Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Introduction:

Is healing available today?

Is healing guaranteed? Why does God heal or not?

If healing is available today how should it be practiced in the

church today?

Exodus 15:26 “He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”” NIV

I. Jesus’ Healing Ministry

The Presence of God

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” NIV

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” NIV

The Healings of Jesus in John

John 4:46-53 – Healed the royal official’s son

John 5:1-3 – Healed the invalid in Jerusalem

John 9:1-14 – Gave sight to a man born blind

John 11:38-44 – Raised Lazarus from the dead

Proved His deity and confirmed the presence of God.

John 20:30-31 “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” NIV

II. The Apostles’ Healing Ministry

General references to healing

Acts 2:43 “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” NIV

Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.” NIV

Demonstrated their Apostolic Calling

2 Corinthians 12:12 “The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance.” NIV

III. The Healing Ministry of Others

1 Corinthians 12:9 “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,” NIV

No specific illustration regarding how these gifts were used.

Given to Confirm the Message of the Gospel

Hebrews 2:3-4 “how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” NIV

Healing gifts were given to

1. To demonstrate Christ’s deity

2. To affirm apostolic calling

3. To verify the message of gospel

IV. James Instructions to Elders

James 5:13-18 “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. “Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” NIV

1. Call the elders

James broadens the healing ministry to include the primary spiritual leaders in every local church.

Not limited to the elders.

Principle: All believers can seek prayer from godly people.

2. Is anyone in trouble or sick?

Includes everyone who desires to have prayer for healing

We all have access to the new and living way – Heb 10:19-22

kakopaqeo - afflicted or to endure hardship

Stresses that affect mind, emotions and body

asqeneo - feeble, weak, exhausted

3. Primarily for the welfare of believers

Important to understand that nowhere in scripture are we guaranteed physical healing of every sickness and disease

4. Important to remember the physical effects of sin

Yes – In the ‘there and then’

Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” NIV

But – not always in the “here and now”

Romans 8:22-23 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” NIV

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” NIV

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” NIV

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Principle: We may not always be healed physically. But God promises his presence and His enabling grace and comfort

Principle: More important than my physical healing is my attitude and conscious dependence on the Lord.

That’s the context of this passage:

Patience in suffering.

Don’t grumble.

Don’t curse.

Do call for prayer from godly leaders

Principle: God responds to faith and prayer. Not always as we think or hope. But God does respond to prayer.

Decision of the Executive Team: You may come to the Executive Team any time to be anointed and prayed for. Or, you may ask the Executive Team to come to you.