Sermon Archives (September 23, 2001):

Is Healing for You? – Part 1

I have some questions.  I want to know.  You want to know.   What causes sickness?   What causes disease?   Conversely is healing for all, or was it just for those people who were fortunate enough to come in contact with Jesus physically two thousand years ago?   I want to know the answer to those questions.  You have a right to have those answers as well.

Today’s message will focus on (Acts 10:38) The apostle Peter said,  “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.”  He “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”  Beloved let us bow our heads.  Father, let every believer hear this message today and the world as well.  Help us to understand the cause of disease, the cause of sickness.   Is this Your plan or another’s that sickness and disease abound?   Teach us Father.  And all God’s people said, “Amen”.

I’m going to stay on this subject for a number of weeks, because everybody here wants to know.  This last week my wife, the woman I love, who faithfully serves both you and me, had two heart attacks.  Why?  I’m not interested in my opinion, or even your opinion.   We don’t need to hear someone’s brilliant pinhead rationalization why my wife was struck down.  No, I want to know from the God of this Universe; the creator of this whole shebang.   The time has come for us to have some straight answers about just what is going on down here.

People by the thousands are afflicted and racked with pain.  There are people here in our audience today who are in such pain.   With all this sickness, and with all this disease, is its God divine and perfect will that we all be sick.  Is that the best that great under achiever, that absentee landlord in the sky can muster?  If so, I’m telling you, I’m out of here.  There will be no more sermons from this child.   Come on God, I want to know.   These people want to know.   Present us your answers within your Word.

Let’s go back to that verse.   Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed … oppressed … oppressed by the devil.”   Repeat that word after me “oppressed” “oppressed.”  You mean my wife, that saint, that walking angel is possessed by the devil?  Is that what this scripture says?  No.  Not at all.   The scripture states the people were “oppressed” not “possessed”.   An enemy can “oppress” you by his warfare, but that does not mean that you are “possessed” by your enemy.

Having made that distinction, let us concluded that sickness and disease are a form of demonic “oppression” not “possession”.    Good people can be oppressed just as bad people can be oppressed.   And be you on notice, if you are one of God’s good people then be aware that Satan the Devil hates you, and will do all he can to “oppress” you.

Maybe then God expects us to glory Him while we are in our infirmities.   Let us consider then these versus, (Luke 13:11-13) “And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, ‘Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.’ And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”    For 18 years, the woman was afflicted, and there is nothing hear to suggest she “glorified God” while she was afflicted, while she was bent over like a pretzel.  No, she only “glorified God” after she was healed.

Having settled that issue, let’s read on in this account:  (Luke 13:14-16)  “But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.’ The Lord then answered him and said, ‘Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound.”  Wow!  Here are some words.  We just got some big time information.   Jesus Christ has just told us that this was a woman “whom Satan has bound.”.   That’s worth repeating.   Say these words after me, “whom Satan has bound”  “whom Satan has bound.”   We continue with the verse, “this woman”  … “--think of it--for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”

Let’s set aside the issue of the Sabbath day.  I have not brought you this verse so that we may have protracted debate on the Sabbath.   The significance of the verse for us in this context is that Jesus, the Son of God, has now told us that the woman – and therefore my wife today – were not bound by God with that affliction.  Rather it was Satan who afflicted the woman.  Satan then is therefore the author of disease.  

Jesus said the woman should be free.   Representing his Father, Jesus was telling us that it was God’s will that the woman and us be free.   That’s God’s purpose yesterday, today, and tomorrow.   And so that there could be no doubt, then Jesus healed the woman so that she was in fact set free.

None of us are perfect.   All of us need a savior, and so when we stray from God’s perfect will, Satan then has his opportunity to oppress us.     Paul writes (Romans 10:17),  “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”  If there were no healing Gospel, why would people have faith for healing?   But now that you have heard God’s Word, maybe your faith is ready for such healing.  I close with (Proverbs 4:20-22)  “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.  Do not let them depart from your eyes.  Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life … for they are life … for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Beloved, will you bow your heads, close your eyes, and repeat after me, “Lord Jesus, blessed is the Word.  Blessed is the freedom of the Word.   We bind you Satan for you have no power here.   For today we claim God’s healing. Forgive me my sins. Come into my life. I believe you are the Son of God, and that You died on the cross for me.  I repent of all the works of the Devil.  Cover me with your blood.  Create by God’s Holy Spirit a clean heart, and the strength to reject Satan’s world.   Heal me and renew my spirit so that I can hear Your voice, and be used by you as your child to bring many to salvation.   I accept you as my Savior!   Your are my Lord!  Amen!”