05 - The Battle for Healing (Your Healer)

Text: “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:13, NIV).

Theme: In the battle for healing God trains his mighty warriors.

Intro: In Exodus 15:26, Yahweh reveals that he is our healer (Yahweh Rophekha). And in the Gospels, Jesus was constantly “healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Matt. 9:35). So if God is with us, and Jesus is in us, why do some believers get sick? Furthermore, why do some stay sick after receiving prayer? Why aren’t there more physical healings, and what can we do to change this? Today, I want to tackle some of the difficult questions regarding healing. We will also look at some verses that many Christians who believe in healing don’t like to read. There are many mysteries surrounding sickness and healing, but one thing is certain: when you believe in Jesus, you receive eternal life. This means that you will receive a resurrected body in the age to come, a body just like Jesus’ resurrected body). It will be a body completely healed just as Jesus intended it (1 Cor. 15:42-57). Near the end of the message, I would like to share a dream I had this week, which I hope sheds more light on the mystery of healing.

1) There’s a battle for healing (Judges 6:13-14).

In Judges 6:13, Gideon asked “If God is with us, where are his wonders.” Listen:

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:13, NIV).

People who hunger and thirst for righteousness ask these kinds of questions.

However, be careful that you don’t get stuck in these questions like a four-wheel drive stuck in the mud.

Don’t let these questions feed unbelief.

Instead, let them thrust you into the battle for healing.

And yes, in this age of sin and death, there is a battle for healing.

Sometimes it comes instantaneously, and at other times, it takes time.

When healing takes time, God is teaching you how to war. Look at Judges 3:1-2.

Judges 3:1–2 NASB95

Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).

Nothing is perfect in this age. Otherwise, we would settle here rather than seek the eternal city whose builder and maker is God.

How did the Lord answer Gideon’s question about the absence of God’s wonders?

“The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14, NIV).

In other words, you make the change in the situation. You are a mighty warrior––God is with you. Now, go in this strength––the strength of God’s presence with you. And as you respond to me, I will work wonders and set Israel free.

Don’t be focused on the oppression. Instead, focus on me and my voice. Listen to me and you will set the captives free.

And that’s what happened.

God used Gideon’s weakness to usher in his strength.

2) Jesus has given you authority over demons, sickness and disease (Matthew 10:1).

Matthew 10:1 & Luke 10:19

Matthew 10:1 NASB95

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

Luke 10:19 NASB95

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

Police have the authority to enforce the law. However, that doesn’t mean every criminal just listens to their first command. They may have to say repeatedly, “Put down your weapon!” They may even have to chase the lawbreaker.

In other words, they have authority, but it doesn’t mean that enforcing that authority is always easy.

Sometimes it is easy. They raise their hand and a car stops. At other times, the person in the vehicle is more rebellious. The police officer raises their hand, but the car races on.

3) In every battle, God is training us to be his warriors. He’s making us stronger and wiser (Judges 3:1-2).

“These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience)” (Jdg 3:1–2, NIV).

When things are difficult regarding healing, we don’t give up and doubt our authority or Jesus’ power.

Instead, dig your heels in and fight.

We have been given authority to fight in the Spirit for healing.

How do you fight? You use all of God’s weapons, and you let the Holy Spirit teach and lead you.

Even in the New Testament, there were battles for healing––not everyone was instantly healed.

Acts 9:32-43 - Tabitha also known as Dorcas

Acts 9:36–43 NASB95

Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

1 Cor. 11:30 - The Corinthians

1 Corinthians 11:30 NASB95

For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

Galatians 4:12-14 - Paul

Galatians 4:12–14 NASB95

I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

Phil. 2:25-27 - Epaphroditus

Philippians 2:25–27 NASB95

But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

1 Tim. 5:23 - Timothy

1 Timothy 5:23 NASB95

No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

2 Tim. 4:20 - Trophimus

2 Timothy 4:20 NASB95

Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus.

There was some kind of lesson learned and redemption in all these instances.

4) Our Father’s house has many rooms. Each one has unique treasures for you to receive (John 14:1-6).

This week, I dreamed of a house with many rooms. And in this dream, a man gave me an ancient keychain with many keys, and I heard him say, “I have given you the keys.” Then a verse of Scripture came to me. It’s when Jesus said to Peter, “I have given you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 16:19). And when he gave me the keys, I first saw one key and then many (as often happens in dreams).

Then, the Lord began showing me the many rooms of his mansion. The entrance. The library. The study. The family room. The kitchen. The dining room. The bedroom. The dressing room. There were many rooms, too many to mention. But the most important room was the throne room.

I saw that there were many treasures to be found in each room. And I saw you often had to go through one room to get to the other room.

As I prayed over the dream, there were three rooms that the Lord highlighted to me. One was the healing room. The second was the waiting room. And the third was the war room.

I saw that one of the ways to the healing room was through the waiting room. The other way to the healing room was through the war room.

Yet, the waiting room and the war room were not to be despised. Even before arriving at the healing room, great treasure could be found in the waiting room and the war room.

The waiting room was not just about sitting around but about hoping, expecting, meditating and finding your strength in God. Waiting was active, not just passive.

5) Jesus has given you the keys to explore his Father’s house––a mansion with many rooms (Matthew 16:19).

Matthew 16:19 NASB95

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Don’t rush your way through the house like someone trying to escape in the ‘escape rooms.’

Instead, treasure your time in each place.

Get the most out of each room.

And remember, it’s all about the throne room.

Keys are the signs of trust, authority, ownership and inheritance.

They are given because someone paid the price for them.

Someone could give you the keys to a new car, but someone paid the price for those keys. Someone could give you the keys to a house, but someone bought the house.

In the battle for your healing and healing others, remember the keys and the rooms.

There is something the Father is teaching us as we fight to possess his promises.

Conclusion: There’s a battle for healing. The good news is that God has given you authority and makes you stronger through the battle.

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