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The Great Physician: Difference between revisions
→Part Four: Jesus hasn't Changed
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Do you really think that Jesus would have a more compassionate response to you today? Absolutely not! I’ve failed. I don’t always see healing manifest. I’ve had to accept partial responsibility. Am I condemned by that? No, I’m not condemned at all. I believe that God loves me. He has comforted me. But knowing the truth has motivated me to learn what His Word says and not allow it to happen again. It’s God’s will to heal every single person every single time. The reason this doesn’t happen isn’t because God fails to do it; it’s because His representatives aren’t operating in the fullness of what He has provided for them. I’d rather maintain God’s integrity than my own. God is a good God, and He isn’t causing people to die. There are three main reasons people get sick. One of them is sin. | Do you really think that Jesus would have a more compassionate response to you today? Absolutely not! I’ve failed. I don’t always see healing manifest. I’ve had to accept partial responsibility. Am I condemned by that? No, I’m not condemned at all. I believe that God loves me. He has comforted me. But knowing the truth has motivated me to learn what His Word says and not allow it to happen again. It’s God’s will to heal every single person every single time. The reason this doesn’t happen isn’t because God fails to do it; it’s because His representatives aren’t operating in the fullness of what He has provided for them. I’d rather maintain God’s integrity than my own. God is a good God, and He isn’t causing people to die. There are three main reasons people get sick. One of them is sin. | ||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>14</sup></small> Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. - [[John 5:14]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
Jesus made it very clear in this verse that this man’s sickness returning, and even something worse than what he’d had, could come on him if he sinned. When alcoholics drink all of their lives and get liver disease, they did that to themselves—not because God did it, not because the devil did it directly, but because they’re reaping the results of their sin ([[Romans 6:21-23]]). | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>21</sup></small> What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. <small><sup>22</sup></small> But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. <small><sup>22</sup></small> For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - [[Romans 6:21]], [[Romans 6:22|22]], [[Romans 6:23|23]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
The second major reason we get sick is because we are in a battle with the devil. Sometimes our Enemy just fights us, and it’s not based on an individual sin we’ve committed. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>2</sup></small> And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? <small><sup>3</sup></small> Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. - [[John 9:2]], [[John 9:3|3]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
Jesus was saying that neither this man’s sins nor his parents’ sins had caused this blindness. Sometimes Satan just attacks us with things. The third main reason people get sick is simply natural things. Spirit-filled Christians will often so spiritualise everything that they don’t recognise that there are just some things that happen naturally. The good news is that no matter what caused the sickness—sin, the devil, or something natural—there’s always something we can do about it. Since the Lord has redeemed us from sickness and disease, we can take our authority, exercise our faith, and effect a cure. Even if our own sin opened a door and brought the sickness on us, we can repent and release the forgiveness and healing power of God in our lives. | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>14</sup></small> And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. - [[Matthew 17:18]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
If it’s God’s will to heal and Jesus healed this boy ([[Matthew 17:18]]), why couldn’t the disciples get him healed? The disciples who asked Jesus this question, “Why could we not cast him out?” They had already been given power and authority to heal the sick and cast out devils ([[Matthew 10:1]] and [[Matthew 10:8|8]]). This is why the disciples were confused. The answer Jesus gave in the first part of [[Matthew 17:20]] is very revealing: | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>1</sup></small> And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease - [[Matthew 10:1]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>8</sup></small> Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. - [[Matthew 10:8]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>8</sup></small> And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. - [[Matthew 17:20]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
This is simple, but it’s profound. Every instance where Jesus ministered healing, some degree of faith was involved. Some people may argue, “What about in [[Luke 7:11]], [[Luke 7:12|12]], [[Luke 7:13|13]], [[Luke 7:14|14]], [[Luke 7:15|15]], [[Luke 7:16|16]], where Jesus raised the boy from the dead in the city of Nain?” | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>11</sup></small> And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. <small><sup>12</sup></small> Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. <small><sup>13</sup></small> And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. <small><sup>14</sup></small> And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. <small><sup>15</sup></small> And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. <small><sup>16</sup></small> And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. - [[Luke 7:11]], [[Luke 7:12|12]], [[Luke 7:13|13]], [[Luke 7:14|14]], [[Luke 7:15|15]], [[Luke 7:16|16]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
It was faith for this widow mother to allow Jesus to interrupt the funeral procession and her grief. If faith wasn’t present, she and the others there would have reacted very differently. We just saw that if we were to ask the average person “Why isn’t everyone healed,” most people would answer, “Well, it’s because they don’t have enough faith.” It’s true that if a person isn’t operating in faith, it will hinder them from receiving, but that’s not what the Lord said. He said it was because they had unbelief. | |||
Certain versions of the Bible render [[Matthew 17:20]] inaccurately, saying, “Because you have so little faith.” If you were to look at the majority of the translations, especially the more literal ones, this verse is rendered “Because of your unbelief,” not “Because you have so little faith.” Most people have this concept that if they are believing God, that automatically means they don’t have any unbelief. This is not what the Word teaches: | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>23</sup></small> For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. - [[Mark 11:23]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
If being in faith truly meant you automatically had zero unbelief, why did Jesus include this part about not doubting in your heart? The truth is, you can believe and disbelieve at the same time. Consider the parallel passage of this father and his demonized boy in [[Mark 9:20]], [[Mark 9:21|21]], [[Mark 9:222|22]], [[Mark 9:23|23]] | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>20</sup></small> And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. <small><sup>21</sup></small> And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. <small><sup>22</sup></small> And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. <small><sup>23</sup></small> Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. - [[Mark 9:20]], [[Mark 9:21|21]], [[Mark 9:222|22]], [[Mark 9:23|23]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
Now look at how this father responded: | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>23</sup></small> And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. - [[Mark 9:24]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
The Lord didn’t correct him, rebuke him, or say anything like that; He just cured the boy. This shows that you can have faith and unbelief at the same time. Imagine a team of horses hooked up to a wagon. Under normal circumstances, they would have enough power to move that wagon. But if an equal team of horses was hooked to the other side of the wagon and both teams were pulling at the same time in the opposite direction, the net effect would be zero. | |||
This is what Jesus was saying in the first part of [[Matthew 17:20]]. He didn’t tell His disciples, “It’s because you don’t have enough faith”; He said, “It’s because of your unbelief. Your unbelief canceled out the faith you had.” Translating this “Because you have so little faith” makes no sense when you look at the rest of [[Matthew 17:20]]: | |||
<blockquote>''<big>“</big> <small><sup>8</sup></small> And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. - [[Matthew 17:20]] <ref>King James Version (KJV)</ref></blockquote> | |||
Jesus was saying, “If your faith is only the size of a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible to you.” You don’t need big faith; you just need a faith that isn’t canceled out, counterbalanced, or negated by unbelief pulling in the opposite direction. | |||
===Part Five: The Law of Faith=== | ===Part Five: The Law of Faith=== | ||
== Footnotes == | == Footnotes == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||