Date:      17th February 2008                                                                (Sunday AM)                                                                       Ref: A0365

Place:     Kambah P.S.

Title: Heals All Your Diseases

Text:        & Psalm 103:1-3

Illust:     Even though we have had some good rain & North Queensland has been deluged, we all know we are in a time of drought with our dams at only 49.7% -  - Victoria is about to enter one of its worst "doctor droughts", with the Australian Medical Association warning that many residents are likely to find themselves shut out of their local clinic unless they are already on the books. The association's Victorian president, Dr Douglas Travis, is urging those who do not have a regular doctor to "lock in" with a GP now or risk being turned away when they are ill. Even known patients could face three-week delays to see doctors. – A shortage of Dr’s  + rising numbers of people – people that are falling sick = “doctor drought”  – What’s with all this sickness?

I.                   Sin & Sickness

A.               Curse of Sin

i.                 In the construction of any building it is important that there is a firm & solid foundation, when dealing with all of the issues of life, emotional, mental, health, social, political, all of life’s problems we need to understand the foundational issues.

           World view is that we are all essentially good, that people’s behaviour is largely a result of their environment and people are not really accountable for their actions, it is their culture, their upbringing.

           Biblical view is that we are all sinners, that at the root cause, the foundation of all human problems, human issues, is sin. Our separation from God, our rebellion towards Him & His laws.

         Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”? (NKJV)

         Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. (NKJV)

ii.               The Bible is the Word of God & is truth. – The truth is that the earth, indeed the whole universe is cursed through sin. – Paul tells us in Romans that the creation itself is currently in a bondage of corruption[1] – The reality of sin.

iii.             We are all sinners. – The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus the son of God came to earth, lived a sinless life & then was crucified on the cross. – Died in our place took the penalty that was ours, took upon Himself the curse of sin.

         Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), (NKJV)

B.               Sickness

i.                 Let’s zero this in to the topic of interest this AM, the arena of sickness. – People all over this city suffering from some form of sickness or another.

        Mental health disorder is the third leading burden of disease for Australians and is a major cause of chronic disability. Depression accounts for about 3.7% of the total burden and research suggests that this is on the increase. Survey estimates suggest one in five residents of the ACT will experience a mental health disorder over a 12-month period.

        Cancer projections suggest that although the cancer incidence rate for the ACT is not likely to increase between 2003 and 2011, the number of people diagnosed with cancer will increase by about 22%, largely because of growth and changes in the age structure of the population.

        Estimates from the 2001 National Health Survey suggest that 17.4% of ACT residents had a cardiovascular disease in 2001 ….it is the leading cause of death in the ACT, accounting for 34.7% of all ACT resident deaths in 2003.

       The prevalence of asthma increased in Australia and the ACT from the early 1980s through to the 1990s, ….. According to the results of the 2001 National Health Survey, 12.3% of ACT residents reported having asthma,

        Arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders were endorsed as a National Health Priority Area in July 2002. Estimates derived from the 2001 National Health Survey suggest that the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal disorder was similar for the ACT (32.2%) and Australia (32.0%) in 2001. According to the results of the survey, the most commonly reported conditions in the ACT were back pain, neck problems, disc disorders and arthritis.[2]

ii.               Increasingly being understood that there is a link between the health of the body and the health of the spirit, the inner man/woman – explosive rise in ‘alternative’ / ‘holistic’ medicine’s – I think 2 reasons firstly because of this realisation that we are not just a machine, but a complex interaction between body, soul & spirit & secondly because of the realisation that much of modern medicine is at best disease / sickness management rather than offering any real cures.

iii.             It is crucial that we understand this link between spirit & body and realise that sickness is a direct result of the curse of sin. – Sin in the human race & specific sin in peoples lives.

           What is death but sickness matured, the end result of sickness. The bible makes it very clear that death is the result of sin. Therefore, sickness must also be the result of sin.

         Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(NKJV)

           The health of your soul/spirit can directly influence the health of your body.

         3 John 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (NKJV)

II.                 Jehovah Rapha

A.               God’s Nature

i.                 What does God want? – Important to know what God is like / what is His nature. The bible reveals the nature / the character of God

ii.               Revealed through His names: - El Shaddai the almighty God, Jehovah Jireh God the provider and importantly this morning Jehovah Rapha.

         Exodus 15:26 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.” (NKJV)

      7495 רָפָא [rapha] 1 to heal, make healthful.[3]

iii.             Revealed through His actions: - Throughout the Bible we see example after example of men & women healed as they came to God, cried out to Him & requested healing.

           Story in 2 Kings, where Naaman, the Syrian general has leprosy an incurable ailment & the young servant girl speaks a word - 3 “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” – This leads Naaman to the door of Elisha

         2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” (NKJV)

           Naaman is at first furious at this, but after a wise word from his servants, in humility he obeys & is completely healed in an instant.

iv.             Revealed through His son, Jesus. – Much of Jesus early ministry – Gospels is in the healing of the sick. – This is God’s nature.

         Matthew 9:35 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. (NKJV)

B.               God’s Desire

i.                 Why then are so many of the people of God in sickness & defeat, suffering just the same as the unregenerate sinner? – Maybe a surprising answer. - A lack of knowledge -

         Isaiah 5:13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst. (NKJV)

ii.               You need to have an understanding, attain knowledge as to the nature of sickness and the nature of God. - We see in our text & vs. 3 – God heals all our diseases. – This is the desire of God. His name, His nature & His desire.

iii.             God wants to heal you, God wants you well. God’s desire is that you be in health, don’t need to go to the doctor. – This is the heart of Jesus ministry – His compassion & desire to bring a complete salvation including physical healing.

         Matthew 14:14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. (NKJV)

III.              Healing Realised

A.               Deal with It

i.                 How then do we receive healing? Firstly if there is sin in your life, it is critical that you realise that as much as God wants to heal you, He will not violate His holiness. Sin must be confessed and repented of.

ii.               The more I study sickness & healing the more I find that all sorts of problems with the human body appear to be linked to specific sins; such as;

           Anger, hatred, fear, anxiety, unforgiveness, bitterness, rejection, self hatred. – things that maybe you don’t think of as sin. – They are.

           Another sin being increasingly linked to sickness is a wrong order in the home. The husband is not leading the home, - either because of his own passivity or because his wife is domineering. – When the home is not in order, this is sin – Men, husbands, fathers. – We have a responsibility to lead. If not we can open the door to illness to assault our families.

iii.             Sin is sin & it needs to be recognised as such, confessed & repented of.

B.               By Faith

i.                 When you have searched your heart, sin is dealt with then you need to walk in the promises of God. Accept by faith that God wants to heal you & that He will heal you. – This is what our text tells us. ~ & vs. 3

ii.               All of the promises of God, all of the blessings of God are appropriated in the same way, by faith. Faith is the principle ingredient.

         Galatians 3:14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (NKJV)

iii.             Need to come to Jesus & believe that He wants to Heal you and that He will heal you. – Faith, comes believing this. – By faith you are saved, by faith you are healed.

         Mark 10:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (NKJV)

IV.             Altar Call

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[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (Ro 8:21). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[2] ACT CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER’S REPORT 2006,  pp 15-17

[3]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : (electronic ed.) (H7495). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.