Healing and eternal truth

This reading is from T L Osborn’s excellent book Healing the Sick. This chapter examines Paul’s thorn. Paul states clearly that the thorn was a messenger of satan. 2Cor. 12.7-9 & lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of satan to buffet me, Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you My strength is made perfect weakness Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. The expression thorn in the flesh is used in both the Old & New Testaments as an illustration. The thorn in the flesh never indicated sickness. Whenever the expression is used in the Bible it is specifically stated what the thorn in the flesh was Numbers 33:55 thorns in your sides referred to the inhabitants of Canaan. Joshua 23:13 thorns in your eyes referred to the heathen nations of Canaan. The Bible clearly states exactly what these thorns in the flesh were. Both times the thorns were personalities. Paul states exactly what his thorn was. He says it was the messenger of satan or as translated by others, the angel of the devil or satan's angel. The illustration thorn in the flesh was a personality the messenger of satan. This word messenger is translated from the Greek word angelos which appears 188 times in the Bible. It is translated 181 times as angel and 7 times as messenger. In all 188 times, without exception it is referring to a person and not a thing. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, or messengers Matt. 25:41 and Paul's thorn in the flesh was one of these messengers of the devil. Paul says so. It seems so unreasonable to speculate about what the thorn was when Paul states that it was a messenger of satan. Paul says that this messenger of satan was sent to buffet him. This word buffet is also translated as harass or torment. In 2 Cor. 12. 23-27 Paul gives a long list of some of these buffeting or harassments We do not need to add sickness to the list. Neither Paul nor the scriptures mention it in this connection. This messenger or angel of satan was sent to buffet Paul continually to deal blow after blow to this faithful man of God. Paul also tells us what this messenger or angel of satan came to do: to buffet him. The word buffet is used Matt. 26:67 and Mark 14-65 when they buffeted Christ it means blow after blow as when waves buffet a ship. In no case does it refer to sickness or disease. 2 Cor 12.7 says Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations. Paul's own reason for his thorn excludes practically everyone else. How many people can claim that they have received such an abundance of revelations that they need to be kept from being exalted. Paul glorified God in all of the buffetings which he suffered at the hand of Satan's messenger. There is no record anywhere in the Bible of Jesus telling any sick person they needed to remain sick rather it tells us He healed all that came to Him. Matthew 8.16-17 clearly says When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. This scripture is particularly pivotal as the quotation Matthew refers to is from Isaiah 53 which prophecies the crucifixion and tells us that both our sin and our sickness were borne by Jesus on the cross so we no longer need to bear either. If you need healing I recommend you listen to my 10 episode series going through what the Bible teaches. Search for peter w laws healing and eternal truth.

Paul talks about a thorn in his flesh. This has nothing to do with healing so if you need healing I recommend you listen instead to my 10 episode series going through what the Bible teaches. Search for peter w laws healing and eternal truth. Because of widespread teaching linking Pauls thorn with sickness and undermining faith for healing I will look at what the scripture actually says rather than mans speculations. Paul states clearly that the thorn was a messenger of satan. 2Cor. 12.7-9 & lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of satan to buffet me, Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you My strength is made perfect weakness Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. The expression thorn in the flesh is used in both the Old & New Testaments as an illustration. The thorn in the flesh never indicated sickness. Whenever the expression is used in the Bible it is specifically stated what the thorn in the flesh was Numbers 33:55 thorns in your sides referred to the inhabitants of Canaan. Joshua 23:13 thorns in your eyes referred to the heathen nations of Canaan. The Bible clearly states exactly what these thorns in the flesh were. Both times the thorns were personalities. Paul states exactly what his thorn was. He says it was the messenger of Satan or as translated by others, the angel of the devil or satan's angel. The illustration thorn in the flesh was a personality the messenger of satan. This word messenger is translated from the Greek word angelos which appears 188 times in the Bible. It is translated 181 times as angel and 7 times as messenger. In all 188 times, without exception it is referring to a person and not a thing. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, or messengers Matt. 25:41 and Paul's thorn in the flesh was one of these messengers of the devil. Paul says so. It seems so unreasonable to speculate about what the thorn was when Paul states that it was a messenger of satan. Paul says that this messenger of satan was sent to buffet him. This word buffet is also translated as harass or torment. In 2 Cor. 12. 23-27 Paul gives a long list of some of these buffeting or harassments We do not need to add sickness to the list. Neither Paul nor the scriptures mention it in this connection. This messenger or angel of satan was sent to buffet Paul continually to deal blow after blow to this faithful man of God. Paul also tells us what this messenger or angel of satan came to do: to buffet him. The word buffet is used Matt. 26:67 and Mark 14-65 when they buffeted Christ it means blow after blow as when waves buffet a ship. In no case does it refer to sickness or disease. 2 Cor 12.7 says Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations. Paul's own reason for his thorn excludes practically everyone else. How many people can claim that they have received such an abundance of revelations that they need to be kept from being exalted. Paul glorified God in all of the buffetings which he suffered at the hand of satan's messenger. There is no record anywhere in the Bible of Jesus telling any sick person they needed to remain sick rather it tells us He healed all that came to Him. Matthew 8.16-17 clearly says When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. This scripture is particularly pivotal as the quotation Matthew refers to is from Isaiah 53 which prophecies the crucifixion and tells us that both our sin and our sickness were borne by Jesus on the cross so we no longer need to bear either.

Both our sin and our sickness were borne by Jesus on the cross. We saw that in Isaiah 53.Summarising some of the other key truths examined over previous sessions.There is no room for doubt that it is God’s will to heal and healing is provided for ALL.Knowing God’s will concerning sickness provides the ground on which faith can rest.Faith begins where the will of God is known.Jesus removed all doubt by saying I am willing be cleansedJesus in the flesh was the physical expression of the will of God. When Christ healed all those who came to Him He was revealing and doing His Father’s will. The Father’s will has not changed.The bible clearly reveals the will of God in regard to healing and no special revelation is needed.It is still the will of God to heal ALL who have need of healing.If God will heal anyone He will heal me.God has revealed 1 of His names as Yahweh Ropheka I AM the Lord who heals you. It is part of His very nature to heal.Healing is part of the Gospel that is for all and to be preached to all.Faith takes hold of what the grace of God has already provided.We saw how faith blows the rams horn before not after the walls come down (Jericho).Faith looks not at the things which are seen but at the things which are unseen.Faith is what we have before we see, feel and experience healing.Faith is both rational and safe being based on the very best possible evidence of God’s Word.It is like a title deed – we have to move in and possess what the deed says is ours.God has made His move and healing is provided.Our move is to believe His word then we can begin to see His word fulfilled in our mortal bodies.The truth when it is believed changes adverse facts because God’s word has spiritual power. We do not have to pretend physical symptoms do not exist but know that they will be changed by the higher truth of Gods Word when it is believed.We have to take hold of our healing by faith and firmly shut the door on unbelief.Speak to your mountain. Speak to your sickness and command it to go in Jesus name rather than asking God to do it.Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the process of renewing our minds by combating negative influences and thoughts.Doubt the doubts believe the truth. Come against doubts with the word of God.Believe God's word. Trust His word. Know the creative power of His word then you can and will act on His word.If God says I am the Lord that heals you, and you dare to believe the power of these wonderful words, you will act on them.I could give you a basket of fruit or give you the keys to the orchard and say anytime you want just go and pick your own. I believe I have placed into your hands the keys to the orchard.Healing is normally received through faith and a relationship with Christ the healer not by a formula or method however there are principles and laws that we have looked at in the Word and these guide us.Now you realise where sickness comes from and it is not the will of your loving heavenly Father that you are sick it is time to approach Him in humility and faith.Jesus said These signs shall follow those who believe, in my name they shall cast out devils …they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. Mark 16:17-18Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full John 16:24For everyone that asks receives Matt.7:8The reason you can call on the Lord right now and be healed of your physical infirmities and diseases is that Jesus Christ Himself suffered all of them for you. He did it willingly as your substitute so that you could be healed.He took upon Himself all the physical consequences of your sinful nature so that He could come into your life as your physical healer and spiritual saviour. See Is.53.4-6

Speak to your mountain. Speak to your sickness and command it to go in Jesus name rather than asking God to do it. Just as Jesus instructed His disciples in Mark 11:22-24Have faith in God. 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 be done, 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.Speaking is an applied release of God’s creative word of promise.There are things to avoid and I will list some of them with ways to avoid them. However keep in mind there are no formulas or 10 steps to getting healed. Healing is about a relationship with the Healer and simply receiving from Him what He desires you to have. What we are talking about now is really cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the process of renewing our minds so that there is no hindrance to faith.1. Avoid trying to believe. Act on the word. That is believing.2. Avoid making any confession that contradicts God's word. Make your testimony and confession agree with God's word regardless of symptoms. Keep His word on your lips.3. Avoid merely trusting in other people's faith. Have your own faith. You are a believer. You have faith. God has given to each person a measure of faith. Rom.12:3.4. Avoid talking doubt and unbelief. Quote the scriptures steadfastly, and they will be yours. Rev.12:11 says They overcame him (the adversary) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.5. Avoid talking sickness and pains. Talk about your healing. When you talk about sickness, you magnify and glorify the devil whom you admit by your words is able to make you sick. Make your adversary listen to your praise to God and to your conversation about the living word and the promises of God, and he will leave you. See Matt. 4:11 & James 4:7While Jesus was being tempted. He defeated Satan by saying. It is written, and then by repeating His Father's words. You can defeat him in the same way.6. It must have grieved the heart of Jesus for Thomas to doubt His resurrection. Unbelief in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is not a small thing. Your attitude toward the substitutionary death of Christ needs to be as He bore my diseases, I am healed.Doubt the doubts. Come against them with the word of God.7. Avoid talking failure and inability. Say like Paul in Phil.4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.8. Get rid of any unforgiveness.God is no closer to anyone than He is to you.When after prayer for healing satan tells you, you will not recover say to him as Jesus did It is writtenMark 16:18 They will recoverJames 5.15 The Lord will raise him upAll that the devil got from Jesus was It is written, It is written. Then the devil left him.Never quote the negative things from the devil. Quote and believe the word of God. The devil is a liar.The sure way of resisting the devil is the same way Jesus used, believing speaking and acting upon the word of God.If you would not be tolerant of sin in your life then do not be tolerant of sickness either.Believe God's word. Trust His word. Know the creative power of His word then you can and will act on His word.If God says I am the Lord that heals you, and you dare to believe the power of these wonderful words, you will act on them.The bedridden will arise by faith and be made whole; the lame will leap like a deer; the tongue of the dumb will begin to sing; the deaf ears will be unstopped; pains will leave; and darkness will vanishYou will begin to do the very things you could not do before you took God at His word, acted on that word, and were healed.

Jesus bore our diseases as well as our sins on the cross therefore we need not bear them! So our next step is to take hold of our healing by faith.The truth of the matter is, God gave us this part of our inheritance nearly 2000 years ago, and He is the One who is waiting for us to appropriate the blessing by faith.2000 years ago1) God put away sin by the sacrifice of Jesus Heb.9:26.2) God laid on Christ the iniquity of us all Isa.53:6.3) Christ took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses Matt.8:17God is the waiting party.2 Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some peoples conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward youMark 11:22-24 So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. 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 be done, 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.Jesus tells us exactly how to appropriate any of the blessings purchased for us by His death. Having promised all that we need, He says Whatever things you ask for, when you pray believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.The condition of receiving what we ask God for is to believe that He answers our prayers when we pray and that we shall recover, according to His promise.In other words, when you pray for healing, Christ authorizes you to consider your prayer answered, as when He stood at the grave of Lazarus and said Father, I thank You that You have heard me John 11.41, before He saw Lazarus come out from the grave.When we ask for healing Christ tells us to say with faith, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me, before we have yet seen the answer to our prayer.When God's Word alone is our reason for believing that our prayer is answered, before we see or feel it, this is faith!Jesus declared, The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life John 6-63John 1.1 says, The Word is GodTo receive the written words of Christ as His direct message to us is faith. This is the way the Word of God becomes life to us, both in our healing and in our salvation.The truth when it is believed changes adverse facts because God’s word has spiritual power. The physical things we see and feel are subject to the spiritual just as the physical world came into being by the spiritual. We do not have to pretend the physical symptoms do not exist but know that they will be changed by the higher truth of Gods word when it is believed.When His Word convinces us that our prayers are answered, before we have yet seen the answers, the Word begins to effectively work in us 1 Thessalonians 2:13God's Word never fails to work in those who accept it as such, because they are not entertaining doubts as to its being fulfilled.If we will steadfastly believe that we receive Mark 11:24 the answer to our prayer, and act on our faith, every one of us can be healed, though it will not always instantly be manifested.When we make our move, which is the acting out of a full assurance of faith Heb.10:22, produced solely by His promise, before we see the answer to our prayer we begin to see the answer in the physical realm. Faith is what we have while the symptoms are still there.Instead of listening to the Father of Lies make him listen to your praising God for His promise!Paul and Silas sang praises at midnight with their backs bleeding and their feet in the stocks, and God sent an earthquake, which set them free. Acts 16:22—26.

Faith takes hold of what the grace of God has already provided. God does not need to do anything else. Faith enables what God has already done to flow from the spiritual to the physical.Receiving from God may be thought of as like a board game, when, after one person moves, he has nothing to do until the other player moves. Each person moves in his own turn. Similarly, when God has provided healing, or any other blessing, and sent us His Word, it is our move.Our move is to expect what He promises when we pray, which will cause us to act on our faith before we see the healing.When Noah was warned of God of things not seen as yet Heb.11:7, his move was to believe that the flood was coming and to act on his faith by building the ship on dry land.Therefore, when God says to any sick James 5:14-15 The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, we, like Noah, are informed by God “of things not seen as yet,” and our move is the same as Noah’s, which is to believe and act accordingly.Fallen nature is governed by what it sees and by its senses; but faith is governed by the pure Word of God and is nothing less than expecting God to do what He promises.Sick people, when prayed for, naturally hope that they will be better; but the natural human emotion of hope is only passive, quite different from Bible faith which is active and creative.To just hope for something indicates uncertainty It has no basis for expectancy. But faith looks back to what Christ accomplished for us in His death as our substitute. Faith rests with confident assurance in God's word, even while it receives no encouragement at all by what the eye can see. The natural person is a creature of the senses. Feeling or seeing the symptoms of an affliction, he or she tends to believe what the senses register rather than what God's word says.Faith by contrast is not influenced by what the eye sees and, indeed is indifferent to it. It does not honour the natural senses but draws its strength from the unchanging word of God.If this were not the nature of faith no such thing as faith would be necessary. Why should faith be needed for that which the eye can already see or the hand can already feel?The truth is that the healing of the body and the salvation of the soul involve a similar work of the Spirit and are governed by very nearly if not identical laws.After we have some appreciation of the awfulness of the disease of sin and express a willingness to forsake it, we still will not be saved without believing that Christ died in our place.Only when we accept the finished work of redemption can we be saved.If we will not believe until we feel saved, we may never be saved.It is only in the act of believing the finished work of redemption that conversion takes place.Faith never waits to see before it believes, because it comes by hearing - Rom.10:17 - about things not seen as yet Heb.11:7, and is the evidence of things not seen v. 1All that a man of faith needs is to know that God has spoken. The Lord has said settles everything. Faith always blows the ram’s horn before, not after, the walls are down. Remember Jericho from Joshua 6:5, 15-20.Faith never judges according to the sight of the eyes, because it is the evidence of things not seen but promised.Faith rests on far more solid ground than the evidence of the senses, and that is the Word of God, which abides for ever 1 Peter. 1:23Our senses may deceive us, but God’s Word never does!2 Cor. 4:18 says Faith looks “not at the things which are seen”Faith is the link between the spirit world and the physicalFaith takes hold of what God has already provided by grace

I am the Lord who heals you. This is what God said when he called the Israelites out of Egypt.Exodus 15:26 If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God, and will do what is right in his sight, give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have brought on the Egyptians for I am the Lord who heals you.The Hebrew text reads: I will permit none of these diseases upon you which I permitted upon the Egyptians.This covenant was repeated at the close of the forty years wanderings of Israel.All through their history, in sickness and pestilence, the Israelites turned to God in repentance and confession and received healing in answer to their prayers.If healing in answer to prayer was God’s way under the old covenant, it is much more prevalent under the new covenant.Matthew 12:15 tells us that “Great multitudes followed Jesus, and He healed them all"Jesus healed all who came to Him.Heb.13:8 declares that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.He is the same in love as when, in compassion He healed the multitudes.He is the same in power as when He healed all manner of diseases.Hebrews 2:17 Therefore in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.During His earthly ministry, Jesus was always moved with compassion and healed all those that had need of healing, and He is our faithful and merciful high priest today.All that God has given us is given through Christ Jesus for whoever will meet the conditions and believe the word.He is no respecter of persons. His promises are to allSo healing is for all and should be preached to all.We can see from the Bible that this is exactly what the early church did.Philip preached Christ at Samaria. Acts 8:6-8The crowds were eager to receive Philip’s message and were persuaded by the many miracles and wonders he performed. Many demon-possessed people were set free and delivered as evil spirits came out of them with loud screams and shrieks, and many who were lame and paralyzed were also healed. This resulted in an uncontainable joy filling the city!We see that Jesus proved to be exactly the same when Philip told the people about Him.Peter preached Christ to the cripple in Acts 3:6, to the multitude in Acts 5.14-16 to Anneas in Acts 9:34.All were healed.So Jesus was the same for Peter.Wherever and whenever Jesus Christ is proclaimed as our sacrifice for sin and sickness physical healing as well as spiritual salvation will result.Lets read what happened with Paul in Acts 14:8-10 In Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.Notice the lame man received faith to be healed while listening to Paul’s message. Faith comes by hearing.Wherever healing is taught as God’s provision for all, faith is  imparted and people are healed.However faith cannot be exercised where there is indecision as to whether or not God's will is to heal all.If He will not heal all, then we are forced to consider in every case: “I wonder if it is God’s will to heal this one? Or could this be one of the unfortunate ones where God‘s will is for them to remain sick and to suffer?”   NO NEVER!    It is God's will to heal all!

Healing is God’s will for us. The Gospels teach complete healing for spirit and body, for all who will come to Him.Among all those who sought healing from Christ during His earthly ministry, there is only one who prayed for healing with the words “If it be your will.” This was an outcast leper, who did not know what Christ’s will was in healing.Mark 1:40-42 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.The first thing Jesus did was to correct this uncertainty by assuring him, I am willing.So no longer is it “if it be your will” — it is God’s will.The leper said: If you will, you can. Jesus answered, I will, cancelling his “if,” adding to the man’s faith that Christ could heal him, the faith that He would.Let it be settled forever from today: God will heal the sick.If He wills to heal one, then He wills to heal all.In James 5:14 it is asked “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. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”Anyone includes you if you are sick.                                          ‘When it comes to the benefits of Christ’s redemptive work, all are on an equal basis. The words “whoever” and “whosoever” are often used to invite the unconverted to be saved.The words “as many as”, “everyone”, “all”, and “any” are used to invite the sick and the diseased to be healed.Both invitations are always universal, and the results are always positively promised: shall be saved; shall have life; shall recover shall raise them up; healed them all and as many as touched him were healed.The benefits of redemption are for you.If God healed all then, He still heals all that come to Him for healing today.Hebrews 13:8 declares Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.Matthew 12:15 says Great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.Luke 6:19 The whole multitude sought to touch Him for power went out from Him and  healed them all.Matthew 8:16-17 When the evening came, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying He Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.Christ is still healing the sick, in order to fulfil the prophet’s words.Always remember: You are included in the our of Matthew 8.17 and God is bound by His covenant to continue to heal all who are sick and weak, in order to fulfil Isaiah’s words.Christ the Healer has never changed.Jesus in the flesh was the physical expression of the Father’s will.His life was both a revelation and a manifestation of the unchanging love and will of God. He acted out the will of God for us.When Jesus laid His hands on everyone of them and healed them, He was revealing and doing the will of God for all people.

Faith begins where the will of God is known.I am the LORD who heals you. Exodus 15:26. God wants you well.The greatest barrier to the faith of many seeking bodily healing is the uncertainty in their minds as to whether it is the will of God to heal all who come to Him. Nearly everyone knows that God does heal some, but there is much in modern theology that keeps people from knowing what the Bible clearly teaches - that healing is provided for all. It is impossible to boldly claim by faith a blessing that we are not sure God offers. The power of God can be claimed only where the will of God is known.If it is God’s will to heal only some of those who need healing, then none have any basis for faith, unless they have a special revelation that they are among the favoured ones.Faith must rest on the will of God alone not on our desires or wishes.Real faith is not believing that God can but that God will heal/has healed.The Bible clearly teaches that if you are sick God wants to heal you.Many recognize that God does heal, but they have no personal knowledge of Jesus as the Saviour of the body.They see that others are healed, but question whether healing is God’s will for them and appear to be waiting for a special revelation of the will of God concerning their case.God does not need to give any special revelation of His will when He has plainly revealed His will in His Word.Until you are fully convinced that God wants you to be well, there will always be a doubt in your mind as to whether or not you will be healed.As long as there is doubt in your mind, perfect faith cannot exist.James 1:6-7 says let them ask in faith, nothing wavering. For they that waver are like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not those think they shall receive any thing of the Lord.T.L.Osborne in his book Healing the Sick says “Once people are fully convinced that God wants to heal them and that it is not God’s will for them to be sick, they almost always receive healing when prayed for, if not before.”Knowing God’s will concerning sickness provides the ground on which perfect faith can act.With positive knowledge of the will of God, we do not pray: “Lord, heal me if it be Your will.” That implies doubt, and doubt cancels faith.Our Father has promised us healing and He always keeps His promises.Faith that takes hold of God’s promise rests on the knowledge of His will. His known will is the basis of our faith.The scriptures clearly make known God’s will to heal whoever comes to Him in faith. This is His will.

Jesus suffered as our substitute for our sicknesses and our sins. Isaiah 53.4-6 “Yet he was the one who carried our sicknesses and endured the torment of our sufferings. We viewed him as one who was being punished for something he himself had done, as one who was struck down by God and brought low. But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding we found our healing. Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him.” The prophet Isaiah was writing this prophecy some 700 years before Jesus was crucified yet he gives a remarkable insight into what Jesus sacrifice on the cross accomplished. There is no better commentary on this prophecy than Matthew 8:16-17. “He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” The cross is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. All have sinned and come short of God’s standards including all those who this world looks on as “good” people. We cannot earn our way back to a relationship with God but Jesus died in our place taking all of our punishment all of our blame all of our shame and all of our sickness. Because of what Jesus has done all who believe in trust in and rely on Him can receive all the blessings that Jesus deserves. Jesus bore my sins and sicknesses away outside the camp (Heb. 13:11-13) to the cross. Both sin and sickness have passed from me to Calvary—salvation and health have passed from Calvary to me. Hallelujah!When Jesus bore our sins, our sicknesses, and our pains, He bore them away, or removed them. Both these words mean substitution, one bearing another’s load. In Deuteronomy, chapter 28, disease and sickness were a part of the curse. But Galatians 3:13 declares: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Since Jesus Christ, in His sacrificial death, bore our sicknesses the same as He bore our sins; then the fact is settled by the scriptures that the sick have the same right to be healed in their bodies as the sinful have to be healed in their spirits. The word “bore” in Matthew 8:17 implies substitution – suffering for; not sympathy, as in suffering with. If Christ has borne our sicknesses, why should we bear them? We can say now based on Is 53.4 “Surely He has borne my sickness, weakness, distress and grief and carried my sufferings and pains” Everything good thing we receive from God flows from our relationship with Him.