o Timothy had a stomach ailment. Paul had the spiritual gift of healing, but he used medicinal wine to heal Timothy’s stomach
o Luke was a medical doctor who used medicine
o We should praise God and thank him for medicine
o And also, next time your in the hospital, instead of demanding what you think are your rights, why not say thanks to the nurse and doctor
o I often think for every one thank you they get 100 complaints, when they are just doing their best in a over worked system
o Many Christians in the world have no medical care and no medicine, and they would gladly exchange places with me in a heartbeat
o So lets all be thankful
2. Through miracles
o God still heals through miracles to authenticate his power
o Our responsibility is just to ask
o Remember God cannot be programmed
o Here is a true life story
o In Ibadan Nigeria over 1,300,000 people gathered together to hear the gospel message delivered by Reinhard Bonnke
o There Mr. Matthew Kolawole, who was totally blind, received his sight through a miracle
o In another true story, a worker for Campus Crusade tells about the father who in a fit of rage threw hot oil on his little girl, blinding her
o The worker says they were in a village showing the Jesus film
o Now the little girl could hear the film but could only see shadows
o He says the film got to the point where Batramaeus the blind beggar begs Jesus to heal him
o She simply said ‘Jesus heal me too’
o She was healed instantly; her sight was restored
o Nobody prayed, no formulas, no laying on of hands, no oil
o Remember this, when you think you have God figured out when it come to healing He is likely to surprise you
o God cannot be put in a box
o All God asks of us is to reach out and ask just like the little girl
o Cast yourself upon Jesus
o Ask for healing, strength and courage to live with pain if that is what He allows
o There is coming a day when all sickness will be gone (Rev. 21:4)
o Until then we will continue to pray for healing
o Do physicians stop working if someone dies?
o Of course not and neither will we
o Do not be proud; don’t wait until your near death to ask for prayer
o Ask for prayer about your bad habits too
o Smoking, booze, drugs
o Don’t harden your heart; run toward Jesus
o Were going to be here to pray for you at the end of the service
o Were here out of love and compassion
o Were not here to make you feel guilty if you choose not to ask for prayer
o I simply ask the person ‘how would you like me to pray for you?’
o Then the Holy Spirit shows us how pray
o We anoint with oil and ask God to do what only He can do
o Were all human and will die some day, even if we are healed
o All that will matter one day is how much I loved God, my family, the church and the people he brings to me
o But don’t go through the valley without God and the prayers of your brothers and sisters
Conclusion
o Remember that God still heals today
o Remember that God’s in His sovereignty decides who will be healed
o Remember a day is coming when you will never know pain again
o Remember that anybody can believe God when He is obviously moving
o But real faith acts when God seems silent
Closing Prayer
