Healing and Faith
by Tim Greenwood(Rev. October 28, 1997)
First Things First.
God is love, (1John 4:16), full of compassion and mercy, (Psm 86:15), no respecter of persons, (Act 10:34), and does ONLY good, (Prov 11:23 and Luke 18:19)! God DID NOT put sickness on you! It IS Gods’ will to heal…YOU! (He is just waiting for you to catch up.) Will God heal you? Yes, It is His will, if it is your will. The ball is in your court.What About Healing?
When I first attended services in a church that practiced anointing the sick, back in the late 60’s, I heard a sermon on the subject of healing and anointing. I sat through this sermon with a migraine headache, one of the many over the previous few months. After services, I thought I would try it out and be anointed. Immediately the migraine went away, and I am happy to say that I have NEVER had another one since. I was healed.I have been anointed many times since for this and that, (never anything really serious). Sometimes, I was healed, and sometimes I was not. It seemed to me that the more mature I became as a Christian, the less often I was healed. I found this to be somewhat confusing. Was it God? Was it me? Had I ‘lost my initial zeal’? I did not know the answer.
Note: (At age 45, I found myself being rushed into open heart surgery. I recovered quickly and began to return to normal life, only to be rushed back into the hospital. There, after dozens of tests, the doctors came in and told me that the surgery had failed, and that I was going to die, and that there was nothing more they could do for me. All they could offer was experimental surgery or a transplant, which I declined.) Through this experience, I have had to heavily focus on the subjects of FAITH and HEALING.
I came to understand that sometimes God WILL heal us on the faith of ANOTHER PERSON. (This is how I had been healed on all previous occasions.) I believe that this is so that we can SEE that healing by faith really WORKS!
At this time, I really did not understand that there was any benefit to having my own faith.
(So, I went on a campaign and began to request peoples’ prayers. At one point, I had massed nearly 1000 wonderful people, from my denomination and from many others. I had hands laid on me, and was anointed with oil four or five times based on my desire to be healed, the faith of the minister, the prayers and faith of all these people, and my faith, that God can and does, sometimes, heal people.)
It seems however, that God will only heal on other’s faith a number of times, just to get us started, (when we are still baby Christians). After this, (when we should be matured), it seems that God expects us to begin to exercise OUR OWN FAITH. This is why I was not healed sometimes. I KNEW that God can heal. I knew that He does heal. (In retrospect, I did not understand anything about faith. I, like everyone else, just thought I did.) Then I began learning some things about faith.
What about faith?
[Mat. 17:20] ….If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.How many of us have tried this one out on one of our local mountains to no avail?
I always thought this scripture to be a little odd, seemingly rubbing our noses in how little faith we have. What is it? Where does it come from? Do we have ANY faith?
What is it?
(Heb 11:1) Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.Where does it come from?
(Rom 10:17) Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Do we have ANY faith?
(Rom. 12:3) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.If we believe the word of God and have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and are reading and hearing that word, then we DO HAVE at least the faith of the mustard seed! Yes, even if our measure of faith is tiny, we do have enough! So then, why does the mountain not move!? Because, this scripture is an analogy… a very important analogy. I had been going to church and a student of the bible for over 25 years before I understood this!
What a revelation to realize that ‘this mountain’ is analogous and symbolic of whatever seemingly huge, immovable problem, (or even some terrible illness), that is blocking our way in life! And, this wonderful scripture tells us exactly what to do! We are to step up and face ‘this mountainous problem,’ and SAY to it “Get out of my way… and Go jump in the lake!” Using language similar to casting out a demon, and to do this by the power and authority of the name of Jesus.
(Mark 11:23-) “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.
Mark 11:24: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, BELIEVE that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Have what? You shall have whatever you SAID!
Faith, is not your “religion” or a state of mind. Faith is more than believing IN God and Jesus. Faith is more than belief that God or Jesus can or even will do something! Faith is the BELIEVING, that we ALREADY HAVE, what we SAID, we were asking for! (And the SAYING is just as important as the BELIEVING). Faith is belief that God has ALREADY done something because his word said he would! Because, faith is BELIEVING God, and then ACTING on it. When I learned this, I immediately got better, but still kept having symptoms. I was sure that I was still missing something, so I kept looking until I found the answers.
You see, faith is not just something that you have. It is something that you have to use! (James 2:14-26)
You vs. The devil.
Jesus stripped, (spoiled or disarmed), the devil and his demons of all their weapons, all their armor, all their power and authority, (Col 2:14,15). Jesus then humiliated all of them, (vs. 15), and even took the devils’ keys! (Rev 1:18)On the other hand, Jesus has given us the authority to use His Name in authority over “all things”. He gave us “Power of Attorney”, to use his name to do all that he did. That Name, the name of JESUS is above ALL other names, (Eph 1:21 & Phil 2:9). (Note: Christ is NOT Jesus’ last name. But that is a whole other subject. Just remember that Jesus is the name.) ALL other names must bow, (i.e., submit), to the NAME of JESUS. (Remember: Everything has a name. i.e., cancer, the devil, etc..) His name, “JESUS”, has power! This authority, gives our words power.
The devil no longer has any power or authority of his own, it’s only a bluff, like a bully on the school yard. He has to use YOUR own authority against YOU, by using your own, negative words. If you refuse to allow the devil to talk you out of your healing, then there is not any way that he can cause you not to be healed.
Stand on the Word
God sent His Word to heal you, and His word works! He keeps His word. So (this is important), don’t let lingering symptoms discourage you. Your healing may be instant, but if not, don’t let doubts arise just because you do not see immediate results. It may take time for you to feel completely healed. So what do we do in the mean time?1. God’s word is the final authority.
The Word says: that by His stripes you were healed! [1Peter 2:24], (past tense),(quoted from [Isa 53:4-5], future tense). Receive your healing as already taken place.
2. Refuse doubt and unbelief.
When the devil pokes and jabs you to make you think you are still having
symptoms or when the devil whispers words of doubt and unbelief into your mind, deal with it immediately. Cast them (and the devil), down, rebuke and bind them, in Jesus name, (Mat 16:19) (Mat 18:18), praise God for your healing. Don’t dwell on them, don’t accept his arguments, deception and lies. Anything that is a stumbling block to your faith, is darkness and of the devil. They may come through your own body and mind, family, friends, doctors or even pastors, I do not care where you hear or see them, do not accept them. (Rom 14:1) Receive him that is weak in the faith, but NOT to doubtful disputations.
3. Refuse to believe what you see and feel.
If what you see or feel contradicts the Word, Only believe the Word. What you see and feel are not always real, but may be manifestations of the devil, to cause fear, doubt and unbelief.
4. Meditate God’s Word.
Concentrate on the Word, not on the illness. Immerse yourself in the Word, reading out loud, particularly the healing scriptures. Even listen to tapes of the word as much as possible.
Do you need faith? (Rom 10:17) Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Fill yourself through the eyes and ears with the Word of God until it fills you up, and overflows out of your mouth. This will release faith, and faith releases grace and healing. (Luke 6:45) …for, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
5. Do Not Fear!
What did Jesus repeatedly say? “Fear not!”, “Do not fear!”, (Luke 8:50). What do the angels say, every time they appear? “Fear not!”. If you ask for Gods’ protection, He will place a hedge about you. But, fear is a gateway in that hedge, that allows the devil to get to you. This is because ‘fear’ is the devils counterfeit of faith and is part of darkness. Light, (faith), cannot coexist with darkness, (fear). The devil will use every trick, lie, and deception, to cause you to fear and to open the gate. He is ever watchful of that gate. Therefore, keep it closed and locked, by consistently, renewing and increasing your faith!
(Rom 8:15) …you have not received the spirit of bondage, again to fear…
(1John 4:18) …perfect love casts out fear…
6. Praise God for your healing.
Praising God for your healing, before you see a manifestation, is the highest form of faith. (This IS the shield of faith!) And afterwards, thank God every day that you are healed.
7. Do Not Waiver!
(James 1:6). James said that the person who waivers in his faith should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. (1Tim 6:12) …fight the good fight of faith…
{Eph 6:12-) …For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness.
(Eph. 6:13) Therefore put on the whole armor of God and stand your ground. And having done all to stand… STAND!
In this context: Salvation. Righteousness, Truth and The preparation of the Gospel will provide you with protection.; The Word of God, (“It is written: …”), is to offensively rebuke the devil, (your sword).; and Faith is to defend against the manifestations of the devil. Once the manifestation has been rebuked, and then it ‘seems’ to return, begin to praise God. (Father, I praise You, and thank You, that I no longer have to believe what I see or feel.) This kind of Praise is your defense, (your shield), and seems to be even more effective against darkness, than using your sword.
8. Speak only the positive!
Speak only words that are in agreement with God’s will for your healing. You have to BELIEVE you are healed, and it is difficult if you are constantly talking about your sickness. (If Jesus bore your sickness, then your sickness is gone! What is on you now, does not belong to you! Do not lay claim to it! Remember, your words have power to do both good and evil! The devil uses your negative words against you! That sickness belongs to the devil!.) Therefore, every day let God, the devil, and your body know , by what you SAY, that you believe that you have received your healing, (Mark 11:23). What you SAY is important!
(Mat 12:36) In the day of judgment, men shall give account of EVERY idle word they have spoken!
If you are not sure how to pray for healing, you might recite or pray something like the following:
“Heavenly Father,
I thank You for Your Word that says that by the stripes of Jesus I am healed. I choose to believe that Your healing power went to work in my body the very instant that I believed Your Word.
Jesus Christ is Lord over my life – spirit, soul and body. I have received the power of God to make me sound, whole, delivered, saved and healed.
Sickness, disease, pain,
I resist you in the Name of Jesus. You are not the will of God.
I enforce the Word of God on you. I will not tolerate you in my life.
My days of sickness and disease are over!
Jesus bore my sickness, weakness and pain, and I am forever free!
Father,
thank You for watching over Your Word to perform it in my behalf. I thank You and praise You in Jesus’ Name!”
The Healing Scriptures.
The following scriptures are promises you can stand on to receive your healing: Exodus 15:26Exodus 23:25-26
Psalm 103:1-5
Psalms 107:19-20
Proverbs 4:20-23
Isaiah 53:4-5
Jeremiah 1:12
Jeremiah 30:17
Matthew 8:17
Matthew 15:30-31
Matthew 18:18-19
Mark 11:23-24
Mark 16:17-18
Luke 9:2Luke 13:16
Acts 5:16
Acts 10:38
Galatians 3:13-14
James 4:7
James 5:14-15
Putting It To Work
(As part of the process of learning all of this there came the time that I had to act, on my faith in God’s word. I had to start doing, what I could not do, due to the sickness. For me, this involved walking more than 20 yards. So, with my wife at my side, I made my way out to the sidewalk to begin.Now, manifestations of symptoms of heart disease vary from person to person, but the main symptom, angina, for me manifested as follows. I would feel a tightness in my left chest, which would spread up and along the collar bone, under the armpit to behind the left shoulder. This would then begin to magnify and cause pain as it continued to spread both across the left shoulder, up the neck and down the left arm. The pain would intensify similar to a bad charley horse, but continue to tighten many times as painful as a charley horse, until my lower back teeth ached and the pain felt like a fire just above the left elbow and just behind the left shoulder. It would stay like this for a few minutes and then all would subside, leaving me totally drained. Once they began, unless I would immediately sit down, regulate my breathing and heart rate, the attacks would fully manifest.
We began walking. At about 20 yards, an attack began. I told my wife and we both began rebuking sickness, disease and the devil. By the time we said “in Jesus’ name!”, the attack had spread to my armpit, but instantly stopped in it’s tracks! We walked about another 20 yards, another attack manifested, was rebuked and also stopped, this time before it got to my arm pit. This process continued, every 20 feet, during walks, for the next four days, never varying. By the end of four days, I was frustrated, VERY angry at the devil, and so sore from the accumulated starts of attacks, that my torso was leaning to the left. When we got about three fourths the way around the block, I held up my hands and face to God and yelled, “God, How Long do I Have To Endure This!?”
I knew in my heart that I was missing something. And that night I found it. I found that on my walks, I had, successfully, been using the ‘Sword of the Spirit of the word’, rebuking the devil based on scripture, similar to Jesus’ example on the mount of temptation. What I had been missing was the ‘Shield of Faith’, using Mark 11: 23-24, as a model, of praising God for my healing, based upon any or all of the healing scriptures in God’s word, prior to it’s manifestation in my body.
Part of me could not wait to get out to the sidewalk and try this out! But, another part, did not want to chance another full blown attack that may come if I was wrong. I decided there and then, this was literally, going to be ‘do or die’. I had made up my mind, that I was not, going to be defeated by the devil.
The next morning, we began. At 20 yards, the attack came, was rebuked and stopped. At 20 more yards the attack began, I hesitated for a moment, but then said, “Father God, We have rebuked the darkness of sickness and disease, and I praise You and thank You for Your word that says, ‘… he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we were, and are, healed’. I believe Your word, more than I believe any manifestation of sickness that the devil can place in me, more than I believe the reality of the material world!” The attack stopped, and on we walked. We got 20 more yards, and nothing. At 40 yards another attack came, we praised God like before, and the attack stopped, and on we walked, this time double the 40 yards! Then, double that and double that… and, it’s been like that ever since. Now, I’m praising God nearly all the time! I think I have become an actual, ‘Praise Addict!’, and may I never be delivered from that! God is so Good!)