1. The Lord often uses the processes of healing to accomplish His greater will in the forming of Godly character in our lives. Moses wrote,
"The Lord made a decree and there he tested them. He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." (Ex. 15:25,26)
Application: Not only should we look to the Lord for our healing, but more importantly for the prevention of diseases. Ask the Lord for the submission to His will so that you are able to see how healing is used for His greater will in forming Godly patience, humility and submissiveness to His Spirit.
2. The Lord wants us to give Him greater praise through the processes of healing. David wrote,
"Praise the Lord, O my soul and forget not all of his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." (Psalm 103:2,3)
The Holy Spirit has a way of healing us from a myriad of physical, emotional, and spiritual diseases. Praise the Lord for all of His untold benefits.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you evoke more of a conversation and lifestyle of praise to the Lord for the way He heals ALL of your illnesses.
3. The Holy Spirit often uses human wisdom, knowledge and skill, but He alone can give healing. To another he gave the gifts of healing by that one Spirit." (I Cor. 12:9)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you get connected to people whom the Lord has endowed with the gifts, wisdom, skill and knowledge of healing.
4. The Holy Spirit teaches us that God allows illnesses, disabilities, and accidents to occur so God may use us to bring Him greater glory. The Lord often works in ways that are beyond our comprehension. One day the disciples asked Jesus,
‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind.’ Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." (John 9:2-4)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you become more teachable and observant to all the ways that God chooses to bring Himself greater glory - including infirmities. Trust the Lord to work in ways that are beyond our understanding.
5. The Holy Spirit helps believers make the most of every situation, regardless of their difficulties. Job wrote, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him...Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance." (Job 13:15,16)
Carnal Christians often become bitter, resentful, and angry when they are not well. Spiritual people realize that the Lord uses sickness to teach us how to be more sensitive, caring and compassionate for the hurting.
Application: Ask the Lord to teach you whatever He pleases without giving into feelings of bitterness, anger or resentment.
6. The Holy Spirit fills us with an extra measure of God’s all sufficient grace when we are sick, injured or disabled. Paul wrote,
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take away my thorn in the flesh. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Cor. 12:8-11)
Application: Let the Lord rescue you just in time with His all sufficient grace given through the Holy Spirit’s power.
7. The Holy Spirit uses sicknesses, accidents or physical limitations to teach us more about God’s sovereignty. The Lord wants us to totally look to him for everything. He is the supreme ruler of everything and everyone even when it seems that things are out of control. Job came to this conclusion after going through terrible suffering. Job said,
"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you be willing to learn more of God’s sovereign attributes, power and processes as you encountered various physical limitations. Trust the Lord to work all illnesses as a means of conforming you more to Christ’s image.
8. The Holy Spirit wants us to generate a greater quantity and quality of prayer during our sicknesses, accidents or times of physical limitations. Carnal Christians use their illnesses to generate more opportunities to wallow in self-pity. Spiritual people learn how to politely ask people to pray for their healing only as the Spirit of God leads. Paul writes to the Thessalonicans,
"Brothers, pray for us." (I Thes. 5:25) When we are humble enough to courteously request prayer for healing, God brings greater trust to the hearts of all who are involved in praying for a touch of the Spirit’s healing, restoration and strengthening. Trust the Lord for healing in His timing and way
9. Carnal Christians often presume that sicknesses, accidents or physical limitations are caused by one’s own carelessness. Spiritual people do not presume to know why certain illnesses befall some while others remain healthy. Moses wrote, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." (Deut 29:29)
God gives us enough information, illumination and clarification to enable us to do His will - not any more or any less.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you avoid speculating about the reasons why God allows certain people to experience sickness. Instead, concentrate on trusting and obeying the Lord with the facts He has given you in His word.
