Week 10 of 52 - Faith is knowing that Jesus Christ is our Healer

Faith is knowing that Jesus Christ is our Healer - Lord increase our faith

Often when we think of Jesus, we think about the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. He died for our sins that we might experience eternal life with God the Father. But there is other significance to Christ's death. When He takes away our sin, He is also taking away the source of much of our pain. This is a healing work. Many people are burdened down by the consequence of either their own sin, or the sin's committed against them. When we accept Jesus' salvific work on the cross we receive healing.  

The prophet Isaiah tells us that we are healed by his stripes. Basically saying that we have been healed through his torture. On one side that seems cruel, but for us it means relief from all kinds of pain: emotional pain, spiritual pain and even physical pain. To quote the old hymn "There is wonder working power in the blood..." What Christ has done for us is not just granted us a ticket into heaven, He has made away that we might lives lives here on earth that are more heavenly in nature. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Jesus has made a way for us to experience the more abundant life that He came to prepare for us.

When we accept God's forgiveness through the blood and sacrifice of Christ, we are empowered to forgive others. Being able to forgive others heals our hearts in ways we could never have imagined. Yet while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. In his example we can see how forgiving others frees us from emotional and relational pain and also sets those whom we have been unwilling forgive free from our unforgiveness. Consider the "Lord's prayer" - we are asking God to only forgive us as much as we are willing to forgive others.

In accepting God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we also accept (or are required to accept) his Lordship - His rule and reign in our lives. That grants us spiritual freedom. As long as we resist Christ's authority in our lives, we make room for other spiritual forces to create havoc in our lives; powers of wickedness in the heavenly realms. This also we must take by faith, that Jesus is Lord of all and though his Lordship we receive freedom from oppression from those dark spirits. Looking at Jesus example, He healed many people by casting out unclean or demonic spirits. His followers have been give authority to cast out spirits that are harmful to us.

Jesus has also made a way for us to receive physical healing. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit gives gifts to men and women so that we might help one another. One of those gifts in the gift of healing. We are promised that one of the signs of those who are his true followers will be that they will lay hands on the sick and the sick will recover. Jesus doesn't want us to live a broken defeated life. He came that we might have abundant lives. I personally have experienced miraculous healing and have felt things leave my body while being prayed for.

Lord Jesus, you are our healer you are the one who heals his children and who gives authority to heal to his followers - Lord, increase our faith.

Week 6 of 52 Prayers of Faith - Jesus is the way, the truth and the life

Faith is knowing that Jesus Christ is the only true way, truth and life; there is no other way to God the Father - Lord increase our faith

I was born in Canada, but pretty much raised in America. Here we have an independent, self-determinate kind of mentality. We think that we can do it. That is part of why America is so prosperous but there is a down side. Because of our independent nature, we all think that we know what is best for us. We think that no one else can show us what is good for us. Now I admit that I have over stated things a bit, but I think if you talk to people in other countries (as I have) you will find that there is a love-hate feeling about us. They love how prosperous we are and would like to be like us, but they hate how superior we can be when talking to others - as if our way is the only way.

When Jesus said the He is the way the truth and the life, He was saying that God has a better way. It's not the American way, its not the British way and it is most definitely not the Russian way. His way is a way that depends upon spiritual principles. And we can trust his way because He is our Creator and Savior. His ways are not the ways of capitalism or communism or even democracy. His ways are about living every day for God and with God, so that our circumstances matter less and our character matters more.

His ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts. We cannot confuse our expectations and reasoning for God's. In fact some of his ways seem counter intuitive. In God's economy, it is more blessed to give than to receive. In God's relationships, we always forgive and we are even empowered to love our enemies. In God's order the servant of all is the greatest not the most popular or the most powerful.

Lord, you are the way the truth and the life. Lord increase our faith


As always I encourage you to meditate on this thought and to journal it, praying/requesting that God would increase your faith.