My Healing Journey - Part II

Matthew 4:23-24

Jesus preached the gospel of the KINGDOM…His was not a message of simple comfort or distant hope; it was a message of power, dominion, and promise! He proclaimed the rule and reign of God come to earth. This dominion was beyond every other power and authority. Therefore, whenever and wherever He encountered those under the control of disease or torment, He dispossessed the infirmity and brought His Father’s kingdom rule instead.

Before any act of healing occurred, the gospel of the kingdom was preached. What was the reason for this? Perhaps because the people had so long lived under the rule of darkness and suffering that they could not have hope or faith for any other way of life. They had not experienced God’s healing touch in their lifetime. The promise of Isaiah 53 was a distant dream, longed for but no longer anticipated. Before they could “believe to receive” their healing, they had to grow a living faith. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. As Jesus spoke the gospel of the kingdom, they began to understand the unlimited power and kingdom authority of their God. With the coming of Christ, sickness lost all jurisdiction over their lives. All principalities and powers were secondary to His supreme Lordship.

Immediately following this kingdom proclamation, people were healed/cured/relieved of all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. They had HEARD the Word of God, been built up in faith, and every single person received their healing! This is where I think we sometimes miss the obvious in regards to healing…we focus on having a revelation of the authority of Christ; the authority we have in Christ Jesus or look for the level of faith in the sick and blame apparent failure to receive on one or the other. Perhaps we simply missed a step?

When we or those we minister to are in need of healing, one of the first steps is to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. Remind ourselves, the sick, and the powers of darkness Who has all authority; all power. Meditate on the supremacy of Christ and of the legal right we have been given to heal and be healed. Allign our speech with the Word of God. As we “preach” to ourselves and others, faith comes/arises/awakens! Faith obtains, takes hold of what we need.
Healing is not a power struggle, authority issue, or gamble…God has ALL power and authority and has given it to us; healing and the legal right to heal others has been given. It is often a simple issue of faith. As our faith grows, our ability to receive grows. Therefore, one key to our receiving is to continue growing and developing our faith through the meditation and proclamation of God’s Word!

I am walking through a “valley” myself at this time. I need to receive the healing provided for me at the cross so that I can continue in the abundant life and work God has so wonderfully allowed. There have been moments in recent months when I have been bombarded with thoughts that accuse me of having “little faith” and having failed God or others, or of the unfaithfulness and insensitivity of my heavenly Father. The enemy wants me to question my Father’s goodness and my Friend, the Holy Spirit’s, Presence in my life. However, I recognize the serpent’s lies for what they are – lies. I can choose to ignore him. I can choose, even when in pain, to believe what my Father said and continues to say. I can choose what I will “preach” to my own body and soul. What I “proclaim” will determine what I believe in the end – more than what any person or doctor speaks. I can despair that I have not yet received the relief of every symptom OR I can continue to preach the gospel of the kingdom to my body and soul, building faith to apprehend all that has been given to me. I am not trying to obtain something belonging to Christ – I am simply in the process of opening a package already given to me. Healing is mine!

Let’s grow our faith together…feel free to comment and share your thoughts with me. I’m determined to see God’s goodness emerge in a powerful way on and after my present journey. He IS faithful!