God’s Law of Believing and Receiving
There is tremendous power in believing. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) God doesn’t just tell us to believe, but His Word explains specifically what and how we are to believe.
Mark 9 records the story of a young boy with an evil spirit who was brought to Jesus. After describing his son’s condition, the boy’s father said, “…if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22) Notice he said “if” you can do anything. His knowledge of Christ’s abilities limited his belief. You can’t believe any further than you have knowledge, because you must know about something before you can believe it.
Jesus answered, “…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23) We all have the ability to believe. When we are born again, we are called “believers” and who has ever heard of a believer who couldn’t believe? Christ’s response to this man reveals that it was not a question of whether Jesus could do anything, but rather, would the man believe? If he would, the child would be delivered.
Then the father cried out, “…Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) The question is, how could he believe and still be in unbelief? He was actually saying, “I have believed as far as I can believe with the knowledge that I have.”
This man used his faith to the limit. He brought his son to Jesus to see if He could deliver his son. He was hoping Jesus would heal him. But the Scripture says faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hope is important, for without it, there is nothing to which faith can give substance (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus responded to this man’s faith and delivered his son.
Matthew 8:5-13 records the healing of a centurion’s servant afflicted with palsy. The centurion told Jesus it was not necessary for Him to lay hands on his servant, but to only speak the word and he would be healed. Jesus responded, “…as you have believed, so let it be done for you. And his servant was healed that same hour.” (Matthew 8:13)
These two examples give us insight into the Law of Believing and Receiving, which is emphasized throughout the New Testament. “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says... whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:23-24) “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matthew 21:22)
Scripture confirms that both speaking and believing God’s Word changes difficult circumstances. Speaking creates the ability to believe. We are only limited by what we can believe, based on the authority of God’s Word. However, what we believe is affected by our knowledge.
You must know what the Scripture says if you are to believe what God has said about healing, finances, deliverance, and other matters that affect your life. Mark 1:40-42 relates the story of a leper who came to Jesus for healing. He said, “…If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (Mark 1:40) The leper knew Jesus could do it, but he was not sure He would. The leper used the faith he had, but it stopped at the question mark. When Jesus said, “...I am willing; be cleansed.” (Mark 1:41) the question mark was removed, and the leper’s ability to believe was liberated.
The Placebo Effect
A newsletter from the Mayo Health Clinic described what it called the “placebo effect.” A placebo contains no active medication but is used on patients who believe they are being treated with real medicine.
In a series of experiments, doctors filled capsules with sugar or flour and prescribed them to patients who were told they were receiving potent medicine. The patients believed the pills would make them well; many of them started improving almost immediately. Their response is called the “placebo effect.” The placebo sometimes brings better results than real medicine because the patient believes it is better.
Medical reports document that the “placebo effect” has been used successfully to treat coughs, headaches, insomnia, allergies, blood pressure, and numerous other diseases.
Some people receiving placebos even reported side effects of the drug they thought they were receiving, and in some cases, their use had to be terminated gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms. All of these responses to placebos occurred because patients believed they had received something that would make them well. These experiments scientifically document the tremendous power of believing. New medicines now have to be compared to placebos before the FDA approves them. The power of believing is much more profound when connected to God’s Word.
Your body was created by God to respond to messages received from your brain. There are chemicals in the brain called endorphins that, when activated, kill pain in a manner similar to narcotics. Other brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters affect how you think, feel, and behave. The Bible declares, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) Your words affect your brain, which influences your body chemistry and ultimately, your physical health.
Proverbs 18:14 declares, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity...” Another version translates this, “The spirit of a man will hold off, or hold in his infirmity...” In other words, what you believe will either hold in or hold off an infirmity. The Bible, as well as scientific research, confirms what Jesus declared 2,000 years ago, “…as you have believed, so let it be done for you…” (Matthew 8:13)
Say It and Pray It
Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7) “…whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:23-24)
The following article, entitled “Patient Knows Best,” appeared in the August 1991 issue of The Reader’s Digest: “A person’s answer to the question, ‘Is your health excellent, good, fair, or poor?’ is a remarkable predictor of who will live or die over the next four years according to new findings. A study of more than 2,800 men and women 65 and older found that those who rate their health ‘poor’ are four to five times more likely to die in the next four years than those who rate their health ‘excellent.’ This was the case even if examinations show the respondents to be in comparable health.
These findings are supported by a review of five other large studies, totaling 23,000 people, which reached similar conclusions, according to Ellen Idler, a sociologist at Rutgers University, and epidemiologist, Stanislav Kasl of Yale University School of Medicine, co-authors of the new study.”
People that have an image of themselves being in poor health will talk poor health. Even though they may be in good health, they seem to live out the reality of the image they have of themselves, even unto death.
This is revealed in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” What you believe and speak not only affects your body, but your immune system as well. Your words become either a blessing or a curse to you.
Jesus put it this way, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
The Apostle Paul said God’s Word is in your mouth, then in your heart. (Paraphrased Romans 10:8)
I am convinced from my study of the Word of God that your own words can change your immune system for better or worse (James 3:2-7). The words you speak are vital to your health and well-being. I believe there are some diseases that will never be cured unless people learn to speak the language of health that the body understands. God’s Word is infused (engrafted) into you by giving voice to His Word with your own mouth. This is the language of health your body understands, and it will respond to it.
I believe a continual affirmation of God’s Word in faith will build into your immune system a supernatural anointing that is capable of eliminating sickness and disease in a natural manner.
God’s Word is the original healing medicine. Take on a daily basis for best results. Psalm 107:20 tells us that God sent His Word and healed them!
Charles Capps
