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Healing


In this section on healing, the spiritual gift of healing will not be dwelt with, but healing that can be secured by faith. Healing that is gained from inward faith requires work and discipline. 

 

Faiths role in healing

1) What is faith

Thanks to the current fathers of faith, many Christians understand what faith really is. There are still more who need to realize that faith is needed for living a godly and victorious life. Until we stop being content with a lukewarm life and begin to be responsible for our own life and salvation we will remain spiritual infants. We must stop being spoon fed and begin eating meat that we acquire directly from God and the scriptures. The scripture defines spiritual infancy as those who suckle at the breast and only eat regurgitated food. It is time to grow up!

In order to define faith we must first understand what faith is not. Faith is not the religion we adhere to, whether it be Catholicism, Baptist, Methodist, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Present truth or any other. Faith also is not what we believe or agree with concerning God, Jesus, death, life, salvation, atonement, or any other concept or theory. Many people will say that they believe in God and that this is evidence of their faith. James however states that it is not faith, JAM 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. Just to acknowledge that there is a God is not faith, even demons believe that God exists. James doesn't stop here with speaking about faith but goes on to say, JAM 2:14 ΒΆ What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?... JAM 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 2:18 But someone may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Is James saying that works are superior to faith? NO! James is saying that if we have faith that God will supply all of our needs  according to His riches in glory, then we will not fear losing our job, paying our tithes, launching out in the unknown without proper support, or even being homeless. Our lives will be lived on the edge of destruction without fear. We will stand on principle taking the risk of losing promotions, advancements, jobs, relationships and our own well being. Faith has to have corresponding actions or it is not faith. In James 2:19 the fact that demons shudder at the idea of God is evidence that they not only ascent to the fact of God but show their belief in God.

We must not make the mistake and believe that any action we take is evidence of our faith. We can take actions that seem to be based on faith but are just based on hope. It is possible to be convinced in our minds that we should do something and therefore do it, and it not be grounded in faith. It is not uncommon for people who are sick to stop the medication in the hope of being healed. While some will state that this is evidence of their faith, it may not be faith. Many times what we believe is faith, is really wishful thinking. Yet many who do not understand faith will say that a real faith stand is really wishful thinking. The difference between faith and wishful thinking is the evidence of substance. Real faith does not waver in doubt and unbelief. Faith casts down every thought and idea that failure is an option. If we are to stop taking our medication, we must make certain that the reason for stopping is authentic faith. We must be convinced in our own minds and hearts that it is the right thing to do with no fear or doubt that Jesus had accomplished the work of healing. If we are fearful after making a decision, then we need to evaluate whether the fear is demonically motivated or fear that God will not come through. It is common for satan to try and stop us after making a decision that frustrates his plans and power over us. If this is the case then we need to rebuke him and stand in faith for the outcome. If our fear is rooted in being unsure whether God will do what it is that we are believing for, then our faith is faulty and must be strengthened. In cases that are life threatening we must either stand on principle believing we will survive or submit to conventional knowledge. In cases where we choose to stand in faith regardless of the outcome, we need to start a rigorous exercise of study and confession. Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word, we must search the bible and find the promises that relate to our need. Once the promises are found we need to confess them out loud and frequently. The more we claim them as ours, the more faith we will develop in truly believing them. As we do this exercise we may or may not be aware of the substance of faith that is being released through us. It is this substance of faith that has the ability to reverse or undo the effects of the physical world.

Faith is heavens finances. The more money we posses the more things we can buy. It is the same with faith. If we posses much faith we will walk through life with few wants. Healing, direction, success, provisions, anointing, and any other thing can be secured through faith. If we are lacking in faith, then we will constantly struggle like all men to attain the things that we need. When we are faced with the humanly impossible we will cave into despair and a deep depression if we have no faith. When we have faith we can lose all our worldly possessions and still not only be hopeful but excited about what God will do on our behalf. Many Godly people lost all that they had only to be blessed far beyond their former place.

2) How to use our faith for healing

Faith is like a tree. General faith is the trunk of this tree and every branch represents the various areas of faith that we have developed. We can have faith in God's provisions and not have faith in God's ability to heal. Everything that we will ever do and be is based on faith. We need faith to be saved as well as to stand in the office we are called to. We also need faith for moving in the gifts, to preach, to cast out demons, to listen to God and do His will. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Our tree may be small and sparsely branched or large and heavily branched. The condition of our faith is totally up to us. If we are weak in faith it is our fault and we alone bear the responsibility. Those who are authorities in the church will be judged for their spiritual lack and the lies that they teach but we alone are responsible for our welfare. We can grow far beyond the local "authorities." We can know God better and have more anointing then any in our community. The only thing that holds us back is our own desires and the commitment we have toward God.

Before we can use our faith, we need to know how to acquire and develop it. It was already stated that, ROM 10:17 faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. We must not think that there are other ways to acquire faith or we will be wasting time chasing lies. This hearing of the word is not limited to our own reading and studying but includes listening to anointed teachers and preachers. Which ever way we chose to start, we need to understand that eventually it will depend upon our own study and reading.

Jesus' parable about the sower and the seed is intended to explain what we need to know about growing in faith, that is why Jesus said, MAR 4:13 ... "Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? The word of God is likened to a seed that has ability to produce valuable results if it comes to maturity. These results are produced over time and demands nurturing and tending if it is to succeed. If we are casual about God's word then we will surely produce nothing but weeds. When approaching the word of God we must have a heart that is open to believing and obeying what is found in it. We must embrace it and determine to live according to it. Just like in the parable, if we do not understand the word we have no chance to bear fruit but only an expectation that the seed will die before being planted. If we understand the principle that is being put forward then we need to stand on that principle not only when it is convenient but especially when it is inconvenient. It is through these times of testing that actually teach us the principles of faith and how to stand believing in God's word. It is never easy to suffer through hardship but the outcome is worth every minute. The devil will give us an easy way out of the trial, even as he offered one to Jesus when He fasted for forty days wandering in the desert. Don't be fooled into accepting relief from the trial by taking an easier avenue, satan is probably behind it. If we go through the trial and are victorious we will have gained greater authority over satan, the world and the flesh.

The next thing that we are confronted with is enduring the cares of the world. While growing to this point we have had to directly fight the devil head to head, now we have to just endure through constant battles and the barrage of worldliness that never ends. Endurance is the word for this season. We can either stand or regress to a less desirable place, it is up to us. While rapid growth seemed to identify the previous stage, growth in this stage is slow and steady. Time is the instrument for testing in this arena. How long are you willing to endure? Will you abandon the process as too hard? Like a tomato plant that has grown quickly to its general height, time for increasing stem and branch thickness is at hand. Without increasing the plants durability it will surely be damaged when the fruit begins to develop. The growing fruit puts incredible pressure upon the frame. Fortunately the fruit's growth is slow, giving the plant time to adjust to the increasing weight.

You may ask what did this have to do with faith? Faith is that which causes us to grow and mature. Our growth (the maturing process) can not be separated from our faith for they are dependant upon one another. Those who are critical of faith people do not know the truth of the word. They will be invigorated if they are not stopped by their pride from listening to what God has taught these men of faith. We must continue to accept new seeds of God's word so that we will have a continual harvest. Faith comes by hearing God's word.

The process of the sower and the seed shows us the route that we must follow in order to be fruitful. The process might begin by just trusting God for our provisions. At this time various trials designed to either stop us or cause us to grow in faith are put into motion. These trials can manifest themselves as; losing a job, a financial problem, unexpected bills, loss of a lease or even homelessness. If we set our determination to grow then we will begin to understand just how faith secures  blessings. These trials may not end quickly but we are expected to grow through them. We will be faced with either believing that God will provide our needs or we will manipulate, lie, cheat or steal in order to provide what we need. If we trust in God by refusing to yield to the problems but believing that God will provide our needs, we will be on the road to increased faith. We will see God provide everything that we need though not the way we may think He should provide it. As God shows Himself faithful to our steps of faith, the principles of faith become evident. The more we grow the wiser we become. It will come to a point where we are able to transfer the principles that we know to any area of life. Some may say, " I am not in need of healing so why should I care?" The time to grow in faith is not when you need it but before you need it. If we prepare for the future, the future will be more certain. If we fail to prepare we may end up dying prematurely. You can't buy life insurance after you are dead nor health insurance after you are diagnosed with a serious disease. Fortunately it is never to late to begin standing in faith and believing God for divine healing.

 

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