Do you believe in the power of faith to receive miracles? Or does your human reasoning resist God's supernatural ways? Do you readily surrender to His Spirit? Or do you lock arms against Him? There are many Christians today that believe in Jesus, but they don't believe Him. They believe just enough to receive eternal life in Heaven but shun abundant life while on this earth. And then they wonder where God in their time of need is. For a large sector of God's people, it is more comfortable for them to say this sickness or disease comes from God, then to trust in His word and declare, "By His stripes we are healed." Many would rather live a precarious spiritual life, then abide in the safety of the Almighty. But when calamity comes, and it does come on this fallen earth they shake their fist at God and ask, "Why?"
What does God's Word say to us about being redeemed from our enemy? According to the word of the Lord found in Psalm 107:2 we've been redeemed from the hand of the enemy. "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy," Psalm 107:2. Do we believe it? Or do we still underestimate the power of the Lord within us? At first many will respond with a reassuring response, "Yes, I believe!". But when difficulties designed by the enemy come our way to steal, to kill, and to destroy us, many of God's people cave into the attack of the enemy, and often without any form of resistance. This response to Satan's tactics is not right. We are to believe what God says about His redemptive hand upon us. And what does He say about our redemption from our enemy?
Many years ago, when I first started fulfilling my calling as a healing evangelist, the Lord gave me clear instructions. I was to first teach the people because they need faith to believe and receive their healing. And that's exactly what I do, teach and then minister. I am a firm believer that we need to give the people a reason to believe, a foundation for their faith. And this foundation is found only in the Word of God. His Word tells us that "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17. And it is this hearing by the word of God that I want to focus on in this devotional.
Do you realize that if you are a born-again believer in Jesus, you are a priest? The Bible says in First Peter 2:9 that we are a royal priesthood. But let's face it, most of us are uncomfortable with the title "priest." In fact, when we hear the term priest, what comes to our mind is a picture of a man wearing a special collar or robe sprinkling people with holy water. Right? That makes us feel uncomfortable with who God called us to be–a priest unto Himself.
One of the foundational elements that we need to stand firm in faith is an understanding of our spiritual legal rights. Without this revelation knowledge it is difficult to take ownership of God's promises and confidently believe. Many people are suffering from broken marriages, financial difficulties and incurable sicknesses and disease. They desire a miraculous touch from God and do not understand why it is not happening. They have not been taught that they possess a title deed called "faith" that gives them covenant rights with the Father to make their hopes a reality.
Such excitement stirs within us when we allow ourselves to think about plunging into the deep and glorious realm of the Spirit. Our imaginations visualize great spiritual adventures of the supernatural kind such as dreams, visions, healings, heavenly visitations, and creative miracles. And yes, all of these and so much more await us as we plunge into the deep with the Spirit.
Lovers of Jesus desire for His glorious return, but we read in Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV), "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
How do I not panic or give in to my fears? Let's face it, times are rough. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, (NKJV), "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." How do I calm my mind and emotions during tribulations, difficult times?
Do you need to get a hold of Jesus? Do you feel frustrated because it seems like He is out of your reach? Did you realize that there is a way to connect with Him? It's by faith, and it's your faith that grabs hold of His undivided attention. Faith is your contact point with God. Even if you think your faith is little faith, all it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed and the mountains will move. Jesus says, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you," Matthew 17:20. Faith is your direct line to Jesus.
You ask, "What about the person who has been prayed for numerous times, knows God wants to heal them, but just doesn't seem to ever receive the full manifestation?" This is a challenging question, but it does have an answer. I would recommend to this person to listen very carefully to what they are actually speaking when they are with people of likeminded faith, what are they speaking when they are with people that have no teaching or understanding of divine healing, and what are they speaking when they are alone. Our Words have power to create or to destroy.
