LESSON 1
DEFINITION / INTORDUCTION
Health is a state of absolute well being –spirit, soul and body well-being i.e. a state of physical and mental well being.
HEALING IN THE REDEMPTION
And God made man in His own image and likeness. God has never fallen sick. Therefore every man made in the likeness of God, is not suppose to be under any affliction and disease.
Principally man was created for the glory of God. Therefore there is no glorification in sickness and diseases. We are to show forth the praise of God. Isaiah 43:21. Sickness and disease is not of God, it is a curse.
The purposes of redemption are:-
1. Salvation
2. Divine health – Isaiah 53 (verse 4,5)
3. Prosperity
Divine health is one of the major reasons Christ died on the cross of Calvary.
God became unto the children of Israel, Jehovah – Rapha – The Lord that healeth thee.
God lived up to His redemptive name in the wilderness.
Psalm 105:35 – There was no one feeble (weak in the body or sickly among their tribes)
The Psalms further amplify the healing covenant: e.g.
* Psalm.91:10
* Psalm.103:3
* Psalm 107:20
* Psalm 103:4
WHAT IS GOD’S WILL FOR US?
God’s will is divine healing and health. i.e. that we may be in health and prosper – spirit, soul and body III John 2.
God made it abundantly clear in:-
1. Exodus 15:22-25 – Bitter water of marah made sweet by casting a tree
2. We also see this quality in the Ministry of Jesus Christ.
Acts 10:38 - God anointed Him with Holy Ghost and power and He went about doing good Divine healing) i.e. God transferred the ministry of divine healing to Jesus Christ.
THE MINISTRY OF JESUS
Jesus operated a three pronged ministry:-
1. Teaching
2. Preaching
3. Healing
Matthew 9:35
Matthew 4:23
He healed all and every sick person.
LESSON 2
THE ORIGIN OF SICKNESS
From Genesis 1:26-31
Two factors stand out:
1. God created everything good
2. There was no sickness or disease in creation
This is because from verse 29, we understand that herbs that today constitute medicines for man’s diseases and sickness were originally intended for food.
God warned Adam and Eve- that the consequence of sin was death – Spirit => Soul => Body Genesis 2:17
When Adam fell (i.e sinned/disobeyed God), God cursed the ground (decay) God pronounced the termination of man’s physical life. Genesis 3:17-18. i.e sin is the root cause of sickness and sickness can lead to death.
Therefore death’s origin is sin. Romans 5:12
NOTE:
1. There is no difference between sin and sickness e.g:
a) In the healing of the man with palsy. He said son be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee Matthew 9:2-7
b) Healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bathesda. He said – thou art made whole, sin no more, less a worse thing come upon you. John 5:14
2. Sin and sickness have the same root. James 5:13-15
3. Sickness (unhealthy living) is a curse. Deut. 28:16-end
4. Sin removes the hedge of protection placed by God around us. e.g Isaiah 53:10
SUMMARY
Sickness came with the fall of Adam. Therefore satan who is the originator of sin which results in death is the originator of sickness i.e. unclean spirit that is, sickness is a satanic oppression- Acts 10:38.
OTHER CAUSES OF SICKNESS
1. Unclean Soul
• Bad thoughts. (Books, TV, Videos)
• Anxiety (Emotional Stress)(worry, Concern of life)
God cherishes and inhabits a clean soul. Matthew 23:25-26
• Lack of Love (hatred & bitterness)
2. Unclean Body
• Poor personal hygiene
• Unbalanced diet
• Physical stress (Lack of adequate rest)
• Immorality (e.g. adultery, fornication)
Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We need to keep it clean I Cor. 6:19.
3. Unclean Environment
Cleanliness is next to Godliness
NOTE: God is not only interested in your spirit but also in our minds and physical bodies. If our body is broken the Holy Spirit in it will not function properly, as it should Heb.10:4-5 i.e God is interested only in bodies that are prepared for Him and not in sacrifices and offering.
Therefore, to abandon our body is a sin.
Even though Christ was conceived spiritually, God still needed the body factor to complete from which the Holy immaculate factor is to be revealed, that is, the body factor is as important as the spirit factor. Therefore, to be whole is divine (i.e. to be whole is to be Holy)
LESSON 3
THE ORIGIN OF HEALING
Our God is Jehovah Rapha, that is, God that healeth thee. He does not change. Hebrews 13:8.
From Genesis to Revelation, redemption from sickness is vitally linked with redemption from sin. Isaiah 53:4-5. Infact here, redemption from sickness is placed before from sin. Psalm 103, I Peter 2:24
OLD TESTAMENT
The first ordinance (Law) that God gave the Israelites soon after the redemption from bondage in Egypt is the healing covenant. Here is salvation from the enemy’s dominance sickness coupled with salvation from sickness.
Secondly, before He gave them the healing covenant, God had demonstrated His willingness to heal. Thus is the Passover episode. Exodus 12:1-28. Here we are told about what happened in the last days in Egypt. We note the following two things.
1. The people ate the flesh of the lamb, and the blood covered them
2. Evidently, the people were healed as they kept the Passover (Jesus is our Passover)
3. The Brazen serpent. Numbers 21:4-9
N:B: This is the origin of the medical profession and hence it forms their logo (members) to date.
NEW TESTAMENT
Healing in the Bible is physical as well as spiritual. The curses which satan inflicted upon humanity are sin and sickness both of which came through the disobedience of Adam and Eve.
The two redemptive blessing, which Christ brought unto the world, are:
• Salvation and
• Healing
Both sin & sickness have been provided for us the atonement by one sacrifice and one substitute. Therefore, when we say healed, the term is for both soul and body. Jesus is the will of God in action. Isaiah 53:4-5
Therefore, by its stripes we are healed.
N:B Because atonement covers both sin and sickness, then we get rid of sickness in the manner that we do sin.
THE DIFFERNCE BETWEEN HEALTH AND HEALING
DIVINE HEALING – Permissive will.
We talk of healing when one is under affliction and oppression by forces of sickness. Isaiah 53:4-5.
Therefore, Healing is permitted in our work with God because He has borne our infirmities
DIVINE HEALTH – Perfect Will
The expected status if a believer is to be in a state devoid of any sickness and afflictions. A state of being far from oppression. Isaiah 54:14.
N:B A merry heart doeth good like medicine.
Therefore, it is not a sin to take medicine as long as you are taking the proper medicine
KIND OF HEALING
There are four kinds of healing:
1. Sickness Of Spirit:- comes under influence of sin
Remedy => Prayer of repentance. James 5:14,15
2. Emotional Sickness/Anxiety: e.g. sleeplessness (insomnia) caused by emotional imbalances. I Peter 5:7
Remedy (a) Trust in the Lord. Prov.3:5
(b) Prayer for inner healing
3. Physical Sickness: caused by diseases and accidents
Remedy (a) Prayer of Faith
(b) Medical care
4. Demonic Attacks
Remedy => Word & Prayer of deliverance.
Ps. 107:20
Matt.17:14-21
Isaiah 58:6-12
LESSON 4
METHODS OF RECEIVING DIVINE HEALING
God’s desire is for His children to stay healthy.
Isaiah 54:14;
God sent Jesus to carry out this divine desire.
Acts 10:38
I John 3:8
N:B We are to use both body and spirit to glorify God. Both are bought with a price.
METHODS
There are several methods of receiving divine healing in the Bible. We will consider the following 7:-
1. ANOINTING WITH OIL
James 5:14-15
Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, this method is primarily for those who are weak and feeble so much that they cannot enough faith to pray for themselves.
2. PRAYER OF AGREEMENT
Matthew 18:19-20
N:B “If two of you shall agree”
This refers to an agreement on a specific issue.
It is joining faith with faith-one faith reinforce another to bring about the desire in question.
NB: One shall chase a thousand, but two shall chase ten thousand. Deut. 32:30 i.e. spiritual agreement and not mental decision is as low as the spiritual. Rom.8:14
3. LAYING ON OF HANDS
Mark 16:17-18.
Laying of hands lead to recovery for the sick
It also leads to:-
• Receiving the Holy Ghost }
• Setting people apart unto the Lord } Heb.6:1-2
• Casting out of demons } Luke 13:11-13
It is one of the fundamental principles of the doctrine of Christ, or of the Christian faith.
Jesus used the method more than any other, e.g. the healing of the Jarius daughter (Mark 5:21-23 ; James 5:14)
NB: If people believe in it, it will work for them.
In above 3 methods faith of some sort is required of the recipient.
4. GIFTS OF HEALING
I CORINTHIANS 12:8-11,28
Some believers have the gifts of healing.
The gift operates as the spirit wills and not as the minister wills. Gifts is used because diseases are divers. e. g The man at the Pool of Bethesda.
The gift operated here as the Holy Spirit wills. Therefore, the gifts will heal people whether they are saints or sinners.
Infact they are primarily and actually for the unbelievers, and the purpose, is to attract attention to the power of God to demonstrate its reality. John 4:48
5. SPECIAL ANOINTING - MANTLE
Acts – 19:11-12
Cloths from the body of Paul healing to special miracles they are known as blessed cloths (mantle). The healing and not the handkerchiefs or the aprons.
It requires faith and represents or is equivalent to the servant of God laying on their bodies and praying.
Acts 10:38
Matthew 14:34-36 – The mad Man
Act 5:12-15 – Peter’s shadow healing the sick. Note, in all these, faith had to be released.
6. JUST SAYING IT
Mark 11:23
You don’t pray, you say it
Matthew 8:5-13 – Healing of the centurions servant.
Mark 4:26-29 - In planting, you believe the seed will decay,
Germinate.
Mark 5:25-28 Woman with the issue of blood.
All these require faith added to the declarations.
7. WHEN YOU PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE
Mark 11:24
This is the high point of faith. That is, the highest point to receive healing.
At the point of prayer, the healing has taken place and not later. It is effected the moment you pray.
You only need to believe and nothing more. Gal.5:1
Note, that Jesus Christ used other methods
8. UNORTHODOX METHODS
Mark 8:22-26
He spat on the blind man’s eyes and put His hand s on Him twice.
John 9:1
He spat on the ground and made clay and anointed the eyes of the man, blind from birth and told him to wash in the pool of siloam
EXPLANATION: The ways of God are higher than our ways and it is thoughts higher than our thoughts.
LESSON 5
HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR HEALING
Healing can be lost if not well maintained.
Note, most healing occur by application of faith.
The healing is easily lost if the faith is not in the word of God, but in sense evidence, that is, the evidence of their sight, hearing and feeling. Since the word of God can never change, if the healing is rooted in the word of God, it remains in the permanent.
Divine healing not based on faith in the word of God soon vanishes.
John 4:29,43,42
Acts 8:5-8
Luke 8:13-14 – The parable of the sower, the seed does not flourish on the rocky soil and thorns.
There was nothing wrong with the word that was sown in their hearts. The trouble was that they allowed some things to disturb their believing which choked or interrupted the work of the Holy Spirit.
This also applies to those who believe for healing
The moment a person believes for his physical deliverance, he receives it (mark 11:24)
If temptation comes and one yields to the symptoms, he does the very thing the devil wants him to do. Note that since satan tempted Christ, he he will tempt the sinner who is truly saved and he will tempt every person who has been healed.
Similarly God has given us all (believers) power and authority to heal.
Acts 1:8, 3:39
If God uses us to perform a miracle of healing we should always return the glory to God. This also helps in maintaining the healing. Acts 3:12-13 after healing the lame at the Beautiful gate, Peter explained that it was the POWER of the risen Christ that wrought the miracle. Thus giving the glory to God.
Let us begin to have faith in our own faith.
Factors that predispose to loosing of Healing;
1. Ignorance of the word of healing (Hosea 4:6)
Remedy: Having knowledge of the word of God.
2. Unbelief:-Mark 6:5-6
Remedy: Having Faith in the word of God & the healing
3. Traditions of Man:- Mark 7:8-13
Remedy:-Avoid tradition of men and obey the word of God
4. Unforgiveness: Mark 11:25
Remedy:- Posses a forgiving spirit. Note that sin causes sickness, therefore forgiveness causes healing.
5. Fear: II Timothy 1:7
Remedy: Possess the spirit of love power & sound mind.
6. Failure to act
Remedy: Put the word of God to action. No reaction without action.
DEVELOPING HUNGER FOR DIVINE HEALTH
We need to develop a hunger for divine health/healing. Matthew 5:6
Note that God created heaven and earth by wisdom. Therefore healing is also obtained by application of wisdom.
TYPES OF WISDOM
1. Wisdom of God - Leads to Divine Healing
2. Wisdom of Man - Leads to Medical Healing
3. Wisdom of satan - Leads to Healing by evil methods
For us to associate divine health, we have to dissociate from ever other avenue consciously. If you thirst and hunger for the word of God as the only available methods you get results.
The type of wisdom we apply determine the result we have e.g. Mark 5
The woman with the issue of blood had to apply the wisdom of God when the wisdom of man failed. Therefore, the wisdom of God is superior to the wisdom of man in every field of life.
Also divine is better than medical health.
Note that this does not condemn medical health. Therefore, if our faith cannot carry us we are encouraged to seek for medical assistance from a doctor. The only one we have to avoid is healing with the wisdom of Satan e.g. traditional medicine people that invoke evil spirit to effect healing.
Proof for genuine hunger for divine healing;
1. Matthew 11:12
We need spiritual violence in establishing the will of God over and above your own.
Make declarations according to the word of God to draw your healing, e.g by His stripes we are healed
Isaiah 53:4-5
- Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
- III John 2 –
We have to reject every report concerning our health (that is contrary to the word of God
2. Psalm 42:7
We have to be rooted in the word of God.
LESSON 6
I THE MIND AND DIVINE HEALTH
Most sickness are in the mind and not in the body. (Joshua 1:8)
To meditate means to reason or imagine in your mind.
The mind has an eye that pictures thing. What you say is a picture of what is in your mind.
Therefore keep picturing what the word of God says in your mind. The mind therefore, plays a very important role in the development of divine health.
Note that a double-minded person can never receive anything from the Lord. Therefore meditating on the word of God is critical to your living a healthy life.
Today if you can imagine in your mind that you are ever healthy and ever strong, you can never go down.
The confidence to your divine healing is in your mind and not the environment. That you are having great peace in your mind based on the word of God.
Philemon1: 14 – without our mind, will or permission God cannot force divine health on us.
Proverbs 23:7 – as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Romans 8:5-6 - when we are spiritually minded we have life and peace. Therefore, to be mindful of health will make you healthy.
Therefore, the greatest target of the devil in a believer is the mind and not the body.
- II Corinthians 10:3-5
Our weapon of warfare is not camel but spiritual to the pulling down of strong holds. Therefore from today very conscious of your imaginations by increasing your knowledge in the word of God.
LESSON 7
II THE PLACE OF LOVE AS IT AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH
Anyone that desire to walk in divine health has to learn to walk in the love of God continuously.
Because divine health comes from God and without faith it is impossible to receive a blessing from God. Galatians 5:6 – find faith works by love.
Once you are out of love you are out of faith and once you are out of faith you are naked (out of divine health)
Therefore the root of divine heath is walking in love.
Most sicknesses and diseases come from the mind because the mind is infected with lack of love (hatred, malice).
Note that love is towards God and towards mankind.
God is love. Nobody can claim he loves God without loving his neighbours.
Therefore, anytime there is friction between us and any person, there is friction between us and God and we fall out of divine health. (Matthew 22:37)
Love for God = 1st and great commandment.
Love for neighbours = 2nd commandment
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
III SERVICE AND DIVINE HEALTH
EXODUS 23:25-26
When we serve the Lord, He will bless us and drive away sickness from our midst. This is a covenant.
What you have to be mindful of is not sickness but service to the Lord.
This is our own part of the covenant. God is faithful. He is a covenant-
keeping God. He will surely perfect our divine health.
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