Does it happen today?
James 5:13-14 NIV
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.
The necessary requirement for healing is that first we need to desire to be healed and we need to seek God's face pursuing Him to heal us. We also need to confess our sins and faults not only to God but also to at least one or two others from whom we can trust and to those whom we have sinned against.
I think what most of us are lacking today is the public confession of our sins.
Although not all illness is caused by unconfessed sin many of our illnesses are or they are intensified by them. Guilt, resentment, envy, jealousy, hatred and bottled-up negative emotions will create destruction in us both physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually. We need to resolve and clear them away for the healing to begin.
Daddy got my attention when I came down with Rheumatoid Arthritis. When I went to Bethel Church in Redding CA, the first thing they had me do was go through repentance, rebuking and asking Father to forgive me for the sins of my past. I was handed 2 sheets of paper full of prayers and Bible verses and told to go over it in private and then repent to those whom I have sinned against and ask their forgiveness. I was then prayed over and told that if God brought to my mind any sins from my past that I had not repented of then to just go through the process of repenting, rebuking and seeking forgiveness.
While searching through Scripture, Father really pressed it on me to live a life separate from the world. To put my eyes on Jesus and my heavenly reward, to clean up my thoughts by removing things that cause me to sin and to think on, 'would I listen, watch or read this if Jesus was in the room with me listening, watching and reading it too.' When I put it in that perspective, I made a complete 180 turn and RAN from those things that are not pleasing to my precious Jesus. A lot of people are not healed because they hold on to their sins or they repent but continue to live in a sinful life. We MUST change our lives around if we want to be healed.
Today, the media is full of things that are not pleasing to God, yet Christians still figure they are 'free' to take part of it. Books and movies like 'The Hunger Games' or 'The Twilight Saga' are full of things that are unpleasing to Father and fill our mind with not only worldly thoughts but demonic thoughts as well. Through mediums such as these, we open doors and cracks for Satan to come in and then we wonder why we are sick and ill or we are not being healed from ailments that afflict us.
I am convinced that if we would follow the instruction laid out by James then we would see a lot more healing take place.
James 5:15-20 NIV
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
Healing does happen today. I am proof of it and I have witnessed it. My husband who is a physician sees his prayers answered on a daily basis. He has seen dead men and babies come to life again because of God answering prayer.
Blessings,
<><
What a bold but truthful post! Thank you for being so honest yet gentle at the same time. Many blessings!
ReplyDeleteHi Shana,
DeleteThank you, I speak from experience. I know how painful public confession can be, it hurts and it's embarrassing but it's freeing and healing, mentally, physically and spiritually. Satan wants to stay bound up in sin, crippled and ineffective. If Christians knew how totally freeing confessing, repenting and asking forgiveness is then we would be free to be the children of God that we are meant to be. Strong and very effective in God's Kingdom.
Blessings,
<><
Yes, I have had physical healings and a miraculous healing(which was done through the laying on of hands and the prayer of faith). I asked the Lord after some healings to teach me about sickness and healing and for quite a few years have gone through, and still am going through, various trials regarding sickness. One of the things I was shown was in 1 corinthians ch.11 v31, that if we judge ourselves we will not be judged. I am finding that when the Lord reveals something that I am doing that is not right by Him, I must turn from it. He is very long suffering but I realize that it is the rod as well as the staff that comforts me. Every time He is correcting me it is inevitably for my good, and will bring me a peace that passes all understanding. His ways are not our ways and it is only when we submit to Him do we realize how beautiful His ways are.
ReplyDeleteHi Brenda,
DeleteThank you for sharing. :)
Oh that rod sure is painful but oh so helpful in keeping us on the right track. Humility is good for the soul and removing pride is tough but the benefits are worth it. God only has our well being in mind and His rod always turns into a firm secure railing on the very narrow pathway we must walk. I love how you said "it is the rod as well as the staff that comforts me." That is a great way to look at it. :)
Blessings,
<><
So true we need to believe bigger and believe God will do healing in a big way!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
DeleteI believe God always does big things, even when they come in little packages. :)
Blessings,
<><
Hi dear One
ReplyDeleteI suffer from Fm/CFS and also went through repentance. In my case I was not healed, but what I do know is that our Pappa used this illness to draw me ever closer to Him and for that I am so grateful. Nice meeting you at Barbie's.
Much love XX
Mia
Hi Mia,
DeleteOh I am sad to hear you are suffering from Fibromyalgia. :( My friend suffers from this and I believe it is as painful as RA. I will pray for you.
My healing didn't come quickly but over 5 years. I really pressed into Father and pursued Him. I prayed and had many, many people praying over me even going as far as listening to every Word of God and jumping on it. I have made a HUGE diet change by the leading of what God was saying to me. I eat no gluten, msg, soy, or any resembling msg products like corn syrup or seaweed. I still do have minor flares that, I notice, are brought on by stress, severe weather change or I ate something that triggers it.
Sometimes our Lord chooses not to heal someone too. One thing I do know and that is God's ways are always the best ways and we need to press in and continue to seek healing. There was a period during the RA attack, that I was so crippled I couldn't do anything without severe pain. Even lying still hurt. During this time I learned a lot about how much God loves me and I found out just what I was made of. He stripped away a lot of 'me' and replaced it with a lot of Him. :) For this I am so thankful for.
Don't give up on being healed, continue to pray and seek healing.
Blessings,
<><
Yes, God heals today. I have experienced two sudden healings in my own life, and just this week a report came in of a woman with Gout who I prayed for on Monday night who by Wednesday had NO pain! We must keep pressing through. Healing is God's heart!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbie,
DeleteAwesome!! Thanks for sharing about your healing and this woman being healed of Gout! That's awesome!! Thank You Father!! :)
Blessings,
<><
Thanks for this-it's hard sometimes when a prayer for healing does not bring forth the healing- but I know we must continue to pray as many healings do indeed happen.
ReplyDeleteExciting to read about your Physician Hubbie- if only all doctors were believers!
Blessings to you both and your family in this New Year!
The WORD God gave me was JOY and in church today this was confirmed - greater joy for all believers please Lord. in Jesus Name.
Love, Mary, NZ
Hi Mary,
DeleteWhat a great word to be given, joy!
My husband prays over all of his patients and God has touch many people and heal them. I too wish there were more Christian doctors who were not afraid to stand up for God.
Blessings,
<><
Yes, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We are healed and you're right. We do need to confess, forgive, and cleanse our lives of demonic things. I recently wrote a blog post about cleansing our home spiritually. I hate that the world seems to be in a trance about this entire vampire mess. Blech. So many Christians are opening doors to the demonic and don't realize the implications. Thank you for sharing. (I came over from Barbie's place.)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Beth
Hi Beth,
DeleteI will look for this post you wrote on cleansing your home spiritually. My husband and I have done this too. I believe it is very important to clean ourselves, homes of demonic things and to shut doors and cracks that have been open in us through the influence of what we have allowed into ourselves through these things and through what we watch, listen to and think on.
I agree with you that many Christians do not realize just what they are inviting in when they watch movies like the Twilight Saga.
Thanks for sharing. Blessings,
<><
Hi COG. I'm reading blogs this afternoon and this is the 2nd time I've come across James 5:13-14. I'm reminded of how this scripture came alive for my son when he was sick last year in New Zealand. The Lord brought this word to mind and I called our pastor who came and prayed for my son and he was healed the next day. It's one of my stories stored away that I will hopefully get around to writing. Blessings to you and family. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Vilisi,
DeleteWhat an awesome testimony about God in your son! I sure do hope you write and post it, I would love to read it.
Blessings,
<><
Hi Child of God,
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, sin is not taken seriously enough in the church. As a result, we are weak. We are all going to face various illness and such. One day each of us will be called home. But because of our sin, we do bring so many things upon ourselves which need not be. Sin, even for us believers who are saved, will separate us from God so that He does not hear our prayers.
As far as TV and movies is concerned, some of the things our children are viewing are quite disturbing. My granddaughter who is not even a teenager yet watching TV shows filled with sexual references disturbers me. Yet these shows are readily available. Then movies like Twilight, which takes something evil and turns into something good is so popular with kids. My granddaughters loved the Twilight movies. What kind of effect will this have on kids?
The enemy has come out like a roaring lion seeking to whom he may devour, the church must take sin seriously and as Christians, we must live life to glorify God.
Thank you for sharing this post and God bless,
Ken
Hi Ken,
DeleteYea, sin is a very bad word today and nobody wants to know that they are sinners. People tend to think that their way is right no matter what. People want a warm and cuddly Jesus and although Jesus is this He is not all this. I personally do like to listen to a preacher that talks fire and brimstone but I do realize that is what we need to hear. We need to be fearful of God for He IS fearful indeed. When I listen to the old time preachers I get shaken up inside and the sin that might be lingering there I quickly wish to rid myself of. Now we do need to hear about the love and forgiveness of our Father but like any child we need a healthy respect for our Daddy, because, after all, He rules.
I feel sad that your grandchildren and many other children are exposed to these TV shows and movies. It is all around us and really there is no escaping it, at least not for long. Education is the best thing to do for our young but still, the temptation to walk in this path is high and the exposure they get allows for footholds.
Thanks for your great comment Ken, I really appreciate it.
Blessings,
<><
I pray for faith almost everyday..and I believe in the power of prayer because I have witnessed that power of others praying for me ...
ReplyDeleteand there is no way any scientist could deny the mind body connection...I know many of our ailments are manifestations of buried guilt.
Hi Annmarie,
DeleteMy husband has seen and heard of cases of cancer that have disappeared after deep rooted issues of guilt or hidden abuse were dealt with. He has also had people having heart attacks come into his office and he will spend a lot of time talking with them and rooting out hidden stress and be rewarded with the symptoms disappearing & damaged hearts returning to health.
Father tells us not to stress out or worry for our own good health. These orders from Him are not to bind and control us but to free us. I wish many people would see this, it just breaks my heart knowing there are so many sick people out there because of their sin. Now, not all illness is caused by sin or hidden stress, but I just wonder what the percentage is. I would guess it is pretty high.
Blessings,
<><