Have you ever thought about this question? "If I only had one more opportunity left, what would I say to the people I love?" I ask this because I believe if God only had one more opportunity to speak to you-He would tell you just how much you mean to Him-because He wants you to understand just how much He loves you. He is good and His love endures forever! Praise Him!

On a different note, there is another very important thing to remember when it comes to God's goodness: It's because of His goodness that He always does His utmost to convict us of our sins. God always wants us to be in the right position for receiving the Holy Spirit's work of conviction. What's more, it's because of His goodness that we receive the grace to repent! I want to emphasize these two truths as we transition into the meat of Part Two.


HEALING IS THE CHILDREN'S BREAD!

You know, when the Lord began to speak to me about the Father's love I was reminded of something that was a great comfort to me in my childhood. Many of you know my testimony, how I grew up in a broken home, no dad around, my mother was deaf, and how I got more and more rebellious and unhappy in that environment. But one good thing I do remember is that anytime I was hungry, I could go into the fridge and the cupboards and help myself. Always, food was available. Being a child, I was never concerned about where the money was going to come from or how Mom was going to put food in the cupboards.

I remember too that if I mentioned I would like to eat something, Mom would always say, "What are you talking about boy? Just go in there and eat!" Mom cooked, don't get me wrong, but whenever I was hungry I was free to get into the cupboards and the fridge and eat something. Listen! That's how it's supposed to be for us when it comes to God. You just come boldly before the throne of grace. No begging for what God says is already yours. Just go to "the fridge of heaven!" Maybe you're wondering what's in the fridge of heaven? What's on the table of the Lord? Here it is: it's the bread of healing and deliverance.

So let me explain why healing and deliverance is key by taking a look at the woman described in the book of Matthew, a Gentile from Canaan, who came to Jesus crying out for help because her daughter was severely demon possessed (15:22). The Bible says that Jesus didn't answer her at first at all and the disciples, being fed up with her cries, advised Him to just send her away. But! He said to her, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v. 24). When Jesus said that I believe that He was trying to break it to her gently, "Woman, you're not really one of us because we are partakers of God's covenant promises. We're Jewish and you're Gentile."

Now, what He said did not discourage her one bit; in fact, she humbled herself and worshipped Him. Why? What did she know?

Look. Her first words to Jesus were: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!" (v. 21). Remember in last week's lesson how the two blind men cried out to Jesus, saying, "Son of David have mercy on us!" (Matt. 9:27). I said last week, "When Jesus saw their faith He also saw their hearts acknowledging Him not only as the Son of David, the One who forgives their sins, but also as the One who is mercy and compassion personified, always willing to release healing. Mercy and compassion are interchangeable."

This lowly woman knew that the"Son of David" was full of mercy and compassion! That revelation gave her the confidence to press in after He had just told her that He could not give her the children's bread (v. 26). Don't forget that bread symbolizes healing and deliverance. What else did she know? She knew that Jesus could be reasoned with- "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table" (v. 27). Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Wow! Her faith touched His heart!-"O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire" (v. 28). She received the children's bread-healing and deliverance for her daughter! On top of that, look at this. Because she was a Gentile, the Jews who saw it happen must have been amazed! How could she, who was considered by them to be a dog, receive mercy and compassion from Jesus? Just think about the impact of that healing in the eyes of the people who were there!

God's goodness wasn't limited to only certain people back then and it isn't limited today either!

It's true! He lets the sun shine on the just and the unjust alike. The goodness of God is for the stranger! (Num 15:15, 16). Since God's goodness is about healing the sick unbeliever and those that are not part of any covenant with Him, then how much more is His goodness and healing available for His own suffering children? God wants us to know for certain that we, as believers, absolutely have a right to the children's bread-the bread of healing and deliverance. We have been brought to the table of the Lord, by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ! Would we dare insult the Son of God and the goodness of God by having a "I'll just settle for this sickness" mentality?

The children's bread is in the Father's house. Friends, come boldly to the throne of grace. See the eagerness of God and the yearning of God. He wants you to relate to Him in love; to get a revelation of His goodness and mercy, for it's for everyone. The rain falls on the just and the unjust! (Matt. 5:45).


YOU ARE A CASE IN POINT!

God wants to make use of you as His ambassador! In the natural, an ambassador is a diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative. Obviously that representative is an expert on his authority and influence.

Likewise, we need to know God's goodness. We must have a revelation of His true character if we're going to represent Him to the lost. His mercy and goodness are not confined to only a select few, and we need to take God's mercy and begin to give it away! It's possible that you, like most of us are a "case in point" because it's quite normal to need some healing. Just think about this. You become an authority with influence when you've been on the receiving end of the mercy and goodness of God. Who better than you-with your own miracle as a testimony alive in your heart-to share about God's goodness and mercy, for the sake of the lost. Your miracle and your breakthrough are connected to evangelism.

When you begin to respond to the heart of God and you begin to love the lost and the harvest, you are a living example of: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Matt. 5:7). It's a promise of healing; your own healing. In the book of Isaiah, Chapter 58 is a whole discourse about loving justice and mercy and extending yourself to others who are hurting. And I believe, ultimately, the highest call of every ministry is described in verse 10:"If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday." And look at this in verses 11 and 12: "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." Listen! The Lord gives you a promise of revival.

GOD'S FAVOR IS ON EVANGELISM

Friends, this is the ministry of Jesus! As I've traveled all over the world, people have asked me, "Why has God blessed you?" "Why is God releasing His power to the nations and the blessing of God?" The answer is evangelism. God always blesses missions. God always blesses soul winning. God always blesses mercy. God always blesses restoration. That's where the heart of God is. You'll find more of the release of the benevolence of God and the goodness of God as you begin to give yourself to the ministry for mercy. You will see a release from heaven. Everywhere I go I experience the favor of God; and I am convinced that he who refreshes others, he himself will be refreshed.

Do you want to come into a release of His river? Then don't just wait for a release of His river; do what He wants you to do. Be an ambassador for Jesus Christ and begin to give yourself to His ministry and watch how God will begin to open the heavens. The Holy Spirit will begin to come and rest upon you. Just watch how God will refresh you! You will become like a well watered garden. Your healing will release the healing of others.

God will begin to strengthen your bones as you purpose in your heart-in the midst of where you are at and in the midst of whatever your need is today-when you make a decision to rise above that place and say, "My God, I will give mercy. My God, I will give healing. I'll win souls for You." Tell somebody about Jesus. Yes, there is a cost in doing this, but it's worth it because Jesus Christ is worthy. Friends, the fiercest opposition I ever experience is when I begin to see the church mobilized and excited about the harvest. The devil doesn't like that. But blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.



CLOSING

Today, I want to invite you to lift up your hands and freely let the love of God wash over you right now. For some of you, perhaps you feel that you've failed. Right now you just need to feel the acceptance of the Father; you need to receive His love. Think about His great mercy and His goodness for you, His love and His yearning and His eagerness to answer the cries in your heart. The love of God will do it right now.

Yes, He is holy, He is mighty, He's majestic, but the Father Himself loves you. Receive His love right now. Be like a little child, the simplicity of when you were a young child, and receive the kingdom heaven (Matt. 19:14). Allow God to speak to you like that. Be sons and daughters, not preachers, not ministers, not pastors, evangelists, prophets, teachers; forget about that for a moment and begin to receive the Father's love. Begin to receive His goodness; that the mercy of God would begin to wash you in those areas in your life where there has been condemnation, guilt and shame, sorrow and grief. Let the love of God come. Thank Him and begin to open up. The Son of Righteousness is going to rise with healing in His wings right now. Believe that God wants you to relate to Him as His precious son or daughter.

I believe that as the Holy Spirit ministers to you, any religious spirit that has stopped you from a revelation of Abba Father is going to be broken. So let the religious spirit begin to loose you in the name of Jesus. Let's pray.

"Thank You Father for my healing, right now. Thank You for my miracle. Thank You for a breakthrough in the heavens in the name of Jesus. Oh Holy Spirit, I want to ask You for the spirit of adoption. I just want to stand in Your presence. Thank you for showing me Your goodness so that I can share it goodness with others everywhere I go. All for your glory Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen."

Todd Bentley