Healing and Faith
Remember when John Lennon sang that we should imagine that there is no heaven above us? The Beatles took a lot of flack for statements like that in their singing but now remember what Jesus taught and that the kingdom of heaven is within you. Well, try it. Instead of imagining a heaven above, try imagining a heaven within you, as a part of you, as your very being. Have faith in a God that lives and acts within you and not just a benevolent spirit above and beyond somewhere in heaven. As we allow our souls to actually rest in that heavenly position, we are in that stage of perfection that we are admonished to be in. If we are truly citizens of heaven and that same heaven is within us then we should be acting like it and doing the same works that Jesus did. That will take some unity as well as faith, we need to agree upon these things.
It is very significant that those opposed to faith in divine healing are the same ones that denounce the faith movement. There have of course been many that have maligned faith but without faith, it is impossible to please God. There are the frauds that counterfeit faith and try all sorts of schemes to peddle their gifts and there are those that entice the flock to riches by using the tithe as a bribe to God to obtain a full collection plate but one thing that will always stand is true faith in the true God.
We may argue that there are not enough miracles, not enough manifestations and not enough healing in the world but because we believe and as we are humble enough to know that we are lacking in faith and want more, these things will increasingly come. There is a time soon that we as the remnant will show ourselves to the world suddenly and swiftly as people of faith and nothing will ever be the same. It will come about when the church stops striving toward perfection and starts living the perfect life that we have in us already. This is what all creation is looking toward, the sons and daughters of God working together for the common goal of lifting up an undivided Jesus and praising Him. Let the nay-sayers and skeptics have their day, Jesus is coming soon and a united body will be meeting Him in the heavenlies as well as in the streets as a witness to all that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
The responses below show faith and excellent illustrations of healing through faith. If we have the faith to believe that with God all things are possible, we should have enough faith to ask God to increase our faith. We are to pray for the latter rain in the time of the latter rain but we are also to be patient and wait for God's timing. We are all in anticipation and just can't wait to see these end-time events come to pass but we need to be prepared first and build upon our foundation. Nothing stops us from now praying in faith except our lack of faith and spiritual inactivity. Pray for the sick now, pray for salvation, pray for spiritual maturity, stop fighting amongst ourselves and witness to the love of God. The world will finally believe when the prayer of Jesus to the Father has finally been answered: "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Well, what about the bogus faith that so many have brought forth? There are many in the church that speak of faith that have actually brought Christianity into a low state. What of those that have peddled their faith? What of the phony faith healers and false prophets? Many have been exposed in the past, let's discuss them. We need not bring up names, please don't, just denounce the false practices. It is our job to expose false doctrine and judge ourselves, not others. How are we to treat those that pretend to speak in the name of Jesus but do not have the power that they profess. What of the false movements, the liars, the pretenders, the frauds, the schismatics, the simonians, the charlatans? I have not held back on my site in denouncing those false doctrines and divisive teachings that have given us a bad name and many have criticized me for it, but I must. What is our responsibility toward critical self examination? Give us your experiences. Let us try to use discernment in these matters and come to some conclusions. We should be able to learn a lot from that.
Jay
Jay,
There was one
person however, who would not give up and that was my Dad. He was not in
denial because it was his daughter, but he had a firm conviction that God
was definitely going to heal her. He heard the Lord speak that to him and so
he pressed in day and night believing God. The next time she went to the
doctor the areas were all clearing. She became better and better and is now
completely healed with not a trace anywhere. I know it was because he took
faith for her.
Another incident was a close family friend was suffering with
lung cancer. One evening we were summoned to the hospital. His condition had
taken a very bad turn for the worse. When I arrived many family and friends
were already there. The doctor and his family were at the bedside. The man
was gurgling blood and was taking his last few gasps. The doctor and his
family had decided "to let him go". They were just watching him die. But one
person was not. My father was at the foot of the bed on his knees
interceding on behalf of this man. He didn't care what anyone thought; he
was believing God to the very last and would not give up. I am a nurse. What
we witnessed next just does not happen. The man suddenly sat right up in
bed, took a deep breath and began coughing, became alert, and his color
began to return. From then on he improved by the minute. The doctor just
shook his head in disbelief. All those around him were pretty much amazed!
He got better and went home a few days later.
This clearly shows me that we
can and should take faith for others healing. Also, as a nurse, I have
witnessed people receive healing who did not seek the Lord for it. They did
not even profess to trust Him, or know Him, yet they miraculously recovered
from life threatening illnesses. I marvel how people cannot give God the
glory when it is obvious He has touched them. I believe just as God causes
it to rain on the just and the unjust, so is He merciful to give healing to
them even when they don't ask for it themselves. (Perhaps someone else has
prayed for them, perhaps that's not even the case).
I know for myself I can
take faith easily when it comes to someone else, but it seems harder to
believe when it's me that needs the healing. I don't know why that is. I too
have a long way to go. Why some are healed and others aren't I don't know. I
believe He will not turn away anyone who comes to Him. God is no respecter
of persons (Acts 10:34). He is merciful to all and so perhaps He has a
higher purpose when some are not healed that we cannot understand. It is
cruel to "scold" people for not having "enough" faith to receive, or keep a
healing. When we do this we put ourselves in the position of judging
another. Only God knows the real reason. Our job is to just take faith and
believe as He commanded.
I believe we are in times when we are going to
begin seeing signs and wonders as never before. There are increasingly more
and more serious diseases for which there is no cure, or even treatment. As
the end time harvesting takes place, more and more will turn to the church
looking for the hope and healing they so desperately need. We must be ready
for them.
Terri
Hi Jay,
That's awesome that the group has grown that large! With that many people,
we have to be making a difference in the Church! I would encourage every one
to stick with it, because the Lord will use this ministry in a mighty way
for His glory!
As to believing for a healing, there are a lot of places in the Bible where
it says that faith made the person whole. But I can't find anyplace that
says that God cannot or will not heal someone who is not believing for a
healing. I have experience this first-hand. Many times, I have gone in to a
church service with a headache, not even thinking about my own healing, and
the Lord has touched me and taken away the headache without me even asking.
I believe He has provided healing for us in the atonement, and in spite of
whether we believe Him for it or not, Jesus still bore our sicknesses and
carried our pains. And ultimately, He will carry out His Word and heal us,
even if it is not until we receive our resurrection body. But I know from
experience, God has healed me when I wasn't believing for it.
Although I don't think God's healing is entirely dependent on our faith, I
know that faith does move God to action. It is important to trust God for
our healing and I am certain that in most cases, it will speed up the
process. We know that God wants us to ask for what we need even though He
knows what we need before we ask Him. And James 4:2 says "You do not have
because you do not ask." But I do think it is unfair to always blame it on a
person's lack of faith when they are not healed. God has a perfect time for
everything. Sometimes the reason a person isn't healed is because it is just
not God's time for it yet. And it's not always because of sin in the
person's life. Sometimes the purpose in the sickness is just so that God may
be glorified because of their healing.
Another experience of healing that I have witnessed is a woman in a church I
used to belong to. She had arthritis really bad in her legs and one night
she came up for prayer. Two men had to practically carry her to the front of
the church. After she got prayer, she was dancing in the Spirit! She was
healed instantly! Praise the Lord!!
A few months back, I was preaching at a church in Oglesby, Oklahoma. There
was a man there that night with a sinus infection. He came up after service
and I prayed for him. He fell down under the power of God and when he got
back up, he said his sinuses were completely cleared. To God be all the
glory!!
I have often thought about the concept of the plural "gifts of healing." One
way you could look at this is that God gives people different "specialties"
in the area of healing. One might minister to people with heart problems,
another to people with sugar diabetes, another to people with cancer. That's
kind of how I've always looked at it. I agree that there is significance in
that Paul used that phrase "gifts of healing," and not "gift of healing."
That's my opinion as to what he's talking about. There are different types
of diseases which require different gifts of healing.
Oh, and Jay, I'll be praying for the healing of your breathing problem. Be
healed, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! Thank you, Jesus!!
Ray
I have long been convinced that the "gifts of the Spirit" are for the benefit
of those who need them (i.e., healing is for the sick person not for the one
who prays). The pattern seems to be that God uses any member of the Body who
is willing. It is also true that: if we ask anything according to His will,
He will do it. This means to me that our obedience is the determining factor.
If the Lord tells us to lay on hands or command healing, we do it. If He
doesn't give us such an instruction, we don't do anything. Maybe someone else
is supposed to do it. Our effectiveness as instruments of the Holy Spirit
increases as our listening and obeying improves.
My brothers and sisters, my experience based on the word of God is as follows:
I noticed that as the sanctification power of the Holy Spirit stepped up the
pace of cleansing within me other things began to happen. My desire for
prayer and the word of God increased. The hunger was not something I did or
mustered up within me, The power of the Holy Spirit increased as the power of
the cross decreased who I was without the Lord. What I mean by this is my
self-willed nature and flesh began to decrease (die) and the power of the
Holy Spirit increased.
With the desire to pray, the burden for other lost and found increased and I
was moved to pray. Answers to prayer increased and soon many were coming for
prayer. The things of the Lord were more satisfying that the things of the
world.
A testimony to the power of God: on a missions trip (Central America) , I
received a vision of my wife having a car accident at a certain time. I was
burdened to interceded for her, travail was more like it. Prayer was
something that the Holy Spirit was teaching me. The burden lifted after a
short prayer and I went on with what the Lord had for me that day to do.
Right after getting off the airplane, my wife tells me about the accident and
how she was nearly killed. The vision showed me that she was hit from the
rear and then from the side. She told me exactly what I had seen except the
lady coming from the side missed her due to the timing of the three vehicles.
She was alerted to what was to happen by a feeling of dread and stood on her
brakes. She was hit so hard that all 5 women went to the hospital. Several
weeks later with the women with neck braces on, in therapy and bruises of
different kinds were all in one place on a certain day. The Holy Spirit sent
me there (church) where my wife worked and my message was, if all the women
are prayed for by the early afternoon, all would be healed. One by one they
were healed as they were prayed for. All were hysterical and ran praising
the Lord. One ran through the church offices telling everyone she not only
was healed of the car accident injures but was healed of a spine defect and
was free of all pain. They glorify God to this day.
Larry Sloma
Dear Jay, The first time I experienced healing was by accident. I was at a
preaching service and at the end the pastor said, "I don't usually do this at
these meetings, but I feel the Lord has indicated that He would like us to
end the meeting with a time of healing. He's given me several words of
knowledge and I want everyone who needs healing to stand up. I'm not going
to lay hands on anyone, because I want you to know that this is the Lord's
doing. I'm just going to call out some things and if you feel it's for you
just raise your hand and reach out in faith and receive your healing."
He then invited all those who wanted to, to come up to the altar area. The
worship team began to play softly and I began to enter in silently. I closed
my eyes and was worshiping because I didn't really think the Lord would heal
me. Pastor Mike called out, "There's someone who has a problem that has to
do with their kidneys, I think, and the Lord wants to heal you tonight."
Now, I had come to the meeting suffering from a very painful bladder
infection that I had been fighting for 6 days. I hadn't gone to the doctor
because I didn't have any health insurance and I had been praying for the
Lord to heal me. I had also been trying some home remedies, but the
infection had steadily worsened throughout the week. On the way to the
meeting I had said to my friend, "I am in so much pain and discomfort from a
bladder infection. I can't believe it, but I'm going to have to make a
doctor appointment tomorrow or go to the emergency room because I can't take
it any more." She asked me why I hadn't gone sooner and I told her that I
really had believed that the Lord would heal me and that I had been praying
and believing for it all week, but that I couldn't wait any longer.
When Pastor Mike had called out that the Lord wanted to heal someone with a
problem that had something to do with their kidneys I didn't react because my
problem was with my bladder so I didn't think he meant me. He called out
something else and then all of a sudden it was like the Holy Spirit hit me
upside the head and said, "That kidney healing was for you. Reach out and
grab it!" I wanted to argue and say, "But he said it was a kidney problem
and I have a bladder problem," but fortunately I realized how foolish it
would be to argue with the Holy Spirit, so instead I said, "I'm going to
reach out and take a hold of that healing no matter what he said, because by
the stripes of Jesus Christ I AM healed."
I kept confessing the healing
scriptures I knew until the end of the meeting and then I went to the
bathroom on the way out. No improvement. We stopped to eat on the way home
and I had to go again. No improvement. I arrived home, got ready for bed
and had to go again. No improvement - same burning, pain, and constant
urgency to go when I really don't have to, plus my back had started to hurt
so I know it was traveling to my kidneys. I still had all the symptoms that
I'd had all week. And yet, I knew I'd been healed because I was sure it was
the Holy Spirit who told me to reach out and grab my healing. So, just
before I went to sleep I remember saying, "I don't care how this feels, I
know I was healed. These symptoms are all lies. I know that by His stripes
I am healed."
I fell asleep and woke up seven hours later and couldn't
believe it. I had slept through the night for the first time all week.
(Every other night I had gotten up 4 to 5 times during the night to go to the
bathroom.) All of my symptoms were gone - no more pain, no more burning, no
more having to go every 30 minutes. None of the symptoms ever came back and
I never did go to the doctor.
D. Ebner
Jay,
Your brother in Christ Jesus
After receiving several emails and requests for prayer and the transfer of the healing anointing through the internet. I felt a witness in my spirit to believe God for a release of his healing power for those who would come into agreement with a prophetic proclamation calling for the release of God miraculous power through this email.
God sent his word and delivered them from their destructions. The centurion servant said to Jesus "Just say the word" my servant will be healed. Can this happen through the internet? Those of you who believe that the anointing is transferable and you want to agree with me that a greater release of his healing virtue is going to come into your church, life, and ministry. I want you to align your self in simple faith with this prayer. I am going to pray. Then I will include a simple prayer of faith for you to pray. I will even include at the end of the email steps to be healed right where you are.
First lets call for a healing explosion. Father I ask you right now in the name of Jesus to begin to release your healing power as transferable anointing for those asking right now for your power on their life. I release healing virtue in Jesus name!! Let a explosion of Miracles and healing come into there ministries now. I ask you God to pour out your power and Grace that those agreeing with this email will receive a fresh anointing now in Jesus name.
I want you to pray out loud now. Father fill me with healing power. I want the anointing transferred on my life. I want and believe now for your healing power to fill me God. Give me in my Church. Ministry and life a greater release from this day forward of miracles, signs and wonders. Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Holy spirit I receive, Come now Holy Spirit I put my faith out for the Power of the Lord Present to Heal. "Say" I will take this to the sick in Jesus name. Now I want you from this day forward to believe God To: Preach the Gospel; and Heal the sick!!! Go lay hands on them and see them recover. If you need a miracle get ready!!!!
If you are believing God for a healing right now. I want you to take your hand and put it on the part of your body that needs to be healed. If there is someone in your house that needs a healing "lay hands on them" and pray this prayer of faith with me. Father I command this sickness to go now in Jesus name. Let your healing touch those reading this email. I command the hold of your infirmity satan to let go right now in Jesus name.
Pray out loud this prayer: Father I receive my healing. come Holy Spirit, Heal me now in Jesus name. I command my infirmity and sickness to go now in Jesus name. Satan loose me now in Jesus name. Touch me Jesus I receive!! Now do something you couldn't do before, move your body thanking God now for healing you. Rise up in Jesus name.
Reprinted from Todd Bentley: Fresh Fire Ministries http://www.thearc.bc.ca/pa.html
Written to be shared.
From Jay:
This next message is in lieu of a few disturbing messages that I received challenging faith that I cannot print but rather give this response.
It is not the purpose of this forum to put people down but rather lift them up. One is done through the flesh and one is done through the spirit. It is not the responsibility of Christians to be the judge of others, those that try have judged their own selves. Where is the love? Those that use their sword of faith to cut the flesh of our brothers and sisters are not part of the restoration process any more that David was allowed to build the first temple. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood but of spiritual principalities and the high places. We do need to judge and discern false doctrine but it is not our job to condemn the man that brings it just because we disagree.
Can you imagine that I was criticized for even bringing up the name of Kenneth Hagin? It was my intent only to give an example of what happened at one of his meetings, not to endorse the man or what he teaches. As to the faith movement, I did not study under it so I cannot be the judge of it. I do know three things for sure and that is that God loves Kenneth Hagin and that He sent His Son Jesus to die for Him and that we are justified through this faith in Jesus. What I received was slanderous, hateful condemnation of a man that teaches faith and the rhema word. Another person brought up another evangelist and put him down for his physical appearance. Their responses are not here but rather tossed out as worthless back-biting.
I believe that we are judged for the words we say, out of our mouth or off of the keyboard. What we say has tremendous repercussions in the day of judgment and the Bible teaches the possibility that we can be erased from the book of life. Those that cast stones at any of us better be without sin or they will be exposed as fools in the day of judgment and numbered with the transgressors. Judgment begins at the house of God.
I did not come to my conclusions through study of any particular people or denominational thought and I did not study under Kenneth Hagin. If you need to know my mentors, they are such as Watchamn Nee, John Wesely, Tielhard de Chardot, Desiderius Erasmus and a host of others throughout history. Another's faith is not to be judged by man. Whether it is of little faith or great faith, if it is true faith, it will judge those that oppose it. Remember the parable of the mustard seed.
"But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at naught your brother? for we shall
all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For if we would judge ourselves, we should
not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be
condemned with the world. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides
the sheep and goats."
Jay
What does it mean to not be of this world? It simply means that we are citizens of heaven. In heaven's world there is no sickness, no death, no tears, sorrow, oppression, hatefulness or denominationalism, in short it is a perfect world of love with the perfect King in charge. We are not to put our faith in this world or its worldly leaders, fleshly desires, material trappings and especially we are not to be lacking in the faith that would lead us into the wisdom of this world.
My father is a man of great faith. I have two stories to share. My father
was instrumental in taking faith for both of these healings. My sister who
was 37 at the time was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer which had
spread to the liver and four areas on her bones. That was 3 years ago. The
Doctors "tried" chemo for 4 months, and at the end of that time she was
really no better. In fact, two more bones had metastases. She went home
after an appointment prepared to give up, laid on her sofa and felt the Lord
speak to her and say "this is the end of your suffering". During this time
most people were consoling and trying to be comforting, but you could tell
they were wondering if God was really going to heal her.
In Him, Ed Stube
Thanks again for a wonderful message. Faith and the power it has to heal and uplift is
overlooked so much these days. We all have the ability to call upon the Lord Jesus Christ to
heal our selves and those around us. The Lord waits to bless us if we just ask and have faith
that that prayer will be answered in it's own way and at the right time. God has given us so
many wonderful gifts in this modern era. So many skilled physicians whom God has blessed with
miraculous gifts, and yet the power of faith is still unequaled. I testify to the truth of the
power of healing because I was blinded in both eyes when I was 16 years old and told i would
never see again, and a man I believe to be a man of god laid his hands upon my head and in the
name of Jesus Christ promised me I would see again. Not 24 hours passed away when my vision was
completley restored. My right eye was blinded by a B.B. gun at age 11 and at age 16 a 75 m.p.h
baseball blinded my left eye. I was completely blind for two months with no hope of recovery and the Lord I believe because of my faith and the faith of this man of god, through the power of my Savior, did not leave me to wander this world in darkness. I now see with
20/20 vision and it is the power to heal that blessed my life when I was just a boy.
Thanks again Jay.
and Mormon friend
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