Healing & Faith #4
Today we’re going to conclude our series on healing and faith and how they work together. In the last few weeks, we’ve been teaching on how it is God’s plan for us to be healed. And if it is the will of God for us to be healed, then why are so many Christians sick? As we went throughout the Word of God we found out that one of the main ways God heals is through the avenue of faith.
I) According to (Hebrews 6:12) it says that we are to operate in faith and in patience and then we’ll inherit the promises of God.
A) In (Hebrews 11:1) it says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.”
1) This verse gives us the definition of faith. If we read it in other translations it says this;
(a) From the Amplified translation, “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed).”
(b) The NIV translation says, “Now faith is being sure.”
(c) The New Jerusalem Bible says, “Only faith can guarantee the blessings.”
(d) The Living Bible says, “Faith is the confident assurance.”
2) Faith is the confidence and assurance that what God says belongs to us is ours, even if we don’t see them with our natural eyes.
B) Turn to Mark 11:24.
1) He says here that we are to “BELIEVE THAT WE RECEIVE.”
(a) That phrase is in the PRESENT TENSE meaning we are to believe now that we receive it. (The “IT” being the thing we’re praying for.)
(i) We are to believe that it is ours right now.
2) He goes on to say in that same verse “AND YE SHALL HAVE THEM.”
(a) And this phrase is FUTURE TENSE.
3) Putting the whole thing together he’s telling us when you pray for something believe that it’s yours right now and because your believing that it’s yours right now you will see it.
II) Were talking about healing mainly in this message so turn with me to 1st Peter 2:24.
A) Here the Holy Spirit puts it in the past tense meaning that it was done and paid for when Jesus went to the cross.
B) But now look with me to Matthew 8:16-17.
1) Notice it says, “Himself TOOK our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.”
(a) Literally, the Word “TOOK” means, “To take upon oneself in order to carry away.”
(b) And the Word “BARE” in this verse means almost the same exact thing even though it is a different Greek word.
(i) It means, “to put upon one’s self (something) to be carried, carry off.”
2) Well what exactly did Jesus take away? (2nd Corinthians 5:21 SIN).
(a) 1st he says, “Our infirmities.” The literal Greek says it means, “FEEBLENESS OF HEALTH OR SICKNESS.”
3) And then he says Jesus took or bore “OUR SICKNESSES.”
(a) The Word sicknesses literally means in the Greek, “SICKNESS AND DISEASE.”
(b) On the cross, Jesus took all of our weaknesses and frailties in his body along with all of our sicknesses and diseases.
C) All right let’s turn over to Isaiah 53:3-4a.
1) The word “GRIEFS” is literally “SICKNESS AND DISEASE” from the Hebrew.
2) And the word “SORROWS” is the Hebrew word meaning “PAINS.”
(a) Jesus paid the price for all of our sicknesses, diseases, and pains.
3) Let’s go on reading hear Isaiah 53:4-5.
III) Turn with me to Luke 17:12-14.
A) Now in verse 14 Jesus said to the lepers, “Go show yourselves unto the priest.”
1) Now this was in accordance to the Levitical law, which says in (Leviticus 14), “If a leper is cleanse he must present himself to the priests.”
2) But they must have thought that this Jesus was a little crazy.
(a) He never prayed over them to be healed all he did was to tell them to go show yourselves to the priests, which means to go show the priest that your healed.
(b) But they weren’t healed yet.
(i) But it says, “As they went they were cleanse.” (Or healed).
B) Let’s go on reading with Luke 17:15-19.
1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what got this man healed.
IV) Let’s look at to Abraham in Romans 4:19-20.
A) The words “STAGGERED NOT” are interesting words they literally mean, “He did not oppose, dispute, contend, have any variance with, hesitate, or doubt.”
1) It goes on to say in (verse 20), that he was strong in faith.
(a) Remember, faith is believing, and totally confident that what God has said is already yours before you see it.
(b) He began to glorify God and to praise God for his son before Sarah was even pregnant.
(i) And of course, you know Abraham did have a son through Sarah, and his name was Isaac.
B) Just as Abraham was healed by faith, Sarah was healed by faith, the leper was healed by faith, the woman with the issue of blood was healed by faith, the man lowered down through the ceiling was healed by faith, the blind man who cried out Son of David have mercy on me was healed by faith, Jairus his daughter was healed by faith, the centurion’s servant in Matthew 8 was healed by faith and the list goes on and on.
1) Through faith and patience, you shall inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:12).