Resist Sickness and Disease

Jesus died for the whole human – : spirit, soul and body. The fact that He is the last ultimate sin-sacrifice is readily accepted in Christian circles. By Him we have access to the Father, forgiveness of sin and redemption. Few Christians argue this and rightly so, for this is the essence of Christianity. Yet, Jesus also bled and died to free us from the harassment of the enemy. We also receive freedom from sickness, disease, demonic possession, lack and all kinds of dysfunction.

Jesus solved the sin issue at Calvary yet some born again, blood washed believers still struggle with sins. That fact does not make us adjust our doctrine of the finished work of the cross. Why does the fact that some get sick, never get better, even with prayer, and die; why would it make us invent the silly notion that sickness, disease and dysfunction is the will of God?

The scripture bears out that we are healed by His stripes, that when we are sick we pray, lay hands on the sick and they recover, that He is the Lord our Healer. Yet some argue that there is some spiritual benefit in sickness and dysfunction. This would be like saying a little sin will do you good.

The same blood that washed away your sins, is the same blood that was spilled for the healing of sickness, illness, disease. You would never, should never, embrace and accept sin, why embrace sickness?

It is as much a slap in Jesus’ face to suggest His work of redemption incomplete, than negate-ting the fact of healing and health by the same sacrifice. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Some may say that sickness, illness, disease and dysfunction are from God. Yet, didn’t Jesus say that a kingdom divided against itself will not stand?

If Jesus healed the sick, if Jesus gave us a mandate to lay hands on the sick in His name, if the scriptures clearly say that He is our Healer; then why do we embrace physical ailments as if it is our friend? Why don’t we resist and fight it like we do with other temptations? There is not much of a difference. We seem to be willing to speak about sickness more readily than sin and other temptations. Yet, Jesus paid for all of it equally and all comes from the same source. Sickness and sin are often interconnected and at times cause one another.

It is a total, complete redemption of a total, complete human. Nothing was and is excluded. When Jesus said: “It is finish”, it was indeed finished. We cannot add to it - generally agreed – and neither can we subtract from it.

Isn’t it time we receive the entire salvation? Isn’t it time we receive the total Savior, the one who redeemed body, soul- mind will and emotions – and spirit, by paying the complete price of redemption. He gave it all. How dare we pick and choose which part we would like to receive?

1John 3:8, James 5:14-15, Matt 8:16, Luke 10:9, Matt 10:8, Mark 16, Psalms 103:3, James 4:7, Psalms 147:3, Eph 6:13, 1 Peter 5:9, Matt 10:1, John 9:3 Luke 4:18

Where have all the good preachers gone?

During the past few decades we have been fed a "gospel" of self, of humanism thinly veiled as Christianity. We have heard how we can get all we want from God, only by commanding Him to do by holding Him to His promises. We have heard how we can have all our best life now, our wishes and dreams by having faith. We now also hear that the grace of God gives us all kinds of permission to live in sin and that God is only good and impotent to make any judgement on our behavior since Jesus already paid for it all. Someone actually said that the purpose and center of the gospel is man(humans).

Now, if any or all of this sounded good and great to you excuse me for busting the bubble. None of it is the true gospel. All of it, in its purest form, is just man using God for his own pleasures, plans and designs. Just take any of the above statements, or any like it, and follow it to its most extreme conclusion and the ugly truth will be that this is a false teaching.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible, is about God. It is the history of an eternal, all powerful, all-knowing, ever present Being's relationship with a finite, weak, ignorant and barely conscious specie. It is the revelation of the magnificent to the insignificant, for the sole purpose of the good pleasure of the former. It is God limiting Himself in order to communicate, relate and interact with people for no other reason than He wants to do it. He does what He does for His own pleasure. His good pleasure, His choosing is the source, the center, the genesis of all.

One would therefore imagine that His ministers would spent the bulk of their time, educating the people on this awesome Deity. One would expect to hear wonderful expose' on His attributes and His wondrous deeds. Is that not what one does with the object of ones affection? Praise and exultations comes naturally, easy, when a person is overwhelmed with affection. The question then begs to be asked: what is wrong with the majority of His ministers, His agents? Why do they not inform the people of His greatness? Why do they not speak of His wonders? Why do they replace the fantastic, unfathomable, adventure of knowing Him with the weak, milk toast diet of man's limited, confusing, speeches? Do they not love Him? Or maybe they do not really believe in Him.

( Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God...; Philippians 2:13 it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Isaiah 53:10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. Isaiah 40:5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Psalms 50:6 And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge.2Samuel7:24For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God. and so, so many other scriptures)

Basics for Ambassadors

Our response, our responsibility, as a fellowship of believers is twofold. We have a responsibility and covenant, (contract, agreement) toward God and toward people. This is often referred to as our vertical and horizontal relationships. The first is the vertical, towards God. If we have a solid relationship towards God and if we are on a solid foundation with God then the horizontal relationship toward people will also be balanced. We cannot neglect our responsibility in either direction. 1 John 3:23

Vertical

Our relationship toward God is threefold. We relate to God through Prayer, Worship and the Word. These are the three pillars of any congregation or individual relationship between God and human.

PRAYER: Prayer has many facets, parts and expressions: Prayer, supplication, asking, requests, intercession, thanksgiving, and even silent prayer. We approach God the Father, through Jesus Christ, - through His Name which means all that He is and has done and is doing – by the power, ability and help of the Holy Spirit. There are a multitude of recorded prayers in the Bible. The Psalms are full of prayers, hearts poured out before God and many of the prophets recorded their prayers. The Apostle Paul in his epistles, letters, writes down how he prays for the people. Jesus gave us the model prayer in what is now popularly called “The Lord’s Prayer” but He also prayed a few other times. He prayed a very short powerful prayer at the tomb of Lazarus, in Gethsemane and in John 17 He intercedes for the disciples and us. We are commanded to pray without ceasing. – 1 Thess. 5:17- and to pray at all times in Ephesians 6:8. This means that you are in constant communication with God, not in a formatted, formal way, but being aware of Him and His influence in every area of your life, whispering a prayer, a thanksgiving, a simple request. 1Ki 8:28, Psalm 55:1, Phil 4:6, Col 4:2, John 16:26, Rom 8:26,27 and 34

WORSHIP: Worship includes, praise, thanksgiving, dancing, art, clapping hands, making noise, silence, music in all forms, adoration… and so much more. Worship is ALWAYS directed, focused, toward God, in three persons, Father God, Jesus Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It is never with the motive to attract attention to ourselves or our worship. It is an offering, an exhibition, an action directed towards God and for Him. It is like the Old Testament sacrifices and burnt offerings a sacrifice to God only. This refer to the part of our “worship”, lifestyle of serving God, that has to do with giving God honor, adoration, exaltation, thanksgiving, exaltation and generally celebrating who and what He is. The Psalms are full of examples of this. The entire Bible is full of proclaiming how awesome and wonderful God is. We see in Revelations 13 that worship will be carried through into eternity. Worship is also a continual thing. We can keep God in high regard in our hearts so that we give thanks, praise and adoration at all times. This is our responsibility but also our love offering to Him. Gen. 22:5, Psalms 29:2, 66:4, 95:6, 99, 150, Acts 16:25, Romans 12:1, Phil. 3:3, Heb. 13:15.

WORD: With “word” we refer to the communication from God to us. We have the Bible, God’s inspired written word, 66 books in one volume. We have the responsibility to get very acquainted with it. We cannot call ourselves Children of the Most High God and not even know His Book. This book of the law, of the words of God and His dealings with His own shall not depart from us. We shall speak of it when we are walking, driving on the road, when we sit down to eat, when we go to sleep at night. It is to be our constant companion and should be buried in our hearts so that we may keep from sinning against God. It should be in our hearts and hands so that we may know how to choose, to discern good and evil, right from wrong. We are given a plumb-line, a measuring stick, something to hold all things that comes our way against, so that we may know how to live in a pleasing manner before God. We cannot exclude other ways that God uses to communicate with us, through other Christians speaking, preaching, prophecy-ing to us, or even through dreams and visions. These are all mentioned in the Bible. But it cannot contradict the Bible. Many interpretations of scripture exist and of this there is much to say. Let it suffice with this: It is a thick book. Take the whole counsel of God in consideration. Whatever way God communicates to us, it is our responsibility to hear, - to discern His voice – and to obey Him. Ps119, Joshua 1:8, Luke 8:21, John 10:35, Col 3:16, 2 Tim. 3:16, Hebrews 4:12

Horizontal

Our relationship towards People can be divided into two groups. There are only two groups of people in the world: those who love, obey and follow God, who has given their lives to Him and received Jesus as Lord and Savior and those who stubbornly refuse to bow before the God and creator of all. We have the saved and unsaved, the saints and sinners, the children of God and the children of wrath, disobedience. The Bible makes this distinction and so should we. Mark 4:11, 1 Cor. 5:13, James 1:27& 4:4, 2 Peter 1:4, 1John 4 and 5

UNBELIEVERS, World

Our first and foremost responsibility towards those who are in the world, unbelievers are to bring the message of reconciliation between God and man. We are all messengers of hope, of a better way of a God who loved this whole world, everyone so much that He gave His ONLY begotten Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, to pay the penalty, punishment for all our sin. By this an opening, door, way was made for humans to have a relationship with God the Father. We are always to be ready to lead someone to repentance, to agreeing with God, to see the offense our rebellion towards God really is. This is our primary responsibility towards all humans.

We are His hand extended to minister healing and deliverance in the process of bringing salvation to all people. We introduce them to a God who is both love and holy, both forgiving and just. Ps 9:8, John 3:16, 2Cor. 5:18 &19, Eph 1:13, Romans 3:23, Romans 10

BELIEVERS, Children of God.

Those who call upon the Name of Jesus are saved. Those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are born into the Kingdom of God and He gives them the right, the authority to be called children of God. All believers have a ministry of bringing sinners to salvation and also to help one another along the way in our path to maturity in God’s kingdom by encouraging one another, loving one another, laying our lives down for one another. The Bible says to do good to all but especially and first to the household of God. Gal 6:10. There are a whole lot of scriptures about how we are to behave toward one another. In all this we ought to remember that God is the Father of us all and He is well able to take care of His own household. Romans 15:14, Gal. 5:13, 6:2, Eph.4:32, Phil 2:3, 5:19 & 211 Thess. 5:15, Heb. 3:13, Heb. 10:25, James 4:11, 5:16, 1Peter 2:2, 1Peter 4, 1 John 4:7 &11,

In HIS image...

One of the fundamental mistakes people make in their relationship with God is to view Him as human. He is NOT human. He is a total different specie. Humans are made in His image. We are like Him. In His likeness.



That does not mean that He is like us.





God cannot lie, sin or be unfaithful. God is always light and love. God is outside of time. He is everywhere and every time at the same time. God does not die or stop being. He always was and always will be. He knows everything and sees everything. He can choose to limit Himself in His dealings with a specific person. He can understand completely since He knows completely.






He cannot be tempted since He has no sin-nature.




When we relate to Him as if He is another human being we falter and fail. When I relate to a pet, I cannot think it to be a child. The misconception will bring about a flawed relationship. If I expect the pet to act and re-act like a child I will be disappointed. It is not the pets fault that I had erroneous expectations.


Applying human logic to God almost always leads to a cul-de-suc. He is so much more than we can reason out. When we apply human wisdom and understanding, we will come to a place of astonishment with no explenation. When we attempt to grasp Him with human emotions we find ourselves fickle, superficial and Him so much more comprehensive and enduring. Our physical bodies cannot even begin to stand in His presence.


So how can we relate to this God... who is so much more, so much greater, so much better than anything we can invent, envision or dream up?


On His terms. That is the only terms. By His power, ability. It is the only power. By asking Him to do in us what He tells us to do. By admitting that we can't, but He can. By submitting to His plan, His authority. Our only contribution is to yield. Our only authentic, unique ingredient to this recipe is our choice and even in that He can make us willing if we desire to be made willing.




Presumption and assumption must cease if we ever would have a true relationship with Him. And our only prayer: "Lord, make me willing to be made willing..."

Addiction.

Any addiction originates from a spirit of manipulation and control or Biblically speaking from a spirit of witchcraft. It manipulates and controls the victim and anyone around them.

Witchcraft murders its victims. It uses the victim and abuses the victim. Witchcraft is an insidious monst

er. It comes with lies, deceit and steals the potential, the God-given, God-designed purpose. Witchcraft destroys the victim, the family, nation, generation and culture.

The Bible says: Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. In the 60’s there was a huge spirit of rebellion released. It resulted in, amongst other things, a spirit of witchcraft being released upon an entire generation. This manifested in addiction of all shapes and sizes. It brought an evil anointing with it that easily moved by using the medium of the music.

The manipulation and control seeped into every area of society. Witchcraft manifested in business (advertising using sex etc.), in family relations (free sex, abortions etc), in politics (legislation for selfish reasons, abortion, ungodly laws), education ( no God and prayer in schools etc), the arts ( perversion as art etc), science (twisting facts to prove evil ex: abortion) and religion. From the 60’s we got the very popular and famous musicians, artist possessed by a spirit that used them and the lives around them. We also have from the 60’s great business people who seemed to have a supernatural ability to make people buy their products. We have movie masters, writers who have a cult-following. From the 60’s came an educational philosophy that is breaking down character, values and anything that is remotely righteous and Godly. From the 60’s we also got the great charlatans of religion. New Age was not even an idea before the 60’s and until Yoko Ono most people never even heard of a “guru”. This did not spare the church. Even in Christianity we have a “New Gospel”. The true Gospel was manipulated and twisted until “getting-rich-and-famous” was heaven and “self” was the idol to whom we bow. More deception and false doctrine flooded the earth than ever before.






(Article in the Washington Post April 2012 Note the paragraph about America's individualism towards the end. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/22/college-degree-religious-faith-help-marriages-surv/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+delicious%2Fgqlf+%28Christian+Headlines+Top+Headlines%29)

God did NOT give us a spirit of fear, witchcraft manipulates through fear. God gave us the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach, lead and guide. Witchcraft offers a false comfort, lies as wisdom, drives instead of leading and deception as guidance. God calls us to a life of self-sacrifice and giving-love, Agape. Witchcraft uses the self as idol, as god to whom all and for whom all are sacrificed. Witchcraft fashions a self-pity that often culminates in suicide since the victim looses touch with humanity. It cuts the victim of from normal, Godly relationships and isolates the victim in order to destroy. Witchcraft is always abusive. Our language agrees. We say: “He abuses alcohol or he abuses drugs” etc.

The only remedy for addiction/witchcraft is deliverance. Give this spirit sympathy or pity and it will rob you. It will take and take and take until it takes your last breath and then it will continue to steal your legacy.

Deliverance begins when the deception is broken, when the victim sees, realizes that they are trapped. This is the first step in AA and NA: to admit that you have a problem. There cannot be a lasting, permanent solution until the victim also sees, realizes that they are trapped in the net of witchcraft. Addicts are some of the most devious, manipulating people; the character and manifestation of the spirit of witchcraft. The more attention, sympathy, anything is given, the more this evil spirit will demand.

Second, the victim has to see, realize this addiction, witchcraft as his or her enemy. Addiction comes like a voluptuous, comforting, ego-boosting whore, leading men astray with promises of pleasure, comfort, and power. But like the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, they are soon cast into Sheol, hell. Until the victim hates this ugly, mean, vicious spirit there can be no deliverance.

Because of the deceptive nature of this spirit of witchcraft, it will often pretend to be gone. An addict will have to try again and again and again and again to be free from it. All the self-help, therapy, and AA/NA is just a band-aid; a remedy to stop the bleeding long enough to deal with underlying issues but it is not a lasting solution. The only lasting solution is deliverance.

The spirit of witchcraft has to be expelled from the victim. A divorce has to be issued and the contracts, covenants destroyed. This cannot happen without the victims consent and agreement.

Aside from the blood of Jesus, aside from the power of His Name, aside from the victory in Jesus, there is no overcoming this spirit.

2Peter2:19 Hosea 4:11

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  "Harlotry, wine, and new wine (or any substance)enslave the heart.

2Chronicles 33:6

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Galatians 5:20 1Samuel 15:23

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ... they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry.

Judge Not  by Marietjie Chase

Yesterday I witnessed something in a bussiness setting that seemed to be a spiritual lesson.  An employee did something that was obviously not standard operating presedure. When the manager instructed the employee in the correct procedure, the response was: "Don't judge me!"

I found it a very odd response and could not help meditating on it for the rest of the day. Has that became the matra of the nation, the world, the church? Wrong and right has gone to the grave alongside logic and common sense. If there is no winners and losers, would we watch football? If all are winners and all are wonderful, what is the sense in a Nobel Prize or an Oscar or a Gold Olympic Medal? If there is no wrong or right, no judgement, then why have traffic rules or laws, for that matter?

There is judgement when you do wrong. There is praise when you do right. God wrote it in the Book, Nature bears it out and our own sense of justice inside of our being cries out for it. Our perception will change rather quickly when we are personally touched by injustice.

"Judge not, lest you be judged" the Bible says, but read the rest "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."  Our discernment on a matter ought to be Godly, Biblical and objective. It may be that a religious, condemning, judgemental spirit gave birth to a lawless, faithless, foolish generation.

When our judgement is based on assumption, personal taste and preferences, we have fleshly and even evil judgement. This could cause us to side with the accuser against a brother, a sister or a stranger. Since God is the only one who knows the heart, His judgement is the only true judgement. That is the reason the Bible calls us to judge actions, or fruit. Try the spirits by it's word's, it's fruit. Discern people's motives, hearts, spirits by their actions and words but then line it up with the Bible.

There are two great extremes in this matter.

One side are the "No Judgement" camp where all discernment is taboe and even the demons may be embraced. There is no negative, no dark shadows, only light, positives, a supposed blank page.

The other extreme are those who judges everything without fear that they may ascribe the deeds of God to the enemy. The harsh, negative, condescending, condemning attitude sucks the life out of everything.

Where is the balance? Where is God's true judgement in this? Can we bring back the fear of God, please! Could we all come to a fresh appreciation that we serve God and that He does not serve us or our agendas. Then we can begin to agree with God on matters. When God clearly calls something evil in the Bible: Agree with God! Example: murder, gluttony, slander, gossip - all evil, wrong, sin. And when God does not call something evil, let us be careful to pass our own ideas of as God's.
Even the Apostle Paul stumbled over this one.

Purpose

by Marietjie Chase



A good friend of ours once said: When purpose is misunderstood, abuse is inevitable. This statement have endured because it is true.  Let's take a simple butter knife for an example. It is made for the purpose of spreading butter or aiding the fork in getting food in our mouths. It was not intended to double as a screwdriver, wedge, putty-knife or welding tool. It can be used for these jobs, but it will damage, break or destroy(kill) the butter knife. We need to find the original intent of it's creator to discern the purpose.

What is the original intent for creating human beings? Was man really made so that God could have something to take care of? Wouldn't that make God man's servant? Was man created so that God can have someone to be in relationship, fellowship with?  That would imply that God is somehow imperfect, not sovereign and not self-sustaining. So, why did God made man, humans?

God made man to show forth His glory. Man's purpose for being is to be to the praise of the Glory of God. In the New Testament the Bible says that the church, the Bride of Christ, the redeemed show forth the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers in accordance with the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus. God has a purpose, a design for making us. Eph 3:10-11

Rom 9:23 And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,

Eph 1:5-6 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.


Eph 1:11- 12 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.


Hbr 13:20- 21 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Rom 12:1-2, Col 3:20)


Psa 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name's sake.


Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Also see: 2 Cor 4:15-17, Phil 1:11 and 2:11, Phil 1:20.

If my purpose and your purpose is to display the glory of God,  if we are to do all and be all to the glory of God, what implication does that have on our daily, practical life? What manner of people ought we to be so that God will get all the glory?

Paul writes to the Philippians and after his statement; that he does not care whether he lives or dies as long as Jesus Christ gets the glory; he continues to explain what such a life entails. In the second chapter he says: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each regard one another..." Paul then brings Jesus Christ in as the ultimate example of self-sacrifice to the glory, honor and praise of God the Father.

How should we live then? Actions starts in attitudes, and attitudes starts in the mind. Our thinking has one of two sources: God or the evil one. It is our decision which thought and idea we will entertain, pay attention to and nurture into an attitude. "Let this attitude be in you, that was also in Christ Jesus..." When we are ignorant of the written word of God, we make it difficult for ourselves to sift through all the things that come knocking at our mind's door. We often only realize that we are of on the wrong track when the attitude gives birth to actions. An ounce of prevention is far better than a ton of regret

We have to make quality choices on a daily basis. It may involve deciding how you spend your time. Do you have snippets of time while waiting in the doctor's office, at school for the kids or on the bus? How do you occupy yourself? You could use these moments to quietly pray, read a pocket New Testament or meditate on a portion of scripture.  Some other decisions may involve more difficult choices. You may have to refuse to get offended. Yes, taking offense is a choice. You may have to make a choice about the information you have about someone or some situation. Do you keep it to yourself and pray about it or do you feed the rumor mill. In all these things and many more, we can choose to fulfill our purpose by living in such a way that our lives bring glory and honor to the God we claim to serve.

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely (gracious), whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell (ponder)on these things.

Col 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Eph 2:7-10 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

If we desire to fulfill our purpose for existence, which is to bring glory and honor to God, we have one thing we cannot neglect to do. That is to cultivate, to protect and pursue a vibrant, growing relationship with God the Father, through Jesus Christ by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.