Confession of Healing

Read this prayer out loud every morning and every evening (as you would take medicine) - let these Words build faith and become a reality in your life and you will witness how the Lord will bless you with health and strength! 

Confession of Healing

Father, I thank you that I am prospering and that I am in health, even as my soul prospers. My body is blessed because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You keep satisfying me with good things and You keep renewing my youth like the eagle's. [Psalm 103:5] You are Jehovah-Raphe and have taken sickness and disease away from the midst of me. I will bless you my Lord and I will not forget all Your benefits, for you have forgiven me all my sins and healed me of all my diseases! Thank you that you have commanded Your angels concerning me!

I confess and believe that which is written, that I am healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ my Lord, who has carried all my sicknesses, diseases and infirmities. [Matthew 8:17] I also believe because it is written, that all my sins are forgiven and every written code against me has been cancelled. [Colossians 2:14]  Further, as it is written, that the Son of God was manifest to destroy all the works of the devil. [1 John 3:8]

I therefore command that all written code against my life be immediately cancelled and all works of the devil against my life be destroyed. Because I have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I command that every spirit causing sickness, disease and infirmities remove itself from my life right now, and I command the full and complete restoration of my soul and healing of my body, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I cut and destroy all soul ties to people, activities and addictions and cancel all curses that would try to cause damage to my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. I say to all my body parts such as my bones, muscles, joints, organs, head, eyes, throat, glands, blood, marrow, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, spine, pancreas, bladder, ears, nose, sinuses, mouth, tongue, knees and feet, “I command you, come into divine order, be healed, restored, and strengthened in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”.   

Holy Spirit, fill me with the power of divine health, surround me, keep me, preserve me, and purify my entire system. I declare that my immune system is strong, and every internal organ performs a perfect work. I am loosed from the bondage of sickness, disease and infirmity forever. My health has sprung forth; there is no trace of sickness, disease or infirmity in my body, and I will enjoy perfect health all the days of my life. I declare this all in the Name of my Lord, Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

AMEN!

Five phases of a spiritual migration journey

In his book “The House Church Book” Wolfgang Simson uses the diagram below to describe 5 phases in the spiritual journey from, what Martin Luther called the Babylonian captivity of the church, to an expression of true prophetic and apostolic biblical pattern:

Point -2: Our church is just great!

This is where most Christians are today: content with where they are in their church experience. When you talk to them about the need for a new paradigm, their response is basically, "I have no idea what you are talking about." They view their church and their faith as a safe religious haven. The new choir is great, the last conference was outstanding, the new pastor seems very promising, and the building and parking lot are almost paid off. Any talk of a Babylonian captivity is considered a joke at best.

But this ostrich mentality can quickly evolve into a dance on the tip of a volcano. Once the finances get tight and burnout strikes, people start leaving for the hip church next door; or once something happens to an idolized leader, the cards can quickly collapse. People at Point -2 need to hear a simple message: the days of old-time religion are over. It's time to get up and start moving, or keep drifting into a religious oblivion.

Point -1: The Balancing Act

This second phase in the process of apostolic migration represents people who are no longer satisfied with church as they have known it. These are people who have heard from God about more authentic expressions of church, but although they want something new to happen, they don't want anything to change. Their spirits have begun to move, but their bodies and their money have not. And so they begin to feel stretched as they attempt to maintain a spiritual balancing act. It's like realizing that you've gotten on the wrong bus but you choose to stay on that bus anyway. You see, the seat is nicely warmed, the neighbors are so very friendly, and the ticket has been paid. And after all, what would people think?

People at Point -1 are inwardly torn. A fresh vision has gripped them and left them hungry. With time the tension grows only stronger and stronger—until the pain becomes unbearable and they get up and press that red button to get off the bus. The message for folks at Point -1 is this: be honest with yourself, follow your heart, end the balancing act, and press that button.

Ground 0: Welcome to the desert

This is where people decide to get off the bus and suddenly find themselves in the middle of a desert. Alone and vulnerable, sweating in the day and shivering at night, they may face a time of thirst, dark valleys, and reorientation. Experiencing what the biblical kernel of wheat must feel as it falls into the ground to die (John 12:24), people at Ground 0 realize that the old must die in order to make room for the new. This is where pastors and other leaders start selling shoes and driving taxis again. Yes, they may have migrated from Babylon, but now the Babylon that is in them has to die.

Ground 0 is a place of quarantine: once people are out of the system, the system also has to get out of them. For this very reason God engineers the wilderness as a place of spiritual death to the old, a place of "religious detoxification" for dealing with baggage. In the desert, your religious ego, your fleshly, consumer-oriented Christianity has to be killed. And this cleansing process takes time, more time than most would think. As a rule of thumb, one month quarantine is required for each year of passive participation in traditional Christianity. For active members (like paid church/mission staff), double that!

The message for folks at this waypoint is this: die thoroughly! Don't linger at the oasis and force your survival with gimmicks or tricks. God has arranged for your self to die.

Point +1: The Jordan

This is the point at which people choose to leave the past and the wilderness behind and to cross over the Jordan into the new paradigm of what God is doing. This requires both a leaving (of the old) and a cleaving (to the new). It requires us to "uncovenant" with what has gone before, and to make a new covenant with God's new unfolding paradigm. Jonathan is an example, albeit a bad one, of someone who attempted to make this type of choice. Though he was the son of King Saul and the rightful heir to the throne of Israel, Jonathan covenanted twice with David, the new (apostolic) leader. But "(David) rose and departed, while Jonathan went into the city" (1 Samuel 20:42, nasb). Jonathan was unable to "uncovenant" from Saul and his system—and he died with his father. Here at "the Jordan," where we can already smell and see the Promised Land, and where we can hear the cowbells in the "land flowing with milk and honey" on the other side, an ultimate step is required: leaving the old; doing better than Jonathan.

And as an added benefit, you will have met many new friends in the desert, fellow pilgrims and outcasts. After some time you realize that what once looked like a lonely group of losers looks more like a movement of pioneers. The message to folks at Point +1: say your farewell quickly—and get into the water. You will see it will part for you when you do.

Point +2: Apostolic Conquest

Once you have crossed that Jordan, it's time to take up your position along with the others and start taking the land for God.

Here you need to answer three key questions for your life:

·        What exactly is your personal calling?

·        Where (geographically) are you supposed to live and work?

·        With whom has God placed you?

A former question like, "What church is good for me?" begins to fade and is replaced by much more important ones like, "What kind of church can take and possess the land?" "What kind of church is good for God?" Like in the early days of Christianity, questions like these will lead to developing regional strategies, house-church networks, city churches, fivefold ministries, citywide servanthood, and much, much more. As the church is again functioning under God, so also we as individuals and families will find our places of godly destiny. If this is not worth dropping everything else for, then what is?

As the bible calls to us, “Come out of Babylon” – let us embrace the process and return to the kingship of our Lord: 

^{6 My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray [to favorite places of idolatry] on mountains [that seduce]. They have gone from [one sin to another] mountain to hill; they have forgotten their [own] resting-place.}

^{7 All who found them devoured them; and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the Lord [and are no longer holy to Him], their true habitation of righteousness and justice, even the Lord, the hope of their fathers.}

^{8 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans; and be as the he-goats [who serve as examples and as leaders in the flight] before the flocks.}

^{(Jeremiah 50)}

^{Then I saw another angel descending from heaven, possessing great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his radiance and splendor.}

^{2 And he shouted with a mighty voice, She is fallen! Mighty Babylon is fallen! She has become a resort and dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every loathsome spirit, an abode for every filthy and detestable bird.}

^{3 For all nations have drunk the wine of her passionate unchastity, and the rulers and leaders of the earth have joined with her in committing fornication (idolatry), and the businessmen of the earth have become rich with the wealth of her excessive luxury and wantonness.}

^{4 I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues.}

^{5 For her iniquities (her crimes and transgressions) are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness and [her] crimes [and calls them up for settlement].}

^{6 Repay to her what she herself has paid [to others] and double [her doom] in accordance with what she has done. Mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed [for others].}

^{7 To the degree that she glorified herself and reveled in her wantonness [living deliciously and luxuriously], to that measure impose on her torment and anguish and tears and mourning. Since in her heart she boasts, I am not a widow; as a queen [on a throne] I sit, and I shall never see suffering or experience sorrow—}

^{8 So shall her plagues (afflictions, calamities) come thick upon her in a single day, pestilence and anguish and sorrow and famine; and she shall be utterly consumed (burned up with fire), for mighty is the Lord God Who judges her.}

^{(Revelations 18)}

And not forgetting, that we need to get Babylon out of us :-)

“Hey Preacher Man! Paint me saved and I will pay you money!”

Jesus the Messiah (Christ) summed up His Ministry in Luke 4 by quoting from the prophet Isaiah, as a ministry of bringing healing, deliverance and salvation to the needy. The New Testament extensively uses the Greek word “Sozo” (Strongs G4982: to save, i.e. deliver or protect – used 103 times in KJV: heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole ) to encompass and describe the Ministry of Christ.

Unfortunately, today the glorious Gospel of the Kingdom has mostly been reduced to a “sinners prayer” which people are told, repeating it causes them to be saved. Maybe some have made it so easy to be “saved” because in this way they hope to gather more people around themselves and so increase their fame, influence and monthly income (2 Timothy 4:3). They are, of course, involved in the very sacred and righteous work of “saving souls”, so who would dare to challenge them?

Actually when we use the word “saved” we should be referring to the Greek work “Sozo” which actually refers to the deliverance process from the power of satan to God. Jesus used these words to commission the Apostle Paul ‘I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:18).

Biblical deliverance involves much more than having a positive confession. As the Lord says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6). Biblical Deliverance involves being taken out of one situation of suffering and oppression and then being established in the Kingdom of Christ – in covenant relationship and with a steadfast dedication to serve and worship only the Lord.

One of the greatest and most dramatic biblical deliverances involves Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt and concluding with their arrival in the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. I have structured this deliverance process in three phases to assist in understanding the complete process and I have attempted to identify important lessons of deliverance in each phase.

The 3-Phase Deliverance Process

Then said Yahweh, I have, seen, the humiliation of my people, who are in Egypt,––and, their outcry, have I heard, by reason of their task–masters, for I know their pains; therefore have I come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, and to take them up out of that land, into a land good and large, into a land flowing with milk and honey,––into the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. (Exodus 3: 7 - 8)

I have identified the following three distinct Phases of deliverance that were initiated by God resulting in His deliverance He promised in Exodus 3:

Phase 1 – Israel brought out of Egypt

Phase 2 - Egypt is removed from Israel

Phase 3 – Destroying the giants and taking possession of the Promised Land

This complete deliverance process was “written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10: 11). Let us therefore investigate and understand what the Lord desires to teach us about deliverance.

Phase 1 – Israel brought out of Egypt

The children of Israel were in bondage in Egypt, working as slaves and serving Pharaoh’s building projects. The Lord heard their cry and sent a Prophet called Moses to deliver them. Moses was to go down to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and lead them into the Promised Land.

Lessons from Phase 1:

• The children of Israel did not have to fight to get out of Egypt; the Lord did this for them with His outstretched Hand, by demonstrating His Power and through the Blood of the Lamb.
• They had to endure persecution. When Moses challenged Pharaoh, things first got much rougher for the Israelites. There was retribution and they got extra burdens placed on them, like having to gather the straw they needed for building that had previously been supplied. 
• This Phase removed them from the Kingdom of Pharaoh. If Moses had come and just healed afflicted Israelites and just cast demons out of them, but had left them in Egypt – their condition of slavery would be unchanged and we could not say that they had been delivered.
• The Israelites had to make a decision to leave Egypt and everything in Egypt, and to follow the Lord. It was their decision to trust and obey the Lord rather than remain as slaves in Egypt.
• The deliverance of Phase 1 was sealed through their baptism into Christ (1 Corinthians 10:2 – Moses being a Type of Christ) whereby they symbolically died to Egypt and were raised into Life through confirming their covenant relationship with the Lord. They were witnesses of the destruction of their enemies.

Phase 2 - Egypt is removed from Israel

In this Phase the children of Israel were brought by Moses to Mount Sinai. They were afraid to enter into a direct relationship and a deeper personal revelation of the Lord because they recognized that this would mean their “death” (Exodus 20:19), that is, of self. Instead they preferred to send Moses up the Mountain to hear what the Lord would say, so that he could come back and tell them.

Lessons from Phase 2:

• Rejecting a deeper walk with the Lord is easily justified and is a refusal to die to self. Entering into this relationship with the Lord could have saved the nation 40 years of desert wandering.
• Because the Israelites had not died to self they entered into idolatry and could not discern the Way of the Lord. They said Moses was not coming back so they created their own idolatrous religious system centered around a golden calf and “they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry“ (Exodus 32: 5 - 6). Their leader (Aaron) had said that this was honoring to the Lord. 
• Because they had not died to self they were fearful when they saw the giants that had to be defeated in the Promised Land – this fear (of man) was the root of their rebellion against the Lord. After a while their hearts longed to return to Egypt.
• The graciousness of the Lord, made manifest in provision, healing and protection, was continually evident. This was not an indication that He was pleased with them, because scripture is explicit that He was displeased with them. (1 Corinthians 10: 5)
• We need to embrace our death with Christ which we publically confessed through our baptism. As Paul explains, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:4) The more we embrace this and enter into unity with the Lord, the sooner will the new resurrection Life in us become evident and the shorter the “desert” phase.

This “desert” phase only ended when Egypt was removed from the people. Egypt “died” in the desert, that is, the entire generation that had rebelled against the Lord died in the desert without entering the Promised Land. Basically this was the “stinking” thinking – the carnal mindsets – with which they had grown up in Egypt. Removing Egypt from them was only attained through the dying of the old and embracing the new by renewing their minds with the desire of the Promised Land. The promises of God became an internal reality within the new generation. As Paul later explains, those that maintain their sinful nature will not enter the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9) and because we have been raised with Christ, we should “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2).

Phase 3 – Destroying the giants and taking possession of the Promised Land

This Phase starts with a new generation that is completely sold out to the Lord. They are fully obedient and desire strong leadership to lead them into the fulfillment of the promises of God. (Joshua 1: 16 – 18)

Lessons from Phase 3:

• The Lord does not take the side of flesh and blood. He is come to fulfill His Plans and Purposes (Joshua 5: 13-14). We cannot twist the Lord’s arm through confession, fasting or prayer to get what we want. (James 4:3)
• The new generation had internalized the promises of God. The unbelief of the older generation had no more place in them. (Joshua 14: 10-12)
• The Lord expected that the new generation leadership to be bold and courageous and that they would obey all the Lord had commanded. (Joshua 1: 7-9)
• The new generation was expecting bold and courageous leadership that would obey everything which the Lord commanded. (Joshua 1:  16-18)
• Even though there was formidable opposition, for example, from the king of Moab who warred against them and called Balaam to curse them – they had victory as long as they walked in Unity with and obedience to the Lord. (Numbers 25:1-3 & Revelations 2:14)

This Phase of deliverance concludes with Joshua affirming all the Lord has done, how the children of Israel had been able to take hold of their inheritance because the Lord was with them. At the same time he admonishes them, “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God.” (Joshua 23: 9-11)

They are established on the Promised Land, but this does not mean that they can relax and do what they want. No, there is still work to be done and an enemy that is active that hopes to deceive, distract and defeat them. The Process of Deliverance continues ….

In the words of Paul, the Apostle chosen by God to preach the Message of Divine Deliverance, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 12-14)

What are terrible times?

When Jesus Christ came and walked the earth as a human 2000 years ago, the religious system of his day was defined through the law. Now the Law had been given by God to expose sin and to teach people to live a good way in relationship to God and to others. People had taken the law and added their own traditions to it. These traditions defined how the law was understood and provided a measurement as to how well the law was kept. This helped the people to create a system whereby they could manage their relationship with God – if they did certain things; this would be pleasing to God and visa versa. The aim of this religious system was to please God. The only problem was, that the adherence to these traditions was externally focused, that is, as long as people could keep the traditions, they were unaware of the true condition of their innermost being, their hearts. Everything could look fine on the outside, but inside could be filled with dead men’s bones and everything unclean (Matthew 23:27).   

The bible teaches us that the religious system of the last days will be different to this. Paul, someone who had grown up with the Law and traditions, was given insight into these last days said the following of them: “They will be terrible times” (2 Timothy 3). Paul continues to define the following characteristics of the religious system of the last days:

•           Members will be lovers of self
•          Members will love money
•          Members will love entertainment

It is of course the aim of this religious system to please God, so the love of God will be preached. The problem will be that the love of other things will have a higher value in the members life than the love of God. The members are not willing to “tolerate healthy doctrine, but with itching ears will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3) That is why Paul says that it will have the form of religion, but will deny its power – the power to transform a life – the power to change a heart! This will be a religious system that has found a replacement for the Gospel of the Kingdom, changing it into a gospel for this world. It will therefore be opposed to Christ and the Message of the offense of the Cross – that people should die to self.

Just as the religious system arose in the time of Christ to stop his message and mission, so will this religious system arise against Christ (Anti-Christ) in the same way, using similar methods. It will define itself as the “true” religion, a protector of the faith and a guiding light through its educated and dedicated priesthood and its aged traditions.    

This religious system will arise against Christ and His followers – and the bible teaches us that it will have the following spiritual characteristics:

•          It will be a resort and dwelling place of demons (Revelation 18:2)
•          It will enslave the souls of its members (Revelations 18:13)
•          It will be drunk on the blood of the true followers of Christ (Revelation 17:6, 18:24, 18:20)
•          It will be responsible for the death of the true Prophets and true Apostles (Revelation 17:6, 18:20, 18:24)

This religious system is a spiritual city called “Babylon”. Therefore the voice from the heavenly city shouts an urgent request to all who have been seduced by her “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4)

As we saw in the beginning, this religious system places a veneer of “righteousness” over its members – painting them “saved” but refuses to deal with the internal issues of the heart – that people truly be transformed back into the image of Christ. Therefore although an external coming out can be helpful, it is only the internal transformation of the heart that will bring true freedom.

Therefore be encouraged to open your heart to the Lordship of Christ (Revelation 3:20), renounce your life in the systems of this world that you may be translated into the Kingdom of the Glory of the Son. Let us strive towards the goal Paul defines, which is to be conformed to the death of Christ so that we may attain to His Resurrection Life in us (Philippians 3:10-11). Because, only as we renounce our lives and embrace His Life, can we become free from the power of deception and attain  to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). Amen! 

For this reason was the Son of God manifest!

Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” (Mark 7:13)

Although Andrew Murray was undoubtedly a very godly man, especially in the area of prayer and experiencing the deeper life, we still need to apply the Word of God to prove what he said.  His statement marked in red below is something that I wish to call attention to:

Quote from Chapter 1: Divine Healing by Andrew Murray (1828-1917)

We see, by the accounts given in the Gospels, that it was more difficult for the Jews at that time to believe in the pardon of their sins than in divine healing. Now it is just the contrary. The Christian Church has heard so much of the preaching of the forgiveness of sins that the thirsty soul easily receives this message of grace; but it is not the same with divine healing; that is rarely spoken of; the believers who have experienced it are not many. It is true that healing is not given in this day as in those times, to the multitudes whom Christ healed without any previous conversion. In order to receive it, it is necessary to begin by confession of sin and the purpose to live a holy life. This is without doubt the reason why people find more difficulty to believe in healing than in forgiveness; and this is also why those who receive healing receive at the same time new spiritual blessing, feel more closely united to the Lord Jesus, and learn to love and serve Him better. Unbelief may attempt to separate these two gifts, but they are always united in Christ. He is always the same Savior both of the soul and of the body, equally ready to grant pardon and healing.

 The redeemed may always cry: “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul.., who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases” (Ps. 103:3).

Does Scripture confirm that after the death and resurrection of the Lord the disciples fundamentally changed the way they had been healing and delivering people? Did they from then on require people to first confess their sin and to purpose to live a holy life before they could receive the Grace of God manifested as Healing and Deliverance?

This is a fundamentally relevant question for us today because the vast majority of teachers (in their books and sermons on mp3 and DVD) who teach healing and deliverance (in all their different forms) adhere to the above statement – this means it has such wide acceptance that very few would ever think about questioning it.

Firstly we have to establish that as Andrew Murray confirms above, Jesus did not require people to repent (turn from their sins and live a holy life style) before healing them.  This we can clearly see in many examples (Mark 5:1-20 – deliverance and mental healing; Luke 13:10-17 - Jesus expels a spirit of infirmity from the body of a woman)

In John 5:14 we read the following: Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."  From the context it is clear that the man at first did not even know who had healed him and only afterwards did Jesus confront him with the need to repent of his sin.

Now we should compare how the disciples healed and delivered after Jesus had risen and ascended to determine if there was any fundamental change in approach – to that which they had learnt from Jesus.

The first example is that of Peter and John at the gate beautiful in Acts 3:1-7. Clearly the beggar looked at Peter and John expecting to receive money.  Then in the Authority of the Name of Jesus Peter grabs the beggar by the hand, hauls him up up his feet – healed. No preaching of the Gospel and clearly no repentance by the beggar before he was healed! It was Peters faith in the Authority of the Name of Jesus that resulted in the healing – and this afterwards provided a platform for him to confront the religious leaders with their sin and demand that they repent!

The second example we see in Acts 14:8-10. This Gentile man had been a cripple since his birth. Paul was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and the cripple man was receiving the message with an open heart. Paul told him to stand up – which he did. There is no account that the cripple man had done any repentance, he had not come forward to repeat some prayer – it is recorded that he had faith to be healed – so obviously Paul was preaching exactly that – that through faith in the Authority in the Name of Jesus people can be healed and delivered. We are sure of this because it is written that faith comes through hearing the Word of Christ preached (Romans 10:14). Afterwards Paul confronts the Gentiles with the need for repentance (Acts 14:15)

Thirdly Paul is harsh with the Christians in Galatia (Galatians 3:1-5) and wanted to know who had bewitched them into thinking that they could receive the Spirit by their own works (e.g. commitment to a holy lifestyle). He also confirms that the Works of Holy Spirit were manifest among them only because they believed in the Victory of Christ over disease and demons through His crucifixion (paraphrased).   

I have discovered no biblical confirmation that Christians ministering healing and deliverance in the post resurrection and ascension period fundamentally changed the way that Jesus had healed and delivered. Rather I see a confirmation that it remained unchanged! If we take this teaching that repentance is required first to an extreme situation – in a situation where someone needs to be raised from the dead – we realize that it is totally insufficient. How is a dead person going to first repent and commit to live a holy life before they can be raised from the dead?

Paul describes far more serious consequences resulting from this kind of teaching in Romans 2:1-4. Here Paul warns against judging others and asks if we do not realize that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Once we are of the opinion that people have to first repent before they can be healed – we stand in the very dangerous place of becoming judges declaring that they still have sin in their lives that needs to be repented of – maybe giving this as a reason for them not being healed by our prayer for them.  Actually it is most probably the unbelief of the one who ministered healing and/or deliverance that resulted in the person not being healed / delivered.

As Curry Blake has confirmed through the teachings of John G. Lake and his own healing and deliverance ministry, there is no requirement for someone to repent to receive the grace of God. The only requirement is that of Faith – and in the area of healing and deliverance – it is mostly the faith of the one ministering healing and deliverance that is required – as the example of raising someone from the dead confirms!

The example of how Jesus healed and delivered does not negate or diminish the importance of repentance or of stressing the importance of living a holy life in any way. It instead refocuses us on the total victory of Calvary over all sin, disease and demons and allows us to access the Grace of God through faith and not by our own works. Own works are here defined as confessing of sin, breaking of curses, searching for iniquity committed by our forefathers or anything having to do else other than focusing on Christ.

Once people have tasted that the Lord is gracious and have seen His power – they exercise the freedom of Will in choosing or rejecting Him. They need to understand that by rejecting Christ and returning to sin – something worse could happen to them. Not because this is the Will of God, but because the demons are going to build up a better stronghold next time round (Luke 11:24-26).

Let us not be the ones to hinder the flow of God's Grace to people – we are supposed to be channels of His Grace on the earth. The one ministering healing and deliverance has to live in obedience to the Lord by healing and delivering people from the power of satan unto the Kingdom of God (Acts 26:18). These ministers are not to keep backdoors for their unbelief open. Here are some examples what some of these backdoors can be:” It is not God’s will to heal you”; “You have hidden sin in your life”; “There is some undefined curse on your life”; “The iniquity of your forefathers is hindering your healing”; “You don’t have enough faith”; and so on an so forth! Jesus never used one of these backdoors, ever! Nor does the bible record that the first believers did either! We have the Mandate to pray for the sick to be healed - when we become the ones who decide who God will heal and who not, have we then "not discriminated among ourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:4)

Let us become convinced of what the Bible describes as the complete Victory of Christ over the devil, powers and principalities, all demon power, every sickness, disease and infirmity, every wound and all pain, death and hades! As we develop our understandings through the Word of Christ and refuse to live by the senses trapped in this world and as we reject the traditions of men – we by faith enter into the manifestation of the Kingdom and Will of the Father on this earth (Matthew 6:10)!

In this way we will bring Glory to the Father, destroy the works of the devil and see many enter into the Freedom offered by Christ. Hallelujah! For this reason was the Son of God manifest!


So finally, the Heart of Christ in this matter is revealed in the following:

* “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:10) 

* "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.'" (Mark 2:17) 

* “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Matthew 9:13) 

Keep your focus to do what Jesus commanded!

Luke 8:23-25
But as they (the disciples) sailed he (Jesus) fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind (whirlwind) on the lake; and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger.
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we are perishing! Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging waves: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him.

The disciples find themselves in the midst of a storm, which appears to threaten their lives. They shout to the Lord knowing “that all who call upon the Lord shall be saved”. Bill Johnson remarks that he was always taught that it was an expression of Faith to call upon the Lord when we are in danger. However in contradiction to this: Jesus wakes up, rebukes the storm and then He rebukes His disciples for their lack of faith. Jesus was obviously expecting something very different from His disciples.

He was obviously not expecting that they quietly sit in the boat and pray in their hearts to Him to save them either!
Jesus had earlier told His disciples, “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.” (Luke 6:40). So I believe that the expression of Faith that Jesus expected from His disciples was that they should do what He had done, that is, command in the Authority of His Name.

Let us now investigate how we can relate this passage to the current disasters that are shaking the world!

Acts 1:6-8 (New International Version)
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

As we see the increasing number and intensity of apocalyptic images of natural disasters coming upon the earth, we are tempted by feelings of hopelessness – questioning ourselves and not understanding why God is allowing all these things. We read the various confusing interpretations of the book of Revelations and hear so many saying that now is the End of Time!

The early disciples also battled with these thoughts, albeit for different reasons. The Old Testament prophets had spoken of a glorious future for Israel but since returning from the captivity in Babylon things did not appear so great. This caused some of the Jewish people to seek for answers in hidden symbols and numbers that were revealing the Masters Plan. Out of this search for answers the so called early Jewish apocalyptic literature developed.

The influence of the Greek thinking on the early Jewish apocalyptic literature caused people to take a very passive position on current events, because they developed a philosophy that they "knew" the Master's Plan. God would come and restore the Kingdom and there was nothing that anyone could do to change that – one just had to “survive” and remain faithful until that glorious Day!

In the Book of Revelation Jesus the Messiah reveals Himself as the One who is coming and is busy establishing His Kingdom on the Earth. He has clearly stated that we will not know the time of His coming. Despite this so many continue to try and press this book into a specific time schedule.

We need to break the Greek Philosophical View of the End Times (amongst other things by not debating about which Interpretation we subscribe to) over our lives and become active Ambassadors of God, by allowing Him to manifest His Kingdom in and through us. Let the People taste and see that the Lord is Good (through the Fruit of our lives).

Jesus requires and expects us to demonstrate Faith in these times – how do we do that? By doing the things that He would do if he were on the earth today – by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and teaching people how to enter and live in the reality of the Kingdom of God. (Actually He is on the Earth – living in His disciples)

This is so different from getting people to come forward in a meeting and repeat some small prayer!
It is also very different from getting people to a meeting where some “anointed one” can perform some demonstration of Power to the delight and amusement of the crowd – where the crowd returns home unaffected and unchanged in their hearts to wait for the next great entertainer!
It is also different to warming a church pew and hearing some orator encourage and motivate people that they too can be successful in this world – occasionally throwing in enough bible passages to convince that this is all happening “in the name of the Lord”!

Jesus is very clear in His command to His disciples:
He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:4-5)

My paraphrase of the command of Jesus:

Get baptised in the Holy Spirit and then be led by the Spirit to be the witnesses of all I have done – by doing the same things – and teaching people to obey all I have commanded you. Bring them into the Kingdom of God by demonstrating that my Kingdom has come upon the earth – my rule of Authority and Power is already established on the earth – by casting out demons and healing the sick. Oh and by the way, you have to renounce your life in this world if you desire to enter into the fullness of my Kingdom on this earth – you have to die to self to live for me – because it will actually be me living in and through you!

I want all men, woman and children to be delivered out of darkness – now go forth in the Authority of my Name!

... AND DO WHAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU!

Are you dying to live?

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:24 -25)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. (Luke 8:11)

In the beginning we see that our lives have become empty and devoid of order. It is our experience that we are living in deep darkness, totally without hope. God sees us in this situation and His Spirit begins to move upon us. As we are prepared the Word of God comes to us; God speaks to us meeting us where we are.

As His Words find entrance into our lives, the Light of His Glory begins to shine in us. As this Light shines in us, so God begins to separate us from those things that had caused the darkness. To the degree that we renounce this world and our lives in this world, we inherit the Life that only God can give.

We die to the chaos and darkness of this world and become fruitful citizens of an eternal Kingdom! The symbolism of water baptism has become a reality in our lives. We have been crucified and buried with Christ and now dwell resurrected in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6)

Think that a godly life is a way to make a profit?

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.(1 Timothy 6:5)

Paul wants here to be aware that some people are denying the Teachings of Jesus Christ - regarding holiness, honour, service amongst others - but in their pride and envy cause dispute over words in order to justify their rebellion.

They have persuasive arguments for their position, are doing seemingly right things (like feeding the poor), offer wonderful Christian entertainment and teach on ways to get wealthy and how to have a good positive life in this world. They have redefined the biblical concept "Church" as a profit making organisation. In effect they have become friends of this world and in so doing have made themselves enemies of God.

We are warned to withdraw ourselves from such people and situations, because our eternal life could otherwise be endangered:

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

Instead we are well advised to flee these things and to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

What are you waiting for?

The powerlessness of the Will

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
(Romans 7:18 – 20 KJV)

Paul illustrates quite clearly here that his will is not so free and not so powerful, but it has been taken captive by sin. He acknowledges what is good and even decides that this is what he wants to do, but finds out that he fails to do this. Sometimes he finds himself doing exactly that which he has decided is evil and does not want to do. So, a free will alone is not sufficient to enable us to do that which we will to do because we perceive it to be good. What can we do?

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13 KJV)

Paul provides the solution for this problem we face. We use the free will we have to appeal to a higher authority, that is, the Authority of God, who dwells inside of us through His Spirit. We appeal that He would put to death the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) in us.

On what basis can the Spirit do this in us?

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. (Romans 6:3-8)

The basis is the statement of faith, that “old man is crucified with him”. As we believe this in our hearts and confess it with our mouths the spiritual reality of the Truth begins to manifest itself in our lives.

This is how salvation works, how healing works, or any other Truth that we take hold of and desire to see manifest in our lives and upon the earth. It starts as a confession on our lips and ends as a reality of the Nature of Christ formed within us. Martin Luther said this was fulfilment of what we expressed when we got baptised in water (Introduction to Romans).

The real experience of this truth in our lives, i.e. where the Word has become Flesh within and through us, delivers us from the power of sin, from the world and from the prince of the power of the air. This is real deliverance!

This is the wisdom of the cross demonstrating its power in our lives – not just an empty doctrine that is distant from our perception of reality! Praise the Lord for His Grace in our lives!