A word from the Lord this morning:
“My people need to exercise their authority over their flesh. By my holy spirit, be cleansed daily. Believe that I will and want to heal you. Come to be in faith, BELIEVING that I can do all things. And because I can, you have the gift as my heir. Today is the day to stop wallowing in your sickness. Stand up. Exercise your faith that I will heal you. You have work to do, but the devil would divide your mind to keep you ineffective for my kingdom. Get up, take up your mat and walk. March. You’re my soldier. My warrior. And you will do great exploits in my Name.“
Before giving me this word, the Lord led me to several passages in the Bible: Mark 9:14 where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, Luke 13:10 where Jesus healed a crippled woman, and Luke 14, where he healed a man with dropsy (swelling associated with heart failure). I want to highlight a couple of points.
Jesus Heals The Demon-possessed Boy
I’m paraphrasing here, but the passage begins with teachers of the law arguing with some of the disciples after Jesus is transfigured on the mountain before Peter, James, and John. It was an epic event because Moses and Elijah were there talking with Jesus, and they heard God speak, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” It was at that point that Jesus instructs them not to discuss what they’ve seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. The NIV bible expressly states that, “the disciples kept the matter to themselves, discussing what ‘rising from the dead’ meant. ” Their minds had no understanding of that. But then we segue to where they catch up with the other disciples and a man who brings his son who is “possessed by a spirit that has robbed his speech, stating the spirit throws him to the ground and he foams at the mouth.” The Lord says, “Oh unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? […] bring the boy to me.” The father tells Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
I want to stop for a moment and address the father’s mindset: “take pity on us and help us” speaks from a place that says “I am powerless to do anything for my son, and hints I’m not really sure about you either…” He had enough faith (+action in going) to get his son to Jesus, but there was a wall in his mind that stood between what he had been witnessing about his son since he was a child, and possibly the stories he had heard about Jesus healing. Maybe he was blaming himself for his son’s sickness. He knew enough about spiritual warfare and demonic possession to be able to tell Jesus that it was a spirit that was robbing his son of speech and throwing him into seizures. But he felt powerless to do anything.
I love how the Lord calls out the root issue- he says, “If you can?” “Everything is possible for him who believes.” And his words draw out the heart and even the fears of the boy’s father, who the bible says immediately exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
It was then that Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and commanded him to leave the boy. The irritated demon shrieked and had a temper tantrum and left the boy. Then the Lord took the hand of the boy and lifted him up to his feet.
Is Unbelief Blocking Your Healing?
I’ve walked this. I once believed that the promises of God were for everyone but me. I tracked it back to generational sin rooted in shame, pride, and it can lead to a spirit of offense against God and towards men and women who are receiving healing.
Have you ever said this: “God is healing everyone but me.” “I guess this is just my cross to bear.” “I must be doing something wrong because God won’t heal me.”
Operating in a spirit of unbelief is a lot like tying the hands of God behind his back. Your mindset about who God is, how much he really loves you will either limit or advance what he wants to do in and through. The bible talks about unbelief, or lack of faith, in Mark, chapter 6:3-6, where the people of Nazareth (Jesus’ home town) refuse to believe:
Mark 6:3-6. [3] Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him. [4] But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in His own country, and among His own kin, and in His own house. [5] And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.[6] And He marveled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages, teaching.
So, in other words, Jesus was able to teach, but he was limited, not by his power, but by what the people in his hometown believed (or in this case didn’t believe) about him. The bible states, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of belief (again, their lack of faith.
The account of the demon-possessed boy humbly reminds us that we are not alone in our little-faith thinking, and that we can all be tempted by unbelief. The boy’s father said something that resonated with me. I have prayed many times, “God I want to believe. God I know YOU can. Change my mind about ME so that I can receive your healing and your promises!”
I didn’t know how to change my mind. It was a tape recorder of voices from my past: my mom, my grandfather, my experiences where others spoke mean things to me that made me come into agreement with lies about myself. Now, I’m not saying that any of those people meant to hurt me negatively influence my thinking, but I was in their company when they spoke ill of themselves, and their perception about themselves became my thoughts- “I must be the same because I’m her daughter. I’m his granddaughter. It made me go looking for proof in my life that those things were true: I’m ugly. I’m not wanted. No one likes me. I don’t have any real friends because of who I am. They were all lies, but to a young child, those words were written on the tablets of my heart and mind before I even consciously knew it. You can imagine the paths that those thoughts led me down. Until I had family of choice speak life over me.
I’ll be honest, I had a hard time receiving it. Your thoughts about you can become like a drug that you become addicted to, and you don’t even realize it. The devil is sneaky. It’s generational sin-cycles that have to be broken by the holy spirit. I can hear Jesus, “If you CAN?!” Not only can I do this for you, but I WANT TO do this for you.” I’ve been waiting for you to get here to this moment so that you will let your faith arise and believe I can. I’ve been waiting for you to see what’s possible and dare to dream that it’s possible for you!” That’s faith. Blessed is she who believed the Lord would fulfill his promises to her. That promise starts with believing and accepting his holy healing. It becomes your new identity- who God says you are, not your mom, not your dad, not your ex, etc. It’s through your identity that you discover your calling. I don’t know if this is making sense, but what I’m trying to say is get out of your own way! If you’re battling unbelief- ask God to help you overcome it. He will do it! Faith and the decision to believe when you can’t see what you’re believing for unlocks every next step of your future!
The Lord is saying that it’s time to marry actions with belief, even if it’s only a little belief. Baby belief is better than no belief, right?,- God says it- “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20-21). Just as Jesus told the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” The Bible says, “at once the man was cured.” God is saying to you, “GET UP.” Get your healing, and move into the exploits that God wants to do through you.
I want to leave you with this verse from Daniel 11:32: “but those who know their God will do great exploits.
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