God's Twin Mercies

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

We must die daily to sin because we're still working it out of our lives.  

Healing is like that.  We are healed, but we are still working sickness out of our lives like we do sin.  

These are the twin mercies of God.  Satan has twin afflictions which are sin and sickness.  

We see God's twin mercies throughout the Bible. We see sin and sickness addressed in the passage below.  

2 Chronicles 7:14  (NIV)

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

You see these twin mercies in the passage below on the lame man healed by Jesus.

Matthew 9:5-6  (NIV)

5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

Just like freedom from sin is mine, but I must pursue it.  Healing is mine, but I must pursue it, too.  My role is the process.

It is a process not a formula.  We are pursuing all that God has for us.  We like the end result, but God likes the process because we must depend upon Him.  

We see this pursuit of forgiveness and healing in passage below also. 

James 5:13-16 (NIV)

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 

15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 

16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  

Lord, we ask for your twin mercies to be forgiven and healed.  We have habits that need to go away.

1 John 5:14 (NIV)

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 

15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Lord, what we have prayed for is according to your will as revealed to us in Scripture.  We thank you for hearing us in Jesus name.  

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video

https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/#prayer-service

Death is Never Final

God still does miracles.

Psalm 77:14  (NIV)

14 You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples.

Problems are the soil where the power of God flourishes.

Psalm 77:14  (NIV)

14 You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples.

Every miracle begins with a problem.

John 11:1-4  (NIV)

11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

"They appealed to Jesus based upon His love for Lazarus." 

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

"God has a different perspective from us and a divine plan."  

The Death Trap - We have an enemy that wants to trap us.

John 11:6 (NIV)

6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

1. We don't understand how God works.

John 11:11-13  (NIV)

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

2. We get consumed with doubt.

John 11:16 n (NIV)

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

3. We give up on God. 

John 11:17, 20  (NIV)

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

"What in my life is dead or dying?   They had a word from God that this sickness will not end in death."

  

With Jesus Death is Never Final

John 11:25-26 (NIV)

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

1. Settle in your heart who Jesus is.  

John 11:21-22  (NIV)

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

John 11:27 n (NIV)

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

"Put your hope in the One who can bring the outcome."

2. Stop analyzing everything.

John 11:38-39  (NIV)

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

"Trust God. He knows what He is doing.  Stop listening to your mind and feelings."

3. Start living again.  

John 11:43-44  (NIV)

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

You have a choice.  Lazarus chose not to be defined by death.

Instead of believing what I see.  I choose to believe what Jesus said. 

Just below the surface are seeds of possibilities that are just waiting for the right conditions.

Blake Lindsey, Church of the Highlands

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/death-is-never-final

Easter 2015.  58,000 plus in attendance, 7571 salvations.

Divine Healing

James 5:14-15  (NLT)

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

1. God still heals people.  

Hebrews 13:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

2 Timothy 4:18 (NLT)

18 Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

2. God is concerned about my soul.  

Romans 8:29  (NLT)

29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son,

3. God wants me to grow in my faith. 

Hebrews 11:6  (NLT)

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. 

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands

Video of Lesson

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/healing 

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/8.21.16.pdf

The Blind Will See

Luke 4:18 (NLT)   Jesus read this Scripture in Isaiah about Himself. 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
    that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,

Mark 8:22-25 (NLT)

22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 

Bethsaida was one of the communities that Jesus condemned for unbelief. (Matthew 11:21)  

You have to eliminate the doubt and the doubters from your life.  God works in an environment of faith.  Jesus lead the blind man out an environment of doubt. 

23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. 

1. Get in the Word and prepare for battle. (Ephesians 6:10-17) 

Childlike faith results in Godlike miracles. It's not about circumstances, but the presence of God.   Stay away from negative ungrateful people.  

Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

2. Don't put God in a box.  

Jesus heals in many different ways. The touch of God is greater than the traditions of men. 

Spitting on someone was consider disrespectful.  We're not after a method, but Jesus Himself. 

Release God to be God. Don't limit God.   

24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”

He hadn't been born blind because He recognized people and trees.  This is the only record when Jesus healed in stages.  

3. You and I are a work in process.  

Mercy is God's patience in our development. 

Blind spots are when other people can see what you can't see.  God can see what you can't see, and He is working on it.  

God is trying to bring into focus this man's life.  (Philippians 1:6) 

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn.  If you learn, you haven't lost. 

When you lose perspective, you live by your feelings.  When you live by feelings, you are easily deceived.    

25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.

God's will for you is to bring your life into complete focus.  What healed the man was his complete honesty.  God is more attracted to honesty than your perfection.  The blind man confessed to Jesus things were still a little bit blurry.

Do you need His help?  Tell Him so.     

Mike Haman, Healing Place Church

How To Pray When You're In Pain

Rick Warren

"Is anyone of you having troubles? Then you should pray! Is anyone of you happy? Then you should sing songs of praise! Is anyone of you sick? Then you should call the elders (leaders) of your church to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. Then the prayer that is offered in faith will make the sick person well and the Lord will restore that person to health. And if that person has sinned, he will be forgiven. So then, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed! The prayer of a person living right with God is very powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it didn't rain for three and a half years!"


James 5:13-17

WHEN SHOULD I PRAY FOR HEALING?

1. WHENEVER I'M FEELING  

emotional pain , stress, or distress.  Internal distress caused  by external circumstances.    

"Is anyone of you having troubles? Then you should pray!" James 5:13a

King David: "In my distress I called to the Lord." Psalm 18:4

WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD TOO

"Is anyone of you happy? Then you should him sing songs of praise." James 5:13b

"Rejoice in the Lord always . . ." Philippians 4:4

"The joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

2. WHENEVER I'M FEELING  

physical pain.  Without strength.  Bedridden.  

"Is anyone of you sick? Then you should call the elders (leaders) of your church to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. Then the prayer that is offered in faith will make the sick person well and the Lord will restore that person to health. And if that person has sinned, he will be forgiven. So then, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed!"

Many Different Kinds of Sickness For Different Purposes

• SICKNESS FOR  

Death.  It's the sickness that's going to kill you.  

See John 11:4 & 1 John 5:16

• SICKNESS FOR  

Discipline.  Illness that gets our attention and to point us in a new direction. . 

See 1 Corinthians 11:28-32

• SICKNESS FOR  

Glory of God.  Your attitude while sick or in actual healing.

See John 11:4, 9:2-3

We're not in perfect heaven yet!
NOT every hurt is healed on our broken planet
But God can bring good even out of pain

"You have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him." Philippians 1:29 (NLT)

"Those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." 1 Peter 4:19

HOW TO PRAY FOR HEALING

STEP 1: ASK SOME LEADERS OF YOUR CHURCH FAMILY TO PRAY FOR YOU

"Is anyone of you sick? Then you should call the elders (mature leaders) of your church to pray . . ." James 5:14a

STEP 2: LET THEM PRAY OVER YOU & ANOINT YOU WITH OIL

". . . have them pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:14b

STEP 3: PRAY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD AND IN FAITH

". . . pray and anoint . . . in the name of the Lord. Then the prayer that is offered in faith will make the sick person well and the Lord will restore that person to health."James 5:14-15a

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."Hebrews 11:6 

3. I SHOULD PRAY WHEN I'M FEELING  

spiritual pain. Guilt, shame, resentment.  

(Guilt, Fear, Doubt, Shame, Resentment, Anxiety, etc.)

"So then, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be HEALED! The prayer of a person living right with God is very powerful and effective."James 5:16

WHAT KIND OF PERSON CAN PRAY FOR HEALING?

Any believer can pray for anyone else for healing.

"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it didn't rain for three and a half years!" James 5:17