HEALING FOR TODAY

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21 ESV)

The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (Luke 7:18-22 ESV)

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:25-34 ESV)

            The power of healing is directly linked to the atonement of Calvary. Isaiah connects the dots between the two: “By His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Healing is not an addendum to the message of Jesus. Healing is an important element of the story. Jesus came to make you whole – soul, mind, body, and spirit.

            The crucifixion addresses complete healing, starting with the healing of soul, made possible by entering an intimate relationship with the Lord. Yet God is just as concerned with your mental outlook, your emotional stability and your physical wellbeing. Healing can involve a moment in time or a journey.

            Life is comprised of visible and non-visible, tangible and non-tangible, outward and inward, physical and non-physical. Most of the attention to healing is given to the outward and physical, but the greater part of living involves the inner person, the non-visible. Could healing for today be needed more in the human psyche than the human body?

            With increasingly rapid research and quick access to information, the demands upon the human condition are increasing. New coping mechanisms are being asked of people as they encounter higher levels of stress and strain. Some are finding success holding up under new dimensions of pressure. Many are not. More and more people are failing to handle anxiety sufficiently.

            Personality studies divide people into four groups; two in the introvert category and two classified extrovert. Introverts usually react under overwhelming pressure with depression; extroverts respond to extremely anxious moments with anger. Depression and anger are both a form of the same emotion, expressed in a manner conducive to a person’s basic disposition. The God who designed human personalities has the perfect healing solution for every temperament when an unhealthy malady develops.

            What can be done to avoid buckling under pressure and falling into despair? How can you handle despondency caused by world events and economic instability? What can be done to avoid exploding with violent and destructive behavior? How can you handle rage caused by obstacles and setbacks?  The answer is found by going to the Great Physician for a flawless cure.

Finger or Faith

            The woman with a blood issue, recorded in the gospel narrative, most likely had an abnormal bleeding from her uterus. Physicians only added to her sufferings. Their cure was worse than the affliction.

            Her pushing through the crowd was an act of faith. Her reaching out to touch His garment was an act of faith. Her actual touch was an act of faith. Faith is often nothing more than being desperate. When desperate, a good reaction is to reach out in faith.

            Upon touching the garment, the flow of bleeding stopped. This was not a temporary solution. The very cause of the illness was eradicated. She knew she was healed and Jesus knew His garment had been touched.

            How did the Healer know the difference between a hurting woman’s touch and all the other people jostling Him? Her touch was the finger of faith. Jesus was so sensitive to a manifestation of faith that He knew when the contact was only His garment and not Him.

            Now comes the difficult question: She extracted from Jesus healing without His consent. Does this mean a person’s faith obligates God? No!

            As the submitted Person of the Godhead on earth, the Father controlled the power. The healing occurred through the Father’s gracious decision to bestow on her the power active in the Son. By an act of grace, the Father determined to bless the woman’s faith.

            Faith was instrumental in effecting her healing. “Your faith has healed you.” (V. 34) But grace is what honored her faith, “go in peace and be freed.” (V. 34)

            It would be a mistake to emphasize the garment. The lesson in the narrative is that God graciously honors someone willing to reach out in faith. A friend of mine said it beautifully: “It wasn’t her finger, it was her faith – it wasn’t His garment, it was His grace.”

Oil or Prayer

            “So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.” (Mark 6:12-13 ESV)

            “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 one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 ESV)

            Today the tangible act of faith is not touching a garment but anointing with oil. Yet the emphasis of healing is connecting the anointing with the prayer of faith. God graciously honors the faith behind the anointing.

            The disciples failed to know the difference between the clamor of crowds and the touch of faith. Many following Jesus today lack spiritual sensitivity as well. Believers should continually and constantly ask Jesus to keep them attuned to any needs requiring the faith associated with the anointing of oil and prayerfully participate in the operating power of divine healing.

Grace upon grace

            There are many unknown reasons for the way God works in your life. What if the healing does not immediately occur? There is a grace for healing and a grace for enduring. Either way, believers are to live in grace.

            “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 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.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV)

            When it comes to physical health I have been extremely fortunate. Besides the occasional aches and pains associated with aging, I have no limitations and am not on any medications. I am thankful.

            Yet I am well acquainted with healing for the inward being. A few years ago I became a casualty of panic attacks. An average night’s sleep was just long enough to address exhaustion, approximately two hours. Slumber would end with my heart racing and my body drenched in cold sweat. My mind would slip into high gear and tussle with my circumstances, while sleep evaded me. Lifestyle changes needed to be made.

            I began my makeover by addressing eating habits and physical fitness. Yet diet and exercise did not adjust the third critical component for bodily wellness, rest. My best efforts to tackle my inward condition was coming up short. The damaged outlook continued unabated for months, almost a year, causing additional inward injury and personal danger. Sadly, a change in environment needed to happen.

            I suppose I could have continued on my proven pathway if I was willing to be medicated, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Doctors and medicines are a viable aid to health and healing, and are visited or used when personally needed. Yet in this case my conscience said no. My mind could not accept a temporary antidote or a patch job. I needed a complete reengineering. The Great Physician knew best my psyche, and what would bring lasting transformation. The only One who consistently through the years proved Himself faithful and true was the only One I was willing to trust with my inner constitution and future.

            The next two years was a prolonged season of emotional recalibrating. Diet and exercise continued to be critical, but reconnecting and living among lifelong friends who knew me by my name instead of a title, and experiencing the safe environment and protection of their unconditional love and unqualified acceptance was essential. These action steps, along with extended periods of Scripture reading, prayer and meditation, provided healing to my outlook. I discovered in the overall process greater depths of humility bringing newer heights of grace.

            I am not the same as I use to be. I am much more sensitive to the tragedy of the human condition, the battle raging within that many people are losing. The look of anguish is becoming the new normal in this day and age, a facial expression seen on numerous faces giving testimony of a private world in chaos.

            I know the look very well. It used to be mine. Yet I can say without reservation there is hope in the Lord, and a peace that surpasses human comprehension.

            Knowing the cause of a dilemma or what is actually troubling within will not bring the ultimate solution. Knowing God, His boundless strength and awesome goodness, is the final answer. 

            I presently abide in a grace upon grace phenomena. I better know my boundaries and have built sturdier guardrails.  But more importantly, I have come to experience the unlimited boundaries of grace that exists in the Lord Jesus Christ, available by the touch of faith. He is the proven Healer.

Cleansing

            The radio preacher C. M. Ward, from the Revivaltime broadcast, gave some practical instructions on how to prepare for your healing. These actions were part of the process in my healing. And they are beneficial for every form of healing – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. You will profit by applying them to your healing need.

            Cleanse your body. Diet and exercise matters. Fasting may be necessary. Poor habits cause illness.

            Cleanse your soul. Come to God and confess sin. The guilt of unconfessed sin causes illness.

            Cleanse your spirit. Get rid of any root of bitterness. Bitterness causes illness.

            Cleanse your mind. Be thankful! Ungratefulness causes illness.

            Trust God for your healing. He cares more than anyone about your complete health – soul, mind and body. Like the woman with uncontrollable bleeding you will know when you are healed. Until then, abide in grace and trust Him!