PRAYER: Rediscovering the Presnce, Promise and Power of God
Rediscovering the power in Prayer to Heal
Various Scriptures
INTRODUCTION
When we discuss prayer, the ultimate question arises, does God still heal today, or was healing meant for another age?
I want to go on record to say that not only do I believe God has the power to heal, He is still in the business of healing people spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
The topic of healing is one that deserves an entire series to discss. My purpose this morning to is to simply answer the questions what is healing? What is the basis for healing? How has God healed in the Old and New Testaments, and Why did Jesus heal the sick?
I will share the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your hearts today and I pray you will allow him to let faith arise in your heart to receive from Him today.
Following this message we will put our faith into practice and pray for those who are seeking the Lord for healing and deliverance in your life, marriage or family.
What is healing?
In Jesus day there were two primary thoughts regarding healing.
The Sadducees were the theological librals of the day. They believed in God, but did not believe in miracles or healing or the resurrection. They are like many today who believe in God, but do not believe that He is involved in any way in the affairs of this world. They do not consider the Bible to be the literal inspired word of God, and so treat it as a moralistic book of fairy tales.
Then there were the Pharisees. Not only did they believe in God, they believed Gods word was inspired, and God was able to still perform miracles. They just could not accept that Jesus was performing miracles of healings that detracted from their attention and prominance.
As in Jesus day, there are primarily three attitudes towards healing and miracles.
Ffirst, that miracles and healing have past away; second, that it is a special grace; and third, that healing is in the atonement. The following is a short summary of the three views.
1. Passed away. Healing was a gift given to the apostles to attest to the validity of the gospel, but ended when John the Apostle died. While this cessationist view is not as prevalent, it still remains a common belief in many evangelical churches.
2. It is Special grace given only to some. This view rejects the belief that healing was included in the plan of redemption. It also says that while miracles are still possible, they are few and unlikely. And definitely should not be expected or asked for. This view is probably the most prevalent among evangelical churches today. Many churches do not deny the possibility of the miraculous, they simply do not think they are necessary. Salvation is the gratest and singlualr miracle which people should sek after.
3. Healing is part of man's redemption in Christ; therefore it belongs to every believer. There need be no questioning as to whether it is God's will to heal; if it is in the redemption, it is His will.
The third response is the one that our fellowship teaches and which I also believe and preach, that healing is secured in the atonements of Jesus Christ. (We will look at that in a moment.)
Healing is not mind over matter, it is not or hyper faith.
‘Divine healing is the process by which God supernaturally imparts life, health and strength to afflicted souls and bodies.
How is healing received?
Sometimes it is instant, such as when Jesus touched the blind man
Aome times it is gradual such as what occurred with Naaman in 2 Kings and the blind man who saw people like trees.
Sometimes Healing comes through DEATH. Yes death. We have to change our theology about death. Death is not the end for the believer. It is the door into eternity with the father. My Father in law believed to the end that God would heal him of cancer. And when He entered eternity, He entered cancer free.
When My father left this planet, because His heart stopped, He entered eternity with a brand new heart.
F|olk, understand that life does not cdease when your heart quits breathing. It is the door into eternity of all the fulfillment of what God has promised.
We receive healing through placing our faith in Christ alone, by obedience to what He has declared in His word. Understand if you are not treating your body as the temple of the Holy spirit, with respect, then maybe you need to give heed to that as you come to the Lord.
Sometimes, heal;ing comes in conjunction with medicine and doctors. Whatever form it takes, the point is that you are trusting in the Lord to bring the healing that brings Him glory.
In a sense all healing is from God. Even doctors admit they cannot heal anyone. They can at best administer the medicines or procedures that help the body heal.
At its root the word healing means ‘soundness’ or ‘wholeness’ . It is Gods will that we be whole in our spirit, mind and body. Ultimately we will receive the completeness of this promise when Jesus returns and we are given our resurrection bodies.
But until then, every believer has this hope that because of what Jesus did on the cross we can receive salvation, redemption, deliverance and healing.
What is the Scriptural basis for Healing?
After the triumphant crossing of the red Sea and the destruction of Pharoah’s armies, the Isrealites faced one of the first crisis of their wilderness journeys. They found water, but it was too bitter to drink. Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord healed the waters. It was there that the Lord made a covenant with His people. He told them in exodus 15:26,
“If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.” ( NLT )
Several important things are brought out in this verse. FIRST, the Lord here declares himself for the first time as a physician or healer. The Hebrew designation is JEHOVAH ROPHEH which is one of the redemptive names of God. This title clrearly indicates something of the nature, ability, and willingness of the Lord to heal the sick. This could well be translated, ‘I am the Lord your Physician .’ I cannot think of a better doctor to go too, can you?
Second, note carefully that this is a coveneant, a pact God made with His people. It was not an off the cuff remark to appease the people, but a solemn promise based on His character. It is encouraging to remember that our God is always faithful to His promises, AMEN?
Third, the promise was conditional. They were to keep the commandments of the Lord, listen diligently to His voice, and do what was right. Then, only then, would the Lord be obligated to keep His part of the covenant. This covenant has never been repealed or rescinded. It is still a valid promise today.
Centuries before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied concerning the coming of One who would heal the wounds inflicted upon humanity by sin. In the familiar 53rd chapter, he writes:
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed (vv. 4-5).
The NLT translation makes it clear this prophecy is speaking of healing of our physical bodies as well as our redemption,
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God a punishment for his own sins. But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
I still love he KJV rendering of this familiar verse, by His stripes we are healed.
We would agree with our evangelical brothers and sisters that verse five speaks of jesus death to secure our redemotion. He suffered and was beaten for our sins.
The would that is used for borne our greifs and carried our sorrows is litrally translated sickness and means to be weak, sick or afflicted.
Isaiah points out that Messiah would bear not just our sins but our sickness and grief’s as well.
Jesus bore our sins by suffering for us in our place on the cross. Isaiah makes clear that both our salvation and healing were included in his suffering and death. The fact of healing being included is affirmed by Matthew when He writes concerning Jesus ministry of healing the sick. Matthew connects Isaiahs prophecy with Jesus ministry of healing,
That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said,“He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”(Matthew 8:16-17)
Some time after the day of Pentecost, the Apsotle Peter wrote to a church concerning the work of Jesus. Notice that Peter again quotes Isaiahs prophecy in 1 Peter 2:24,
He personally carried our sin in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
In the NIV and KJV, the words are translated stripes which are literally translated ‘bruise’. What was the purpose? When Jesus was beaten, suffered and crudified He made atonement for our sin. With His stripes we are HEALED. Healing for our bodies, as well as healing for our souls was provided by His atoning death.
If you are reading the NIV or KJV, the verb is made in the past tense, By His stripes you WERE healed. Peter affirms that the atoning work of the cross was a one time event that is effectual for all eternity.
Jesus does not have to suffer again to provide the forgiveness of sin or healing of the sick. The work has already be done. It is now up to us to accept the finished work of Christ and appropriate by faith the forgiveness or healing that we need.
David spoke of God’s concern to meet our need for healing in several of his psalms. Most notable is Psalm 103, David writes: Let all that I am praise the LORD;with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. (vv. 1-3).
David knew God to be One who entered into the human dilemma and ministered both spiritual healing (forgives all your sins) and physical healing (heals all your diseases). He viewed these as some of the benefits of his relationship with God. I want you to notice two things in association with this description of God’s ministry of healing.
First, is the close connection between spiritual and physical healing. I don’t believe that this is stated this way just coincidentally.
Second, is the idea of healing as a benefit of a proper relationship with God. We will look at both of these observations in greater detail later.
Psalm 147:3 states, He [that is God] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Again we see the interrelationship between spiritual and physical healing.
The final question I want us to consider is, WHY DID JESUS HEAL THE SICK?
Jesus could have won people through His teaching. He could have gone immediately to the cross. So why take the time to heal the sick?
To begin Jesus healed because of His COMPASSION or the people in need.. In Matthew 20:29-34 we read of the healing of two men,
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David,(B) have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
The word compassion means to ‘suffer with’. If you really have compassion for a person it means you place yourself in his sorrow and pain.
When the lord met a funeral procession and knew that the young man who died was the sole support for his mother, Luke tells us ,
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord(B)saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”(C) 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Today if you are afflicted and in pain, you do not need to be alone or discouraged. You can place you trust in the Lord ‘who is touched with the feelings of your infirmities.’ ( Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus healed not just to show that He was the Divine ASon of God, but because He had mercy and compassion on people, and wanted to help them.
In fact, never once did Jesus ever perform a miracle for his own benefit. It was always to help others. There was no self seeking. He did not have to wear a white sequined suit, or perform and kind of gymnastics. To show what he could do. It was always to humbly follow the fathers will and help others because He loved them.
Jesus does the same for [people today. He simply looks for those who need help and when they call to Him, Jesus healing power is present.
Another purpose of the supernatural healing power demonstrated by jesus was to turn the eyes of people onto Jesus to trust Him for salvation.
In John 3, the priest Nicodemus came to jesus at night with a question. He acknowledge jesus to be a man sent from God, for no man could do the miracle you do without God.”
What was Jesu reply? You must be born again.. You see, the greatest miracle that will last for eternity is the salvation of your soul. Yes You can be healed of cancer, but you will eventually die. The question then becomes, what will you do then? The key to eternal life and receiving the gift of salvation is that we turn to the Lord and trust Him for the forgiveness of our sin.
Remember Isaiah 53? Jesus suffered and was beaten and crucified for your redemption. Jesus took your place on the cross. And when you ask Him to forgive you, and to be your Lord and Savior the greatest miracle of all time takes place. You receive new life. You are born again.
The Bible says that crowds surrounded Jesus to see the miracles. And like those people, there are many who like Jesus for what He does and can do for them. But Jesus does not want to mearely give you a comfortable life. He wants to give you abundant and eternal life, right now!
The most important purpose for the healing ministry of Jesus was that God was GLORIFIED.
Do you remember the very first thing we said about prayer? The PRIORITY of prayer was the GLORY OF GOD. Then when Jesus presented the PATTERN OF prayer, He ended it saying the climax of prayer is ‘Yours be the glory and Honor.”
When the world is caving in and it seems as if our prayers have gone unheeded, we PERSEVERE in prayer, because when we do God brings GLORY to us.
We bring glory to God when we put Him first and so we are confident of receiving Gods PROMISE in prayer.
The purpose of life, the purpose of prayer, the purpose in healing is that people will turn to us and say GLORY TO GOD FOR THE THINGS HE HAS DONE>In Matthew 15:30,31 we read:
Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.(A) 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.(B)
When Jesus laid his hands on a woman who had been bent over for 18 years the Bible says, ‘Then he put his hands on her,(A) and immediately she straightened up and praised God.’
After promising that those who believe on Him would do the same kind of works that He did, Jesus reinforced the statement with a promise:
And I will do whatever you ask(A) in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.(John 14:13)
There is o escapiong the fact that Jesus cares enough to bring healing to those in need. When He does He points people to the Father who deserves to receive all the glory.
There is one further purpose for Jesus ministry of healing. It is to ENABLE YOU TO SERVE JESUS BETTER. Matthew tells us how when Jesus went to the home of Peter and heard that Peters mother in law was ill with a fever, He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
When the Lord cast out the Legion of demons that had possessed the man at Gadara, he wanted to follow Jesus. But Jesus had another plan for him, he said, ‘“Go home to your own people and tell them(A) how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
CONCLUSION
People often ask why doesn’t God heal everyone, or I thought I was healed but then got sick again. I could preach an entire series on this topic. But let me say that one simple reason that healing may be withheld is too many people make the mistake of seeking the healing rather than the healer.
How would you feel if every time you wnet to see that ‘special person’ you say you loved, and he/she seemed more interested in the gifts you bought her/him than simply being with you?
Healing should take a secondary role as we concentrate our efforts on getting to know Jesus more and more.
Jesus gave a promise in John 15, ‘whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.’
However, in the verses immediately preceeding this promise, Jesus gave a condition, ‘“As the Father has loved me,(M) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ‘
What is your need today? Do you know Him today? You can trsut Him with whatever your need is.
He is omniscient, all Knowing- He never makes a mistake in the diagnosis.
He is omnipresent. No matter where you are, He is at hand ready and available.
He is omnipotent- all powerful. There is nothing He cannot do.
He is available to all. He will not turn down a new client. He invites you to trust Him.
Jesus love and compassion are the same today as when He walked this earth. His power has never diminished. All things are possible with Him. The One who said I am the Lord that heals you, is Jesus the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Lets have the elders come to distribute the communion and we will prayer for you today.
RESOURCES:
By His Stripes, hugh Jeter, Gospel Publishing House
SermonCentral:
How to pray for Healing, Brian Bill
Christ the Healer, John Gaston
