Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

This morning, we are going to be wrapping up our series, Jesus our healer. So far, we have looked at how Jesus heals the inner man, the soul of man, and the mind of man. I hope that this series has been helpful in some way to each of you.

We are also excited to begin the Let’s Talk About It Series next week! There were many questions submitted covering a wide range of topics. I hope you are prepared to hear the same series titled for an extended period of time.

Today, the final message in the series is entitled, Jesus our healer. We are going to dig into the scripture concerning divine healing to see that Jesus heals the physical body of man.

As we begin, I want to acknowledge that the subject of divine healing has a tendency to produce a wide range of reactions in the body of Christ due to conflicting doctrinal viewpoints, and personal experiences. What we will do today is simply look at what the word reveals concerning divine healing.

Quick Definition of Doctrinal Disputes:
Cessasionism: In a simple definition, cessationists believe that the “sign gifts” or miraculous spiritual gifts, such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and healing, ceased with the death of the apostles and the completion of the New Testament canon.

This doctrinal view stands in contrast with Continuationism, which believes that spiritual gifts continue to be given by God and are operative in the church today, and they continue to actively seek and use the gifts.

Additionally, another wrinkle in the conversation is people’s personal experience. To the one who prayed and didn’t see what they hoped for, it must be because God no longer heals. While simultaneously, you have another who prayed, and the person was healed or they recovered.

So, how then do we approach the gifts of the Spirit and divine healing? We must look to the word of God. The word is the final authority. Our personal experiences will never change the Word.

Jesus Christ is perfect theology, and He came to reveal the Father.

We cannot separate the works of Christ from the will of the Father. What he does and says is a direct representation of His Father.
Which means, the express will of God was revealed in the person of Jesus.

Concerning miracles and healings, the gospels are filled with stories of healings, miracles, signs, and wonders.
• Jesus healed all manner of sickness and disease (Matthew 4:24, Luke 4:40),
• Jesus opened the eyes of the blind (Matthew 9:27-30, Mark 8:22-25, Mark 10:46-52, John 9:1-7),
• Jesus opened deaf ears (Mark 7:31-37)
• Jesus cast out demons (Mark 8:28-34, Mark 9:14-29),
• Jesus raises the dead (Luke 7:11-17, Mark 5:21-43, John 11:38-44).
Jesus also calmed a storm (Mark 4:35-41), turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), walked on water and caused Peter to walk on water (Matthew 14:22-23, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21), and caused the disciples to miraculously catch an abundance of fish (John 21, Luke 5).

What were these works intended to do?
1. They revealed his identity as the Son of God and the promised Messiah.
2. They demonstrated the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom is the King’s Domain. (Person, Place, Power, and Culture).
3. They expressed His divine compassion for the suffering.
4. They validated His message as He called people to repentance and belief.

The demonstration of the Spirit in power is intended to accompany the preaching of the word to give proof of the reality of the kingdom of God.

There is also no scriptural reference that states any of the gifts ceased. On the contrary, we see the instruction of Jesus stating the opposite.

Jesus to the disciples: Matthew 10:7–8 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

Jesus to those who believe: Mark 16:17–18 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.””

Jesus modeling the work and anointing of the Holy Spirit: Acts 10:38 “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

The Works intended to continue: John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

The Baptism of the Spirit: Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

I can tell you with the utmost certainty and confidence that God has not changed, and that He continues to heal today.

How can I speak with such certainty? I have witnessed it myself. I have seen blinded eyes open, deaf ear open, tumors disappear, dead baby in a womb resurrected, cancers disappear, various diseases/conditions healed, and legs shorter than the other grow out.

What then is the hindrance?

A few issues that can hinder the flow of healing:
Purity, Consecration, Glory, Faith, and Assumption.

Purity is the backbone to power. It creates an unhindered relationship with God. Rooted in single-minded devotion and a life of integrity. Biblical purity is defined not as sinlessness, but as "whole-heartedness"—an undivided commitment to God.

Purity positions the believer for confidence in prayer. When a person’s heart does not condemn, they can approach God with confidence. Purity strengthens our prayer life because it aligns motives with God’s will.

James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Consecration is a prerequisite.
Purity of heart is part of consecration. A pure heart creates integrity, which fosters inner strength and strong character. This inner “cleanness” creates a fearlessness that allows a person to act with conviction and boldness for God.

Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.”

2 Timothy 2:21 “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

A life of purity and consecration makes one ready and available for God to use. Consecration is about preparation.

Glory. It is not about you. The glory belongs to God. The demonstration of power requires humility. There is no room for pride in thinking that it is by the work of your own hands that healing takes place. We are only vessels.

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.”

God alone is the one who receives the glory. It is His name that is exalted, and not our own.

James 4:6 “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

The power of the Spirit is not for sale or self-promotion. There was a man named Simon the Sorcerer (practiced witchcraft) who believed in Christ through the ministry of Philip in Acts 8. Miracles
accompanied the message of Philip.

The Apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God and sent Peter and John to them to pray that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Simon seeing people filled with the Holy Spirit thought that he could purchase the power of God with money. Acts 8:14-25.

Acts 8:18 “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,”
He was rebuked by Peter.

Acts 8:20–23 “But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

Faith:
The faith of the person praying matters. Matthew 17:14-21. A man’s son was an epileptic and suffered severely. He brought his son to Jesus disciples, but they could not cure him.

Jesus takes over in the situation, rebukes the demon causing the issue, and the child was cured from that very hour. Matthew 17:18.

The disciples ask Jesus privately why they couldn’t do it? His response, Matthew 17:20–21 “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Whose unbelief? Theirs. Not the father or the person being prayed for.

Jesus also revealed that this demon would only go out through fasting and prayer. Question: Did Jesus fast or pray in this moment? No. He commanded.

What did Jesus have a custom of doing? Fasting and Prayer. This goes back to the place of consecration. The surrendered life is marked by power because it is a life that can be trusted.

Assumption:
It is easy to assume what God wants to do, rather than seeking Him to find out what He wants to do. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.”
Jesus revealed a few important truths: He did spoke only what God commanded and only did what He saw the Father do.

John 12:49 “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.”

John 5:19 “Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

Concerning healing and moving in the Spirit, we need to learn sensitivity and to be led by God. We see in part, God sees in full. We need to seek Him before we act on assumption.

An example, John 5:2-9. There was a man paralyzed for 38 years at a pool called Bethesda. Jesus sees him lying there and has a dialogue with him on whether or not he wants to be made well. The end of the story is that he is healed.

The observation of the story is that every person who was around the pool had some sort of ailment, but Jesus healed the one. There is no record that he healed anyone else that day. Jesus did what He saw the Father do.

God’s ways are above our ways. He sees what we do not. Assumptions can leave us frustrated.

What we need most, is to seek, surrender, and obey with boldness when he commands us to move. Power should follow those that believe, so that we might give demonstration along with revelation of salvation.