Many believers struggle with sickness, disease, anxiety and low self esteem daily? Could it be that they do not know the reality of the redemption available in Christ? The English word “salvation” does not fully communicate what the original Greek word “sozo” means. Typically when people hear the term salvation, they think “Heaven or hell” and while that true, it is an incomplete understanding of what Jesus did on the Cross for those who believe. “Sozo” means deliverance, preservation; material and temporal deliverance from danger and apprehension.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words). Notice the word temporal which refers to earthly things. So Jesus came to deliver those who believe from sin and sickness.
This is an amazing promise! Isaiah 53 is about Jesus becoming the substitute from mankind. As I explained this to my children the other day, I used an illustration that I will share with you. Imagine that you have done something wrong and your parents have decided to spank you. You are on the bed preparing to receive what is rightfully yours, the spanking you deserve for your disobedience, but your brother or sister walk in and say, “Don’t spank her/him, spank me instead.” My kids immediately said “Someone would have to really love you to do that.” Well that’s how much God loves you! HE arranged a substitution for you! Isaiah 53 tells us that Jesus himself bore our sickness, disease, grief and sorrow! So it is not the will of God for you to be sick, depressed or bound in any area! Praise the Lord!
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and sickness is a part of those evil works. Many think that God uses sickness to teach his children lessons, but that is erroneous teaching. Often when people tell me that everyone “can’t get healed” I challenge them to confirm that by scripture instead of experience. What does that mean? It means instead of deciding what God will do based on life experience decide what He will do based on His Word. If you read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) you will discover that every time anyone came to Jesus, He healed them! In fact is Matthew 12:15 tells us that “He healed them all.” There is not one place in scripture where people came to Jesus and HE didn’t help them! Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever. Jesus is the same. He healed then and He heals now.
Unfortunately many believers haven’t fully comprehended the magnitude of what Jesus did on the Cross which causes them to struggle with sickness and disease. Not only did He deal with our eternity, but He made provision for right now. No more sin! No more sickness! Allowing sickness to operate in our bodies is like taking the spanking that our sibling has already taken. The price has been paid!
You don’t have to struggle, but you must make some changes in order to walk in freedom. You must get in the Word! Too many believers put more faith in the doctor’s report than the report of God. Often that is because they don’t know what God said. Here are some steps that will help!
1. Take the Word like medicine. Read the scriptures of Jesus healing the multitudes until your heart is convinced that healing is the will of God for you. Be consistent!
2. Find a faith filled church. There are lots of churches that love Jesus, but not so many that believe that the Jesus of the bible is still doing the same miracles today. If you are going to stand in faith, you need to be others who believe in divine healing too. Not people who are trying you to accept your sickness and die gracefully.
3. Obey God – God will give you instructions, follow them! He may correct your eating, increase your water intake, or send you to a certain doctor. Whatever He says do it!
4. Don’t complain about how hard faith is. It may be new, but it can’t be as hard as struggling with sickness, being controlled by fear, spending your money on doctors and medicine. Believing God is easy, you just have to learn what you can believe for!
You don’t have to be sick. God takes no pleasure in your sickness! He sent Jesus to ensure that sickness was dealt with. Now you have to believe it, expect and act in agreement! Remember Jesus healed them all!
