Let’s walk and partake in the blessings of God.  How do we do that?  “If you will hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments and keep all of his statutes.”  Amen?  James not only says that we can be healed, but our sins can be forgiven when we come to Him and partake of this finished work, the redemption that’s in Jesus.  I want to make a distinction, as we go in the study, of the healing ministry of Jesus and the healing ministry of the apostles.  If we have time, I’m going to take, chronologically, 20 healings in the book of Acts in chronological order so that we can look at them.  What’s the one thing that we notice immediately between the ministry of the apostles and the ministry of Jesus?  Jesus healed them all every time.  Now, why?  Well, we just saw here what kind of a lifestyle you had to have for the covenant to be in full function and operation.  He never sinned.  There was never anything that distracted Him from His confidence, His belief in God.  The fact that He never sinned didn’t just mean that He didn’t become immoral some way, it meant that He always did the will of God.  “I didn’t come to do My own will, but the will of He that sent Me.  Father, I know that when I pray, you hear me.”  Why?  Because I’m continually abiding in you.  We’re told that if the Word would abide in us, and we would abide in Him, we could ask whatever we would, and it would be done unto us.  Abiding, communion, fellowship poured out for the kingdom.

Are there things that we could look at and say, “Well, are there apparent discrepancies here?”  Because sometimes we see godly people like Paul experiencing adverse circumstances, physically, a messenger from Satan sent to beat Him black and blue; amen?  “Well, the devil’s beating me black and blue. I just don’t know, it must be because I’m so spiritual.”  Let’s look a little more into Paul.  Because of the abundance of the revelations that were given to him that he would not, then, begin to place on himself, an appointment upon himself, a righteousness that was above measure.  Sometimes—like Job—we’re being tested—like Paul—were experiencing consequences of being a forerunner.  We have to remember, Paul was a great gift to the church that crosses generations.  So, as that forerunner, he said, “We became examples through the things that we’ve suffered and endured.”  Amen?  So that you and I could learn and be encouraged in God’s deliverance of him, and when that becomes the case, then we just praise God; amen?  It creates an attitude, like Paul’s, that says, “I can depart, and it would be better for me, or I can remain here and continue to get beat up, people speak evil of me and everything else, which is better for you.”  So, God gave him the grace, and he continued his ministry.

As we’re looking at healing, some ask the question why some may or may not instantly be healed.  There are many times, eternal purposes and consequences that we’re not aware of at the moment.  It has to do with things very similar to things that are emotional for us, like having to deal with loved ones and apply biblical justice and judgment, compassion that we have on certain situations, that may motivate us one way or another.  We can’t form our opinions, or our doctrine, based upon individual circumstances, but on the general revelation of the Word of God.  Amen?  So, whenever we see something, the Scripture will reveal many times what it is, but let’s not get caught up in that line-item veto kind of thinking, and let’s just stay simple with the revealed will of God, the general will of God, at the mouth of two or three witnesses, letting every word be established.  This doctrine of divine healing is not at the mouth of two or three witnesses, but the mouth of hundreds of witnesses in a covenant that God made within Himself—the Godhead—so that it was sure because God can’t lie.  Amen?  Our God, Jehovah Rapha, the Lord that heals us.  Matthew, Chapter 8, “And He healed them all that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, by His stripes, we’re healed.”

Father, we just thank You and we refuse to live less than what You’ve provided for us.  You’re a great God, a loving Father.  You partook of this pain.  You took this pain upon yourself.  O Lord, that it would not be in vain.  You took the sickness on yourself, that it would not be in vain.  Let us rise up and be whole in the name of Jesus.  You didn’t suffer for nothing, and so we take that, that’s ours.  We thank You for the healing right now in our bodies, many of us that need a touch of God this morning.  “Speak the Word,” said the centurion.  We don’t need hands laid upon us, just speak the Word, Lord, speak the Word this morning, “You’re healed,” praise God!  You’ve spoken the Word.  We’re healed.  Let’s receive it and be whole, that men would see and glorify our Father, which is in heaven, and for that Father, we’ll give you all the praise, we’ll give You all the glory in Jesus’ name; amen.