Notes: Faith for Healing
LUKE 5:12 – 16
Introduction
In the last days there will be pestilences. We cannot live in fear. Instead we need to grow in faith so we can face the coming challenges!
Background
Luke uses a medical term noting that the man did not just have leprosy. But that he was full of leprosy. His entire body was affected. He was not only untouchable but he was incurable as well. Nothing could be done for him.
1. SEE
If You Want Healing, You Need to See Jesus
‘When he saw Jesus’
He had to look away from his condition, his decaying flesh and open sores, and look away from all of the past failures and unanswered prayers.
Receiving from God has everything to do with where we put our eyes. We must see Jesus.
Isaiah 53 is called the Great Redemptive Chapter of the Old Testament. Seven hundred years before the crucifixion of Christ, Isaiah, through the Holy Spirit, saw the crucifixion and the purpose for Christ’s sufferings. In the Hebrew language, the fourth verse reads, “Surely He has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pains …”
In v10 of Isaiah 53, the KJV reads, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; He has put him to GRIEF…” The word grief comes from the Hebrew word for “sick.” In the Hebrew, this verse literally says, “He has made Him sick.”
Christians don’t have a problem believing Isaiah 53:6, “…the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
BUT many can’t believe the rest of the redemptive plan, which we saw in verse 4: “. . . he has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pains . . . .”
The purpose of Jesus bearing our sins was so we might be FREE FROM SPIRTUAL DEATH and ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD. The purpose of His bearing sickness and disease was so we might be FREE FROM INFIRMITIES.
Satan is the author of sickness.
how 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
We must understand that Satan is the author of sickness, not God but he lies to people and makes them think that God has put sickness on them. Or he tries to make them think that God is using sickness to teach them something.
God is Jehovah Rapha – the God Who Heals
He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26
- there were 9 incidents of healings in the Old Testament
Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy when He healed the sick in His earthly ministry
When 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. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” Matthew 8:16–17
- There were 20 specific incidents of healing in the Gospels.
Peter was an eyewitness to what took place as described by Isaiah.
He 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
Peter was present when the Roman soldiers put those stripes on Jesus’ back and hung Him on the Cross at Golgotha’s hill.
Healing is one of the benefits of our redemption!
Jesus not only died and rose again for our sins, but He died and rose again for our sicknesses and diseases too. Healing belongs to us just as salvation belongs to us. Healing is part and parcel of our redemption!
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. PSALM 103:1–3
The Lord heals all of our diseases and not just our minor ailments. The word “all” means nothing left out. In God’s plan of redemption, every sickness and disease has been dealt with!
There are just twelve short verses in that chapter, but in those twelve verses the phrase “He,” “Him,” or ‘His,” referring to Jesus, is used no less than 49 times.
The key to that great chapter of healing is to see Jesus. It talks about Him at least 49 times in twelve verses. The key to receiving God’s blessing, to receiving healing, is to put our eyes on Jesus.
You need to get your eyes off the preacher or the doctor. The doctor is just a vessel, and he will be the first one to acknowledge that doctors do not heal.
2. WORSHIP
Worship Prepares the Atmosphere for Healing
‘He fell with his face to the ground and begged him’
It is likely that there were a lot of people who went through what he had gone through but had taken a completely different posture: one of bitterness, anger and blaming God for their situation. God is not your problem. He is your answer.
Make a worship decision
Job made a worship decision
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:20-21
Jesus made a worship decision
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Matthew 4:10-11
- ‘Attended’ or ‘ministered’ in Greek means to take care of the poor, the sick and the necessities of life.
3. BELIEVE
You Have to Believe that God Is Willing and Able to Heal You.
“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean’
There are two things that are the basis of faith.
Just knowing that God is able is not sufficient basis for faith. You have to believe that God is able and that He is willing.
Jesus had to fix the leper’s theology first. As soon as Jesus had spoken, the power flowed into his body.
4. SHOW
Your Healing Can Be Confirmed
‘And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”’
Go show yourself to the priest and let it be documented. Any healing that Jesus performs will stand up to medical scrutiny.
The offering for the cleansing is found in Leviticus 14. When we are covered in His blood, we can be completely healed, and we get to go free.
5. HEAR
People Came to Hear and Be Healed
Jesus said, “Do not tell anyone,” but look what happened.
‘However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.’
The people came together for two reasons:
They came together to hear and to be healed, not just to be healed. Everywhere He went, He taught, He preached, and then He healed.
When the word dawns upon our heart, faith is as unconscious as breathing.
Faith is a natural by-product of hearing the gospel. Faith begins where the will of God is known.
Healing promises are found throughout the Old and New Testaments.
Following are a few scriptures to build your faith where healing is concerned:
No harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent Psalm 91:10 (NIV)
Christ hath redeemed me from the curse of the law Galatians 3:13 (KJV)
But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings Malachi 4:2 (NIV)
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19 (KJV)