The Healing Rooms 2

As I mentioned, I was going to post some of the notes from the training sessions at the Healing Rooms gathering on the weekend. This session is on The Healing Word, presented by Thomas Chong.

Session 1: The Healing Word
1. Introduction

14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15 - NIV)
• The CERTAINTY of answered prayer follows from the CERTAINTY of being HEARD. And the CERTAINTY of being heard when approaching God with petitions follows from the CERTAINTY of praying ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.
• It is critical in the ministry of healing to have a rock-solid foundation as to the Father’s will to heal. In this way, no matter what we faced with, we can move forward with FULL CONFIDENCE that the Father desires to RELEASE HEALING through the NAME of JESUS, and in the POWER and ANOINTING of THE HOLY SPIRIT.

2. Jesus knew the Father’s will and expressed it perfectly

19Jesus … "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. (John 5:19-20)
10 …The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father… 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:10-14)
• In context of these verses, Jesus has been teaching the importance of believing that He has been revealing the Father. In other words, the Father was in Jesus expressing His perfect will in teaching, attitudes, actions and miraculous works.
• Studying the life of Jesus (His actions, attitudes, teaching and commands) reveals the Father’s will in matters of healing just as in all matters.

3. An Overview of the Healing Ministry of Jesus (refer to Appendix A & B)

• Jesus already knows what the will of the Father is for the thousands of people He healed.
• In fact, Jesus healed all that came to Him in a multitude.
• There is no suggestion in any of these accounts that the will of the Father might be different for different people in the matter of healing.
• Jesus never hesitates to heal anyone that comes to Him.
• Healing and casting out demons are quite often found together.
• Jesus uses different “techniques” such as touch (Matthew 8:3; 15; 9:29; Luke 4:40), word of command (Matthew 8:13, 15:28; Luke 9:42), spittle and mud (John 9:6). It is likely that this had the effect of stimulating faith in those He healed.
• Jesus taught His disciples to lay hands on sick people and anoint them with oil (Mark 6:13; James 5:14-16).

4. Why should we pray for the sick?

38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
• Jesus is our model – His works include healing the sick (John 14:12), which in effect liberate people from the oppression of Satan (see also Luke 13:11-16).
• Satan, the evil one, is the author disease (Job 2:7) but not all sicknesses is caused by Satan – some are sin-caused (inherited or by self); others, environmental, etc.
• God needs a body to get His will done on earth. Through Jesus He got the body and through the indwelling of Christ in us (“the Body of Christ” – 1 Cor 13) He can continue that work.
• Ministry to the sick is a demonstration of God’s love – of God’s heart to heal (Luke 4:18-21, 40 cf. Isaiah 61:1-4).
• Healing the sick is a demonstration of God’s power (Mat 10:1; 28:18; Acts 4:9-10).
• Healing the sick is an aid to evangelism (John 6:1-2; 10:37-38; Acts 9:35, 42; 1Cor 2:1-5).
• Praying for the sick is a commission from the Lord (Luke 9:1-6; 10:8-9; Mark 16:15-18).

5. What provision has God made for effective healing through prayer?

• Healing, like salvation, has been provided for in the Atonement
4Surely he took up our infirmities [in the Hebrew literally, “sicknesses”] and carried our sorrows [literally, “pains”] … 5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
• Peter and Matthew, who walked daily with Jesus during His ministry, clearly connect healing with the atonement. Both quote from the messianic prophesy of Isaiah that connects healing with the atonement:
16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” (Matthew 8:16-17)
24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)

6. The Provision of the Cross Is BOTH Salvation and Healing

• The Greek words that are translated “salvation” and “saved” in most English versions of the Bible are a verb form of the common Greek word “sozo” (pronounce as sod’zo). Forms of this word are used 111 times in the New Testament.
Today’s usage of the word emphasizes the initiation of relationship with God through receiving Christ as Saviour for the forgiveness of sin and regeneration. Unfortunately, there is an under-emphasis on the present experiential aspects of salvation.
In fact, the word “sozo” is most often used in the NT to mean the present earthly experience of salvation that includes healing and deliverance (Mat 9:22; Mark 6:56; 10:52; Luke 8:36; 2 Tim 4:18)
• If forgiveness of sin and regeneration are already settled as the Father’s will, then healing and deliverance are already settled as well. If the Father always wants people to be saved from sin, then He always wants people delivered from demons. If the Father always wants to forgive the sins of the repentant, then He always wants to heal those who meet His conditions for healing. The Father’s will is settled and never changes in matters of salvation in all its forms. (see also Psalm 103:3)

7. Faith and Healing

• Salvation in the form of forgiveness of sins, regeneration, and eternal life comes on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. In like manner, salvation in the form of healing comes because of faith in Jesus Christ as Healer. If faith in Christ is a condition for receiving salvation in the form of forgiveness of sins, then it is also a condition for healing and deliverance.
• It is WHO you put the faith in, not how much you think you have. Be open to the Lord and let Him work through you; God will meet you right where you are.
o Jesus encouraged faith (Matthew 9:28; Mark 5:36)
o Faith has to be present; but a small amount will do (Mark 9:24; Matthew 17:20)
o Jesus healed sick people because their friends had faith (Mathew 9:2)
o Jesus rebuked His disciples for the lack of it (Matthew 8:26)
o Lack of faith limited healing through Jesus (Matthew 13:58)
o Jesus commended those who had great faith (Matthew 15:28; Luke 7:9)

8. Faith comes from hearing … hearing by the Word

He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. (Psalm 107:20)
• Faith is required in what you cannot see (Heb 11:1) but we move by faith when we receive the “seed of the Word” in our heart on healing and we begin to water it with our confession.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)
• The provision for healing has already taken place on the Cross, but the manifestation of it is what needs to be brought forth.
35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to
persevere [endure] so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive
what He has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36)
• We need “prevailing” faith – taking what God brings, acting upon it, releasing it and prevailing against what the enemy brings.