So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.”
- Ge 20:17–18

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and –healing- -all manner of sickness and all manner of disease- among the people. 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.”
- Mt 4:23–24

“Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on -to know the LORD- : his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” - Ho 6:1–3

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BIBLICAL LIVING – 101 – Healing
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We have previously lightly touched upon Healing as a gift of the Spirit – we say lightly – because we focused purely on the medicinal aspect. There we recommended the use of modern medicine and wisdom, but also said we should be diligent to seek God’s favor and will for medical healing.

THIS WEEKS TAKE AWAY :

All of what humanity has been suffering for millennia, is a drop in the bucket compared to God’s eternal plan for Man. Man, and Angels, must learn that obedience to God’s Laws IS the best way, and seeking His honor and glory IS the BEST, and only appropriate, course of action – because He is a being who is PERFECT in all of His Ways.

Unfortunately, the only way to appreciate this lesson is through the path of disobedience, and its inevitable consequence – pain and suffering. God in His Mercy, has ordained that this period should be brief (by His standards) – but the pain is necessary, and the work of HEALING --- very very real!

It is the will of God, and We are all called to heal the minds, bodies, and spirits of human beings with the power of His word, the Love of our actions, and the gifting’s of the Spirit.

WHAT IS HEALING?

“ --- Heal, rapa/rapha (רָפָא, 7495), “to heal.” This word is common to both ancient and modern Hebrew. It occurs approximately 65 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, appearing first in Gen. 20:17: “… God healed Abimelech. ” (text 1). “To heal” may be described as “restoring to normal,” an act which God typically performs. Thus, appeals to God for healing are common: “… O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed” (Ps. 6:2); “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed …” (Jer. 17:14). Not only are human diseases “healed,” but bad water is restored to normal or “healed” (2 Kings 2:22); salt water is “healed” or made fresh (Ezek. 47:8); even pottery is “healed” or restored (Jer. 19:11).

A large number of the uses of rapa˒ express the “healing” of the nation—such “healing” not only involves God’s grace and forgiveness, but also the nation’s repentance. Divine discipline leads to repentance and “healing”: “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us …” (Hos. 6:1) (text 3). God promises: “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord …” (Jer. 30:17). Even foreign cities and powers can know God’s “healing” if they repent (Jer. 51:8–9).

-- Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 1, p. 107)

Healing, as a larger concept of RESTORATION, is something we have not addressed in depth…. Why do we NEED healing? Why do we have pain and suffering and disease at all? …. Even atheists must acknowledge (if they are truly seeking the truth) that evil exists. Where did it come from and what is the cure?

The Garden of Eden story smells like, reads like, and actually implies a complete setup!….God KNEW Man would fail, and He ALLOWED it to happen. God is telling us… “he hath torn and he will heal us”! He even -wrote it down- for us so that we would have the answer when we wonder… why? Why is there suffering?

The sufferings of Christ were in view of God before the world was created. His plan of redemption was already laid out before Satan was allowed to whisper into Eve’s ear! God Himself participates in our suffering – not just in the sense of His omniscience (He knows every bit of our suffering), but He “hears” (our cries go up to Him), and He “sees” – and He lovingly regulates every trial we go through, so that it may strengthen and not destroy us – His eternal children!

His ultimate will is to Heal, and through the Spirit, He gives us a down-payment on this inheritance! “… Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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)…. “

Healing and Restoration go hand in hand… Healing is not only restoring that which was lost, Healing (cf… our second text from Matthew) it covers a very broad spectrum ranging from physical, to spiritual issues – sick, diseased, tormented, oppressed, possessed – to the ultimate plan of REDEMPTION for all things in Heaven and Earth.

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he –reconciled- In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Col 1:19–22)

WHY DO WE NEED HEALING, HOW DO WE GET IT?

How do you feel about fakes? We don’t appreciate them because their very existence is a lie… they are typically not even close to the genuine article in terms of quality or features, despite visually appearing to be just like it! At worst, they dupe people into a false experience of the actual “brand” – thereby either making them useless as brand ambassadors (they don’t know the product), or being just the reverse (they bad mouth the genuine article based on experience with a fake).

How would you like to have gone through life thinking that you are experiencing an ABUNDANT life, but wake up in heaven and find it was all FAKE? Not good right….. What are the “products” you must test?

a. Individual Healing from Sin :Salvation :
“Make your calling and election sure” – we can’t emphasize this enough. Confession, Water Baptism, Spirit Baptism, and evidence of Spiritual Fruits, Repentance (Changed Life), and Gifts are the hallmark and stamp of true believers – as is a focus on LOVE, COMPASSION, MERCY … not judgement, hate, condemnation, legalism…. Settle for NO SUBSTITUTES ON THIS ONE!

b. Corporate Healing of Relationships : “Church” :
A GENUINE Church will focus on building up of the body of Christ through (i) renewing the mind – building up believers in faith through the apostles doctrine/ preaching of the word (ii) meeting to break bread (food AND observe communion), and have genuine fellowship (koinonia) with each other by praying for each other, encouraging each other, helping each other with their substance. (iii) Focus on the church is to love one another, and then share that joy with the greater community they live in, personally, as individuals, and corporately, as a unified body, walking in truth.

That is the genuine article folks, and anyone can do it. If this is not what you are experiencing, you are SETTLING for a FAKE, and sadly, depriving yourself of the company of GENUINE, LOVING, JOY FILLED, HAPPY individuals – who are not focused on roles or titles, rank or recognition – but who cheerfully do good all their waking hours – as opportunities present themselves!

It is the mission of this Page, and attendant website to take this message to all believers – empowered by the Spirit and modern knowledge – YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Your little Home Bible study can be the medium for your life to be changed, to change others, and to educate and grow all on how to live together as sinful humans, walking out the grace and truth of God!

c. Regular Healing/Cleansing from Sin, Accessing the Gift of Healing:

The Lords Supper is A key ingredient for accessing the benefits of Healing. The Will of God is to heal (Our second text), and we heal by bringing people to Jesus. One of the ways we can directly access Him is through His Body and Blood, broken and bruised for us to give us access to spiritual AND physical healing.

We highly recommend frequent and even private observation of the Lord’s Supper to cleanse your body, soul, and spirit from the effects of evil, and to supplement modern medicine with it (where allowed). It is a God-provided ordinance for us to escape the deleterious effects of sin.
God doesn’t heal everybody instantly right now, because that is not in alignment with the overall plan laid out for us from Genesis to Revelation. However, to those that ask in alignment with His will, He has provided the means of grace (Communion, Prayer, the Intercession of the Spirit) to help with our infirmities.

d. Healing our Minds
Walking in Truth and Love. Speaking words of comfort and encouragement to souls that have been battered, bruised, and savagely scarred by abuse, hate, misconceptions, misunderstandings --- We are talking about church goers here , ok ok… and the broader human community too !

False prophets are condemned because they dealt only with the symptoms and not with the deep spiritual hurts of the people: “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jer. 6:14; also 8:11). --- ”
The Church (Should be a TRUE PROPHET, from the Spirit of TRUTH!) ---Cannot--- be an ostrich that is blind to the real and practical needs of the congregation in this day and age. It is responsible to address the moral, social, political issues and questions of the day, head-on through the prayerful study of the Word, with the Wisdom and Illumination of the Spirit. People should be beating down the doors of churches to hear what Christians have to say regarding X,Y,Z because of the WISDOM…. If they aren’t – that means we are doing something wrong!!!!!

Let’s take an example:

A person representing << Any denomination/sect/cause/belief system/dress code… You despise>> wishes to attend church with you. Does the congregation welcome them… GENUINELY? Or do you ‘tolerate’ their presence in the name of “inclusiveness” – and keep apart, lest you be tainted/infected by their color, culture, the gay gene…...their filth? If what your church has, is all that GREAT, shouldn’t it be attractive/infectious TO THEM as well? Why isn’t it?

The people you hate have broken God’s Laws, not yours, He is the injured party, and He will deal with their sins with –them- -individually-. Judging them is not our job. You just need to love them (wisely – don’t be taken advantage of, or enable bad behavior), pray for them, speak the Word to them, and let Him sort it out! You don’t have to subscribe to their beliefs, but you are ACCOUNTABLE to ACCURATELY and LOGICALLY represent yours!

If you are being nice to a person just to “sell” him/her on Jesus – well it doesn’t take too long for that person to sniff out that you don’t REALLY care for him/her, you just want another notch on your belt for the evangelistic outreach numbers. Why would that person give ANY credibility to the words coming out of your mouth? Love them first….. they will figure out who Jesus is without you having to open a Bible!

People are hurting, tired, despairing, lonely, depressed, because they seem to be surrounded on all sides by blackness and destruction --- nothing could be further from the truth – Every Day is A GIFT! How can we withhold words of healing to those hurting so badly? Well, it’s because we have a difficulty….

e. Understanding and applying truth – Doctrine.

Doctrine is difficult. What it says is usually at odds with man’s understanding of things – the necessity of evil, Christ’s sacrifice, God’s electing of those that receive the free pardon….only He can reveal Himself to us… but we know ENOUGH… Love God, and Love my Neighbor is the TRUTH we have to live out, and in this doctrine is all the LAW, and every PROPHET.

The Bible never says the Law was negated. Christ Fulfilled the Law, and Love fulfills/summarizes it completely. What we --are FREE of-- is the PENALTY of failing to obey the Law! In the OT - The blood of 100% obedient (internally law-abiding) and innocent animals was the -only acceptable substitute – that would not pollute His altar. In the NT – Christ died ONCE, and for ALL TIME for EVERYONE… that is a KEY DOCTRINE and one Satan HATES… it robs Sin of all its Power….Until you –understand- why God does not condemn you any more for anything you do, you cannot break the chains of self-scorn, self-condemnation, or the cycle of backsliding.

God cannot change His Own Rules and still be called Righteous! If HIS JUSTICE has been satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, it would be UNJUST of Him to punish you for those sins or take away your salvation, once He has said He will remember them no more! The Justice that inspires Fear (God is Light and cannot abide any form of darkness at all), is the Justice that is the bedrock of our Salvation – He cannot lie and does not change the Word that has gone out from His mouth!

Since He is the author of your Salvation, He is the guarantor of it, and therefore you can’t lose it.What He does do now, is help you understand His truth, so that you can start to walk in truth Love, which is HUGELY BENEFICIAL to you and the people around you…. And He will change your bad habits over time.

You are free!!! It’s just that we are not used to being out of prison, are too used to being told what to do by someone all the time, and are scared to realize that we ourselves have got to commit to, AND start on the journey to rehabilitation. Well, that’s what a church is for – to help you meet people who have walked that path, and can walk WITH you – (not FOR YOU, or FIX YOU…)….

The offices of healer are so wonderfully illustrated in the Tale of the Good Samaritan. He bound up the travelers wounds, and took him to a hospital where he could be cared for.

God’s Heart is for people who know His Word (the medicine), to help those who have been beaten, robbed and hurt – the Church should be the inn where they can go. His House should always have food in it, and be a place of prayer, where as we see in Genesis – prayer moves the Hand of God to Heal!

Hallelujah!