Healing

Healing

by Patricia Dailey
Senior Pastor, Bethel Revival Center
43 Norwood St.
Everett, MA 02149

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Mark 1:40-42
And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him, and kneeling down to Him, and saying unto Him, If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth His hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

A Lack of Knowledge
And Understanding

Many today don't really understand or know that it is God's will to heal. It's sad that they suffer so many things needlessly just because they lack this knowledge.

Some believe it is God's will to heal in some cases — so they pray, "Lord, if it be Your will then heal me" — while others believe that God healed back in the days of the Bible but He doesn't heal today.

Here in Mark 1 we find Jesus answering the leper, "I will!" I thank God that He has written in the pages of the Bible such testimonies that we can know it is His will to heal us when we are sick. God is no respecter of persons. It doesn't matter who we are. If He can heal one, He can heal all — all who will reach out in faith.

The Thief

Satan tries many ways to rob people of the understanding of God's will, to rob them of faith in the promises of God to be healed.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Satan has stolen health from many people. He has kept healing back from so many. They could be healed if they would only reach out to believe God; if they would only rely on God, knowing He is faithful.

Yes, Satan will steal everything we have if we let him. He's the adversary of our soul. He doesn't want us to be made whole but would like to see us all crippled, bedridden, and even in the grave without the Lord.

Calvary

We must realize what took place at Calvary, realizing that Jesus didn't suffer only for our sins.

Yes, Jesus took our sins upon Himself. He shed His blood for the remission of sin, but He also suffered for our healing. The stripes that He bore on His back, from the whipping they gave Him, were for our healing.

I Peter 2:24
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

So you see, it was there on that cross where the price was paid for our sins and where the price was paid for our healing.

Psalm 103:2,3
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases

If you can believe that Jesus has forgiven you of all your iniquities, that He died to save your soul, why can't you believe He bore stripes on His back that all your sickness and disease could be healed?

Believe His Word

These two benefits — remission of sin and healing of our body — were accomplished in the atonement: He forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases.

There's not a disease that He won't heal — be it cancer, diabetes or AIDS — no matter what it is. Diseases that are called incurable are not incurable with the Lord. They are only incurable with man.

He said He heals all our diseases, and He meant all. There is not one sickness or disease that He will not heal if we reach out in faith to believe what He has said.

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.

Again, this is a positive statement: With His stripes we are healed.

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

Why would the Lord say this if He didn't intend to heal us? Would He lie?

There are many Scriptures that are very clear to tell us what His will is regarding healing. The trouble is that many times people might hear it with their ears but never let it enter into their heart. They never take time to search the Scriptures to see what is said about healing.

Many times, Satan comes along to snatch it away before they can embrace it. He does not want God's people to know that healing was in the atonement.

Jeremiah 30:17a
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD

These are all beautiful Scriptures, Scriptures we can stand on, the faithful promises of God. All the promises of God are yea and amen [II Corinthians 1:20]. There are not any no's in His promises. They are all, "Yes, I will."

Did you notice what He said in this verse from Jeremiah? I will restore thy health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds. Why did He say that? If He wasn't going to heal, why did He say that? He's not a liar.

Understand this: Man will lie, but God never lies. We must realize that He will do just exactly what He said He would do.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?

We can really stand upon these Scriptures. The trouble is, Satan doesn't want God's people to trust in Him for healing.

Discerning the Lord's Body

I Corinthians 11:23-30
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me.

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come.

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Many sleep — Many have died because they failed to discern the Lord's body, and many are weak and sickly amongst us because they failed to discern the Lord's body.

We must discern His body. He shed His blood for the remission of our sins and He bore those stripes for the healing of our body.

When we take communion, we should think about what the Lord has done for us: suffering on the cross to bleed and die for our sins and suffering the stripes on His back for our healing. It's all included in the atonement.

Forgiveness and Healing

Many will remain weak and sickly as long as they have no knowledge of the full atonement.

They believe that Jesus' blood was shed for the remission of their sins. Yes, they believe that, but, somehow or other, they don't have the knowledge or understanding of the full atonement: forgiveness of all their sins and iniquities and healing of all their sickness and disease.

It's by His stripes we are healed, and by His stripes we were healed. We need to search the Scriptures and look at this to gain an understanding that we can see a clear picture of the atonement.

The Gifts of the Spirit

I Corinthians 12:9,10a
To another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing . . .
to another the working of miracles . . .

There are nine gifts of the Spirit, including the gifts of healing. He has placed these gifts in the church — in the body of Christ — including the gifts of healing and the working of miracles.

Note that sometimes it can be simply a healing and other times it can be a miracle of healing, such as the man at the gate Beautiful:

Acts 3:7,8
And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

In Acts 4:22, referring to this miracle, it says, "For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed." This man's healing was instant: It was a miracle of healing.

Other times, healing may be a slow process yet be a gift of healing. One might go home from a service and the next day wake up only to find they are healed, or it might be days later when they realize they are healed. They no longer have any pain, no longer have that sickness or disease.

We often don't think about our sickness and, thus, don't always recognize right away that we are healed. I believe, though, once we are prayed for, and if the answer hasn't come instantaneously, we should be expecting, looking for evidence that we have been healed.

Healing will be there for us if we have faith in the promises of God. It may not be evident right away, but we should hold firm to our faith, knowing that healing is the children's bread and it will come.

Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

People don't get into the Word enough. They either don't really study what God has said in His Word, or they just overlook some of these things or don't believe all He has said.

We should accept the whole counsel of God. We shouldn't shove aside any part of the Scriptures but take into our heart all that He has said as the living Word of God.

These Signs

See Mark 16:17-18
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name . . . they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Now, these are the words of Jesus. He says that these signs shall follow them that believe. We must believe in order to have these signs following us.

Why did Jesus say this? Because He wants us to know that this is what we should be doing: laying hands on the sick in His name and they shall recover.

He didn't say they might recover. No, He said that they shall recover.

So, we are told that when we lay hands on the sick, those who have come in faith — those who are trusting the Lord to heal them and are acting in obedience to His Word — shall recover.

Some come without any faith in the promise of God and, thus, they're not going to receive anything of the Lord. This is why, many times, some do not receive a healing: because there is no faith. They are only going through the motions.

James 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Many times, people will come and ask us to pray for their healing, yet their mind is wavering: They're double minded. They're not really believing God to answer prayer. Others may have prayed for healing, but they prayed, "If it is Your will, Lord, heal me."

It is those who come in faith believing who will receive the answer.

Whether they receive an immediate miracle of healing, or whether they receive a healing that is evident some time later, one thing is sure: they shall be healed; they shall recover.

Is Any Sick Among You?

James 5:14,15
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

What should we do when we are sick? Call for the elders of the church: those who are in leadership.

Don't call for someone who doesn't even believe in healing, someone who would discourage your faith, for there are those ministers who don't believe God heals today, and, therefore, they don't preach it.

Notice this promise says, ". . . the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up [italics mine]. . ."

We've already seen quite a few Scriptures on healing. These should make us to know that it is the Lord's will to heal us: I am the Lord that healeth thee.

Faith Is the Key

We want to see now that faith is the key to healing. We've got to believe it is the Lord's will to heal. If we don't, we won't receive that which He has promised.

I have seen Him do many wonderful things for me in the past, so why should I not trust Him now? Yes, many times over the years when I was sick, He has healed me.

Over 35 Years Without a Headache

I was sick for some years with headaches. They would come upon me so severe that I would be off my feet for days. I could do nothing for myself or my family.

We had some missionaries at that time staying in Boston before they went overseas to Africa. While they were with us, I was sick with one of these headaches, bedridden for several days. They came to my room with my husband and gathered around my bed to pray for me, and the Lord healed me that day!

That was back in the late 60's, and I have not had even one headache since then. Truly the Lord does all things well!

Why should I not trust Him today as I did back then? I have seen Him work in my life time after time. And when He has healed me, I have been free from that thing ever since.

Yes, I can preach this to you because I have experienced it. I know His Word is true, because He has done for me exactly what He said He would do when we place our trust in Him and stand upon His promises.

The First Battle

Right after I received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, I was stricken down. I was very ill: in constant pain, throwing up until I couldn't throw up any more.

And in the midst of being so sick, right in that hour, the devil came along and asked me, "What if you die?"

I was trusting the Lord to heal me. This was the first time I really stepped out in faith to trust Him, the first real faith battle with sickness.

I answered, "I'll go home to be with Jesus!"

Now, I don't really believe that you have to be sick to die, or that because you are sick you have to die from that sickness. I do not believe that I have to die with a sickness in my body. I believe that when my time comes, I can merely close my eyes and go on to be with the Lord.

And you know what? As sick as I was, with my husband standing by my bedside, I began to speak out in tongues, and then my husband began to give the interpretation. Through that gift of interpretation, the Lord told us, "I am going to heal you."

There was a service that night about 15 or 20 miles from our home. Those folks believed in divine healing.

My husband ironed my clothes for me and helped me get ready. Then we drove to that church that very night, and I was healed by the power of God!

Now, why shouldn't I trust Him today? Can you see any reason why I shouldn't?

Down through the years I have experienced God's faithfulness, and I know that He is a God of His Word. This is why I preach a positive faith in God, because I know His Word is true, and I've experienced miracles and healings in my own life.

I know He will not fail when we place our trust in Him. I know that when He says He is going to do something, He will do it — in His perfect timing.

It's not the time that we set, but it is His time. He knows right when that time is. And when that time comes, we will be released, healed by His great power.

If you have a sickness and are waiting for God to heal you — waiting for His perfect timing in your life — when it comes, I tell you, you'll have a hallelujah time!

Fourteen Years Ago

There is a sister in the church who can testify to this fact. She had a hiatal hernia and had suffered for quite some time with it. One Sunday, she asked for prayer, and that thing lifted from her life! That was about fourteen years ago, and she has not had any recurrence since then.

She testifies that just the night before she could only eat something small because it was too painful to eat. That particular night, she was in severe pain and she cried out to the Lord, "If this is the way it's going to be, please just take me."

It was the next night in church that she had prayer, and the Lord healed her. She knew she was healed, so after church she went and bought a sub. After eating the sub, she went home and slept all night, and she has never had any recurrence of that pain since then.

It's up to you whether or not you choose to trust God to heal you. If you can grab hold of the promises of God, you can spare yourself a lot of pain and suffering.

God is a God of His Word. Place your faith in Him. That's the key: faith in God and in His promises. We have seen in His Word that it is God's will to heal us of all our sickness and disease — when we place our trust in Him.