Sermon Archives (March  31, 2002):

Is Healing for You? – Part 11

Good afternoon church.  I have been teaching the last ten sermons on “Is Healing for You?”    We’ve sought to answer that question from God’s Word?   What does the Bible, God’s Word say about healing?   And our finding have been this: 

Having received God’s answer, that yes, healing is for you, our focus is now to determine from the Bible how we as Christians obtain healing.   In our last two services we discussed, anointing with oil, the laying on of hands, and Method 6, special anointings.  Today we conclude our series on healing focusing on simply saying it, and believing.   In our next service, we begin a new series How Faith Works.

Our text today is Mark 11:23-24:  “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.“

Beloved let us bow our heads.   Father, let every believer hear this message today and the world as well.  Teach us Father by your word your principles of healing.   Teach us Father how we may obtain and understand by speaking our beliefs and believing in receiving.   And all God’s people said, “Amen.”

METHOD 7 -  SPEAKING AND BELIEVING:  Jesus said, “Say to the mountain..”   The skeptic replies, “Yes, but Christ didn’t mean that literally.”  I reply to the skeptic, “By what authority do you make the scripture of no affect?”  I don’t like driving automobiles.   Frankly, the people driving on LA highways and freeways frighten me.   So the first thing I do when I get into my car is say, “Father, in the name of Jesus surround me and this automobile with protecting angels today.  Let no injury come to me or others while I drive.”   Consequently, I drive protected.   Why?  (Hebrews 1:14)  “Are Angels not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

I’m an heir.  You are an heir.   God’s Angels are here to minister to you for your benefit.   Christ’s direction, “Say to the mountain…”   Prayer is good, but you being Kings and Priests of the most high need not ask.   You need but say.  Say, without doubting, and the promise is “you will have them.”   Open your mouth then, say and believe, “Bless God, I believe that I have received my healing.  I believe that my financial needs are met.”

Blessings do not fall like oranges off a tree, but the scriptures demonstrate that this works.   (Matthew 8:5-10, 13) “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’  And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’  When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’ … Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And in that self-same hour, his servant was healed.”

Why was the servant healed?   The sick servant had not prayed.  Rather his boss believed in his heart what he said with his mouth  … what he said …  what he said.   He believed in his heart what he said, and his servant was healed.   Christ tells, “whoever says to this mountain”.   Who can say?  Those without “doubt in his heart.”  In other words, if you are to have the authority to say to the mountain, than you must be a believer.   You must be God’s child.   You must be born again.  The Centurion did not pray.  The centurion just said, “Speak the Word, and my servant shall be healed.”  And what was the result of this speaking and believing, “’ And in that self-same hour, (not next month or next year, but in that self-same hour)  his servant was healed”

Remember the story in Mark 5:24-35 of the woman who had bleed twelve years from her womb.  The scriptures state (Mark 5:28), for she said, (Note:  she said… she said… she said. )‘If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’   She touched Christ’s garment and was instantly - not just in that self-same hour - but instantly healed.  Why?  Because she believed in her heart, and said with her mouth what would come to pass.  For Jesus said, “Whosoever shall say…  Whosoever shall say…  Whosoever shall say…”   The woman said.  The Centurion said.  Both believed, and both had their healing immediately.  This is speaking and believing.

But believing with prayer what is spoken also works.  Jesus tells us, (Mark 11:24) “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”  Jesus cannot lie.  Wouldn’t “whatever things you ask”  include healing?   But the skeptic says, “Yes, but I don’t feel better.”    Don’t depend upon your feelings.  Rather believe God.   This is not your senses.  It’s faith, not logic, nor understanding.   Riding in a car doesn’t require your understanding of how fuel injection works.  You have the faith to believe it works, and so when you put your pedal to the metal, the car drives.   Likewise believe in your healing, pray and say it and you will be healed.

How do we obtain such faith?  (Romans 10:17) “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”   You are acquiring that faith here today, right now.  In fact in the long run you need never be sick.  (Psalms 91:1) “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.“   Where is this secret place?    (Matthew 6:6) “Pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”  The secret place is thus the throne of God.  Therefore pray to your Father who is in Heaven.   (Psalms 91:10-11) “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;  for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.”   What is a plague?  Isn’t that sickness and disease?   “Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.”    For this is God’s promise for you “who dwells in the secret place of the Most High” as God’s child verse16 “with long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

Beloved, I have four more offering to make today.  Will you close your eyes and bow your heads.  If anyone today wishes to accept for the first time Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior raise your hands.  Christians are praying.   I see a hand raised.  Thank you.  You may put it down.   If there is anyone who requires healing today, raise your hand.   I see hands raised.  Thank you.  You may put them down.   If there is anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before, but is unsure as to the certainty of that prior acceptance, raise your hands.   Lastly, if you have backslidden in that which you know is right, and are concerned as to your state should Christ return or call you home today, those who seek the renewing of their mind in Christ Jesus raise your hands.  I see many more hands today.   Thank you.  You may put your hands down.   Now open your eyes.  Everyone who raised a hand for any one of these four offerings take one step forward.   Well that was just about everybody.