Signs and Wonders

By Buddy Dawson

God wants us well

Week 10 in a multi-part series

The basic principle of faith begins with knowing what the Word of God says about any matter. Once we have heard what His Word decrees, then we can choose to believe it, receive it as truth or ignore it. As believers, our salvation came by grace through faith and everything else from God’s Kingdom will come the same way. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV). Once we have heard the promise from God’s Word and the reality of that truth drops in our heart, faith to believe and receive is made available. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17 NKJV).

Most in the Body of Christ have easily believed and received the forgiveness of their sin but neglect the other wonderful benefits of receiving the salvation of Jesus Christ. Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases (Psalms 103: 3 NKJV).

I have known many people over the years who not only reject the healing made available to us through the crushing of the body of our Lord, but consider it a secondary issue. To them, if it does not lead to a heaven or hell decision, then it is incidental and a waste of time. That would be a hard argument to sell to the multitudes that having received God’s promise of healing have been spared from death or years of suffering.

Healing is just as much a part of the atonement as forgiveness of sins. Jesus, when ministering to the paralytic man in Mark 2: 9-11, spoke of them as one in the same. Jesus suffered and took stripes on his back for every sickness and disease, just as for every sin. If Jesus was willing to pay such a huge price to provide healing for us, then it should not be just something incidental.

If He can extend to us that much unmerited favor (grace), then that makes it important enough to believe and receive by faith. Although healing should not be exalted above forgiveness of sins, it should not be diminished below it, either.

How do doubters explain away such precious promises as Matthew 8:16,17 (AMP)?  When evening came, they brought to him many who wereunder the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word and restored to health all who were sick. And thus He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, He Himself took [in order to carry away] our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases. 

Or how is another basic truth found in I Peter 2: 24 (AMP), explained away? He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. 

I have found many New Testament and Old Testament scriptures alike that promise healing to those who will believe and receive.

 

Buddy and Maude Dawson are the founders and directors of the River of Life Worship Center, 3504 Carolina Beach Rd., Wilmington, NC. therolwc.org/[email protected]