Tag: Believe

Know God Is Real

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

 

Why Should An Intelligent Person Believe In God?

An intelligent person should follow the available evidence with an open mind wherever it takes them.  They should reach their own conclusion about God with sound logic. If you want to know if God is real, or if you want more confidence in your current belief, the following discussion provides several lines of exploration you can and should pursue.

It Matters

The most important decision of your life is whether to believe God is real and worthy of your worship and devotion, or whether to ignore God and focus all your energy on you and your earthly life. If God is real, this decision has major ramifications for you and those around you, both now in this life and for eternity.  And if God is real, and this decision does have major ramifications, and you risk spending eternity in some lake of burning fire if you don’t get with the program, then it would be appropriate to invest some time and energy to explore the evidence, find out what is going on, and align yourself to avoid such a scenario. If God is not real, none of this really matters and the worst you will have done by exploring this is to waste some unimportant time learning about the most popular and pervasive myth ever concocted by mankind. This is called Pascal’s Wager… are you willing to bet an eternity in hell that it is ok to continue not believing in God.

God Hides, You will find Him only if you truly want to find Him.

God hides himself just enough that you must decide to spend some of your precious energy to pursue Him. If He was obvious and standing right in front of us, we would not require faith to believe in Him. The spiritual world operates on faith, and our free will decisions to pursue and believe. If you want to find reasons not to believe you can, and it is your choice, but beware, there just might be some serious consequences.  Once we decide to explore beyond the physical world in front of us and commit to explore the evidence for God with a truly open mind and open heart, He promises you will find Him.  I am highly confident based on my experience, If you truly want to find Him, You will, and I am happy to help.  

Faith should not be blind

The God of the Christian Bible never asks us to have blind faith. He is very clear that He left ample evidence of His handiwork in creation; The heavens reveal His Glory, his fingerprint can be seen in the world all around us, and He has written Himself in our hearts. He boldly claims that no one has an excuse to be ignorant of Him. He expects us to be able to gather up the evidence, figure it out, and make a sound conclusion. 

We should be able to defend our position

He also asks us to be ready and able to defend that decision with convincing logic any time.  Do you believe in God? What is the basis for your belief? What are your top 3 reasons?

The Evolution of Science

One interesting aspect of mankind’s spiritual journey is the evolution of science. The scientific community spent most of the 20th century trying to prove that we do not need a supernatural God to explain how everything works or how we got here in the first place. Over the last 50 years, scientific discoveries have made that much harder to do at almost every level. Open minded researchers can see that the evidence points more and more towards the existence of a supernatural God.  Those researchers who are committed to a materialist world view, who categorically refuse to consider God as a potential hypothesis, remain hopeful for an alternative explanation to emerge even when the odds are astronomically low and going lower with every new discovery. The interesting thing to understand is that this materialist approach is a new thing born within the scientific community. Science was originally founded out of Christian pursuit to better understand God. Based on His promise in the psalms.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

They expected to learn more about Him by studying his orderly creation. The early scientists were Christians, and the first universities grew out of monasteries. It is fitting that following the science is taking us back to God where it started.

What evidence is available to support a Belief In God, Sometimes Called a God hypothesis?

These are my Top Ten +1 reasons to believe:

  1. The order and design of the universe points to an intelligent source.
  2. Evolution explains adaptation, but it does not explain the explosion of species or how we got here. There is another force at work
  3. Simple Cells are Not so simple. The more we learn, the harder it is to imagine them emerging from a soup of chemicals. None of what happens in a cell is random.
  4. DNA is information telling each aspect of each cell what to do, how to do it, and when. The only known source for information is an intelligent mind. 
  5. Life only comes from life, We have no evidence of life coming from non-life. The chemical building blocks of life are unstable and assembling them into useful structures is not non-random. Life only comes from life.
  6. Every painting has a painter. Everything that has a beginning has a casue outside of it. The big bang happened before space, time and matter, so the cause must be something super powerfull and outside of space, time and mater. 
  7. The Bible is a very remarkable document with powerful wisdom when understood and applied. There is more and more archeological evidence to support the reliability of what has been preserved since it was originally written, and to substantiate the people, places and activities described in its stories.
  8. Jesus was a real person, and the evidence for His crucifixion is remarkable
  9. Superntural experiences such as Nead Death Experiences are more and more well documented and yield very practical insights.  
  10. Personal experience interacting with God, guiding and shaping me along my journey, and working through me to help others
  11. There is an objective morality written on our hearts, an objective morality demands a morality writer.

Lets take each of them in a bit more detail:

1) The order and design of the universe points to an intelligent source.

Everything about the universe is organized and highly tuned to allow life on earth. Astrophysicists have identified dozens and dozens of characteristics of the universe that are critical to life on earth; These include the laws of nature like gravity, the constants of physics like the cosmological constant, and the initial conditions of the big bang like how much energy. In recent years they have learned that these constants and quantities are so precisely tuned that the odds that they came into being randomly are astronomically low. If the universe had more initial mass, it would collapse back into itself. If the physics laws that govern molecules were any different, we would not have developed stable galaxies. If the earth were only slightly closer to the sun we would burn up, if any further away we would freeze. If the mass of the earth were any greater we would be crushed by gravity, if it were less massive we would not have a protective atmosphere.  If Jupiter were not exactly where is, we would have been destroyed by asteroids. These are just a few examples.

Learn more:

Video from J Warner Wallace: (Link)

Video from Dr William Lane Criag Videos – The Fine-Tuning of the Universe (Link)

Video from Stephen Meyer: (Link)

2) Evolution explains adaptation, but not macro evolution

Evolution theory does a wonderful job explaining minor adaptations to environmental conditions. There is no evidence for macro evolution. Darwin’s theory demands incremental changes over time. There is no fossil evidence showing increments of one species gradually becoming another. Instead, the fossil record shows many species emerging very rapidly in explosions of change. The explosion of new species is even more challenging to evolutionists now that we understand how DNA controls animal architecture and cell function, and any new body plans require significant new chunks of DNA to cause the animal to produce the proteins needed ot create the cells for the new features, and then assemble the new cells into tissues and fibers, and then arrange them into structures, then to know how to use the new structures once they arrive. Many species share common characteristics, but rather than evolving randomly over time in a long chain from a common ancestor, these common characteristics could be genetic building blocks used and reused by a creator who intervened with His creation along the way.

Learn more:

Video from Hoover Institute, “Mathematical Challenges to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution” with David Berlinski, David Gelernter, and Stephen Meyer (Link)

Video from Hoover institute ” By Design: Behe, Lennox, and Meyer on the Evidence for a Creator”  (Link)

3) Simple Cells Are Not So simple

Advances in Microbiology now reveal that each cell has a vast array of molecular level machines opertaing to perform the functions encessary to keep it alive, and the cell wall has a multitude of very specific structures and features that allow it to bring in the necessary mix of nutrients and export the necessary wastes so that it can survive and mmultiply. The more we learn about simple cells the harde rit is to imagine that they could emerge randomly from a soup of chemicals. 

Learn more: 

Video from Tomorrow’s World Viewpoint:  Darwin’s Not-So-Simple Cell (Link)

Video from Science Communication Lab – Ron Vale: Molecular Motor Proteins (Link)

Video from  Clockwork: Your Unstoppable Copy Machine｜DNA Replication (Link)

4) DNA is information, and information only comes from an intelligent source.

Each living cell has DNA which is basically a computer program for organizing the entire organism and running all the processes in each cell. DNA in each human cell contains approximately 3 million base pairs which represent approximately 1.5Gig of data. The DNA coding includes instructions for controlling replication and repair of itself. DNA is Information, Information is not generated randomly, it is highly specific and very complicated. information only comes from an intelligent source.

Learn more:

What kind of information is in DNA – Stephen Meyer  (Link)

5) Life only comes from life, life never comes from non-life.

Life propagates, it is never created from non-life. The popular story that life was sparked into existence by lightning striking a primordial soup of chemicals is a myth. The building block chemicals for life are naturally unstable and cannot wait around for lightning, and the complex chemical reactions to build chains of amino acids and other necessary complex molecules cannot be executed randomly in nature, these processes must be guided in a very precise way.

Learn more:

Hoover Institute Interview with James Tour and Stephen Meyer: (Link)

Creation Ministries Interview with Dr Stephen Grocott: (Link)

6) Every Painting Has a Painter.

We know from science and practical experience that everything that has a beginning has a cause from outside of it. This is called the Cosmological Argument. Science discovered in 1929 that the universe is expanding. If we run the clock backwards we know that the universe started in a big bang. The big bag was a tremendous release of pure energy before there was matter, space and time. The universe had a beginning so it must have a cause. The cause must be bigger and more powerful than the entire universe and it must be able to operate outside of matter, space, and time. A creator God is the most logical and elegant solution for that cause, and it happens to be consistent with Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God.

Learn more:

Video From drcraigvideos – The Kalam Cosmological Argument – (Link)

7) The Bible is an Extraordinary Document and A Reliable Source of Wisdom, and History 

The Bible is remarkable in many ways, as the most popular literary work of all time, for the remarkable wisdom it contains, for how well it has been preserved over time, for how acurately it has captured the past, and how well it has predicted the future, and the impact it has had on individuals, nations, and society as a whole.    

Remarkable Literary Work

The bible was created to document the great acts of God over time to redeam and save His people and the world He created. It is the most popular book of all time with over a billion copies published.  It is a collection of 66 different works (Books), inspired by the Holy Spirit and recorded by 40 different authors from various walks of life from kings to soldiers, to prophets and priests. It was compiled over the course of more than 1500 years but has a consistent narrative ark throughout and has a remarkable number of interlinked passages; there are over 63,000 “Hyperlinks” in the bible. The layers of meanings in the bible become more and more significant as you read and re-read them over time. 

Learn More:  

Video from Tim Mackie – Where did the bible come from and why should we care (Link)

Chris Harrison visualization tool for seeing the 64K interlinks (Link)

Jordan Peterson describing how the Bible as the first hyperlinked text (Link), Deeper discussion (Link)

 Video from Mark Ashton at Christ Community Church  – 10 Reasons the bible is extraodinary (Link).

Profound Wisdom

The bible is full of profound wisdom; It is moving, and it has a broad influence on the way we see, think, and act at the individual levle and at the leve of society.  It offers timeless guidance on a wide range of life situations, including morality, relationships, and personal conduct. The biblical teachings have shaped western society with concepts like – we are each individuslly are created in God’s image and are worthy of respect. The bible has several books dedicated specifically to imparting wisdom to those who are willing to learn and apply it: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes.  The other biblical stories often share lessons by example; people following God’s commands and being rewarded or choosing to ignore God, pursue their own agenda and suffer serious consequences. Many of the biblical writings have layers of meaning, The literal story can be informative, but it can also be symbolic of other deeper meanings.  Many of the teachings are done in the form of metaphor and parable, where you must think about the story and figure out how the deeper message applies to your situation, but the deeper meaning is always profound when you figure it out and apply it. The bible reveals God’s nature and purpose.  As you embrace it’s teaching, you can be molded more and more into His image. 

Learn more:

The Bible Project – Wisdom Series Videos (Link),  Intro to Wisdom Literature Podcast (Link). 

The HIGHEST Truth Of Them All | Jordan Peterson Deconstructing The BIBLE (Link)

Well Preserved

The bible is the best preserved piece of anchient literature we have. There are over 5,300 copies of the new testament in the original Greek, and hundreds of manuscripts of the old testament. The original writings were propogated by monks using a meticulous process. Detailed analysis of these documents and scrutiny of the variations that propagated allows us to understand when each variation was introduced and which is the most likely original. None of the variations impact the essential message fo Christ’s virgin birth, sinless life, sacrifice by crucifixion, and resurrection on  the 3rd day. The dead sea scrolls discovered in 1947 provided an even earlier copy of old testiment documents dated to 200 BC, and these further confim we have good traceability to the original writings.

Learn more:

Video form Dan Wallace – How can you trust the New Testament when the original manuscripts are different? (Link)

Interview with Deeper discussion – How Reliable Are Our New Testament Manuscripts? Dr. Daniel Wallace (Link)

Historically Accurate

The bible has proven to be reliable source of ancient historic information and even some scientific wisdom. The bible has been used to guide archeology digs and we now have archeological evidence of hundreds of people, places, and events described in the bible stories. For example Sodom and Gomorrah were real cities destroyed by fire from the heavens, A tribe of folks worshipping the God of the bible (YHWH) were indeed wandering the desert in ancient times, There were competing cultures sacrificing babies at alters that were warned to stop and then destroyed after 400 years of ignoring the warnings, There was a King David, There was a temple and it was destroyed, King Davids descendants were held in captivity in Babylon and then released to return and rebuild, Jesus was a real person, etc.

Predicted The Future

The bible was compiled from individual works written over a span of more than 1500 years. Over that time, there were many predicitons made of future events. There were over 2500 prophesies of future events in the bible, 2000 of them have already come true, the remainder are still in the future. Only God can predict the future, and He has demonstrated that capability.

Learn more: Article from Reasons to believe – Fulfilled Prophesy: Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible (Link) 

Remarkable Impact

The Bible is the best selling book of all time. It’s teachings change individual lives; people from around the world share testimony of being freed from substance abuse, destructive lifestyles, immoral behavior, and undesired behaviors due to following biblical principles and their faith in Jesus Chris.  The bibles teachings have transformed the world: Followers of the bible created science because they believed that it was orderly and studying it would reveal knowledge.Followers of the bible lead the abolition of slavery because the bible teaches that all people are created in God’s image and are worthy of respect., Followers of the bible created the entire western world which is the most prosperous of any society in history. Teachings can be corrupted and mis-used, but when applied correctly the reulsts are amazing.

8) Jesus was a Real Person, and There Is Convincing Evidence for His Resurrection 

The entire Christian religion hinges on three events: Jesus virgin birth, His suffering and innocent death on the cross, and His resurreciton on the 3rd day. Many non-believers question if Jesus was a real person, or if He really died on the cross, or if He was actually resurrected, When you review the evidence, there is a pretty convincing case that He was a real person, he did die on a cross at the hands of the romans, he was buried and then raised from the dead on the 3rd day.

    • The Gospels provide 4 eye-witness acounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
    • There are several extra-biblical accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and hoards of followers who believe resurrection
    • There were over 500 eyewitnesses willing to suffer for admitting that they had seen the resurrected Jesus.
    • There was no debate at the time, that Jesus tomb was empty on the 3rd day. The critics of Jesus accused the disciples of stealing His body from the sealed and heavily guarded tomb. 
    • The 11 remaining disciples and Jesus’s brother James were so convinced by their encounters with the risen Jesus, they were willing to devote their remainder of their lives to spreading the word, being pursecuted, and enduring torture to the point of death. People do not take lies to the grave if they know the truth.
    • There is a creed written by the early church within weeks or months or a couple years of Jesus death to capture the essence of the Gospal story for those wanting to understand and believe. This creed is captured by Paul in 1st Corinthians 15.

Learn more:

Video From Lee Strobel – The Case for Christianity in 15 min – (Link)

Video From J Warner Wallace – Cold Case Christianity (Link)

Video Interview of J Warner Wallace – A 10 year Update of Cold Case Christianity (Link)

9) Supernatural Experiences Provide Insights

Near Death Experiences provide compelling evidence for Life After Death, God, Heaven, Purpose, and Accountability for your life.  Millions of people have had experiences during trauma where they leave their physical body, travel to heaven, visit with loved ones, meet angels or God, relive part of their lives, gain insights on their purpose, are sent back to continue their life, and come back a changed person. Analysis of these experiences across diverse cultures shows they are not a random phenomenon, God is real, Heaven is real, We are each here on earth temporarily and we are here for a purpose, the goal of our life is to transform so we flow God’s love through us to the rest of creation using our gifts and talents.

Learn more:

My Web Page on Near Death Experiences (Link)

    • My Web Page on The works of Emanuel Swedenborg (Link)

10) Personal Experience – We Each Can Observe God’s Hand In Our Life

If we open our eyes to the spiritual world, and are willing to invest some of our time and energy, we can see how we are being impacted by it, and then if we engage effectively, how we are impacting it. We can see God’s hand in our life (Providence), We can fele a deep sense of purpose for our lives, We can see God answering our prayers, We can even feel his presence if we draw near to Him. If we are willing to yeild our lives to Him, He will lead us on a wonderful adventure (Lead By The Spirit), and when we accept the authority he delegates to us, we can see the power of the Holy Spirit moving through us and impacting peoples lives.

Providence:

God puts us in just the right spot with just the right person to experience something significant that shapes our earthly journey. These events are often related to how you met your spouse, how you chose what school to go to, or how you got a job. When you look at the scenarios you experienced, the probability that all of those aspects happened randomly is close to zero, and once you recognize that such things have happened more than once in your life, it becomes clear that there is a greater force at work.

Sense of Purpose:

We are each programmed with a sense of purpose deep inside. If we are honest with ourselves and reflect on our lives, we know we are here for a reason, we have a purpose, there is a calling on their life. This purpose is different for each person but it is not random.  Our unique calling aligns with a passion deep in our heart and the gifts and talents we have in our earthly body.

Power of Prayers:

Purposeful and fervent prayer aligned with God’s will is very effective. A simple log of prayers and results seen will reveal that God is real and He is answering your prayers. 

Presence:

When we pursue God and draw near to Him in prayer or worship, we can sense His presence inside us – As sense of connection, inflow, and peace appears in our soul. 

Lead By the Spirit:

God wants to help you grow and mature. He is a Father, Counselor, Teacher and Shepherd. God will engage in an intimate conversation with you if you engage Him with all your heart. He will teach you, coach you, and lead you onto the path He has set before you. His path will enable you to bear fruit in this life and bring Him glory. Pretty wonderful 

Power:

When we align with God’s wil and actively engage others with the authority God grants by praying into some situation they face, you can often feel the holy spirit flow with energy to effect the other person. The effect is sometimes immediately visible, and sometimes delayed, but the sensation of the Holy Spirit moving is very real.

Learn more:

How To Hear His Voice – (Link to My Blog Post)

How To Get A Word Of Wisdom to Guide your path – (Link To My Blog Post),  (My Video)

11) There is a transcendent objective morality.

If we evolved as random accidents driven by propagation of our species, we should be motivated to do whatever it takes to elevate ourselves above others for our own survival and propagation. We should be murdering our competition, stealing their resources, and having sex with as many partners as possible to maximize our propagation. Counter to that agenda however, We know in our heart that murder of an innocent person is wrong, theft of others property is wrong, and that rape, incest and adultery is wrong. These are moral absolutes that suggest each of us has some inherent value as individuals which deserve to be respected and protected. This is consistent with bible teaching that we are created in the image of God with value and purpose, and those objective morals are written on our heart.

Learn more: 

Video from DrCraigVideos – Is There Meaning to Life? (Link)

Video from Jordan Peterson – The Lie of Relative Morality (Link)

Video from Jordan Peterson – The Case Against Moral Relativism (Link)

Video from Stand To Reason – Fatal Flaws of Moral Relativism (Link)

That is a summary of my top 10 +1 reasons to believe in God. Hope you find them helpful.  Post a comment if you agree, or if you disagree with anything I have said. I want to tune up these write ups over time. 

Next up: 

What are the arguments against God? And what are the best counters to those arguments. (Link) 

Change your pictures

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Change the pictures in your mind, You will change your life!

The pictures in your mind are powerful.

The pictures you hold in you mind have a profound affect on how you live your life. They affect how you see reality, and they affect how you react to circumstances in life.  They form the basis for the basic beliefs you hold in your heart and they play a large role in determining your behaviors: They affect what you believe is possible (The world is flat, you could fall off the edge); They affect what behaviors you believe are appropriate in any given situation (There is no God and no heaven or hell, do anything you want in this life). You will never attempt something you do not think is possible (airplanes are heavier than air so they will never fly), and you will never choose to do something until you believe it is appropriate in a given situation (Once we understood Germs, medical staff started washing hands between patients).

Holding the proper pictures in your mind is critical to your success. The proper pictures can help you deal effectively in new situations.  Ex:  Looks like a bear, it is a bear, I’m at risk so run away.

There are actually two families of pictures that are important:  The first is your understanding who you are, and the second is your understanding of your external reality.  If either picture is incorrect, it will eventually cause problems.

If you see yourself as more capable than you really are, you will not properly assess a real threat and will likely suffer a consequence.  Ex: Yes that is a bear, but I am big and strong so i will stand my ground and fight it.  Or, Yes life has challenges but i am strong and can deal with them by myself, I do not need some God character to help me. 

If you understate yourself in your mind, you will miss huge opportunities in life. Ex: I am just a victim of society, I could never accomplish anything useful, it is not even worth trying. Or, I am just a lowly sinner, my past will always haunt me, I will get what I deserve, I am not worthy of anything better.

The same goes for our pictures of the outside world. If we see the world as dreadful, threatful and risky it will cause us to operate out of fear and behave in a very hesitant and defensive way with a short term focus. If we see the world as exciting and ripe with opportunities and the promise of a bright future, we will be more open, enthusiastic and hopeful.

The pictures in our mind are built by our past experiences, a combination of what we have been taught and what we have experienced up to that point in life. If we are taught the truth in a robust way, we will have a sound picture to guide us.  If we never got formal instruction or the instruction was incorrect, our mental picture will be flawed. 

The only way to change the picture in your mind is to bring new information to the table; Information to help you improve the picture.  I better picture could help you discover that something new and different is actually possible, or it could help you see that doing something different is appropriate in a situation.

When it comes to spiritual things, i have come to appreciate that most folks have some serious flaws in the picture in their mind. Some of these flaws are absorbed from our emersion in a secular oriented society, Other flaws are conveyed from man made religious doctrines which have been introduced over the years. The good news is that the truth is available in black and white, and the Lord will reveal it to you if you ask with an open heart.

I find it helpful to explore the actual pictures people hold to help them accelerate the process of discovering the truth and tuning up their pictures. Once we get a handle on the pictures you currently hold in your mind, you can start to ask questions and He will help you see the opportunities to tune them up. If we can build an improved picture in your mind, you will quickly change your life.  

Your current pictures:

Let’s look at the current pictures you hold with regards to your engagement in spiritual reality:

Are you a lowly sinner struggling to survive in this fallen world, begging a distant God to have mercy and to flow blessings to you, hoping He is listening and wondering if it is His will to act?

—-or—-

Are you a born again child of God; Repentant and Forgiven, Saved by faith 

– Crucified in the flesh, setting aside self-consciousness and selfish agendas, fully yielded to the Lord.

– Living in His love; Knowing He loves you because He sent His son

– Flowing His love; Forgiving others as He forgave you. Loving others as you love yourself, Seeing all others as children of God struggling in a fallen world.

– Holy and beyond reproach through Jesus blood; At peace with Him, in perfect union, Entitled to the promises and inheritance of the saints.

– In personal communion with Abba Father, Drawn close to Him so He draws close to you, 

– Led by the Spirit into the mind of Christ; listening to His voice, asking for understanding, seeing from His perspective, following where He leads you.

– Acting as the body of Christ with Christ formed in you, perfecting His love as it flows through you as you live your life.

– Partnered with Him to rule this world; seated with Him in heavenly places. Committed to continue His work and make the devil His footstool.

-Using the authority He gives you to do the works He did, speaking His will into place on earth as it already is in Heaven,

-Shining as a bright light in the darkness, being a beacon for the kingdom.

Your perspective makes all the difference. Modern man-made religious doctrine can severely limit you and your journey. Ask the lord to illuminate His path for you. Let the spirit lead you into all truth. Let the truth release your potential and transform your life. The fruit will bear witness.

Piece by piece

The following section works through parts of the contrasting pictures aspect by aspect, piece by piece. First how you see your self, then how you see the purpose of your life, then how you connect to God, then how you engage and face challenges in your life.

Who God is

There is no God, The universe and all we see came from nothing VS God created the universe and all that there is with order, structure and purpose

There is no God, How could a loving God allow all the suffering we see VS God gives us free will, We suffer the consequences we created over generations, He sent Jesus to rescue us.

God is distant, He is up in heaven VS He is with us, In us, Operating through us

Who you are / Your identify

I am a good person because of how I live my life VS I am made righteous only through Jesus blood

I am a sinner, not worthy, and must suffer the consequences VS I have repented, I am forgiven, I am saved, I am made whole 

I am separated from the Father by my sin and must suffer VS I am reconciled to the Father by Jesus work, The Father sees me as Holy through Jesus blood, I am entitled to promises and blessings.

I am a sinner by nature  VS I am Born Again; My spirit is brand new and connected to the Holy Spirit, My mind is being transformed to understand and execute His will, and my body is submitted and complying 

I will always struggle with sin VS  The Holy Spirit helps me recognize my sins, I listen and repent,  and then He helps me to overcome them.

The problems of my past hold me back VS I am free from my past and focused on moving forward

God is either mad at me or He doesn’t care about me VS I am a Child of God, God loves me, God has plans for me, God is working to help me achieve them

Your purpose

My job is to get myself into heaven someday VS My job is to bring Heaven to others while I am here

I am working to find and fulfil MY purpose VS I am focused on His purpose for me

Life is long, it must be tolerated and endured VS Life is a very short time to make a difference, and every moment must be cherished and leveraged.

I am doing religious things so God will think favorably and I can get into heaven someday VS I am transforming myself so He can use me to bring Heaven to earth for others around me here and now.

i am adopting Christian values where convenient VS I have yielded myself to Christ, It Is Him living through me

I try to comply with the commandments as i try to fit in to society in this fallen world VS I separate myself from this fallen world, I am in the world but not of it, I present myself as a vessel worthy of the holy spirit, I repent when the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, The Holy Spirit helps me transform and overcome Sin by renewing my mind, I never let sin against me become sin in me.

Life is a drag, I am just trying to survive VS Life is a gift, and I make the best of every second and shine as a light in the darkness 

I am watching on the sidelines VS I am engaged executing His commission for the kingdom

I am hiding privately in isolation VS I am shining as a bright light, a beacon in the darkness

Knowing God / Your relationship

God is distant / way up in heaven  VS God is with me, Working in me, Working through me

God is abstract and unknowable VS I have an intimate personal relationship with Him

I talk to God and hope He listens VS I have an ongoing dialog: I talk to God, I listen to His voice

God is a mystery VS The mystery is revealed through the Son and the Holy Spirit

I believe what others tell me about scripture VS I learn the Truth from the Holy Spirit 

I am Led by the flesh and my reasoning VS I am Led by the Holy Spirit

Your authority

I pray to God way up in heaven VS I am seated in heavenly places with Jesus

I am a victim of the devil VS I execute authority over the devil, nothing will harm me

I beg God to take action VS He already took the action, I am now receiving it. I am speaking His will into place on earth.

Only certain people can initiate miracles VS The works Jesus did I do and more

Signs and wonders are no longer relevant VS I am a believer, and these signs shall follow those who believe (Cast out demons, Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover)

I pray once and hope He heard me VS I pray fervently, Speaking His will into place on earth until it is complete.

Scriptures to help you draw improved pictures:

Your identity:

Once we have Faith in Jesus, We are born again, washed and renewed, regenerated as a gracious gift of mercy.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Peter 1:23)

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ (John 3:3)

You are loved, Know God loves you because He sent His son,  Love God because He loved us first.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:14-16)

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

You are God’s handy work, chosen, beloved, blessed

“But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit…” (John 15:16)

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved…” (Colossians 3:12)

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

Knowing God / Your Relationship:

Get to know God personally, and follow His commandments. it is the only way to eternal life and heaven

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven (follow His commandments). Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “(Matthew 7:21-23)

Ask the Holy Spirit to come into you to guide you and teach you

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

The Holy Spirit will help you overcome sin if you let Him.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:27)

Live a life worthy of the price He paid, Be a vessel worthy of His presence, Able to be useful for the kingdom

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

“God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” (1 Corinthians 7:23 NLT)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed…” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 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.” ( 2Timothy 2:20)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

He will manifest in you as you get to know Him and follow His commandment

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. (John 14:15-17)

“At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:20-21)

The Holy Spirit gives us access to the mind of Christ:

“These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

We are the body of Christ:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

We are to be led by the spirit, not the flesh or our own reasoning

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

Your purpose:

Your job is to leave a legacy that brings glory to God.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)

Become Love like Him, Love others as you love yourself, Forgive others as He forgives you

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)

“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)

“…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Get over yourself and let Christ live in you and through you:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

We need to yield ourselves and our self-centered interests, and focus on Christ’s purpose for us

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Your purpose is to transform and pursue the kingdom of God, shine as a bright light, bear fruit in this life, and leave a lasting legacy which brings glory to His name

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Your authority:

When you embrace Jesus as lord of the universe, and receive Him as your Lord of your life, You become a Child of God.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the [a]right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12)

We have been raised up and are sitting (ruling) with Christ:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

We have all authority and power over the enemy:

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)

He expects us to use that authority to bring glory to His name:

“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.” (John 14:12)

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:14-16)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (John 15:7-8)

We must speak God’s will into place:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”(Proverbs 18:21)

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:17)

Always test what you know and what you are being taught. Know correct teaching by its fruit:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

Conclusion:

Explore the pictures you hold in your mind.  Ask yourself is they are right.  The Lord will help you improve your pictures if you let Him. 

Happy to discuss your current pictures and help you build better ones. 

Have a wonderful day.

 

Scripture case for healing

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Scriptural Case for Divine Healing

Are you interested in recieving Divine Healing? There are several scriptural principles you need to get straight in your mind, sew into your heart, and act out in faith. I have grouped them into a logical series of categories as follows. 

God is the source of everything good

God is love; God loves me; He loves me so much he sent His son to suffer and die for me

“God is love” (1John 4:8)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10)

Illness is of the devil

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10-29)

“…the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19)

“…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.” (Acts 10:38)

We live in a fallen world 

We were originally created in Gods image – Perfect, Innocent, and  Immortal

“So God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27)

He gave us dominion and authority over all the earth

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

Adam and Eve sinned  – they listened to the lying devil and disregarded God’s only command – They ate of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good an evil. 

“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13)

That act of sin changed their nature, It tainted the original perfect image in thier soul. They got to know evil and became self-conscious (ex: knew they were naked and hid) and self serving (ex: blaming others); and they suffered consequences: Eviction, Toiling, Struggling, Pain, Death

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7)

Adam blamed God and Eve: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12)

Eve blamed the devil: The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:13)

Adams’ descendants inherited his sin-tainted image.

“…In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God….And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth” (Genesis 5:1-3)

We inherit Adams’ image and propagate it through the bloodline

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12-21)

Jesus came here to save us

Jesus came here to save us from sin, to redeem the image of God which was lost through Adam.

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)

Jesus came here in the flesh, resisted the devil and his temptations to the point of death as a sinless man, and defeated the devil and His power over death with His resurrection.

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14)

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father with all power over heaven and on earth.

“So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19)

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18)

He intercedes for us – He blots out our sin, God sees us Holy and beyond reproach through Him

“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” (Colossians 1:21-22)

We need to Accept Jesus as our Lord and savior and then actually follow Him.

When we accept Jesus and follow Him, our spirit is born again into the original perfect image

“And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Corinthians 15:49)

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)

We become adopted children of God, We are entitled to inherit the promises of the kingdom

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, everyone who hangs on a tree is cursed), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)

“To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:5-7)

Follow Jesus

God gives us a choice – Follow Him and get blessings, or try to go it alone become a victim of the devil and his curses.

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days..” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

In order to receive the blessings we need to truly Follow Jesus. Deny your self-centered interests, take up your cross (Resist temptation to sin when suffering for God), and Follow Him (Apply Commandments)

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me”(Luke 9:23)

Become committed to living a life worthy of the price He paid

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”(1 Corinthians 7:23)

Repent of our sins, accept His forgivness,  and forgive those who sin against you.

“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”(Acts 2:38)

When we are baptized into the new life – the old life dies with Jesus in the grave, the new life rises with His resurrections

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

We are expected to transform our mind and execute Gods will, in alignment with His commandments.

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)

When we repent and transform our lives, The devil will have nothing in US

We need to stop sinning – Sin opens the door to the devil

The devil lurks just waiting to pounce; He comes to steal, kill and destroy

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” (John 10:10)

God protects us from the devil when we follow Him

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19)

Sin separates us from God and His ability to protect us

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Jesus gives us power over the devil

Jesus came here to destroy the works of the devil:

The Son of God (Jesus) appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

Jesus defeated the devil: 1) Denying himself; He gave up his status as a God and came here as a man in sinful flesh, 2) He suffered and resisted temptation to sin, to the point of death, 3) He overcame the power of death by His resurreciton 

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself (Jesus) likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).

Jesus received All power from the devil.

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus suffered and died for me, by his stripes I am healed:

“… He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

When I accept and follow Jesus, My sins are forgiven, All my sins

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

“Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven” (Mark 3:28).

Jesus redeemed me, He reconciled me with the Father, He makes me Righteous:

“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” (Colossians 1:21-22).

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Romans 3:22).

I am born again, All old things are gone, All things are new in Jesus:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus commissioned us to continue His work

“…As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).

Jesus delegated His authority to you

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)

He expects all of us to use that authority

“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.” (John 14:12)

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

I AM the body of Christ, His arms and legs on earth, and I will continue His work

“Now you are the body of Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:27).

The Power that raised Jesus from the dead is working inside me right now!

“…He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

Jesus name is power. He is the name above all names, all must kneel to His name

“… God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth” (Philippians 2:9).

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful:

“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” (James 5:16).

You are actually fighting a spritual battle against evil

I rebuke the evil spirits affecting me. I command you to leave in Jesus name!:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)

You must speak healing into place

I speak to this mountain, and it is moving!:

“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” (Mark 11:23).

God wants me well. His word is truth and unchanging, As it is written, so let it be done:

“My son, give attention to my words; … For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (Psalm 4:20-22)

“He sent His word and healed them” (Psalm 107:20).

“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed” (Jeremiah 17:14).

When you move forward in faith, you make room for God’s grace to flow in.

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”(Romans 16:20)

You must truly repent of your sins.

“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.”(James 5:16)

You must pray God’s will into place.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

You must believe to receive.

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”(Mark 11:24)

 

God is waiting for you

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

God is waiting for you to act in Faith!

 

One of the challenges of divine healing is understanding that we have to take the initiative. God has already done all He needs to do to set you up for success. He has now handed the ball to us and He is waiting for us to pick it up and run with it. 

Exodus 15:26 is powerful – The closing sentence is one of the building blocks for faith for divine healing:  “I am the Lord who heals you.”

The front end of the verse makes it clear that we have a role to play. “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes…”.  Based on that, we need to understand what God said, what He wants us to do, and then we need to do it. 

The Bible, or The Word, captures the word of God and forms the foundation to understanding His commandments, and what is right in His sight. The Word of God is described as the sword of the spirit and is a powerful weapon for fighting the battles we encounter in this life.

Once piece of the divine healing puzzle becomes clear as you understand what God tells us in the word: He handed us the ball and is waiting for us to run with it. If we are sitting back assuming “He is in control” and/or He can heal me “If it is His will”,  we will be disappointed.

Follow this chain of logic:

  • God told us Why we get sick (Sin opens the door to the devil, We are all born as sinners)
  • God told us Who causes illness (We struggle against powers and principalities; The devil lies, steals, kills, and destroys)
  • God sent Jesus to save us
  • Jesus showed us how to heal (Repent and Kick out the devil)
  • Jesus paid the price (Shed innocent blood, Bore sin on His back)
  • Jesus gained all power by defeating death
  • Jesus delegated His power over the devil to us (ALL power over the enemy)
  • Jesus told us to continue His work
  • Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to help us
  • Jesus sat down on the thrown and is waiting for us to do it
  • He will not go against his word (God is unchanging)
  • He told us how to receive healing (Repent, Believe, Act in faith, Receive) 
  • He told us we must pray His will into place on earth as it is in heaven

Jesus showed us the way. He paid the price, and then handed us the ball.  We need to pick up the ball and follow the path He made for us.

He has already done His part, He gave us the keys and will not take them back. He is waiting for us to do our part, believe the word of God, act in faith,  follow Him, and receive His promises.

Suggested prayer:

Heavenly father, I thank you for all you have done for me, You are the source of everything good in this world..

Thank you Jesus for coming here to save us: By your blood we were saved, by your stripes we were healed. I believe in you, I choose to follow you as my Lord and savior. I stand in the redemption you paid for, I receive the forgiveness you provide, and I flow forgiveness to all who sin against me.  I am the righteousness of God through You,  and I thankfully receive your gracious blessings.

Thank you Lord, for sending your word. It is alive, it is powerful, It is truth, and when I hold it close in my heart it sets me free. I thank you for helping me be receptive to your word, and for gaining more understanding as i study it. Give me eyes to see all things from your perspective, ears to hear and understand your messages, and a heart to believe and act on your truths.

Lord, Thank you for forgiving my sins – those I recognize and those I do not yet recognized. It is clear that I still have much to learn about you and your kingdom. I am committed to follow your ways as i learn and understand them. You paid a high price to free me from the burden of sin; I will live my life worthy of the price you paid.

I believe Illness is of the devil and I refuse to accept it. I am a born again son of God. I am following Jesus and He presents me as Holy to the Father. I have repented and confessed my sins, they are forgiven by the blood of my Lord and Savior. I have authority over the devil and he has no claim on me.  I herby rebuke the evil spirits affecting me; I command you to leave me now in Jesus name.

The power of life and death is in the tongue. I speak healing into this body in Jesus name. You are the God that heals; By your stripes I am healed; I believe in your promises of Life in abundance; I believe and I receive the truth of your love and your promises in Jesus name. As it is written, so let it be done.

Thank you Lord, for all you have already done for me, and thank you for healing me here and now.  May my life be of greater service to your kingdom, and may my testimony be a bright light for others to see the power in the kingdom of God.   I ask this In Jesus name. AMEN

Supporting scripture:

Scripture as the written word of God, it is truth, it is unchanging.

“it is truth” (John 17:17)

“it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18)

Jesus is the word in flesh, and does not change

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:4)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)

We are to live by the word of God.

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4)

We are born sinners, and all have sinned

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

Sin separates us from God and His promise of protection

“…your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

Our physical struggles are actually against the devil

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ” (Ephesians 6:4)

The devil administers the consequences of sin

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10)

“Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Corinthians 5:5) 

Jesus healed by kicking out devils

“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.”(Acts 10:38)

Jesus defeated the devil by dying as an innocent sinless man on the cross.

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)

He disarmed the devil, removing the power of sin over us

“…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing (Colossians 2:13-16)

Jesus received all power in heaven and on earth by defeating death on the cross. 

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’ ” (Matthew 28:18)

He delegated His authority over the enemy to us. All of it!

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”(Luke 10:19)

When we repent and turn from sin, and follow Jesus, we are released from the power of Satan and aligned with the power of God. Our sins are forgiven and we inherit His blessings.

“…open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’(Acts 26:18)

Once He delegated, He sat down and is waiting for us to act.

“But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13)

He commissions us to continue His work

“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us and teach us

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.(John 14:26)

He expects us to do what He did

“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.(John 14:12)

He directs us specifically how to address illness: repent of our sins, pray the prayer of faith, receive forgiveness, and be healed. 

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 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.” (James 5:14-17)

The spiritual world operates entirely on faith

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is (That He exists and Is God), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”(Hebrews 11:6)

Faith is a thing – it is a substance. Faith requires belief in your heart for things you can not yet see, and action based on that belief. 

“…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is built by diligently seeking God, studying the word of god and listening to His voice inside you.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

We must believe to receive His promises

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)

Hope this helps.  Leave a comment.  Happy to discuss.