HEALING AS BREAD FOR GOD'S CHILDREN (PART 3, FINAL PART)
TEXT:
"They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy." (Jonah chapter 2 verse 8, King James Version)
Welcome to part 3 in these series. We will be discussing issues that are of utmost importance to the Christian faith. These are matters of faith as differentiated from issues that relate to the senses. It's worth noting from the outset that as Christians, we have been called to walk by faith and not by sight (2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7).
Faith in God's Word opens us up to the realm of possibilities. The Bible says that "if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1st John chapter 5 verse 14 to 15). This is an endearing and an enduring assurance of God's willingness to heal us or to hear our prayers!
In relation to healing, we know that it's God's will that we live in perfect health (3rd John verse 2); and indeed Christ has paid the price for our healing (1st Peter chapter 2 verse 24). Faith in God demands that we hold the Word of God to be final as far as our affairs are concerned. When it comes to healing, once we find God's Word to stand on, we take His Word as final, irrespective of our bodily feelings. This brings us to the matter of the need to disregard or shun symptoms after we've been prayed for.
Most times after we've been prayed for, we find it difficult to disregard symptoms which at best, are a testimony of the senses. To have regard for symptoms is to violate a cardinal principle of the Christian faith that says, "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7)
Often, when Christians are told that they are to walk by faith and not by sight, and to disregard the evidence of the physical senses, they think this is unreasonable. Some go as far as considering such a stance as lying. "Do you mean to say," they ask, "that I cannot depend on what I see or feel"? No, no, no! That's not so!
What it means to walk by faith, in spite of physical evidence to the contrary, is to look beyond the symptoms to the truth of God's Word. Conversely stated, we may accept the evidence of our senses as true in natural things; but in spiritual things when this evidence contradicts God's Word, then we ignore our physical senses and believe what the Word of God says. It's a matter of whose report you'll believe (Isaiah chapter 53 verse 1).
Symptoms of disease are in fact lying vanities. The Bible says that they that observe them forsake their own mercy (Jonah chapter 2 verse 8). That's to say that they do not represent the true state of things, though we feel them. They are like the walls of Jericho that were before Israel very impressively imposing, yet were without foundations. In the end, they were brought down by the mere shout of faith from the mouth of God's people. Same thing with symptoms of any sickness. With your mouth, you can bring them down!
We know that in some cases after prayers, the symptoms of a sickness may persist for a while; but faith declares that it is done because God's Word says so. For instance, once you can get a believer to lay hands on you in accordance with Mark chapter 16 verse 18, believe you are healed. This is faith!
Thereafter, should the symptoms persist, counter them saying, "thank you Lord because hands have been laid on me and I'm recovering from my sickness in accordance with your Word, in Jesus name". Yes, let this be your confession because the Bible says that "with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation" (Romans chapter 10 verse 10).
For how long do you continue to confess as aforesaid? As long as the symptoms remain! As a believer, your responsibility is to continue to "stand" on God's Word, till you see your healing manifested (Job chapter 14 verse 14[b]). The Bible says that we are to resist the devil steadfast in the faith and he will flee from us (see 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 9 and James chapter 4 verse 7). Shalom!
PRAYER:
Thank You Father for healing me. I refuse to observe the symptoms in my body because You have healed me, in Jesus name.