I’m a firm believer that Jesus still heals the sick. He said “be it unto you according to your faith” and, for that reason, I believe, some people are healed miraculously, others by meds, and others not at all. Jesus placed mud on a blind man’s eyes, not because he HAD to. Not because there were healing properties in dirt mixed with saliva (there ARE healing properties in mud actually but they don’t work THAT quickly). He knew that the blind man needed that so He met him “where he was at.”
I’ve seen God heal a girl whose hips were out of socket. She received prayer the night before the surgery. The doctor was amazed. Breast cancers healed, leukemia in a small boy healed, liver cancer in an old man disappeared, a man who was taken off life support lived and now talks and walks, a lifeless embryo restored in the womb, dozens of warts disappeared from a child’s body…I’ve seen these things with my own eyes. When my children were little, if they got sick, they grabbed some Olive Oil and said, “Daddy, pray for me.”
In my own life, He healed me from an incurable spinal disease. It wasn’t instantaneous, but all those sleepless, painful nights, I was praying and developing a new level of intimacy with God. He has healed me many other times when I was hurt as well. Acid in my eyes. A rusty nail in my foot. A bad football knee. He healed my broken heart, too. He has restored and redeemed everything about me. Not just me but many others have been healed when I prayed for them. Some were healed right away while others were healed with time. Though two people died soon after I prayed for them, they were Christians and, well…they’re healed now.
Truth is, everybody Jesus ever healed eventually died, right? Even His friend Lazarus, who was raised from the dead, died again.
So, why were they healed?
God wasn’t finished with them apparently. He still had work for them to do. Their healing gave glory to Him; focused people’s attention on their need for a relationship with their Creator. It brought attention to Him. It made many people stop and consider their own spiritual condition. It turned hearts back to their Creator.
Are you sick in your body? Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Do you know anyone who is? I know a woman whose dad was in the hospital a very long time – long enough to have had 10 Christian roommates while he was in there. Each man testified to her dad about the relationship they had with Jesus and, lo and behold, her dad came out a Christian! If God had healed all those Christian men before they were admitted, who knows who would have bunked with her dad?
God has a plan. His ways are simply higher than ours.
MAKING GOOD OUT OF EVIL
One year, a friend of mine was hit by a truck while riding her bicycle. She was hurt quite badly. I can still recall her screams coming from the emergency room. That was three years ago. She’s fine now. While she was in the hospital, the Spirit led me to make a “Healing” brochure to leave by her bed. Those who visited her could pray the healing verses on that brochure and, as she got better, she claimed those verses for herself. (I’ve listed those verses in this article).
Bear in mind, the reading and praying of Scripture is not to be confused with or compared to reciting magic spells. When we speak the Word of God into our lives and into the lives of others, we release the truth of God that He has already spoken. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue,” (Prov 18:21). By praying in such a way – making these Scriptural proclamations – we honor God. We show that we are trusting in His Word and responding with action to His truths. In addition, we strengthen our own lives by overriding the negative reports and scripts that have been driving our lives for years (garbage in, garbage out).
Proclaiming Scripture is a natural response to understanding our Covenant relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. This kind of prayer is part of the exercise of our royal priesthood, exercising that priesthood on our own behalf and that of loved ones. We come to a place of agreement with God; a place where His Word will not return void but will accomplish all that it has been sent forth to do (Is 55:10-11). our thinking changes as our minds are renewed to God’s Word. We begin thinking in a powerful new way. The Lord says all things are possible for those who believe. It’s time we develop “possibility thinking.” As our minds are renewed, our thinking expands and our behavior begins to reflect more and more the truths of God found in Scripture that we pray and proclaim. The very mind of Christ is being activated within us and we start demonstrating the thoughts and intents of His heart.
Many Christians won’t even attempt to heal the sick. How often have we spoken and heard the words, “I’ll pray for you,” only to have nothing take place next. Ever. Others who have not received a revelation regarding the Biblical truths regarding healing, either classify such talk as nonsensical Pentecostalism or concede that “it’s not my gift” and won’t even dare lay hands on anyone else. At the MOST, we might dare to ask a clergyman to pray for a sick loved one. Friends, it’s Jesus…Christ IN you, the hope of glory, who does the healing and casts out the demons. When we decrease (get out of His way), He will INCREASE (work THROUGH us, despite us at times). All we must EVER be is OBEDIENT and AVAILABLE. WE are the priesthood of believers – we who have surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ.
Remember, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave dwells within YOU. Let Him out! Speak like God by praying His Words. As creatures made in his image, we must think like Him and speak as He speaks. This takes relationship, a personal investment on our part to get His Word “into us.” It must become habitual but it can be done. When Paul directed us to have our minds renewed according to the Word (Rom 12:2), he pointed us in the right direction; now it’s our turn.
JESUS ON HEALING
Whenever Jesus came across sickness, His attitude was to heal it. (Matthew 4;23-25, 8:16,17, 9:35) Jesus had compassion on the sick in the same way that we automatically have compassion on our own children when they are ill. I think it would be a very cruel parent that, seeing one of their own children ill, would think, “This child should suffer some more in order to learn a lesson”. These natural instincts we have are part of the character of God within us and reflect the heart of God. All who came to Jesus for healing, were healed, apparently except in His own hometown where there was little faith and few miracles. “But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4 KJV). As one old salesman once said, “Anybody 50 miles outside of town with a briefcase is an expert.” Same line of thought.
(Matthew 10:1 NKJV) And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
(Luke 10:1,9 NKJV) After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go….. “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
(James 5:13-15 NKJV) “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray… Is anyone among you sick? 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 will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
LET US BE HEALED…AND HEAL OTHERS!!
Romans 10 tells us that faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of Christ. To help us believe God for healing ourselves, our friends and our families, it helps to have a good grasp of the Scriptures concerning healing. Pray these verses for those who are sick, bearing in mind that Jesus said, “These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name…they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:17-18 NKJV).
(Exodus 15:26 NKJV) and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”
(Psalms 30:2 NKJV) O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
(Psalms 6:2 NKJV) Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
(Psalms 103:1-4 NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
(Psalms 107:20 NKJV) He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
(Psalms 147:3 NKJV) He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
(Proverbs 3:7-8 NKJV) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
(Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV) My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
(Isaiah 53:5 NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 58:8 NKJV) Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
(Isaiah 61:1 NKJV) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
(Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV) Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.
(Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV) For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.”‘
(Jeremiah 33:6 NKJV) ‘Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
(Hosea 6:1 NKJV) Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
(Hosea 14:4 NKJV) “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him.
(Malachi 4:2 NKJV) But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
(Matthew 4:23 NKJV) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
(Matthew 8:13 NKJV) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
(Matthew 8:16 NKJV) When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,
(Matthew 9:35 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
(Matthew 10:1 NKJV) And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
(Matthew 10:8 NKJV) “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
(Matthew 12:22 NKJV) Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
(Matthew 14:14 NKJV) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
(Luke 6:19 NKJV) And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
(Luke 9:6 NKJV) So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.(The twelve are sent out)
(Luke 10:8-9 NKJV) “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.'(The seventy are sent out)
(Luke 17:15 NKJV) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,(The story of the ten lepers)
(Acts 3:12 NKJV) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
(Healing of the lame man at the Gate Beautiful) (Acts 4:29-31 NKJV) “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 “by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
(1 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
(James 5:14-16 NKJV) Is anyone among you sick? 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. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(Revelation 22:2 NKJV) In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
(Luke 8:47 NKJV) Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
(Luke 8:48 NKJV) And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
(Luke 5:17 NKJV) Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them
A FINAL THOUGHT…
In your own life, allow the Holy Spirit to use YOU as an instrument of healing. Give those who encounter you an opportunity to leave better off than they were before you met. Pray until something happens. Pray after you part company. God will honor that kind of faith. Satan dares you to step out and try it. Be motivated by faith and compassion rather than fear and doubt. Remember, you have something that many people want and need…as a Christian, you have the Power of God resident within you!
Too often, Christians just don’t know that yet.
(Recommended reading: MEGASHIFT by James Rutz. READ THIS BOOK!)
Every blessing!
Michael Tummillo
A servant of God
[http://www.YourTown4Jesus.org]
