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Rich came to our church on a
Wednesday night. He had just been diagnosed with cancer. He was
desperate. He wanted our leaders to pray over him. He had never even
been to our church. (He and his wife attended a church that didn’t
teach or practice healing.)
The next doctor’s appointment came to begin treatment. They had felt
God touch his body, and so they insisted on new tests before
treatment. The tests came back and the cancer was gone!
Rich and his wife are early now to every service. They save seats
for their family. They have found a great joy in serving Jesus, and
God continues to work in their lives.
We often see miracles. Many churches that understand that healing is
for today watch God do incredible things! Sciatic issues, deafness,
carpel tunnel, major digestion problems, cancers – these are but a
few of the stories.
Is everything healed? No. We still have many that we’re continuing
to believe God for. But healing seems to be increasing in our midst.
Why can we expect divine healing?
It happens because of Easter! On the cross, Jesus shed His blood for
the forgiveness of our sins: His blood in exchange for our
unrighteousness. We trust in Christ for our forgiveness, and He
washes us clean!
The same is true for healing! Listen to these two verses from Isaiah
53, verses 4 and 5. Pay attention to everything that Jesus carries
for us on the cross. And notice the last phrase:
Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and
afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised
for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and
by His stripes we are healed.
This Easter, there is hope. If you are sick in your body and need
healing, there is a God who heals! It isn’t the power of man. It’s
by His stripes, His shed blood, that we are healed.
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We pray over those that need healing
every single time we gather. It’s always a powerful moment. Often
people feel God’s presence as they are touched by Jesus.
One final thought – physical healing, as wonderful as it is, is only
temporary. I know that I have focused on it in this little
devotional, and it is a wonderful thing. But the greatest miracle of
all is to know that your sins are forgiven and that your name is
written in heaven. Eternal life with God, that only comes as we
trust Jesus for forgiveness and salvation, is not temporary. It last
forever!
Jesus really does love you. He cares, and He will work in your life!
[Darren Palmer - Faith Church]
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