Divine Healing

Exodus 15:26, "I am the LORD that healeth thee."

1 Peter 2:24, "...by whose stripes ye were healed."

Your healing was paid for by the Blood of Jesus!

Just because Jesus paid for our healing, doesn't mean you will automatically manifest the benefits. You need to reach out and receive what Jesus did for you by faith! Jesus died for the sins of the world, but that doesn't mean that the world will be saved, because they didn't reach out with faith and receive what Jesus did for them!

The source of sickness and disease

Sickness didn't come until the fall of man. Therefore, sickness and disease is a result of sin. It also says that if God's people will turn from their wicked ways, He will take sickness from their midst (Deuteronomy 7:15). Sickness is a result of a curse (Deuteronomy 28:59-61). Generational curses (Exodus 20:5) are evident when diseases such as cancer run from right down a family tree.

I'm not saying that EVERY sickness is spiritual, but many are. Food poisoning is usually one that isn't, but it's still covered in the atonement!

Payment for our healing

Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

It is said that Jesus went through 39 lashings on His back JUST for your healing. In those days, 40 lashings was the point where most people died, because the torture was too unbearable for any person to handle. This wasn't for your sins, this time He shed His blood it was solely for your healing! Your healing means an awfully lot to God for Jesus to go through near death torture JUST for your healing! Your healing has been paid for with the Blood of Jesus! Don't let the devil tell you otherwise!

Legal right verses manifestation

The Bible is clear that by Jesus' stripes, we are healed (1 Peter 2:24), but why are there so many Christians who are still sick? The same reason that the world won't be saved, even though Jesus died for their sins! We must reach out and take what Jesus gave us through faith! We, as believers, are entitled to our healing, but if we don't reach out in faith and accept what was given to us, it won't be manifested in our lives!

It's entitled to every believer

There are number of reasons why I believe that healing is for every believer. For one, it was paid for as part of the new covenant package, which every believer is entitled to, but there are a few other good reasons to believe that healing is for every believer and here are some of them:

- Jesus said that all things are possible to him who believes, when confronted with a deliverance (which is very similar to a healing) in Mark 9:23.

- Sickness didn't come until the fall of man. Therefore, sickness and disease is a result of sin. It also says that if God's people will turn from their wicked ways, He will take sickness from their midst (Deuteronomy 7:15). Sickness is a result of a curse (Deuteronomy 28:59-61). Generational curses (Exodus 20:5) are evident when diseases such as cancer run from right down a family tree. Obviously, sickness had a lot to do with the fallen state of mankind. And if Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and redeem us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), then why would the sickness remain (the result of a curse), when a person has been washed by the blood of Jesus? It makes no sense.

- If it's God's will for us to be sick, then aren't we rebelling against His will when we go to the doctor?

- There is not ONE story in the NT, where a Christian was sick or diseased and never received their healing!

- Jesus said to go out and cast out demons, heal the sick, etc. (Matthew 10:8), so when Peter and John came upto a man whom was lame, they said "raise and walk in Jesus' name!" (Acts 3:6). Why would they do such a thing unless they KNEW it was God's will to heal that person? That would be embarrassing to walk upto him, and try to heal him and nothing happens! Did they say, "Lord, if it is thy will, heal this man."? No! They spoke out the word, and the man was healed! Just like Jesus instructed them to do!

- Since sickness and diseases are known symptoms of a curse (Deuteronomy 28:59-61), and since Jesus paid the price on the cross to set us free from all curses (Galatians 3:13), why would there be any reason for a child of God to still be living under a curse?

- EVERY single person who came to Jesus for a healing, was healed! Just take a look at some of these verses:

Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

Matthew 8:16, "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:"

Matthew 12:15, "But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;"

Matthew 4:24, "And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them."

Luke 6:19, "And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all."

Now, can you show me any scriptures that tell us that somebody went to Jesus for a healing, and DIDN'T receive it? :)

Divine healing is for us today!

The scriptures are very clear that those who believe upon Jesus are automatically entitled to the promises of the new covenant. The Bible never says that this would end before the return of Christ, and therefore there is no Biblical reason to believe that healing is not for today.

Matthew 8:16-17, "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."

Jesus hasn't changed either! Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

Spirits of infirmity (demonic health problems)

Luke 13:11-16, "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"

Matthew 12:22, "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."

This is more common then most Christians would care to admit. Roughly half of all the healings Jesus did in the book of Matthew were actually deliverances from evil spirits. There were spirits which caused blindness, deafness, and other physical infirmities. If seeking a healing doesn't seem to work, I would definitely look into a possible deliverance. What some people can pray for months over, can be dealt with in a single deliverance counseling session. I've heard many sicknesses and diseases are almost always demonic. Cancer and arthritis are some of the popular ones. Cancer is known to enter through bitterness in a person's spirit. Which turns the person over to the tormenters (Matthew 18:23-35), and those tormenters are evil spirits. Depending on the bondage at hand, and if there are any legal grounds (such as unconfessed sins or unforgiveness), there may need to be a couple steps taken to remove any legal grounds before actually rebuking the unclean spirits. This subject is beyond the scope of this teaching, but there are many teachings on this Web site that cover various aspects of the deliverance process.

Authority to heal

Jesus said to, "Heal the sick"! Matthew 10:8, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." I think it's interesting how Jesus didn't tell us to pray and ask God to heal the sick, He told US to heal the sick! Mark 16:17-18 makes it clear that all believers have the authority to lay hands on people and heal them!

I have never seen where Jesus prayed, "Father, please heal this person!" Instead, we see that Jesus healed people with His spoken Word! In John 5:8, Jesus told the man to, "...Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."

The early church healed people in this same manner. In Acts 3:6, "...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."

Notice in Luke 9:1 that He not only gave His disciples authority over all devils, but also to cure diseases: "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."

Authority is exercised when there is a RIGHT to exercise it. They weren't praying and asking God to heal people, they had the authority to heal, and they were exercising it with a spoken word, just as Jesus did!

I want to clarify that I'm not saying that prayer can't heal people... because it can (James 5:14-15)... I'm just saying that we are taught to heal the sick using the authority that Jesus gave us! I have seen and heard of many healings that took place through prayer, so I'm not saying not to pray, or that prayer doesn't work. I'm simply saying that we have authority over sickness, and therefore we can exercise our authority to bring about healing in another person's life!

I also think it's interesting how Mark 16:17-18 tells us that healing can come through the laying on of hands: "And these signs shall follow them that believe... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The laying on of hands can encourage the transferring of power from us into the person and heal them, just like the woman who felt power flow from Jesus when she touched the hem of His garment (Mark 5:30)! Jesus said that those who believe will have the Holy Ghost flowing out of their innermost being (John 7:38-39), and even Peter's shadow healed people (Acts 5:15)!

Paul's thorn explained

Paul's thorn is often used by Satan to get God's people to question if it's really God's will to heal them. Satan wants God's people to feel that God has them sick for a reason. One of the vital elements in the healing ministry is a solid understanding of Paul's thorn.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

It's not a sickness: Pauls thorn was clearly not a sickness, because it refers to this thorn as a 'messenger of Satan'.

It's not a demonic bondage: God clearly wants His people delivered from all demonic bondages, so it's not that Paul needed a deliverance. After all, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, did He not? (1 John 3:8)

What Paul's thorn actually is: Paul's thorn was the enemy going around causing persecutions for Paul for Christ's sake (see verse 10). Persecutions were one thing that Jesus said His people would have to face (John 15:20), and that perfectly explains why God would not take it away. God's will for our healing and deliverance is made very evident, but we are not guaranteed to be delivered from all persecutions.

How to receive your healing

Know what is rightfully yours: You need to understand that you, as a child of God, are fully entitled to your healing through the blood that Jesus shed when He was whipped ("By His stripes!"). If you don't know it's God's will to heal you, then you're going to lack faith, and faith is how you receive what Christ did for you. Just like when you were saved, it was by faith you received Christ into your heart and life. Same is true with healing, it is by faith that we receive the promises of God.

Repent of unconfessed sins: 1 John 1:9 tells us to confess our sins. Unconfessed sins can be sins lingering in our lives, and need to be addressed. We need to confess and forsake our sins, and when we do that, God graciously forgives us, and those sins can no longer hinder or block your healing. Once you confess and repent of your sin, your heavenly Father welcomes you with open arms (Luke 15)!

Release unforgiveness from your heart: If there's somebody who you are holding grudges or bitterness against, then you need to release that hurt and bitterness from your heart. If somebody has wronged you, and you still think about their wrong whenever you think of them, then it's time to give those feelings the Lord, and leave them there. Release the hurt from your heart that they have caused you, for unforgiveness can come between you and God and prevent your own sins from being forgiven (Matthew 6:15), and can give the enemy a legal ground to bring trouble upon you (Matthew 18:23-35), such as spirits of infirmity, sickness, diseases, etc. Make the choice today to release those hurt feelings, and pray something like this out loud, "Father, I have been holding bitterness in my heart against _______ because they did _________ to me, and I regret not forgiving them as you have asked of me. Forgive me for not forgiving them as I should have. I now release those hurt feelings to you in Jesus' name, Amen." (Repeat prayer for different people and situations if necessary.) Forgiveness is a choice, and when you make that choice, God can help you heal and release those hurt feelings in your heart against that person(s).

Laying on of hands: Something that can help encourage a healing to come, is when another believer, who is strong in faith, lays his or her hands on you and heals you (it's not 'them' healing you, it's God working 'through' them!). Mark 16:17-18, "And these signs shall follow them that believe... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

Speak a word in faith: Jesus gave you authority to heal and be healed, therefore speak to the part of your body that needs a healing, and command it to BE HEALED IN JESUS' NAME! Just like Jesus and the early church did: John 5:8, "Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And in the early church: Acts 3:6, "Then 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."

Common blockages to healing

Lack of Faith: This is one of the most common of blockages that can prevent a healing. Jesus made it clear in many healings, that faith is important for you to use in receiving your healing. Matthew 9:29, "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you." Also look at Matthew 9:22, "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." Jesus also made it clear that, "...If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23). Mark 11:24, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Lack of faith can block us from receiving (James 1:6-7).

Unforgiveness in the heart: If there's somebody who you are holding grudges or bitterness against, then you need to release that hurt and bitterness from your heart. If somebody has wronged you, and you still think about their wrong whenever you think of them, then it's time to give those feelings the Lord, and leave them there. Release the hurt from your heart that they have caused you, for unforgiveness can come between you and God and prevent your own sins from being forgiven (Matthew 6:15), and can give the enemy a legal ground to bring trouble upon you (Matthew 18:23-35), such as spirits of infirmity, sickness, diseases, etc.

Unconfessed sin: 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. If we don't confess our sins, they can remain lingering around in our lives. Different times Jesus would say to the person "your sins are forgiven" instead of saying "rise and walk". In other words, Him forgiving their sins, opened them up to be healed as well. Pray and ask God to reveal to you any sins that you need to take before Him. Once you confess and repent of your sin, your heavenly Father welcomes you with open arms (Luke 15)! Sometimes a believer has walked away from God, and God is saying, "Come to me and forsake your sins and I'll heal you!" 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Wrong battle plan: Sometimes a healing is not what the person needs. There are many times when a person is being prayed over for a healing and yet the person doesn't need a healing at all; they need a deliverance. A spirit of infirmity has attached itself to them, and is causing some sort of health problem. In Matthew, roughly half of all the 'healings' Jesus did were actually deliverances! Spirits were known to cause physical infirmities, blindness, deafness, etc.

Not knowing it's God's will to heal us: Our Christian faith is based upon God's Word, and therefore if we don't know that it's God's will to heal us, then we will doubt when we ask for a healing, or beg for a healing, instead of confidently receiving it in the name of Jesus. How are you supposed to ask in faith, and receive, if you aren't really sure that God will heal you? What kind of faith is that? It's not Biblical faith, because Jesus said that faith cometh by hearing and hearing of God's Word!

These are some of the common things that can block a healing. This spiritual realm is not a one-shot deal in every situation. There can be many reasons why a person is where they are. I know the deliverance ministry has brought healing to many many people, because so many sickness and diseases are not really physical problems at all, but spiritual ones manifesting in the physical realm.

Some people hold bitterness in their heart, and then when they seek a healing, they may not receive it, because in reality, that sickness or disease is there because of their bitterness, and if they don't deal with the root of the problem, it's likely they aren't going to receive a healing at all. Then they rush out and tell all their friends that God doesn't heal everybody, or that God wanted them to have their sickness. What a mess! All because they didn't understand the reason behind their 'blocked healing'. Don't let this happen to you!