| Luke 4: | 18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to:
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| Matthew 4: | 23: “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.” |
Physical health is a priceless commodity, which increases in value the older one gets. When one's health is gone, it seems nothing we can do can bring it back. But the Saviour healed every type of physical ailment. When he had passed through a village or town, he left behind a perfectly healthy population: no lepers, no cripples, no cancer patients, no deaf and dumb mutes and no one possessed by evil spirits. It is quite impossible to imagine the sense of joy and exultation that followed in the wake of the Saviour's tour.
In the annals of human history there has never been anything like it. Had he visited mankind in this century he would have been mobbed by millions simply for his ability to heal. But if you go back and study his 'terms of reference' (listed above) you will see that Yeshua the Messiah didn't just come to heal the body. After all everyone he healed died some years later. Their healing was simply a low-level lesson of the real healing he had in mind. Remember his mission was to:
| Ecclesiastes 3: | 1: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
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| Exodus 20: | 8: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” |
| Luke 6: | 6: “And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. 7: And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. 8: But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. 9: Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? 10: And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” |
| A Word:
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| Matthew 8: | 8: “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
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| A Touch:
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| Luke 22: | 51: “And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.”
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| How is this accomplished?
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| Isaiah 53: | 5: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastizement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” |
This is too difficult a text to fully understand. We accept it as fact;
but we do not know how Christ's suffering effected our healing. One day
we will know that is accomplished.
| Matthew 8: | 3: “And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” |
| Mark 9: | 23: “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24: And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” |
| Mark 6: | 5: “And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6: And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” |
| Acts 14: | 9: “The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10: Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.” |
| Jeremiah 30: | 12: “For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. 13: There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. 14: All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastizement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased. 15: Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.” |
| Genesis 48: | 1: “And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, (Behold, thy father Jacob is sick:) and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.”
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| 2 Kings 13: | 14: “Now (Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died.) And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”
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| Isaiah 38: | 1: “In those days was (Hezekiah sick unto death.) And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” |
The great Apostle Paul also suffered from an unspecified infirmity.
This is what he wrote:
| 2 Corinthians 12: | 7: “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8: For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10: Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” |
Yahweh's church (the body of Christ) is also infirm. Dare we say it again? The church is infirm! The church is not mentally ill, for Jesus its head is perfectly well. But the church is not well. Look about you and notice how many members of the body of Christ are spiritually withered, bruised, weak and ill. Yes, the body of Yeshua is not well. But it is still alive! And that is why we attend church at surgery hours. We've come for healing of our broken hearts, shattered hopes, splintered friendships and withered health. We will be healed.
| James 5: | 14: “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: 15: 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. 16: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” |
Some amazing physical healings have occurred when sufferers have been anointed by church elders. Many times, however, no healing takes place. We do not know why: but someday we will. On other occasions miraculous healings occur. You should, however, beware of false prophets posing as 'miracle workers.' See our article on Miracles for more on this subject.
| Revelation 3: | 17: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” |
Spiritual healing is always guaranteed in this life. The Saviour has promised to come into your life and heal you if you will but allow him. That is his promise. The whole superstructure of Christianity would collapse if he broke it: which he will not. Believe him.
See lesson 105, where this matter of Human Suffering is dealt with further.
