2. PHYSICAL HEALING BY FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD Working paper by Henri Lemay, 16 November 2009

INTRODUCTION

The Scriptures show three methods of divine healing: the sovereign intervention of God (as at Beth-zatha or 16

Lourdes), anointing (especially the charisms and the sacraments), and the prayer of faith according to the Scriptures, being either the prayer minister’s or the supplicant’s.

Pentecostalism in the 20th Century 17

The 20th century promoters of Christian healing by a heart connection and a sustained proclamation of a promise from the Bible originated in Pentecostal churches in the late 1970s. This faith movement, launched by Kenneth Hagin, followed at a period (1947 to 1967) rich with crusades of healing by the charisms (often in giant tents), which began after World War II with evangelists 18

who were powerful in word and deed.

Many Catholics and Protestants took part in these healing crusades and they were amazed. Demos Shakarian founded 19

a work of evangelisation for businessmen with the help of Oral Roberts and other celebrities of the movement of healing by charisms (including Kenneth Hagin). These meals—Full Gospel talks—attracted four million participants each month in restaurants, hotels, and cafeterias, where businessmen evangelised other businessmen. In 1967, the Women’s Aglow Fellowship was founded to provide 20

women with the same graces. They gathered more than 50,000 women a month in evangelistic meetings. Many leaders of the Charismatic Renewal—as many Catholics as Protestants—were trained there.

This movement of faith, launched by Kenneth Hagin around 1967, coincided with the arrival of televangelists , who took 21

the charisms to homes around the world through television. The baton of the popular leadership of Pentecostal and charismatic Protestants passed from charismatic healers to televangelist teachers, equally on television and radio as in 22

large gatherings. It is in this context that the Charismatic 23

Renewal started in 1950 in Reformation churches and in 1967 in the Catholic Church.

Major proponents of the Word of Faith Movement had a 24

huge impact on the Charismatic Renewal, among both Protestants and Catholics, through the media (books, radio, television, audio and video cassettes, CDs, DVDs) and large gatherings. Kenneth Hagin and his group made a distinction between the Word-Logos (The Word of God that does not change) and the Word-Rhema (the Word of God applied by 25

the Holy Spirit in a specific situation). These Faith Teachers 26

offered physical healing, inner healing, deliverance from all evil oppression, and material prosperity in exchange for an oral confession of a biblical phrase, which the Lord would honour. Of course, as in any movement, there were deplorable excesses: some refused, on principle, any medical assistance for sicknesses; some were seduced by the lure of materialism, gain, and avarice by the “Prosperity Gospel.” These abuses were denounced and opposed by Kenneth Hagin. Despite these errors, the Word of Faith Movement spread around the world in the late 20th century. In 1974, Kenneth Hagin founded a training school, the Rhema Bible Institute, which trained 28,000 pastors who were sent to more than one hundred countries as missionaries. He was a

See John 5.16

This historical overview was drawn from Vinson Synan, The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 Years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal 1901–2001, 2001.17

Among these evangelists with a powerful healing ministry, we find in the United States, Oral Roberts, Aimee Semple McPherson, and Kathryn Kulhman; and in Asia, 18

in Africa and in Latin America, Tommy Hicks, Tommy L. Osborn, Reinhard Bonnke; and recently, Marilyn Hickey, Joyce Meyer, and Benny Hinn (1977).

Demos Shakarian founded Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) in 1952, to which joined several lay Catholics. They established more 19

than 3,000 chapters in 117 countries, where participants sang hymns, ate a good meal, prayed in tongues and evangelised their friends. They listened to the testimonies of successful businessmen, sermons by great evangelists, and inspired music by great songwriters and performers.

Women’s Aglow Fellowship was founded by Rita Bennett, Ellen Olson, and Jane Hansen. In 1990, there were 1,700 chapters in the United Stated and 900 others in 20

103 countries.

Among these televangelists, we find Oral Roberts (1957), Pat Robertson (1960), Paul Crouch (1969), Robert Schuller (1970), Jimmy Swaggart (1972–88), Jim 21

Bakker (1973–87), and Fred Price.

Among these teaching televangelists, we find Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin, Pat Robertson, Kenneth Copeland, and Joyce Meyer.22

This is in the context of the great healing rallies of the Full Gospel movement of Demos Shakarian and the televangelists.23

Among these promoters were Kenneth Hagin (considered the founder), Oral Roberts, Demos Shakarian, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Fred Price, Charles Capps, 24

Reinhard Bonnke, Ray McCauley (South Africa), Ulf Eckman (Sweden), Creflo A. Dollar, Jerry Savelle, and Norvel Hayes.

For more on the Logos and Rhema Word, see p.??25

Leaders in the Word of Faith Movement are called Faith Teachers.26

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favourite guest of Full Gospel leader Demos Shakarian, well as at major charismatic Catholic conferences. He published more than one hundred books, which sold in millions of copies.

It should be understood that any Pentecostalism, from its origins and the entire healing movement from 1947 to 1967, as well as televangelists and charismatic revivals, emphasised the importance of Scripture, especially the works and words of Jesus found in the four Gospels.

I. THE CATHOLIC CATECHISM

The Catholic Church, in her Catechism, makes statements that support the stances of faith of Pentecostals and Charismatics regarding Holy Scriptures, and allows Catholics to boldly believe the promises Jesus made to His followers. Let us review some of the texts of the Catechism.

The Catholic Church recognises three sources of authority to understand the single deposit of faith of the Word of God: Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium.

1. The Magisterium

“This Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith.” CCC # 86 The three sources of the single deposit of faith must work together. ““It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated that one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way, under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of souls.” CCC # 95

2. Tradition

“The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus' teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.” CCC # 83

“Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's Magisterium.” CCC # 83

The written expression of this tradition can be found in the Church Fathers. “'The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer.' ” CCC # 27

78

“The Holy Spirit, through whom the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church—and through her in the world—leads believers to the full truth, and makes the Word of Christ dwell in them in all its richness. ” CCC # 79 28

The supernatural sense that comes with faith “All the faithful share in understanding and handing on revealed truth. They have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, who instructs them and guides them into all truth .” CCC # 91 29 30

3. Holy Scripture

Christ—the unique Word of Scripture— “Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, his one Utterance in whom he expresses himself completely : CCC # 102 31

'You recall that one and the same Word of God extends throughout Scripture, that it is one and the same Utterance that resounds in the mouths of all the sacred writers, since he

Text drawn from Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation “Dei Verbum” (DV), (The Word of God) #8. 27

Idem DV 8. 28

See 1 Jn 2:20–27.29

See Jn 16:13.30

See He 1:1–3.31

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who was in the beginning God with God has no need of separate syllables; for he is not subject to time.'—Saint Augustine ” CCC # 102 32

“For this reason, the Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord's Body. She never ceases to present to the faithful the bread of life, taken from the one table of God's Word and Christ's Body. ” 33

CCC # 103

“In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength , for she welcomes it not as 34

a human word, ‘but as what it really is, the word of God’ . ‘In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven 35

comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them. ’” 36

CCC # 104

Inspiration and Truth of Scripture “The inspired books teach the truth. “Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures. ” CCC # 107 37

“Christianity is the religion of the “Word” of God, “not a written and mute word, but incarnate and living” . If the 38

Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal

Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, “open (our) minds to understand the Scriptures .”CCC # 108 39

The Holy Spirit, Interpreter of Scripture “But since Sacred Scripture is inspired, there is another and no less important principle of correct interpretation, without which Scripture would remain a dead letter. “Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written. ” CCC # 111 40

“Be especially attentive “to the content and unity of the whole Scripture.” Different as the books which comprise it may be, Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since his Passover .” CCC # 112 41

“The phrase “heart of Christ” can refer to Sacred Scripture, 42

which makes known his heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted. ” CCC # 112 43

“The Gospels are the Heart of all the Scriptures “because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Saviour”. CCC # 125, quoting Vatican II, Dei Verbum # 18

Scripture in the Life of the Church “Such is the force and power of the Word of God that it can serve the Church as her support and vigour, and the children

Saint Augustine, Ps. 103:4, 1: PL 37, 1378. 32

Idem DV 21. 33

See DV 24. 34

See 1 Th 2:13. 35

See DV 21. 36

See DV 11. 37

Saint Bernard, hom. miss. 4, 11: Opera, ed. J. Leclercq-H. Rochais, v. 4 (Romae 1966) p. 57. 38

See Lk 24:45. 39

See DV 12, § 3. 40

See Lk 24:25–27, 44–46.41

See Ps 22:15. 42

cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas, Ps 21:11. 43

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of the Church as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life. ” Hence “access to 44

Sacred Scripture ought to be open wide to the Christian faithful.” CCC # 131 45

“The Church “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful... to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ , by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. 46

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ. ” 47

CCC # 133

““The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord ”: both nourish 48

and govern the whole Christian life. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”.” Ps 119:105 .” CCC # 141 49

4. Bold Prayer in Faith

‘Believe That you Have Already Received it’ “Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us filial boldness: “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will.” Mk 11:24 Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: “all things are possible to him who believes.” Mk 9:23, Mt 21:22 Jesus is as saddened by the “lack of faith” of his own neighbors and the “little faith” of his own disciples Mt 8:26 as he is struck with admiration at the great faith of the Roman centurion and the Canaanite 50

woman .” CCC # 2610 51

“Jesus Prays” “‘He was praying in a certain place and when he had ceased, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray.’’ In seeing the Master at prayer the disciple of Christ also wants to pray. By contemplating and hearing the Son, the master of prayer, the children learn to pr ay to the Father.” CCC # 2601 “Jesus' filial prayer is the perfect model of prayer in the

New Testament. Often done in solitude and in secret, the prayer of Jesus involves a loving adherence to the will of the Father even to the Cross and an absolute confidence in being heard.” CCC # 2620

“Jesus Taught to Pray” “Once committed to conversion, the heart learns to pray in faith. Faith is a filial adherence to God beyond what we feel and understand. It is possible because the beloved Son gives us access to the Father. He can ask us to “seek” and to “knock,” since he himself is the door and the way. ” 52

CCC # 2609

“Three principal parables on prayer are transmitted to us by St. Luke: The first, “the importunate friend,” invites us to urgent 53

prayer: “Knock, and it will be opened to you.” To the one who prays like this, the heavenly Father will “give whatever he needs,” and above all the Holy Spirit who contains all gifts. The second, “the importunate widow,” is centered on one of 54

the qualities of prayer: it is necessary to pray always without ceasing and with the patience of faith. “and yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The third parable, “the Pharisee and the tax collector,” 55

concerns the humility of the heart that prays. “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” the Church continues to make this prayer its own: Kyrie eleison!” CCC # 2613

“When Jesus openly entrusts to his disciples the mystery of prayer to the Father, he reveals to them what their prayer and ours must be, once he has returned to the Father in his glorified humanity. What is new is to “ask in his name.” Jn 14:13 Faith in the Son introduces the disciples into the knowledge of the Father, because Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life.” Jn 14:6 Faith bears its fruit in love: it means keeping the word and the commandments of Jesus, it means abiding with him in the Father who, in him, so loves us that he abides with us. In this new covenant the certitude

See DV 21. 44

See DV 22.45

See Ph 3:8. 46

St. Jerome, Is. prol.: PL 24, 17B (DV 25).47

DV 2148

See also Is 50:4. 49

See Mt 8:10.50

See Mt 15:28.51

See Mt 7:7–11, 13–14. 52

See Lk 11:5–13. 53

See Lk 18:1–8. 54

See Lk 18:9–14. 55

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that our petitions will be heard is founded on the prayer of Jesus. ” CCC # 2614 56

“Jesus Answers Prayer” “Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper , Jairus , the Canaanite woman , the good 57 58 59

thief ) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic , the 60 61

woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes , the 62

tears and ointment of the sinful woman ). The urgent request 63

of the blind men, “Have mercy on us, Son of David” or 64

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” has-been 65

renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: “Your faith has made you well; go in peace.” CCC # 2616

“St. Augustine admirably summarises the three dimensions of the prayer of Jesus: “He prays for us as our priest, he prays in us as our head, he is prayed to by us as our God. Therefore recognise our voices in him and his voice in us.” 66

In Sum “In his teaching, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, with lively and persevering faith, with filial boldness. He calls them to vigilance and invites them to present their petitions to God in his name. Jesus Christ himself answers prayers addressed to him.” CCC # 2621

II. MIRACULOUS HEALING OF KENNETH E. HAGIN

“Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea', and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mk 11:22-24

Kenneth was born with a deformed heart, incomplete lungs, defective blood vessels, and a blood disease in which white blood cells absorb the red cells. After a sickly childhood, he was bedridden starting at 15 years of age for 16 months. He weighed 89 pounds. His body was little more than a skeleton. He went into a coma regularly for one, two or three weeks. He had 65 per cent paralysis in his upper body and 100 per cent in his lower body. Three times, he died, but he came back to life. On one of those occasions, he was brought down to hell by demons. He cried to God, telling him he was going to church (a Baptist church) whenever he could. He continued to descend and it was getting hotter. He shouted, “Jesus!” And he heard a voice say with authority: “Leave him alone!” And he rose again and returned to his body. From that moment, he wanted to praise the Lord and made it his routine, especially in the evening before falling asleep. Five doctors visited, one of whom was from the Mayo Clinic. Two of them explained that his condition was not viable and that he could die at any moment from any one of his incurable and terminal diseases.

However, his heart told him that the Lord can heal the sick. It also said that the way to heal was in the Bible. Then he began to read the Bible starting with the New Testament. After Matthew, he began to read Mark. He went to Mk 11:23,24; he was so struck by Jesus’ words that he told himself, “If these two verses are true and still apply today, I will get up from my bed healed.” He read and reread these verses thousands of times.

For four months, he wondered if these verses meant what they said. Then he said to himself, “Jesus is not a liar. No doubt they mean exactly what they say. So I’ll take Jesus at His word and I’ll get up from my bed. Jesus, you can think what you want, but I take you at your word. If I do not get up, it is because you are a liar. You said something that is not true. We will throw the Bible in the trash because it lies. However, I know that you’re not a liar and that your Word says the truth.”

Then, for nine months, he repeated the words but he remained sick because he did not know how to activate his

See Jn 14:13–14. 56

See Mk 1:40–41. 57

See Mk 5:36.58

See Mk 7:29. 59

See Lk 23:39–43. 60

See Mk 2:5. 61

See Mk 5:28. 62

See Lk 7:37,38. 63

See Mt 9:27. 64

See Mk 10:48. 65

See Augustine, Ps. 85:1; cf. IGLH 7.66

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faith for healing, how to engage his faith. The Word says that “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mat 11:24 He asked and believed but did not receive. He tried to replace the faith of the heart with the faith of reason. He prayed a lot and felt better because his heart burned with love for God and he thought he was healed because he felt better. His faith was based on how he felt. However, he was still paralyzed, his heart was still beating irregularly, etc. Then he wept because he thought he believed, but he was not healed.

Then, on the second Tuesday of August, 1934, around 10 a.m., after he read aloud Mark 11:24, he prayed to Jesus and said, “Lord, you said here “whatever you ask for.” Well, I asked you for a healthy body. You said to believe in prayer and I believed in prayer. Jesus, if you were here in the flesh and you told me that I did not believe, I’d have to tell you that this is not true because I believe.” Then, suddenly, Jesus spoke to him gently in his heart. The Lord speaks to us through His Word. He also speaks to us through his Spirit in our heart, our spirit. Kenneth heard the following words in his heart, “Yes, you believe, but you believe as you understand.” Kenneth received a great revelation there about faith: we cannot believe beyond what we understand. Kenneth knew that it was Jesus who spoke to him.

“You believe as you understand.” It means that my faith is limited by my understanding. I do not believe enough because I do not understand enough. If I want to believe more, I need to know more. There are people who pray for more faith when what they really need is more knowledge. Faith is concomitant with knowledge. Faith 67

accompanies knowledge. Effort is not required on the part of the intellect to be saved. As soon as the light turns on, faith is there. And the Lord continued by saying, “But, you see, the last proposal of verse 24, “and it will be yours” is part of the first proposal, “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it.” They go together. This is how you will receive it.” Suddenly, like a flash, Kenneth saw it. He cried three times, “I see it! I see it! I see it!” He now saw where he had failed. Kenneth said out loud: “It is my job to say “I have received it” and, although I’m still laying down with my paralysis, I believe that I have received a healing from paralysis; even if my heart beats irregularly, I believe that I have received a healing for my heart; that ‘I have received’ (faith), and not that ‘I will receive’ (hope). If I believe that I received my healing (my part in this process), the Lord will see to it that I receive it (His part). I did not expect to receive it as soon as I said it, but my part was to believe that I received it, and His part is give it to me. It is not my part to have it. My part is to believe that I have received it; His part is to give it to me.”

“So I started saying out loud on my bed: ‘I believe I have received a healing for my deformed heart. I believe I have received a healing from paralysis. I believe I have received a healing of my blood. I believe I have received a healing of my lungs. I believe I have received healing from

the top of my head to the soles of my feet.” “Suddenly, I heard a voice just outside me speak to my reason. I later learned that it was the devil. The voice said, “You’re a liar! You say you’re healed and you’re not.” Kenneth replied, “I said what I believe: that it is not lying. I did not say I’m healed because I appear healed. I did not say I am healed because I feel healed. I do not walk according to what I see and from what I feel. If I said that, it would be a lie. I walk by my faith. I said I received my healing because Mark 11:24 says it.” Then Kenneth was prompted to praise and he began to praise the Lord: “Glory to You, Lord! I believe according to Mark 11:24 that I have received my healing. Thank You, Lord. Hallelujah! Glory to You! Thank You, Jesus. Amen.” Then, inside of him, in his heart, Kenneth heard the Lord asking, “Now you believe you’re well.” Jesus did not ask if he felt better or if he thought he felt better and he seemed better. Kenneth replied, “Yes, definitely! I believe I am better.” The inner voice told him, “Then get up.” Kenneth thought it was not normal to still be in bed at 10:30AM. Another battle was kindled in his head against his heart (his spirit). “How can a paralytic get up?” The devil said to him, “You fell from your bed two weeks ago. You had to wait two hours before your grandfather put you back in your bed. If you try to get up, that’s what will happen to you again.” Kenneth said, “If you walk according to your head, the devil will beat you every time. If the devil can keep you in the realm of reason, he will win every time. But if you can stay in the realm of faith, you will be victorious.”

He decided to obey the voice in his heart that told him to get up. He was sitting up in bed, leaning on two cushions. With only 35 per cent use of his arms, he tried to pull his legs so that his knees were under his chin. Then, he contorted himself to the edge of the bed and pushed his feet, which fell from the bed like two tree stumps, suspended two inches from the floor. He could not feel his legs, but he saw them. Then, he grabbed the bed post and pulled it to slide out of bed. He was alone in his room. He felt compelled to raise an arm to make a statement. “I want to announce in the presence of Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit and all the holy angels here today, and I want the devil and all the evil spirits take note that according to Mark 11:24, I believe I have received my healing. As soon as I said that, I felt something.”

“I felt something come over my head and my body. It was as if someone poured a jug of warm honey on my head. The honey piled up and then began to slowly ooze down my head and on my shoulders, down my arms, leaving through my fingers, flowing down my body and down my legs. As soon as it touched my hips, feeling came back into my body. Then, it went through my toes. At that point, I stood, completely healed and praising the Lord. The Word of God works.”

He left the house and went for a walk, praising God with tears coming down his cheeks. He opened his Bible to 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “test everything; hold fast to what is good.” He had tested verse Mk 11:24. He knew that God’s Word is true. It is possible to ask in prayer, believe that you received it, and get it.

Concomitant: adj. Following or accompanying as a consequence. (WordWeb) 67

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III. HEALING BY OBEDIENCE

Jesus grounded St. Paul in “grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name.” Rm 1:5 It would be a serious mistake to understate the importance, in the eyes of God, of the “obedience of faith.” Let us remember that “just as by the one man's (Adam's) disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Rm 5:19 Here are examples of physical healings obtained simply by being obedient. In each case, an act of obedience, which is an act of faith, releases faith and triggers healing.

In the Old Testament, there is the case of Abimelech, whose wife and servants had become sterile. (See Genesis 20.) In a dream, God told him to take Sarah to Abraham, her husband, and to ask him to pray for him. Abimelech obeyed, and returned Sarah to Abraham, and asked Abraham to pray. “God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.” Gn 20:17 God taught us the importance of obedience through Abimelech’s example. There is also the case of Naaman the Syrian, who was healed of his leprosy simply by bathing seven times in the Jordan. (See 2 K 5:1–14.) This method was so simple that he almost refused to do so by reasoning and national pride. His servants had to convince him to obey. After six baths in the water, he was still leprous, but after the seventh swim, “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.” v.14 Through Naaman, the Lord was preparing us for the obedience of faith.

In Jesus’ ministry, He often called to the people to obedience to get their healing. In each case, it was after their obedience that they were healed.

In a synagogue, Jesus told the man with the withered hand, “'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other.” Mt 12:13

Between Samaria and Galilee, ten lepers “called out, saying, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!' When he saw them, he said to them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were made clean.” Lk 17:13,14

At Cana in Galilee, a royal officer from Capernaum asked Jesus to come with him to heal his son “for he was at the point of death... Jesus said to him, 'Go; your son will live.' The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.” Jn 4:47,50

In Jerusalem, “he saw a man blind from birth… Jesus… spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.” Jn 9:1,7 When the Spirit of God tells someone to do something, it usually involves an act of obedience to trigger, to release, his faith. That does not mean that everyone who does the same thing will receive healing. However, if God tells you to do something, and you act, you will be healed.

In the ministry of Kenneth Hagin, the Spirit of God inspired him to tell supplicants to do something as an act of faith. Once, the Lord invited him to minister with disabled people, without praying for them and without laying hands on them, but simply to invite them to run. The first to come forward for healing could not even lift his feet from the floor; he dragged them on the floor with his knees bent. He was so bent over that he seemed to still be sitting. When Hagin asked him if he could run, he replied, “Lord, no. I cannot even walk, let alone run.” Hagin explained to him what the Lord had told him: if he would run, he would be healed. Immediately, the invalid turned and began to crawl quickly along a corridor and return by another corridor. However, when he returned to the stage, he was no better. Hagin then told him to make the same trip again, and this time, Hagin ran with him. Upon his return to the stage, he was perfectly healed, walking as normally as Kenneth Hagin. The Lord told him to do something that appeared impossible as an act of faith and obedience, and the Lord honoured his simple faith.

IV. WHY OBEY THE BIBLE

BECAUSE JESUS SAYS: “the scripture cannot be broken (literally untied, undone)” Jn 10:35 DRB “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” Jn 6:29 “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” Jn 11:40 “The sower sows the word.” Mk 4:14 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Mt 24:35 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Mt 7:24 “The Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak...What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.” Jn 12:49,50 “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jn 8:31,32

Jesus teaches us that to truly be His disciples, we must remain in His Word. The effect of reading frequently, of remaining in His Word, is to let us know the truth, God’s faithfulness, which will make us free from sin and free from disease.

BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS: “Your all-powerful word leapt from heaven, from the royal throne.” Ws 18:15 “The word of our God will stand for ever.” Is 40:8 “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Heb 11:6 “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Heb 11:1 “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Heb 4:12 “Welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” Jm 1:21,22

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“He gave us birth by the word of truth.” Jm 1:18 “You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God...the word of the Lord endures for ever.” 1 P 1:23,25

V. BIBLICAL WORDS THAT BRING HEALING

1. The Role of Words of Faith to be Saved “Send someone to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter, who will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.” Ac 11:13,14 NAB

Why did Cornelius need “words...by which you...will be saved”? Are we not saved by grace through faith? “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ep 2:8 However, how can faith that will save you reach you? It comes to you by hearing the Word of God. “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Rm 10:17 You must therefore hear the Word of God to obtain the faith to be saved. However, only hearing the Word of God is not enough to be saved: we must also say, declare it, confess it. “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” Rm 10:9,10 A person is saved by hearing and believing the Word, the Good News, with his heart and by declaring it.

Here is the sequence of actions by which we are saved: • First, we hear the words: “(He) (Peter) will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.” Ac 11:14 NAB • Secondly, we believe, by grace, what we hear: “By grace you have been saved through faith.” Ep 2:8 • Then, we confess by our lips what we believe with our heart, “'The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” Rm 10:8–10

Therefore, salvation occurs not only by hearing the word of God but by confessing it. You can believe in your heart that Jesus is the Saviour and Lord, but if you do not confess it with your lips, you believe in vain. The converse is also true: confessing Jesus is Lord and Saviour serves no purpose if you do not believe it in your heart. “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.” Mt 10:32,33 It is impossible to be a secret believer. It is very important to confess with your lips what you believe in your heart. The same principle applies to healing.

2. The Role of Words of Faith to be Healed In the absence of a charism of healing, you can proclaim the Word of God to the supplicant. The supplicant may decide to put it into practice while confessing it and thus receive healing. Faith can be triggered, activated by the words. This is how faith can bring healing. Many Christians who desire to be healed expect a sovereign act of God, imagining that God will take the initiative to heal them. In the Gospels, there are such examples: Jesus approached a sick person Himself at the pool of Beth-zatha and healed him. See Jn 5:5–9

However, this is not His usual way of engaging in healing. The vast majority of people healed by Jesus came to ask Him or sought to touch Him in faith. The most frequent way to obtain the grace of healing is to claim it by faith in God’s promises. Normally, God does not want us to wait passively for His promised gifts; He has placed them within our reach by faith. The Lord heals supernaturally, not only through the charisms of healing, but also by means of faith, which is not the same thing.

The example of Kenneth Hagin In his teens, he suffered several terminal illnesses: a deformed heart, an incurable disease in his blood, and paralysis. Lying in bed for sixteen months, he began to read his Bible. He came to Mark 11:24 “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” He stopped there and said, “I believe this is true and this is what I will do.” Then, he prayed and began to say, “I believe I have received the healing of my deformed heart. I believe I have received the healing of my paralysed body. I believe I have received healing from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.” He persevered until he was completely healed. He was healed because he believed the Word of God and acted on his faith. You receive healing in the same way that you receive salvation: you say it with your mouth while believing it in your heart. Salvation, like healing, is two graces, i.e., unmerited favour of God, which Jesus earned for you on the Cross. You get them by the faith in your heart and the confession on your lips. This principle applies to receive all of God’s provision for his children. “If you listen attentively to his (the angel who guides you) voice and do all that I say (God’s Word), then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. You shall worship the LORD your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from among you...I will fulfil the number of your days.” Ex 23:22,25,26

All God’s provision , what has been set aside for us, as 68

expressed by His promises, are ours through our claim of faith. By faith, God gives us a title, a right, “the assurance of things hoped for” Heb 11:1. However, the faith of your heart must be activated, released, triggered, by the words of your mouth. “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you SAY to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea', and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you SAY will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ASK for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mk 11:22-24

Provision: n. 1. the act of providing or supplying. 2. something provided or supplied. 3. an arrangement or preparation made beforehand, as to meet needs. [1300–50; 68

Middle English < Latin prōvīsiō a foreseeing =prōvīd-, variant s. of prōvidēre to provide + -tiō -tion] (Webster's College Dictionary, 2010)

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3. Promise of a Long and Healthy Life “Your mercy came to their help and healed them...For neither herb nor poultice cured them, but it was your word, O Lord, that heals all people...it is not the production of crops that feeds humankind but that your word sustains those who trust in you.” Ws 16:10,12,26

“He (Aaron) conquered the wrath not by strength of body, not by force of arms, but by his word he subdued the avenger, appealing to the oaths and covenants given to our ancestors.” Ws 18:22 “The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are everlasting commandments.” Si 1:5 DRB “The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish.” Si 1:18

My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. Set your heart right and be steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of calamity. Cling to him and do not depart, so that your last days may be prosperous...Trust in him, and he will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him...You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost...For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of distress...Woe to the faint-hearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter.” Si 2:1,2,6,8,11,13

“My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you...Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” Pr 3:1,2,5–8 “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated.” Dt 34:7

“I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.” Ps 118:17

Like King Hezekiah, I decree, “O Lord, by these things people live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. O restore me to health and make me live!...for my welfare...you have cast all my sins behind your back.” Is 38:16,17

4. The Word is Medicine The Lord gives us His Word as a medicine to heal any disease. “My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.” Pr 4:20–22

However, to receive the benefits, i.e., healing of the body, I have to let God’s Word transform me “by the renewing of your mind.” Rm 12:2 In other words, I have to think like God regarding healing. As I meditate on the healing Word, my human spirit will rise strongly to appropriate the power of God to heal the body. To get there, I must believe in my heart according to the Word and I must say (confess, declare, act)

with my mouth according to the Word. I must repeat the Word until I hear it, because “faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Rm 10:17 As soon as I hear it in my heart (not in my head with my reason, but in my heart, i.e., my human spirit), I must confess my faith in this Word.

I take the medicine of God by obeying what Proverbs 4:20,21 tells me to do:

• Be attentive to my words; • Incline your ear to my sayings; • Do not let them escape from your sight; and • Keep them within your heart.

These four directives involve continuous action and not just an act that is done only occasionally. The Word of God is medicine. Like any medication, it is taken every day, two or three times a day, for months, until it produces its healing effect. The Bible tells us that “the victory that conquers the world, (is) our faith.” 1 Jn 5:4 The Bible also tells us that “faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Rm 10:17 Faith comes not from what we have heard but from what is heard, in the present. Jesus praised the great faith of the centurion, “In no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Mt 8:10 What is “such faith”? It is simply faith in the Word of God. “Lord...only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.” v.8 Great faith is taking God at His Word. The Bible tells us that God never changes. What He does for one, He will do for another. “God is not a respecter of persons.” Ac 10:34 CPDV2009 He wants us to have the same great faith that the centurion had. He wants us to trust in the authority of His Word. God does not favour one person at the expense of another. He helps anyone who is committed to believe His Word.

The biggest obstacle that I have to receiving a healing is to know that God heals, but to think that it is perhaps not His will to heal me. If I think like that, it is because I have not inclined my ear to His sayings.

God expresses His desire to heal over and over again in the Bible. God’s Word is His will. The Word of God is food for the spirit of man. If you feed your body continuously with good food, your body will be healthy and strong. If you feed your spirit continuously with the Word of God, you will keep your spirit strong and your faith alive. By nourishing my spirit with the texts of the Word of God on healing, I am building my health and healing my body because His words “they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.” Pr 4:22

I cannot doubt that the Father and Jesus want to heal me “for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” Jn 6:38 In the four Gospels, Jesus did not refused to heal any person who asked Him for it. It is His will and the will of the Father to heal all those who ask Him. And God does not change.

The obstacle to my healing is in me. I limit God. Suppose your child is burning with fever or is dying of cancer. If you could, would you heal him? Certainly, you would heal him. Well, God wants good for His children and He IS able to heal. If God is able to, why does He not heal all the sick?

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God is all-powerful and able to heal and wants to heal, but He can do in my life only what I allow him to do. He is able to forgive all sins and save all human, but cannot do it without our permission. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” Rv 3:20 NAB Man is a free agent. He has the ability and the right to make his own choices. I have the choice to do what I want with the Word of God.

Will I be attentive to His Words? Will I incline my ear to His sayings? Will I not let them escape from my sight? Will I keep them within my heart?

If so, the Word of God will become life for me and medicine for my body. It will become an infallible remedy for my flesh and for all the problems that I will face throughout my life. I must incline my ear to the whole Word of God and let it be the final arbiter, the absolute authority in my life. The Word of God is God Himself who speaks to me, who reveals to me His will. Who would believe that it is not God’s will to heal a distorted image of God, an image that contradicts the Scriptures and the ministry of Jesus?

5. The Importance of Words Too often, we underestimate the importance of the words that come out of our mouth. Yet Scripture tells us the importance of words. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Pr 18:21 Instead of death and life, I could say disease and infirmity are in the power of the tongue. Jesus was adamant that “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Mt 12:37

Too many of us blame others for our problems. I often cause my own trouble. “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from trouble.” Pr 21:23 NAB Scripture teaches that “the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Pr 12:18 It heals because it confesses the truth. The Lord attaches great importance to good, sincere words: “Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him...” Ho 14:3 NAB

Do not say words that weaken your faith because in this way, you grant a foothold to your flesh and to the devil. Do not talk about your lack of faith, your problems, or your trials, because doing so lessens your faith, shrivels it.

Confessing or declaring doubt may grow and strengthen the doubt in me. Confessing or declaring my faith will grow and strengthen my faith. My words trigger and release my faith: • faith to be saved • faith to heal • faith to receive any provision of God.

Words like the following will make me victorious: • “In all these things we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us.” Rm 8:37

• “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rm 8:31 • “What my Father has given me is greater than all else,

and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand.” Jn 10:29

• “The Name of Jesus has authority and power in heaven and on earth and under the earth, over men, over angels and over demons. And this Name is for me to use it.” Phil 2:8–9; Mt 28:18

• I cannot be defeated “for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 Jn 4:4

• ”Jesus gave me the power to become a child of God, to me who believe in his name, I am born of God.” Jn 1:12–13

6. Logos and Rhema Logos: Greek, lego, to talk. The intelligence and speech that expresses this intelligence. “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word was God.” Jn 1:1 Rhema: Greek rheo, to talk. In one of its meanings, it is a word that acts, that commands, that carries the omnipotence of God, it is God who acts through his word: “Master, we have laboured all the night and have taken nothing: but at thy word (rhema) I will let down the net.” Lk 5:5 DRB “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God.” Mt 4:4 “He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word (rhema).” Heb 1:3

“By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word (rhema) of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” Heb 11:3 “By faith we know that the world was created by God's word of command, so that the visible came out of invisible nothingness. Literally the text says: 'so that it was not from things that appear that the visible (universe) came to be'.” The Catholic Commentary

“It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words (rhema) that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Jn 6:63 “What does it say, then? The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word (rhema) of faith, the faith which we preach.” Rm 10:8 NJB “Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word (rhema).'” Lk 1:38

“The Word of God has two distinct, but inseparable, aspects. The first: “By speaking, God reveals.” The second: ‘By speaking, God acts.” However, the Word of God is not simply an intelligible message addressed to men. It is a dynamic reality, a force that works infallibly toward the effects intended by God. God sends a living messenger (“Sent forth the word to heal them, snatched them from the grave.” Ps 107:20 NAB, “The LORD sends a command to earth; his word runs swiftly!” Ps 147:15 NAB) God watches over His word to perform it (Jr 1:12) and indeed it still produces what it announces; “God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?” Nb 23:19

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—Xavier Léon-Dufour 69

RHEMA International , as it ministers around the world, 70

uses the word “RHEMA” to indicate that the Word of God became a reality in the heart and life of the believer.

The meaning and importance of the word “RHEMA” is illustrated in Ephesians 6:17 to encourage the believer: “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is word (rhema) of God.” This does not refer to the Bible in general, but to particular verses that the Spirit reminds us of in a time of need: “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” Jn 14:26 This is only possible through our daily reading and study of the Bible. Then, suddenly, the Holy Spirit testifies in your spirit that this Word (logos—that which reveals) applies specifically to you. It becomes for you a word (rhema—that which acts) that allows you to receive what it promises: it is an anointing, an apparition of the Holy Spirit, in response to your faith in His Word.

The Cancer-Stricken Woman Kenneth Hagin was once called to a woman diagnosed with inoperable and terminal cancer. As he prayed for her, there was no charism, no manifestation of the Spirit. So he gave her the Word of God, God’s promises of healing. She decided to put the Word into practice. She received the Word of God as Hagin gave it to her and she began to speak it. All the cancer disappeared from her body; there remained no trace. She was healed by hearing the Word and by saying it. Hagin did not lay his hands on her and did not ask God to heal her. The woman’s faith in the Word of God restored her. In this way, she came into possession of a portion of her inheritance in Jesus.

The Case of a Crippled Woman A crippled woman was brought up at the end of a Kenneth Hagin service. She had not walked for four years and the doctors had told her she would never walk. Hagin had prayed with many people and he was exhausted. He sat down beside her, opened his Bible, and asked her to read 1 Peter 2:24. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” Then, he asked the woman a question, “Is the tense of the verb “you have been healed” in the past, the present, or the future?” Her face lit up when she realised what she would answer. “But, it is in the past, and “you have been healed” means that I was healed.” She expressed her faith in the Word. Hagin then asked her to do something, “I would like you to raise your arms and say thank you and that you praise the Lord because he has healed you. Not because he will heal you but because you are healed.” This lame woman still had no proof of her healing; she had not walked a single step. On her face, a smile broke out. She raised her arms, looked up, and said, “O my dear Father God, I am so happy to be healed. O Lord, you know how I’m tired of always remaining seated during all these years. I’m so glad to no longer be disabled and that people will no longer need to serve me.” She spoke on the strength of her faith—that’s what faith is. Hagin asked

the people present to get up and praise the Lord with her because the Lord had healed her. Yet, everyone saw that she was still sitting, disabled. After praise, Hagin turned to the woman and said, “Now, sister, get up and walk in Jesus’ Name!” Several hundred people saw her leap to her feet in an instant and jump, dance, and run. Everyone screamed and cried for joy with her. Jesus healed that woman 2,000 years ago and she had just learned it!

7. Examples of Biblical Words That Heal “According to Deuteronomy 28:15–69, all diseases and all wounds are curses of the law. However, according to Galatians, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'--in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Ga 3:13,14 I therefore declare that Jesus has redeemed me from any curse of the law, so he has redeemed me from (name your sickness). I am therefore healed by Jesus of (name your sickness) and all diseases and wounds. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for healing me of (name your sickness). Glory to You. Amen.” Repeat this until it becomes rhema for you by the action of the Holy Spirit. You must persevere.

“Psalm 107 verse 20 (NJB) says, “he sent out his word and cured them, and rescued their life from the abyss.” In Psalm 118 verses 17-18, the disciple said, “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.” I receive Your word in my heart and it heals me of all sicknesses. As I live, I will declare Your works. Thank You Lord. Glory to You!” Repeat this until it becomes rhema for you by the action of the Holy Spirit. You must persevere.

“O Father, according to the riches of Your glory, grant to strengthen my inner being with the power of Your Spirit, that Christ may dwell in my heart by faith, and that I may be rooted and grounded in Love. To You, Father, Whose power working in me is able to accomplish far more, infinitely more, than all that I could ask or imagine, to You be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus, to all generations, for ever and ever!” Ep 3:14–21 I receive your power in my body, Lord, and it heals me completely of (name your sickness) and any other disease that afflicts me. Thank You Lord. Glory to You, Lord.” Repeat this until it becomes rhema for you by the action of the Holy Spirit. You must persevere.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jr 29:11 Please answer me, O Lord, when I ask You for my complete healing from (name your sickness) and any other disease that afflicts me. You give me a future filled with hope. Thank You Lord. Glory to You, Lord.” Repeat this until it becomes rhema for you by the action of the Holy Spirit. You must persevere.

“Bless the LORD, my soul; do not forget all the gifts of God, Who pardons all your sins, heals all your ills, Delivers your

Xavier Léon-Dufour, Le vocabulaire de théologie biblique, p1962, p. 750–758.69

RHEMA International” is the name Kenneth Hagin gave his school on healing. Visit the website www.rhema.org. 70

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life from the pit, surrounds you with love and compassion, Fills your days with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” Ps 103:2–5 NAB We have no difficulty in believing that the Lord “pardons all your sins.” In the same verse, it declares just as categorically, it is He “who heals all your ills.” How can you believe one without believing the other?

VI. FAITH FOR HEALING

1. Healing Through the Power of Faith

Healing occurs more often by the virtue of faith than by a charism. “'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea", and it would obey you.” Lk 17:6 Allow the love of God to flow through you. Another way to receive healing is to abandon any effort and just allow God’s love to flow through you into the supplicant through the laying on of hands. What heals is not a technique, but the Lord. Our trust in Him and His Word tears down barriers to healing. “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mk 11:24

God assures us, “I am watching over my word to perform it.” Jr 1:12 What He wants to do, He has revealed to us in His Word. The Word of God is the will of God. For our part, we must welcome the Word in our heart as a treasure because it will do what it says. “Sent forth the word to heal them, snatched them from the grave.” Ps 107:20 NAB

2. The Word is the Seed of God

Saint Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth...you are God's field.” 1 Co 3:6,9 A field is planted in anticipation of a crop. The harvest is the fruition in me of all the promises of God. Jesus teaches us that “The seed is the word of God...as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.” Lk 8:11–15

God’s Word will never produce its fruit in me until I plant it in my heart and cultivate it. It is not God who decides what kind of soil I am; I do. It is I who hear the Word, it is I alone who decides what I do with His Word.

3. Three Obstacles

There are three enemies who present themselves to me to rob me and to prevent the Word, God’s seed, from producing a harvest in me: the devil, my flesh, and the world.

The Devil What must I do about him? I can, alone, resist him. After I have heard the Word-seed, “the devil comes and takes away the word from my heart for fear that” I believe and be saved (or healed and transformed). And it is I who have let the devil do it! I should have resisted him, “and he will flee from you.” Jm 4:7 Do you not know that “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your

faith...after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace...will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 P 5:8–10 My Flesh I may get the Word-seed in my heart with joy, but I am not rooted, I am a man of the moment; then an affliction or a persecution occurs because of the Word, and immediately, I am scandalised and I withdraw, I give up and lose the fruit of the seed. And it is I who decides not to believe, to be incredulous! I refuse to abide with Jesus, with His Word. Yet the Word instructs us, “Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant.” 1 P 5:7,8 NAB The World I hear and receive the Word-seed “among thorns” rather than in my heart. “The cares of this world, the deceit of wealth, the pleasures of life, and the desire for more things, make their way in me, choke the Word and it becomes sterile, and I do not mature.” Lk 8:11–15; Mk 4:13–20 And it is I who turn my back on God, turn my back on His word, which is the perfect expression of His will. “They stumble over it because they do not believe in the Word.” 1 P 2:8 NJB

The Lord warns us all, “Then pay attention to how you listen!” Lk 8:18 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” Jn 15:7,8

A Case of Cardiac Occlusion One day, after her doctor discovered a blockage in her heart, the wife of Kenneth Hagin decided to take the healing words of Scripture seriously. The doctor was to see her again to decide whether to treat the condition with medication or surgery. She began to listen to the verses of healing on an audio cassette, to read them, and to meditate on them day and night. She devoted much time to this. She “paid attention to how she listened.” Then, the Holy Spirit took some verses and reminded her of them. She began to proclaim and confess these verses and the blockage in her heart disappeared. The doctor confirmed the disappearance of her condition, which he called a miracle. Kenneth Hagin’s wife “paid attention to how she listened” to the Word and the Word healed her. How did she listen? By diligently visiting Bible verses because “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” Rm 10:17 Faith to heal comes from what you hear, what you hear, and what you hear. We must highly value the Word of God and listen until it accomplishes what it says. Faith to heal does not come just from listening to the Word of God but from what we hear when we pay attention to how we listen. A friend of Mrs. Hagin developed the same heart condition. Mrs. Hagin explained to her how she got her healing. She then asked her if she had the audio cassette with Bible verses on healing. “Yes, she said, and I listened to it ten years ago.” She did not grasp what she had to do. She did not highly value the Word of God. She did not receive her healing.

A Case of Hernias At 52 years of age, a man learned from his doctor that he had a terminal illness. He went to a healing service led by Aimee Semple McPherson, who laid her hands on him and he was healed by the anointing. Some time later, he gave his life to the Lord and was baptised in the Holy Spirit. Fifteen years later, at 67, he developed two hernias. He returned for Aimee McPherson to lay hands on him but

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nothing happened. He thought, “She has lost the anointing.” For 16 more years, he went from one evangelist to another for them to lay hands on him, but to no avail. He still had two hernias. He said, “They are not anointed.” When he was 82 years old, he went to Kenneth Hagin and told him his story. Hagin said, “You’re wasting your time by asking so many people to lay hands on you. You wasted 16 years trying to get your healing on the faith of others. Instead of running here and there to receive the prayers of others, you should be laying your hands on the sick for their healing.” And he explained how to diligently attend to the Word. A year later, Hagin met the old man who ran up to him, jumping excitedly, and he said, “I am completely healed. My two hernias have disappeared. I bore them all these years but now they are gone and I was healed from my own faith! More important than that, I’m 83 years old and I visit the sick every day, I pray for them, and they are healed.” At 52 years of age, the Lord had healed him from an incurable disease by the faith of Aimee McPherson, because he was young in his faith. However, later, with two hernias, it was he who had to do something: the Lord expected him to exercise his own faith. We must claim our divine healing by faith. At first, by the faith of another. Later, by own faith. Because it is Jesus who heals, we should persevere in our faith in Jesus until Jesus heals. With respect to healing, the Lord will allow another to believe in His Word for you when you do not know the Word or when you are in spiritual infancy. He will come to you at a lower level of faith.

Kenneth Hagin, who had remarkable healing charisms, affirms he has seen more people healed in his ministry because they have heard the Word and acted from their own faith, than by any other way.

The Word tells the truth. Whoever believes it in his heart, declares it on his lips, and perseveres, will get what it promises. When the charisms of healing are not operating, people can still be healed through their faith in the Word of God.

Healings and miracles can occur simply by teaching people the Word of God and encouraging them to activate their faith by believing it in their heart, confessing it on their lips, and receiving their healing. God’s Word is inspired, it is anointed, always and everywhere. The Word of God does not change, whether I feel anointed or not: it is always active. Three times, Scripture emphatically says that Jesus has already healed me “by his wounds, we are healed” Is 53:5 CPDV2009 “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Mt 8:17 and “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 P 2:24 If I was healed by His wounds then, I am therefore healed by His wounds now.

Pay attention to the tenses of the verbs: “we are healed,” “took and bore,” “you have been healed.” They are all in the past. Jesus merited my healing 2,000 years ago. It is a fait accompli. In God’s eyes, I am already healed. I only have to believe it in my heart and proclaim it from my lips to receive it from God.

VII. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH

AND ANOINTING

God gave Jesus “the Spirit without measure.” Jn 3:34 It is normal that in Him all the manifestations of the Spirit are abundant and powerfully effective. This is also what Peter reminds Cornelius and his family, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Ac 10:38

It is altogether biblical to pray for a healing, but for Jesus and those who receive the anointing to heal, prayer is not necessary: they already have the power to heal in them or on them. “The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these.” Jn 14:12

How does the anointing to heal work? The anointing is the power of God; it is the Holy Spirit. First, there is a point of contact through which the anointing to heal the sick can be transmitted by the anointed person. The most common is through the laying on of hands. Then, the supplicant must play his role: it is his faith that puts into action, that activates, the power of God, which is transmitted through the laying on of hands. Thus, there are two conditions that apply: the degree of power of the anointing to heal and the supplicant’s degree of faith. The greater the two, the faster and more spectacular will be the healing. The less there is of one or the other, the slower and more gradual will be the healing. A very powerful healing anointing can be completely neutralised by a lack of faith. Jesus had received the Spirit without measure, so He had an unlimited anointing for healing and miracles. However, “He was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” Mk 6:5,6 NAB The faith of the supplicant activates the power of God that heals. God does not act in us without our cooperation. He destined us to be His children, not His slaves or objects.

When Jesus explained to the Syro-Phoenician woman, who insisted that Jesus heal her child, why He could not heal her daughter, He said that healing is “the children’s bread.” “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” Mt 15:26 NAB It is that Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. It is his Body, the Church, that He will send to evangelise the world after His death, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost. However, when she replied, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table” v.27, by her confession of faith, she seized from Jesus both the healing of her child and an exclamation of His admiration, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” v.28 Faith in her heart confirmed by the statement of her mouth got her the healing of her daughter. Say it out loud, “Healing belongs to me. This is my bread.”

1. How Does Faith Lead to Healing?

The more the supplicant is new and inexperienced as a disciple of Jesus, or does not know Jesus at all, the less his

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faith is necessary for the healing anointing to heal him. The more powerful the anointing, the more quickly, (even instantly) he will heal without his explicit faith. The faith of the prayer minister is enough to release the healing anointing. However, for the supplicant who knows Jesus and is his disciple, the healing anointing needs to be released by his own faith. The reason is that the Word of God has instructed him on how to get all the favours held in reserve for him until he exercises his faith.

The Holy Spirit teaches us, “we must hold firm to our profession of faith.” Heb 4:14 NJB Previously, He said, “Turn your minds to Jesus, the apostle and the high priest of our profession of faith.” Heb 3:1 NJB The implication is clear: if a disciple of Jesus professes his faith in the Word of God regarding any promise, Jesus goes to work to achieve it, because He is “the apostle and the high priest of our profession of faith.” “God watches over His word to perform it.” Jr 1:12

The exercise of faith is the usual way for a child of God to receive the provisions of God. Healing, for example, is the children’s bread. Children do not have to ask for it; they just have to take it with their faith.

2. The Faith of the Prayer Minister

“These signs will accompany those who believe:…They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mk 16:17,18 “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.” Jm 5:16–18

Francis MacNutt emphasises the link between prayer for 71

healing and the prayer of Elijah against rain because St. James associates them in chapter 5 of his epistle. Elijah’s story is a miracle of nature. There seems to be an intimate connection between the miracles of nature and healing. In both cases, the Lord wants to bring the whole of nature into a good order. One of the many things that are not in good order in nature is the sickness in your body.

To say a faith-filled prayer, you must gather all the virtue of faith in God that you have, believing that He will heal the person, putting aside and ignoring any doubts. Put yourself in a comfortable position (sitting, standing, or kneeling) to forget yourself, to focus only on the presence of the Lord. Be spontaneous and improvise your prayer. Encourage the supplicant to say a prayer of faith, if he is able to.

When you pray for a supplicant, surround him only with people who believe that Jesus heals today as it did in the Holy Land, especially people who believe that Jesus wants to heal the supplicant for whom they are praying. Do not invite

unbelievers around you while you lay hands on the supplicant for him to recover from his illness. You do not want people who believe that it is God who sends sickness or death. Death is the invention of the devil. “Because God did not make death.” Ws 1:13 “For God created us for incorruption...but through the devil's envy death entered the world.” Ws 2:23,24 It is not God who made the supplicant sick, as if such a Daddy would send bad things to His beloved child! God is the giver of life and he wants us to have superabundant life. It is the devil that made the supplicant sick and Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil: sin, disease, oppression and death. The Lord wants to raise up the supplicant, whose mission is far from over. His time has not arrived. Every knee must bow before the Name of Jesus, the Name above all names, including sicknesses of all kinds. The supplicant’s sicknesses must bow the knee to the Name of Jesus and then depart far from him. In the Name of Jesus, do not tolerate that they remain in the supplicant.

Do not pray to change the will of God, as if it is His will that the supplicant be sick. Pray, instead, to enter the mind of the Lord who wants to save, to restore, and to give life in abundance. Therefore, never pray with the words, “if it is your will that he be healed,” because such a prayer expresses doubts about the usual will of God to heal the person who asks for it. This doubt cancels the effectiveness of your prayer. Jesus clearly taught the necessity of prayer full of faith and confidence, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mk 11:24 There is not a single incident in the four Gospels where Jesus refused to heal anyone who asked for it. And when a father expressed doubts about the ability or willingness of Jesus to heal his son saying “But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus replied, challenging the father to believe, “'If you can?' retorted Jesus. 'Everything is possible for one who has faith.'” Mk 9:22,23 NJB The obstacles to healing are within us, not in God; He wants to 72

and can heal.

The Lord’s ways are very different our ways. In fact, His ways are well above our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Is 55:9–11

Every Christian can do the same thing for himself and for others, even without the charism of healing. Put your trust in God and His Word: He can neither be wrong nor can He deceive you. The Lord has made specific promises in Scripture. Because He said, “these signs will accompany those who believe:… they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mk 16:17,18 no doubt this is what he meant. Therefore, lay hands in faith, anointing with oil in faith, and the Lord will heal the sick. If the supplicant agrees with you, or if someone else is in agreement with you when you ask it, the healing anointing increases and more people are healed.

Francis MacNutt, School of Healing Prayer, Level I, p. 42–43. 71

There are more than thirty possible obstacles to healing that may exist in the prayer minister, the supplicant, or in the community. See the teaching on Obstacles to 72

Healing by Henri Lemay.

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The usual way to get a Christian healing is by faith and by confession on the lips. It is simply to proclaim the word of God to the supplicant, to anoint him with oil, to lay hands on him in faith, and to ask the supplicant to confess out loud the omnipotence and the mercy of God. At that moment, the healing power of God is manifested directly in the supplicant. In this method of healing, there need be no manifestations of the Spirit, i.e., charisms of healing, in the prayer minister.

3. The Faith of the Supplicant

“Whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.” 1 Jn 5:4

Jesus often attributed healing to the faith of the supplicant.

• To the centurion, “Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.” Mt 8:13

• To the woman with the haemorrhage: “'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.' And instantly the woman was made well.” Mt 9:22

• To the two blind men: “'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' They said to him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith let it be done to you.' And their eyes were opened.” Mt 9:28–30

• To the Syro-Phoenician mother: “She said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly.” Mt 15:27,28 “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” Mk 7:29

• To the blind man of Jericho: “'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'My teacher, let me see again.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has made you well.' Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.” Mk 10:51,52

Here is how faith prayer for healing works. • When you pray, believe that you receive the healing. I

hear you say, “But there is no physical change yet!” I know. Jesus said, “Believe first, then you will be healed.” “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” Jn 20:29 But you object, “But I am not healed!” If you say that, you have not yet understood. You are proceeding with your mind rather than with your heart. When you pray, you must believe in your heart that you are receiving healing and then you get your healing. The basis of your faith is not what you see or what you feel, but what God’s Word says. You do not declare “I see that I am healed” or “I feel that I am healed.” You declare, “I believe that Jesus healed me. I

am healed.” • When will you receive your healing? After you have

believed in your heart that you’ve received it and you have said on your lips.

• When must you believe you have received your healing? Before you are healed!

• “But that does not make sense!” It is true that it is beyond human understanding. Yet the Lord says, “My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Is 55:9 The Lord has invested His power in His Word. Anyone who takes His Word seriously believes and perseveres, and gets what His Word promises.

• “The word of God is living and effective.” Heb 4:12 NAB If you are a person of faith—that you walk by faith—you see things that unbelievers do not see. You know that, “by grace you have been saved through faith.” Ep 2:8 The Greek word sozo is sometimes translated as “saved,” 73

sometimes as “healed,” and sometimes as “resurrected,” depending on the context. The Word is powerful: it accomplishes what it says. When you pray, believe that you receive healing and you will obtain healing.

• “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” Rm 10:9,10 You receive healing in the same way that you receive salvation: you say it with your mouth while believing it in your heart. Salvation, like healing, are two graces, i.e., an unmerited favour of God, which Jesus earned for you on the Cross. You get them by the faith in your heart and confession on your lips.

VII. HOW TO PROCEED

A physician, Richard Fleischer , of California, has compiled 74

all the biblical passages on healing. Here’s what he recommends to anyone who wants to claim for himself divine healing by faith. 1. Choose Bible verses applicable to your situation. Find as

many as possible. 2. Read them aloud every day, several times a day,

proclaiming them over your life or the life of your friends or family. This is how you plant the Word in the soil of your heart through your eyes, your ears, and your mouth as directed by Pr 4:20–22 . 75

3. Guard your heart from all fear and doubt while immersed in the Word. Thus, your faith will grow.

4. The time will come when you will know in your heart that you have received what you have asked for. Continue to hold to this assurance, refusing to yield to temptation, and soon, you will see with your eyes the manifestation of your healing. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe!” Jn 20:29.

Sozo: “The concept of salvation (from the Greek, sozo and its derivatives) ... refers to the same fundamental experience: to be saved is to be taken to a safe state from 73

a state where there is risk of dying. Depending on the nature of the danger, the act of saving is similar to protection, liberation, redemption, healing, salvation, victory, life, peace ... ‘God saves men, Christ is our savior’ Lk 2:11 ‘L’Évangile apporte le salut à tout croyant’ Rm 1:16” translated from Xavier Léon-Dufour, Le vocabulaire de théologie biblique, 1962, p. 988.

Richard S. Fleischer, M.D. The Word on Healing. 74

Ibid. p. 8, “The Word is a Medicine.” 75

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5. The Word is the truth and you can receive what it says. Do not believe the facts; allow the Word to change them into the truth. Go deep and get your healing; it is yours if you are ready to believe. “If you believe, you would see the glory of God.”

VIII.THE BIBLE, FAITH AND CONFESSION

Faith Home Lilian B. Yeoman, a Canadian doctor and surgeon, had moved away from the Lord for many years. She became terminally ill, at death’s door, due to an addiction to narcotics. Someone told her about the healing of the haemorrhaging woman ; she converted and was healed. 76

After that experience, she lived 43 years in good health. She began to teach Christian healing and wrote several books on 77

the subject. With her sister, she bought a large house and made it a “faith home,” i.e., a place where the sick come to be healed by faith in the Word of God. She welcomed only people, three or four at a time, who suffered from incurable and terminal illnesses, people beyond medical help. Over several years, they obtained the healing of almost all their supplicants. The procedure was always the same: Lilian and her sister would read Scripture passages on divine healing and they told their guests to confess them over and over again.

Once, a woman with tuberculosis, on the edge of death, arrived by ambulance. At the time, before World War II, tuberculosis killed many people, as cancer does today. Lilian sat next to her bed and said, “Close your eyes, rest and listen to the Word of God.” Then, for two hours, she read her the Scriptures on healing. She had highlighted all these passages in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. She gave her a dose of God’s medicine: His Word. She did not read her Bible passages on the new life, because this woman knew the Lord. What she needed was healing. Among other things, she had read her Dt 28 and Ga 3 a few times. Then she said to her,

“Have you noticed that Dt 28:22 includes tuberculosis (consumption) in the curse of the law? But, have you also noticed that according to Ga 3:13, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law? That means that Jesus has redeemed you from tuberculosis. So, I ask you to repeat aloud as long as you are awake, the following statement: “According to Deuteronomy 28:22, tuberculosis is a curse of the law, but according to Galatians, Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Christ has redeemed me from tuberculosis.”

The next morning, Lilian and her sister read Bible verses on healing to their four sick guests. To the woman with tuberculosis, Lilian asked, “Have you repeated what I suggested to you yesterday?” The sick woman answered: “Yes, all night. I have not slept much. I have said it ten thousand times. But I do not understand what I say.” Lilian replied, “Do not worry. Continue to say it constantly.” And she repeated the sentence for her to recite.

The next morning, Lilian visited the woman with tuberculosis

again and asked, “Have you repeated what I suggested to you?” The sick woman answered, “Yes, all night. I have not slept much. I have said it ten thousand times. But I still do not understand what I say.” Lilian replied, “Do not worry. Continue to say it constantly.” And she again repeated the sentence for her to recite. The woman was so weak that she could not speak loudly: she quietly repeated the phrase to herself.

A little before noon, while Lilian and her sister were preparing lunch in the kitchen, they heard a commotion on the second floor in one of the rooms, as if someone had jumped out of bed and was running while shouting, “Dr. Yeomans ! Dr. Yeomans!” Lilian ran and met the sick woman at the bottom of the stairs, running and saying,” Dr. Yeomans! I am healed! I am healed! I had tuberculosis but I am healed!” Lilian replied, “Yes, I know. That is what I’ve been trying to tell you for three days!” Lilian knew that eventually, the truth of God’s Word would register in the heart of the supplicant. The Word of God that she had confessed on her lips had finally descended into her spirit. It is faith in the Word of God that healed the woman and rescued her from her deathbed.

Too often, the supplicant is waiting for someone (a prayer leader or the Holy Spirit through a charism of healing) to heal them. However, the Holy Spirit does not always manifest Himself and give His gifts by a charism: He is “distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.” 1 Co 12:11 NAB The Holy Spirit manifests Himself in unique ways as He wills. God does this as a sign to get our attention so that we know He is alive and working and we start to believe in Him. However, if a supplicant just waits for a manifestation of the Spirit, he can wait in vain, because we have no control over the charisms. However, the Word of God always works if we commit our faith. “So it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do.” Is 55:11

IX. KEEPING HEALING BY FAITH

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Jn 10:10 “He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jn 8:44

After your healing by Jesus, the devil will come at a vulnerable time to steal your healing by causing certain symptoms to reappear and by lying to you, telling you that you have not really been healed, “See the symptoms!” If you believe him, if you put yourself in agreement with the devil by believing the lie that you have not been healed by Jesus, you will lose your healing: the devil will have stolen it from you. However, if you resist

See Mk 5:25–34. 76

Lilian B. Yeoman, M.D. Healing from Heaven, Balm of Gilead, The Great Physician, Health and Healing and many more.77

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him, “steadfast in your faith” 1 P 5:9 “he will flee from you.” Jm 4:7 Jesus healed you. It is settled. Drive away the devil and the symptoms: he is a liar and they are lies from the thief. “In my name they will drive out demons.” Mk 16:17

NAB

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