When it comes to the musings of mankind, there are many "views" and ideologies that pertain to the subject of healing. Primarily, this is because of man trying to reason it out with his limited logic. However, when it comes to God, there is only one real view and that is His. In Jeremiah 1:12, we find out what the Lord's stand is concerning His "view point" or as we call it - His Word. He states, "I am watching over my Word to perform it." I love how the Amplified Bible brings forth the depth of the original laguage by saying: "I am alert and active, watching over My Word to perform it." I like that don't you? He is just "itching" to perform His Word in our behalf!

In John 5:14-15 there is a rich and wonderful truth that we all should have a firm grasp upon, regardless of our situation in life; "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

According to this Scripture verse, one of the keys to receiving answers to our prayers or requests is that we have to ask according to His will, and when we do, we will receive what we have asked. Well, how can we know or be sure of His will? Thank God we don't have to look too far to find it. Simply put, God's will is His Word. In fact, we even call it the Old and New Testament. When someone dies, they leave a last will and testament. Well, Jesus died, and left us His will and testament - His Word. And when there is a will, it is to be carried out to the fullest extent, and distributed just as it was intended. Praise God, that's good new for us! But it gets even better - He rose again because death couldn't hold Him and He sent His precious Holy Spirit to us as a guarantee of salvation to make sure we would get the full benefit of His intended will. John 16:13 reminds us: "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." Here is a great truth to remember: Faith can only operate where the will of God is known. So let's find out what the will of God is regarding healing, let's look to His Word, His will, and settle it once and for all.

Isaiah 53 is a beautiful chapter describing the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and what He would do for us through the shedding of His precious blood. In verse 12, the last sentence in the chapter reads: "He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." Here the word "bore" in the Hebrew is the word "nasa" which means: to lift up, to wear, to carry off, to take away. Well, certainly this Scripture is very clear, and I believe we all agree that when Jesus shed His blood He removed, lifted off of, or took away our sin. In fact Psalm 103:12 clarifies this even further by saying, "He removed it (our sin) as far as the east is from the west."

Now let's go back to verses 4 and 5 in the same chapter in Isaiah 53; they read, "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."

Once again let's take a look at the original language for a more in depth understanding. The word for "grief" is the word "choli." This word literally means: disease, sickness, and grief or anxiety resulting from sickness. The next word we want to look at is the word "sorrows," and that word in the Hebrew is "mak'ob" and it literally means: pain, to feel pain, to have pain, made sad or sorrowful because of the pain, either physical or of mental anguish.

Now here is where it gets interesting. The word "borne" in this verse is the same word that was used in verse 12 in reference to Jesus taking away, lifting off of, or removing our sin. Yes, once again, it's the word "NASA". According to this chapter in Isaiah, Jesus bore, took away, removed, lifted off of us our sin as well as our sickness and our pains when He shed His blood for us. That's enough to make a person want to jump and shout! Verse 5 confirms this fact by saying it so plainly, "By His stripes we are healed." Now we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this chapter is talking about physical healing as well as spiritual rebirth.

Now, let's lock this great truth in a little deeper and slam the door shut on all doubt concerning this fact. Take a look at Matthew 8:16-17, "When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."

Notice Matthew quotes Isaiah 53:4 (he translates grief and sorrows to read infirmities and sickness) but notice he also says that when Jesus "healed all who were sick," it was that very action of "physical healing" that Matthew says was the fulfillment of what the prophet Isaiah was saying! I guess Brother Matthew ought to know; after all he was right there with Jesus! Healing - physical healing, is this for us today? You better believe it is, because that one action of redemption incorporates wholeness for the entire man. And as Hebrews 13:8 says: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." If Jesus is the same, then His Word is the same - unchangeable and immoveable!

From this I want you to clearly see that two distinct gifts or benefits of grace were purchased for us when Jesus went to the cross. He provided the right to the new birth for us spiritually, so that we could be saved, being set free from the bondage of sin, and He also provided healing for our bodies. I like to say it this way, Jesus went to the cross - spirit, soul and body to redeem us, or free us - spirit, soul and body! Healing belongs to us, it's a free gift. Take it, expect it, and refuse to be denied by the enemy - it's yours. Know your rights, know your covenant, your God given will and testament!!!

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless [Sound & Complete] unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"
1Thessalonians 5:23

Dan Downey
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Dan Downey 2000