September 2, 2018 - Inscriptions From The Heart

September 2, 2018
Cheryl Zamora

Every time that a person I know dies because of a sickness or a disease and a lot of people including myself have prayed hard for healing, my entire being is affected. In situations like these it I can honestly say that I falter about divine healing.
    
But let me share an excerpt from an article that Glenn Burris, president of the Foursquare Church shared about convictions concerning healing:1 (which I hold as well):
Healing is rooted in God’s character: Exodus 15:26, “For I am the Lord who heals you” (NKJV).
Healing is for our nation, as well as our bodies: 2 Chronicles 7:14, “... I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Healing is for our hearts, as well as our bodies: Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Healing is rooted in Christ’s suffering: Isaiah 53:5, “... by His stripes (wounds) we are healed.”
Healing is available because of Christ’s compassion: Matthew 14:14, “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.”
Healing is available because Jesus empowers others: Matthew 10:1, “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”
Healing is available through prayer, faith and the laying on of hands: James 5:14-15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.”
Healing will produce new believers: John 4:53, “So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives.' And he himself believed, and his whole household.”
Healing can be affected by our unbelief: Matthew 13:58, “Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
Healing can be activated by our confidence in Him: Luke 8:48, “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’ ”

God has used—and always will use—the demonstration of His kingdom, His rule and reign, to draw unbelievers into His family: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matt. 4:23).2 Just a few chapters later, in Matt. 10, Jesus gave His disciples and all of us who would follow after them “… power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease” (Matt. 10:1).3
But time and again the Bible depicts instances when God does not immediately eradicate suffering, but rather engages with it for good (Genesis 50:20; John 11:3–4; Romans 5:3–5). “A thorn was given me in the flesh,” the apostle Paul writes of his own physical affliction. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” (2 Corinthians 12:7–9). God responded to Paul’s prayers for healing not by curing him, but rather by working through Paul’s suffering to draw him nearer to his glory. In the most exquisite example, through his suffering and death, Christ redeems us from our sins and pours grace out upon us (Romans 3:23–25; Ephesians 1:7).4
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1,2,3 Glenn Burris , Jesus Our Healer
4 Kathryn Butler, Desiring God