A Study On Healing: Parts I,II, and III

darlene@christianmagazine.org

Healing: Part I

Are you sick? If so, God doesn'want you to be sick. God doesn't want anyone to be sick. I don't care what the devil says or what other people tell you; our Heavenly Father is not a cruel God that withholds healing from His Children. I know there are many skeptics out there that believe God picks and chooses who He will heal. That it isn't His Will to heal everyone thus He allows many to continue to suffer.

They think this because many of our brothers and sisters in the Lord are sick and suffering, and many have died. Although this may be true, we simply can not base our faith on what we see going on around us, we must base our faith on the Word of God. Remember when Jesus was walking on the water and he bid Peter to come to him. Peter started out walking on the water too, however he began to sank when he took his eyes off Jesus and started looking at what was going on around him. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. (Matthew 14:29-31)

If you’re sick, God wants to heal you. He sent His Son to take the stripes on His back for your healing. (1^st Peter 2:24) Yes, your healing. Your healing has been bought and paid for by Jesus Christ, so now all you have to do is reach out and receive it by faith. For example, let’s say you place an order for a product of some kind. After your order is processed, it is then packaged and shipped to you. When your package arrives, it is delivered to your door by your mail carrier. When your doorbell rings it is then up to you to open the door and reach out and take that package. God ordered healing and Jesus paid for it. All you have to do is open your spiritual door—so to speak—reach out and take your healing by faith.

If you have sickness in your body, if you are able, why don’t you rise up and as an act of faith go to your front door, open it and say, Jesus, I receive my healing. It has been bought and paid for, delivered to me, and now I receive it by faith.

You may think this sounds crazy, but when we do our part in the natural realm, God will do His part in the supernatural realm.

Jesus Used Natural Means

To Produce Supernatural Healing

We read in St. John 9:6-7 where Jesus spat on the ground and made clay of spittle. He then anointed a blind man’s eyes with it. Those standing by—his disciple’s and anyone else that may have been there—must have thought that Jesus was crazy for making mud from His own spit. And, they probably thought the blind man was just as crazy for allowing Jesus to rub the mud in his eyes. And it must have sounded even crazier to them when they heard Jesus tell the blind man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. I don’t know how much water was in the pool of Siloam at that time, but who would tell a blind man to go and wash in a pool? A blind man could fall in, you know, and drown. Nevertheless, no matter how crazy it all may have seemed, the blind man did as he was told and he received his sight. Jesus used natural means to bring about supernatural healing.

Do Something To Activate Your Faith

Do what you physically can in the natural, to activate the Word of God in your life. If you’re bedfast but you can still talk, then speak the Word of God into your situation. Maybe you’re not bedfast but you are in a wheelchair, if so, then get those wheels rolling. Take a ride through your house praising God for deliverance and for the day when you will rise up out of that wheelchair and walk! Do something to activate your faith. If you can do nothing more than whisper one healing scripture a day. Do it! On the other hand, if you can’t utter a word, think and mediate on the things of God. Be creative, you can do something. If you can move only one finger up and down, then do that! Don’t just lie there, do something!

God wants to heal you. God would have never allowed His Son to go through all the pain and humiliation He went through if He wasn’t going to follow through with His Plan of Salvation—which includes healing and deliverance.

Healing: Part II

God’s HealthCare Plan

God’s healthcare plan provides healing for everyone. However, I will concede to the fact that although healing has been provided for everyone, not everyone is healed. This could be because of a number of hindrances such as, lack of faith, sin, disobedience, attacks of the devil, just to name a few. Whatever the hindrance, it must be dealt with before healing can occur. If you’re a born again Child of God and aren’t getting well, ask God to show you what the hindrance is. Maybe you’re holding unforgiveness in your heart towards someone. Or, perhaps you’re hanging on to something that God wants you to let go of. Whatever the hindrance, it can be resolved with a little help from the Lord.

To those of you who are not saved, you need to give your heart to Jesus so you can start receiving the benefits of God’s healthcare plan. Psalm 103:2-3 says,

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thine diseases.

And 1^st Peter 2:24,

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

God has provided healing, but it is up to us to resolve any hindrance that is stopping us from receiving.

Healing: Part III

Don’t Be Misled

By the Negative Campaigns

Going on Against Healing

Don’t be misled by the negative religious campaigns going on against healing. Don’t believe those that teach healing isn’t for today. That God allows people to suffer for His glory. God doesn’t receive glory from watching people suffer, He receives glory when they are healed by His power. Allowing His Children to suffer would only suggest that God is weak in power, or that He is a neglectful, abusive parent.

And, don’t believe the negative campaigners when they use the suffering of Job and Paul’s thorn in the flesh as examples to justify their message of doom and gloom. Read the Word for yourself. When you do, you’ll find that God is a good God and One that is more than ready to heal you.

The Suffering of Job

No doubt you’ve heard messages preached that God wants us to suffer. Most of them refer to Job when preaching their message of suffering. However, the Book of Job was written long before Jesus came and destroyed the works of the devil. (1^st John 3:8). God has now provided us with a new and better covenant through the shed Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12:24). For God to allow satan to attack us now would be in strict violation of the new covenant He, Himself, set in motion. Is He going to do that? No.

So, let’s get with the new program, shall we? God is not going to send His Son to take the stripes on His back to provide healing for us only to turn around and give the devil permission to come and take it away. Jesus said in St. John 10:10,

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, to kill, and to destroy, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

God sent Jesus to destroy the works of the devil and to provide us with abundant life. Jesus rendered the devil powerless against those of us who believe.

Rest assured, God is not going to reinstate the devil’s power just so he can come after you.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

Now you may say, oh but what about Paul’s thorn in the flesh? Wasn’t that a sickness? God never healed Paul. Well, let’s talk about that. When we read 2^nd Corinthians 12: 7-10 we do learn that something was definitely going on in Paul’s life. However, Paul makes it clear in verse 7 that sickness wasn’t the issue. Paul said about midway of that verse, "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me." Paul identifies his thorn as being the messenger of satan. He didn’t say there was given to me a sickness to buffet me, he said, there was given to me the messenger of satan to buffet me.

Paul’s thorn was nothing more than the devil following him around and causing him trouble. It was not a sickness that God allowed in his life. God is not a cruel God and would never withhold any good thing from His Children. So, if Paul’s thorn had been a sickness, I believe God would have healed him. Psalm 84:11 says,

"…No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

Also, I want to mention something Andrew Wommack wrote in one of his articles. He said, and I quote,

"First of all, this "thorn" came because of the abundance of revelations Paul had received. Until a person has an abundance of revelations, similar to what Paul had, he is not going to have a "thorn." That would disqualify just about all of those who have been hiding behind Paul's thorn."

End quote.

In closing, I want to simply caution you to be careful not to allow anyone, or anything, hinder you from receiving your healing. Take care of any issues that may be stopping you from receiving. You may have a life threatening illness but God can heal you if you have faith in Him. "…With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

Copyright 2008 by Darlene Osborne

Do You Need Deliverance?

Do You Need Deliverance?

By Darlene Osborne

The Christian Online Magazine -

darlene@christianmagazine.org

Do you feel troubled and you don’t understand why? Are you sick and cannot seem to get well? Do you feel as if you are under an evil influence of some kind never having any real sense of peace? Have you prayed and prayed with not a hint of relief in sight? Well then, what you may need is deliverance and to receive deliverance you need to understand what it is and how it transpires.

Prayer…

There are various types of prayer such as a prayer of repentance, the prayer of faith for healing, etc. And just a simple prayer prayed in faith is a powerful weapon against the enemy. But what we need to realize is that some situations call for something along side of prayer, something called deliverance. (Please note that I said along side of prayer not aside from prayer.) Anything aside from prayer would be error.

Luke 18:1, "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (KJV)

What can be done?

In the day and hour we are living in many are either, depressed, oppressed, or possessed. They are in need of deliverance from demonic activity such as alcohol abuse, pornography, child molestation, etc. Even followers of Christ are into habitual acts of a sinful nature. What can be done about it? The Bible says, "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1 (KJV)

We must pray and help bring deliverance to our fellow mankind. Not because we want to make a name for ourselves, but because we want to share the name that is above every name, Jesus. How do we bring deliverance? We do this by casting out devils.

Casting out Devils

To cast out a devil you command the devil to come out in the name of Jesus. Don’t stand there and argue with him if he talks back tell him to hold his peace and come out. When you are casting him out don’t make it a long drawn out demonstration.

Many people often avoid the entire issue of casting out devils because they either, don’t believe in it or they are afraid of it. But it is real and it is in the Bible.

Mark 16:27, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; …..(KJV)

Sad to say rarely do pastors even address this subject from their pulpits for fear of satan and what he may do. However, 2nd Timothy tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. We need not be afraid of satan or the fallen angels that hang out with him.

Jesus certainly was not afraid of the devil. He delivered many people who were bound by evil spirits.

Examples:

Luke 8:2, "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities..." (KJV)

Mark 9:25, " When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him." (KJV)

Matthew 4:24, "And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them." (KJV)

Matthew 8:16, "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick." (KJV)

Also, remember the lady in Luke 13:11 who was bowed together and could in no wise lift herself up? Jesus said, "Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity." The Bible says she was loosed from the spirit of infirmity. Completely set free by the power of God.

In reviewing the above scriptures we find that demon spirits were often the source of illness. And although God created our bodies to last forever the human body has a tendency to malfunction. We can trace this malfunction all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Satan beguiled Eve and that is where it all began. A curse was placed on mankind but I have good news. Jesus came and delivered us from the curse. He delivered us from the power of satan.

John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (KJV)

Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." (KJV)

Jesus actually restored us back to the original relationship we once had with the Father. Praise the Lord we are redeemed from the curse! Sin and Sickness no longer has power over us.

Daily Warfare against Evil

Ephesians 6:12 says this. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)

We are in a daily warfare against unseen forces of evil and the only way you and I will remain in the winners circle is through and by the name of Jesus. His shed blood brings deliverance and sends chills right up the devil’s spine. Trust me, if you need deliverance, the name of Jesus will send the devil on his way leaving you with the deliverance you need.

Special Note

If you are depressed command the devil to leave in the name of Jesus. Also you need to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Isaiah (61:3)

If you are oppressed submit yourself to God then resist the devil and he will flee. You must submit yourself to God first. If you are trying to resist the devil and haven't submitted yourself to God you are wasting your time. God has to come first. (James 4:7)

If you are possessed in certain areas of your life, you may be an alcoholic or a drug abuser, seek out a Spirit filled Christian who has the power of God to cast out devils. (Mark 16:17)

Don’t Become Discouraged

Don’t become discouraged or disillusioned at the things that are going on around you. Just take a stand and realize who your enemy is and don’t let him push you around.

The Word of God is more powerful than any two-edge sword. If you are sick, He will heal you. If you are tormented, He will bring peace to you. If you need a financial miracle, he will send it to you. Whatever your need may be Jesus has the answer for He is the answer. He is the deliverer!

If you feel you are in need of deliverance you may contact us at prayforme@christianmagazine.org

for prayer and counseling.

© 2001 by Darlene Osborne (Revised Jan 2008)

Darlene Osborne is the Publisher and Editor of "The Christian Online Magazine."

http://www.ChristianMagazine.org

Miracles for Sale: Wanna Buy One?

 

darlene@christianmagazine.org

Jesus told The Twelve in Matthew 10:8, ‘Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received freely give.’ But today’s TV evangelists are saying something entirely different. They are saying, want a miracle? Well it’s going cost you! To those of you who are trying to buy these miracles, at whatever price they’re going for these days, I would like to caution you about what you’re doing.

But first, bad news! The TV evangelists are at it again. And another one has fallen into the same ditch the others have already fallen into. It seems he hasn’t been able to pay his ministry bills lately. And although he isn’t begging for money, which of course I disagree with, he is trying to sell miracles, which I disagree with more. But personally, I think he would fair much-better if he would just ask for the money. Asking isn’t begging. If he would say, hey, I am in a little bit of trouble here, could you help me out? I believe more would give to his ministry.

It is sad to see any man, or woman of God, get caught up in this type of false doctrine. But they let the pressure get to them I guess. I just wish someone among them would step up and say, hey, this is wrong. We need to stop doing this. But it seems like that is never going to happen. Most of them are in on the idea of selling miracles so they back each other up! Now, I’m not saying that every evangelist on TV is a money grabber. But, the numbers are alarming.

The Money Grabbers

and

Their Money Grabbing Ways

The money grabbers are teaching people to stay in the spirit of expectancy, always keeping them in a state of want. But hey, whatever happened to being content with what you have? Isn’t that what the bible teaches anyhow? I believe so. Hebrews 13:5 says this.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Did I read that right? Be content with such things as you have? Oh my. That is a far cry from what is being taught on Christian TV today. I haven’t heard a message about contentment in a very long time. Have you? I guess they’re afraid to teach on contentment for fear people will stop giving to them. Let’s face it, if people ever became content with what they already have they wouldn’t be so quick to buy into the message of giving to get. Miracle sells would drop, and the money grabbers would be out of business.

But, as it is now, the poor keep trying to buy their way out of proverty, the sick keep trying to buy their way in to receiving healing, and the money grabbers just keep on grabbing for their money.

This is wrong and those of you who are buying into this hype need to wise up! When they get on their programs and say such things as, God told me to tell you if you give such and such amount, He will heal you. If you give such and such amount, He will save your lost loved ones; you best not believe it. These provisions have already been bought and paid for by the shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prosperity and Healing

Are Their Biggest Sellers

Prosperity

TV Evangelists take people’s money under false pretenses. Frankly, I don’t see how they stay of jail. They promise people the moon just to get them to give. Folks, don’t fall prey to the messages they preach on prosperity. Which, by the way, can only be received if you give to them. They never encourage people to give to their local church or any other organization. It’s only if you give to them that you will be blessed. This is ridiculous and why people fall for this stuff is beyond me.

Healing

Don’t allow these ministers to talk you into believing you have to pay for your healing. As I said above, and worth repeating again, this provision has already been bought and paid for by Jesus. They can’t provide one verse in the bible that backs up their doctrine. Jesus never associated money with healing. All those that approached Jesus were instantly healed and not once did He say, sow $100.00 into my ministry and then I will heal you.

Sometimes to justify taking money for healing a minister may refer to Matthew 8:4, which says, ‘…and offer the gift that Moses commanded.’ However, the word gift in this particular verse is not referring to money. (Read Leviticus 14:4-32 and Deuteronomy 24:8)

I just don’t believe for one second that God is telling these ministers to get on the air and auction off miracles like they are doing. I just don’t believe it! Remember the scripture we started out with at the beginning of this article? Matthew 10:8, ‘Freely you have received freely give.’ Jesus warned his disciples early on, don’t preach for money. And, 1^st Peter 5:2 also warns against preaching for filthy lucre or dishonest gain. I wonder sometimes if these evangelists ever read their bible.

We are to Give to the Poor

Not Take From the Poor

The Word of God instructs us to give to the poor. However, today’s rich TV evangelists are telling the poor, if you don’t have anything to give, go out and borrow it. They often encourage people to use their credit cards just so they can be sure to get their money. Credit cards are better than a check because they don’t bounce. How do they sleep at night after preaching this stuff? Give your way out of proverty, they say. But hey, wait a minute, aren’t the rich supposed to give to the poor and not the other way around? Something is terribly wrong with the way people think these days. Many think, if I give to brother so and so, I’ll receive a big house and a nice car like he has. If I give to sister so and so, I’ll receive the same Anointing she has. Let me caution you, if you’re one of those that think that, you better think again. The gifts and callings of God cannot be purchased with money. I don’t care what anyone tells you. (Acts: 8:18-21)

If you want to be blessed then you must give biblically otherwise it won’t work. I heard a minister say the other day, if you have sown a seed (gave money) and haven’t received anything back, sow again. Whatever the problem may be that you’re not receiving back is quickly eliminated by giving again. What a lame way of trying to make a buck.

We are to give to the poor not take from them. Luke 4:18 says,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

In the above verse, we are instructed to preach the gospel to the poor. Yet, I know someone who charges a fee to get into the many services he conducts in and around the United States. As you can see, this is clearly and biblically wrong. It is wrong to charge a rich person to get into a service much less a poor person. This particular evangelist is an excellent teacher but he is in serious error. He has stumbled a long the way yet many are patting him on the back as if to say, good job! Money does strange things to people. The love of money is the root of all evil and it will take you to hell if you let it. (I Timothy 6:10)

Conclusion:

I see my article is running a little long. Let me close by saying this, Christian TV can be a wonderful asset to our Christian walk. However, we must be careful. I believe what I have said in this article can be summed up with this verse. 1^st Thessalonians 5:21, ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.’ If we prove all things by the bible, instead of, believing all things just because someone said it, none of us will ever go wrong.

The next time you need a miracle, and some evangelist says, it’s going to cost you. Say, no, it’s going to cost you your soul if you don’t wise up.

Until next time remember, I said it and you read it, right here at The Christian Online Magazine

Copyright 2008 by Darlene Osborne (All Rights Reserved) To use my articles, contact me darlene@christianmagazine.org