Christian Mission Outreach

The Bible records that in many different ways Jesus healed those who came to him. He did not do it the same each time. And since “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” (Heb. 13:8 NKJV) then He still heals through His servants today in a variety of ways. Usually a Bible-inspired word or a “word of knowledge” or Rhema word from the Holy Spirit is spoken in Jesus’ name.

Jesus just spoke a word and immediate miracles came for many. “Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.” (Matt. 15:30) But like the lepers who were to wash first, some received progressive healings on the way. Remember the man who Jesus healed of blindness at Bethsaida. After leading him out of town, Jesus “spit on his eyes and put His hands on him. He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, ‘I see men like trees walking.’ Then he put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.” (Mark 8:23-25) Since that man had Jesus pray for him again, we can ask others for prayer more than once.

I have experienced both immediate and progressive healings. My upper arm was broken July 20, 2024, and my mobility was challenged. Having faith for healing, I had prayer for it at our tent meetings that summer. The Lord heard my prayer but answered me differently than I expected. In His “still small voice,” He said, “Peace” and “Trust Me.” So I filled up with His peace and began to trust Him for this situation hoping to glorify Him in the healing. After another disappointing x-ray months later, Holy Spirit reminded me, “there’s joy in the house of the Lord,” preventing discouragement. After surgery this May, I was still returning periodically for prayer, hoping and believing for my miracle of complete functionality. Thankfully, the Great Physician is healing me progressively increasing my movement and strength, helped by physio exercises. And I remind God and myself of His Rhema words like, “It’s too late to stop this miracle,” and “You have asked. You shall receive.”

Actually, the Lord encouraged me with many words during this time. The day of the accident, Holy Spirit reminded me of an old song:

          “I am a wounded soldier but I will not leave the fight, because the Great Physician is healing me. I’m standing in the battle in the armor of His might, because His mighty power is real in me. I am loved, I am accepted by the Saviour of my soul. I am loved, I am accepted, and my wounds will be made whole.”

Standing on those words and others like “No weapon forged against you will prosper,” I continue to love and serve Jesus. Glory be to God! Requiring extra time for rest and physio exercises, I realized that the enemy wanted to stop me from serving. So I have done what God has given me the grace to do, including an occasional blog. Christian TV and videos have helped in my fight to maintain time for the Bible, prayer and time with God, my strength.  Praise God I have reaped mercy sown over the years. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt. 5:7) Thank God, it has been there when I needed it in the form of food, rides, and invaluable, consistent help from family and church family. I am living in the overflow!

This has stretched my theology about healing. I try to focus on what God has for me rather than what I feel and see. Thankful that His grace is sufficient, I maintain my belief that faith for my complete healing is like faith for my new stove. When I bought it, I paid the purchase price, but had to wait a couple weeks for it to be delivered. The stove was mine, but I had to wait for it to be seen. Likewise for my healing, Jesus paid the price in full by shedding His blood. So healing is mine. “My wounds shall be made whole.” Hallelujah! in heaven I have new body parts waiting to be delivered.

God’s promises are “Yes and Amen.”  He had Abraham wait 25 years for a promise. So is it too much if He has someone wait a little while for one? He is glorified in a quick or longer healing.

Should we pray healing for everyone we see or hear about?

Although Jesus endured stripes so all might be healed, it is best to be in communication with Him to see if that’s what the Father is doing. It might not be His will at that time. It is like how all “might be saved.” (John 3:17) The gospel is to go to all nations, but Paul was only to go to Asia in God’s timing.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23)

Part of revival is a fear of the Lord and intimacy with Jesus, partnering with Him and His Holy Spirit. We have authority as believers, but may we always remember who is to be Lord of our lives, leading us in the work He gives us to do. May He keep us from presumption, from doing what is not His will. May His bride let Him lead in the dance of life. You lead Lord. You lead!

What does “all” mean?

“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.” (Matt. 8:16; 14:14)

The gospels and Acts record times where Jesus healed all. But we need to look at the context of the word. Specific times and places were recorded and sometimes it says, “many.” Perhaps not all who came required healing. “He healed many.” (Mark 3:10) “Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” (Mark 6:56) At the sermon on the plain, this happened too, “for power went out of Him and healed them all.” (Luke 6:17-19)

Did Jesus heal all people in Israel? If He had, then there would not have been any left for the apostles to heal in His name. But He healed all who came to Him for healing, especially if they had faith for healing or if the Father was showing Him to do it. So only one was healed at the Pool of Bethesda. And He must have passed the lame man many times “whom they laid daily at the [Beautiful] gate of the temple.” (Acts 3:2) Was He leaving him for Peter and John, to exercise their new gifts after Pentecost?

Healing is the children’s bread so it's normally reserved for His people. Although the Syro-Phoenician woman was not a believing Jew, she did have faith for healing, as did the centurion. God responds to faith and feels compassion for the needy. “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” (Matt. 14:14) They were not random sick people. They had sought Him.

God is so good – all the time!