Healing

                                                                                                       

    Aloha Dearest Family,

                Recently we started watching this British TV show called The Repair Shop where folks from all around the country bring their treasured items to have them repaired by experts. Whether it is a piece of antique furniture, a priceless painting, a broken stained-glass window or a miniature clock, the Repair Shop has the artisans to fix it. And the work that these repairers do is nothing short of astounding. These experts are so good at their craft that most times you cannot even tell that the piece was ever damaged in the first place.

                But what if someone has something that needs repairing in their body? Most people go to the “body expert”, the doctor. After all, they have studied the human body for many years and they should know how to fix it-right? In truth all the doctor can do is recognize the problem and “treat” the symptoms. But the doctor cannot heal. He (or she) can set the body in such a state where the body can heal itself. But there IS another alternative for true healing. Why not go to the ‘manufacturer’, the one that designed you, so that He can heal you?

                Many people, Christians and non-Christians alike, do not think this is a possible solution because most believe that God used to do those things in years past, but He doesn’t anymore. Most believe that God is able to heal, but does not want to heal. Let’s look at one of my favorite verses.

     “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

                If God designed the body then He would also know how to fix it. God knows how the chemicals in the body work. He knows how the proper placement of bones and ligaments should be. He knows how every organ should properly work. There isn’t anything that God doesn’t know about your body and He knows how to fix it. After all, HE is the designer. Nothing is too hard for God to fix. God can heal stage 4 cancer as easily as He can a headache. He is able. But does God want to heal? III John has an incredible verse about God’s greatest desire.

     “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.” (III John 2)

 God wishes above all things that we prosper and be in health. This is God’s top priority. He wants us to be healthy and not sick. The teaching that God gives us sickness to “test our faith” is hogwash and is not Biblical. God wants us healthy - always.

            Great. God is able to heal, and He wants to heal. But would He want to heal ME? The ultimate answer is YES! The next question asked is always, “How can I receive God’s healing?”

 God’s Provision for healing.

                Most Christians know that Jesus died for our sins, but many do not know that he also suffered for our sickness.

              “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4 and 5)

                 Looking forward to what the Messiah would accomplish, Isaiah wrote that by the wounds that he would receive during his suffering, our healing would be paid for. He suffered so we would not have to. Looking back at his suffering, Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (I Peter 1:24)

 Jesus took the payment for our sins and sickness by what he suffered. Now we can claim this healing for ourselves. If he paid for our sicknesses, why do we want to carry our own sicknesses? I don’t. 

 How to Be Healed.

                Remember that God is not only able to heal you, He wants to heal you. The first step in healing is to ask God. Second step in healing is to thank Him that he has already done it. To God, the payment has already been made for your healing. So we are thanking Him for what He has already done.

 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

 If we continually thank God that He has already given us our healing, we will absolutely receive what we are requesting. This is a great key in receiving healing from God.

 Here are some other great keys to receive healing from God.

          -After you ask God for healing, you cannot allow negative thoughts about your situation to enter in. You must control your thinking and only speak victory. Replace any negative thoughts you have with healing scriptures from God’s Word. Let these be your reality. Repeat these over and over to yourself.

          -Another key is to not give up. This is where most people fail. Jesus taught his disciples about persistence in prayer.

                 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7 and 8) The words ask, seek and knock, in the Greek, means to ask- and keep asking; seek- and keep seeking; knock- and keep knocking. Persistence in prayer for healing is vital to receive healing from God. How long will it take? It doesn’t matter. We don’t ever give up until we receive our healing. God promised it to us in His Word.

          -Get a clear mind picture of yourself healed. Claim that this picture of yourself is already yours. If you have an unclear picture, you will have an unclear answer to your prayer. The way you picture yourself, is what you will see in your life. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

            -Thank God often and praise Him continually. Whenever you think of your situation, thank Him that you are receiving your healing. Remember we are thanking Him for what Jesus Christ already paid for.

             -The last and probably most important key to receive healing is to not rely upon how we feel. Healing is not contingent upon how we feel but is contingent upon what God has already declared in His Word. If God has declared that “by his wounds we have been healed”, then that is our reality. I have heard of dozens and dozens of people who were in pain who declared their healing as their reality and not the pain they were experiencing and this brought about their healing. We need to believe what God has said and not how we are feeling. After all, without believing, none of this is possible. It is not our believing that brings the impossible to pass. But faith (believing) in God’s promises. 

                 “Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.” (Hebrews 11:1 International Standard Version).

             God wants you healed – even more than you do. Why not go to Him, ask him and then believe that He has already given it to you. If He has done it for others, He can do it for you. Remember, your health is His top priority. 

                                   Love Always, Ray

       “For I will restore health to you and I will heal your wounds,’ says the LORD…” (Jeremiah 30:17a)