Divine Healing

Divine Healing A Bible message by Bayless Conley Copyright © 2004 Answers with Bayless Conley

Turn in your Bibles to Exodus 15:22. You should be somewhat familiar with the story up to this point. God’s people have been under cruel bondage in the land of Egypt for 400 years, and God has led them out through supernatural acts. Moses is at the helm, and they are making their way into the promised land. What we are about to read takes place before the Ten Commandments were given. This is just after they crossed to the other side of the Red Sea. God begins to reveal Himself to His people, and there is something incredibly important here that we need to see. Exodus 15:22-26 says, “So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink? 25 So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. 26 There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, 26 and said,"If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.” This is in a permissive sense in the literal Hebrew. Notice what God says to them at the end of verse 26, “For I am the Lord who heals you.” That is actually one of God’s names in the Bible. It is a compound name: Jehovah Rophe, the Lord your Physician, the Lord your Healer. God is revealing something about His character and His nature: “This is who I am. This is my name. I am the Lord, your healer. I am the Lord who heals you.” God is by nature a healer, and what He is by nature, He is always. The Bible says in Malachi 3:6, “I am the Lord, and I do not change.” What God was yesterday, God is today; what God is today, God will be tomorrow. He doesn’t change. He was the healer of His people then; He is the healer of His people today. This is significant because Israel has just come out of all of these years of bondage in Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea, the Red Sea closes on their enemies, they are on the other side, and this is the first thing that God shares with them. This was one of the most prominent things in the heart of God that He wanted to get across to the hearts of His people. Now, again, even before God gave them the Ten Commandments, He let them know that He was going to take care of their physical bodies. Even as a mother will take care of the physical needs of her child before she even sees to that child’s education, so it was here with God and His people. That is also significant for this reason, that this was before the law was given. This is not something that passes away with the law because it existed before the law, yet we see that it is to be permanent, because God called it a statute and an ordinance. He said that He made a statute and an ordinance for them, In other words, showing that it was to be a permanent thing. Just like Abraham tithed before the law; and, therefore, tithing exists after the law, it doesn’t pass away with the law, even so it is with healing. God is a healing God. Now there is enough hope just in these verses for me to be healed. It’s significant, too, because here the people are

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crying, “We have no water.” The water was bitter, and Moses cried out to the Lord. And what does the Lord do? He shows him a tree. Now isn’t that funny? I mean, you’ve got a problem and God shows you a tree, but, the tree was a symbol. The tree was a type and a shadow. It was pointing to something better, and Moses threw that tree into the bitter waters, and the bitter waters were made sweet. My friend, that tree points to another tree upon which the Savior died because it says in the Book of Galatians, “Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.” Christ took our curse for us when He hung upon that tree, and when you apply Jesus Christ’s finished work on the tree of Calvary to the bitter things in life, it turns the bitter things in life sweet. One of the most bitter things in life of all can be sickness and disease. It can turn life incredibly bitter, but when we apply the finished work of Christ to the bitterness of sickness and disease, God can turn the situation around. God was true to His promise to be their healer throughout the Old Testament. We find case after case of God divinely and supernaturally healing people: During Israel’s wanderings, during the time of the kings; right up to the last book in the Old Testament, the very last chapter, we find Malachi 4:2 prophesying and saying this, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” Friend, God is a healer. Look with me at the words of David in Psalm 103:1-2. We read the words of King David, and he begins to talk about some of the benefits of knowing and serving the Lord. Benefit is a good word. Benefits are good things. They add to you; they don’t take away from you. It says, “Don’t forget His benefits.” Now he wouldn’t say don’t forget them unless there was a tendency to forget them or to let some of them slip. Look in Psalm 103:3. Here he talks about two benefits. Don’t forget his benefits. It says He forgives all your iniquities. Now every Christian would believe that benefit. I mean, you couldn’t beat that out of them with a stick. They say, “No, he does forgive all of our iniquities.” But, my friend, if the first half of that verse is true, the second half is certainly true, as well. The second half of the verse says, “Who heals all your diseases.” Now if He forgives all my iniquities, then I can also trust Him to heal all my diseases. And those are benefits! Again, benefits are good things; and the New Testament says in the Book of Hebrews that we have a better covenant established upon better promises, for Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant. The promises and the benefits of the New Covenant are better than the old. Now let’s say your boss came up to you at work tomorrow, and he says, “You know what? We’re going to change our contract with you,” and that’s what the word covenant means. We have a better contract established upon better promises. Jesus is the Mediator of a better contract, a better covenant. And your boss says, “You know, we’re going to change our contract with you. We’re going to shorten your vacation from three weeks a year to three days a year, and we’re going to take away all of your health benefits, and we’re going to take away your dental benefits, and we’re going to cut your pay in half, and your daily hours will increase by four.” So instead of working eight hours a day you are going to work 12 hours a day. You are going to think, “Wait a minute! That’s not better! You are taking away from me.” Now that’s obvious, and I don’t understand why some people could even imagine saying, “Well, you know, healing has passed away. God no longer heals under the new dispensation. Under the New Covenant we can’t expect God to heal us.” My friend, if God forgave all their iniquities and healed all of their diseases under the Old Covenant and we’ve got a new covenant that is better than the old one, we should certainly expect to have at least what they had under the Old Covenant. Friend, things have not changed. He still heals all of our diseases.

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Now another truth that is totally convincing to me that God wants to heal His people today, just like He did then, is by taking a look at the life of Jesus. I just look at the life of Jesus. It convinces me that it is God’s will to heal, and I want to show you why. In the Book of Proverbs it says, “Don’t let the word depart from your eyes.” You need to read it for yourself. So look in John 14:7. Jesus is speaking, and He makes an amazing statement. He said: "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Jesus further said in John 14:9 “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father….” To see Jesus is to see the Father; to know Jesus is to know the Father. Jesus is the will of God in action. The way Jesus treated sinners is the way the Father treats sinners. Jesus’ attitude toward religiosity and pomp and ceremony and empty ritual is the same as the Father’s attitude toward those things. As Jesus comes and ministers to the sick, we see the Father’s heart and attitude toward the sick, for Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” So let’s take a look at the will of God expressed, and the will of God in action. In fact, the Book of Hebrews says Jesus is the exact imprint of the Father. The Amplified Bible says He is the out-raying of the Divine. He is the exact imprint and expression of the Father. Look in the Book of Matthew. These are just a few of many, many verses that teach us the same truth. We will start in Matthew 12:14-15, it says: “Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” 15 “But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.” How many did He heal? He healed them all. I want you to notice that it says, “great multitudes followed Him.” It wasn’t just a multitude. It was multitudes plural. And then it wasn’t just multitudes; it was great multitudes. Some commentators estimate that there were crowds up to one hundred thousand, at times, that followed Jesus. Now it’s interesting to me that these great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. You see, in Jesus we are seeing the Father; and remember, He is the Lord that does not change. Look at Matthew 14:13-15: “When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.” 14 “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick." Now I want you to notice the motivation of Jesus for healing the sick. It was compassion. He was compassionate about the sick and suffering. It was not to prove His Deity. Jesus was moved with compassion; and, my friend, He is still the same compassionate Jesus today. Look at yet another verse in Matthew 14:35-36: “…brought to Him all who were sick, 36 and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.” Now, realize, we are getting a revelation of the Father here. Look at Matthew 15:30. It says, “Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them those who were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others...” That means many others with other kinds of sicknesses and ailments. “...and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” Friend, that’s where you want to come if you are sick in your body. You need to make your way to the feet of Jesus (Matthew 15:31). There is a multitude. They are blind, and they are lame. There is every kind of sickness and disease that you could imagine; but when they found their way to the feet of Jesus, they were healed, every one of them.

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Look at another story with me in Matthew 8:1-2. Here we read a story about a man with leprosy. If we looked at the account in the gospel of Luke, we would find that his body was full of leprosy. Luke was a physician, and he took special note of that. This man just didn’t have a little spot of leprosy somewhere. His body was filled with leprosy. It says, “…Lord, if You are willing (Matthew 8:2).” That’s a good question. Lord, if you are willing. Lord, if it is your will. The leper was not sure whether it was God’s will to heal him or not, and that’s where so many people are today. He said, “Lord, if you’re willing, you can.” He didn’t have a problem with God’s ability; he didn’t have a problem with the ability of Jesus; he just wasn’t sure about His willingness. So many people are in the same bag today. They say, “God can do anything.” That’s great, but that is not a declaration of faith. I mean, any rank sinner out on the street could tell you, “Sure, if He is God, He can do anything.” But that’s not enough grounds for faith. We need to know God is able, but we also need to know God is willing. That is sufficient grounds for faith. And so the leper asked the question, “Lord, if you are willing... if it’s Your will, I know You can.” And look at Jesus’ answer. This is beautiful: “Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing...’ ” I like one translation, “Jesus said, ‘Of course I want to.” Of course I want to! I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Now, friend, Jesus said, “I am willing.” And He is still saying “I am willing” today; and, again, He didn’t just heal people to prove His deity. He was moved with compassion. The Scripture declares that He healed all that came unto Him. With these great multitudes, multiplied thousands of people, coming to Jesus with every kind of disease and sickness and infirmity you can imagine, never one time... you won’t find it anywhere in the gospels... did Jesus ever say no to one person. Never one time did He say, “No, I’m sorry. It’s not the Father’s will.” He never said, “I am not willing.” He never said, “Well, God is trying to work this thing out in you, and God has put this on you.” No! Jesus unequivocally healed all who came to Him.” Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” He is still the same compassionate Jesus. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. My friend, what He did on the shores of Galilee, He will do today. What He did on the shores of Galilee He will do for any person. He is the same wonderful, lovely, powerful and compassionate Jesus that He always was. To see Jesus is to see the Father. Now look in Matthew 9:37-38. It says, "…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Here we see Jesus. His great compassionate heart is moved toward the suffering multitudes, and He is healing all that come to Him. In fact, we read several cases, in some of the other places in the gospels, that into the wee hours of the morning He is laying hands upon the sick and ministering to them and healing every one. But, His great compassionate heart is not satisfied because He is limited to one geographical location. He is limited to being in that physical body; and if you wanted healing, you had to get to where He was. But Jesus said, “It’s not enough!” And so He says, “The harvest is great, the laborers are few. Pray that the Lord would send forth laborers.” And then He gets the twelve together. He says in Matthew 10:1, “Now you go, and you cast out demons, and you heal the sick.” It just wasn’t enough that Jesus was doing it. He gathered twelve more, and now He sent them out to minister mercy to the suffering and to heal the sick in His name. But, even at that, His great compassionate heart was not satisfied. He said, “No, there are too many more that are suffering. There are too many more that need to be touched by God.” So look with me in Luke 10:1. It says: “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” Look in Luke 10:8 at some of the instructions he gives to the seventy: “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.” 9 “And

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heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” So it’s not only Jesus and the twelve ministering healing, now he has 70 more ministers of the gospel, people that are anointed by the Spirit of God, that are taking the healing power of God out to the masses. But you know what? Even at that, His great compassionate heart is not yet satisfied. He says, “It’s not enough. There are too many suffering people. My heart is breaking for them!” So come to Mark 16:15-18. We find Jesus speaking to His disciples just prior to His ascension. Look what He says: “…, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Now, friend, that’s an important one, especially if you are going out into all the world, because you go to some places and you are going to have to eat things and drink some things that otherwise you wouldn’t eat and drink. But He says, “Hey, you’re covered.” Then He says, “They...” Who is they? It is those that believe: They, believers, you. It says, “…they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” This is a commission to all believers. My friend, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and you have hands, you are responsible for this. Now Jesus along with His twelve disciples and the seventy believers are all ministering to all that came to them, but they were not enough He says, “Hey! We need more!” All believers are commissioned to go out and lay hands on the sick. He said, “Lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Those, according to Mark, are the last eleven words that Jesus spoke to the disciples before He ascended to the right hand of the Father. How important is that? My friend, we believe in healing. If you go on and begin reading in the Book of Acts, you see the early church in action. They were a Divine healing, believing, practicing group of believers. All the way through the very last chapter in the Book of Acts, you find everyone on the Isle of Malta coming and being healed under the ministry of Paul. And that is nearly thirty years after the Day of Pentecost. So that healing ministry was carried right on through the Book of Acts. Now we also find Divine healing taught in the Epistles. In the Book of James we find something very, very important. We find that Divine healing was one of the ordinances established by God for the church for all ages. Look in James 5:14: “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. Now this is an ordinance for the church in all generations. My friend, this is for you; this is for me. This is important! Look at what it says in James 5:15: “And the prayer of faith will save the sick…” (or will heal…it’s the same Greek word). There are several things we need to take note of here. It says, “Is anyone among you sick?” It didn’t say, “Let his wife call...” It didn’t say to have someone else call for him. It says let the sick person call. You see, they need to demonstrate some faith, too. You are not going to call if you don’t believe. So it says let the sick person call, and then let the elders... the spiritually mature, the ones that know how to do it... let them pray over him or her, whatever the case is, anointing them with oil. Oil is just symbolic of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon them, there is no power in the oil of itself. It doesn’t matter if you are using olive oil or safflower oil. Anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. “ And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise them up...” Copyright © 2004 Answers with Bayless Conley

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