About a month ago, I was diagnosed with cancer again. Yes, this is the third time. Only this time the doctor said, "It is incurable." What do I do? I go to the Word of God, and I go to prayer. I find that I do not understand all about Divine Healing. So I go to God more and this message is some understanding I have received recently.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
I believe in Divine Healing.
I have been healed. I have laid my hands upon people and seen them get healed. I can tell many stories of Divine Healing happening. Yet, I do not understand all about God's working in healing.
There are always people around who will tell you, "You do not have enough faith!" or "You must confess healing and never talk about the illness." or, "What sin in in your life." But, healing is not that easy. Oh, It is easy for Jesus to heal anyone at anytime. The Bible says, that God's ways are so much higher than our. Paul says, "Now we see things imperfectly." Only when we see Jesus will we fully understand God's wisdom, grace, love and mercy in dealing with this fallen world.
Here are two stories from the Bible about healing.
I have never really heard a message about these two men in this way. I think you will find it very interesting and faith building.
The Prophet Elisha dying with a disease.
2 Kings 13:14, "Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die."
2 Kings 13:14b, “Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”
I think the king may be referring to the chariots of Israel because the Prophet Elijah did not die. He was taken into heaven in a chariot of fire. Now here is Elisha the Double Portion Prophet dying of a disease.
Elisha prophecies and speaks to the FUTURE.
2 Kings 13:15 ESV, And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Draw the bow,” and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands. 17 And he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Syria!
Even in the grave his diseased bones are filled with power of God.
2 Kings 13:20 NLT, “Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. 21 Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!”
Elisha did twice as many miracles as Elijah did. So, the healing or lack of healing had nothing to do with the power or anointing of God upon his life.
2nd Story: Hezekiah King of of Judah
2 Kings 20:1 ESV, In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. . .
Verse 6 continued, And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” Figs one of the oldest medical treatments in ancient Middle East.
Here the prophet tells Hezekiah, God will heal him. Then, the Prophet tells someone to "bring a cake of figs . . ." No doubt he told the medical people attending to Hezekiah.
Here, God heals but he uses the help of the known medical treatments of the day.
What happened in this story:
1. Prayer
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,
2. Calling on the promises of God
“Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.”
3. Divine healing
"Behold, I will heal you."
4. Medical
“Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”
I want to leave two thoughts with you . . .
1. We all have our crosses to bear.
John 16:33 NKJV, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
2. You can live under Condemnation or Grace
Romans 8:1 ESV, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Whatever battles you go through, there is always the question of WHY
When tragedies come,
We make mistakes,
A Child does not live for God,
Marriage ends in Divorce.
Our prayer does not seem to be answered. . . Condemnation comes at you.
Romans 8:34-39, NLT, “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Declare condemnation go - grace come.
Be blessed as never before,
Larry & Janet Neville