I’m listening to a series on healing by Bill Johnson. The first message was entitled, The Battle for Healing. Here are a few thoughts that he shared: (My thoughts or reactions are in italics)
-In Acts 10:30, we read, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” So, oppression was of the devil and Jesus healed ALL. But, yet, 2000 years later, we often hear that sickness either is sent or allowed by God for our good. When did God take over Satan’s job? Do we, as parents, cause sickness or allow it w/o doing anything so our children can learn from it? And, furthermore, when people pray for healing or testify of healing, they are held suspect….it might be from the devil to deceive us. So…..God is now in the business of making us sick…..and the devil is healing us????? When did they switch jobs? I kinda chuckled at this, realizing the sad truth in it. I wonder, is our devil to big….and our God too small?
-“I guess all we can do is pray.” God forbid that we should be so depleted of solutions that we actually have to pray. God doesn’t mind physicians and medicine for healing, he doesn’t like being #2. I know that many times we don’t really mean prayer as a last resort. But, there are times we do everything we can…and then we pray.
-“Whatever area of your life that has no hope is a stronghold.” -Francis Frangipane. Hope means ‘an expectation of good’. So, any area of your life that has no expectation of good is a stronghold of the enemy-it is under the influence of a lie.I had to think of several people or situations that I have lost hope in/for. This was a big ‘ouch’. So, what is the lie I’m believing in each of these situations.
-We do not persist in prayer to persuade God. So many times, I feel as if our prayers are trying to persuade God to act rather than agreeing with Him on what He has said is His will and declaring it, by faith, to be so on earth as it is in heaven. We are not trying to persuade God when we pray. But, we are moving into a partnership with Him.
-Often people ask, “What about Job?” Or, “what about Paul?” They’re trying to find exceptions to the fact that Jesus healed everyone who came to Him. “Why are we trying to find loophopes to stay sick???” I did think it comical to think of it this way, but in reality, we really aren’t trying to find loophopes, but to protect our hearts from hope and disappointment. But, what we don’t realize is that we are strengthening a spirit of unbelief.
-“If God isn’t moving, I’ll move Him.” -Wigglesworth. This is not a statement of arrogance but a declaration of the authority that God has given us to bring to pass on earth what is already in heaven. If God isn’t moving, we move into a place of faith where God is moved by what we do-by our prayers, by our passion, by our faith. I confess that when I first heard this statement, I kinda felt it was arrogant, but as I thought of the meanings of the word ‘move’ and how I do believe God is moved by what moves us, I thought differently. But, it was also the statement that brought the most discouragement. One of my greatest desires is to see God move, but change is fought; tradition is revered; religion has replaced relationship; His Spirit is quenched; His gifts are feared. I am not sure I have the strength to continue to move into this place of faith regularly and for long periods.
All in all, I enjoyed this message and would recommend it. I am looking forward to the next segment: It’s In the Atonement