Tonight We See The Hand of God

For the last ten days we have been fasting and praying. Our desire is to see God display His glory tonight as He heals broken bodies and sets bound people free. We have prayed, sent out hundreds of post cards, church folks have invited friends and neighbors, posters have been posted all over town, and a quarter page ad appeared in the Brazil Times this last Monday declaring to our community and beyond that we believe God is a loving, healing, and delivering God, just as the scriptures promise.

So what has happened to Christ Community Church that such a bold and some think dangerous statement would be made to our community? The simply answer is that God has opened our eyes to what has been there all along in His word. People are simply embracing by faith what God has promised long ago, to not only save souls, but also heal broken bodies - and both as a foretaste of what the sacrifice of Christ has purchased for us. The fullness of salvation will be realized when we stand before Jesus, and the redemption of our bodies we only be fully realized when we are resurrected, but until that time Jesus promised us to be active in us -  body, soul, and spirit as we seek to walk with Him.

The big question is: Does God still heal bodies today? If we are uncertain of the answer to this question it will be impossible to believe for healing. Let me just list some of the reasons I believe God does still heal today.

1. God does not change

- He revealed Himself as healer in Old Testament, and New Testament Exodus 23:25, Pslam 103:1-5,  Matthew 9:35, Mark 6:12

- The Word tells us that God in unchangeable. Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17

- Since God reveals Himself at all times a healer and the word says He does not change, then it is illogical, and Biblically incorrect to say that God has decided to no longer heal sick bodies

2. Healing is included in the atonement of Christ

- This is a big question and I realize some will take exception with this statement, as I once did until God pointed me towards His word that settled the question.

- Isaiah 53 is the atonement chapter where it give us great prophetic detail about the suffering and redemptive work of Jesus.

- Verse number 4 of chapter 53 reads like this:

Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. KJV

NIV render this verse a little different.

Isa 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. NIV

Notice the difference in translation between KJ and NIV. Why did the translators of the NIV change griefs to infirmities? Maybe because every other place in the Old Testament translates this Hebrew word sickness or infirmity rather than grief?

But for even further clarity on this question we can look to the Apostle Matthew who quotes Isaiah 53:4 in the 8 chapter of his gospel. Matthew was a Jew who understood Hebrew well - so his translation of this verse should help greatly as to the meaning.

Mt 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." NIV

I use the NIV here but the King James also confirms Matthews translation when it uses the words, "infirmities and diseases". Wow, Matthew saw Jesus healing sick bodies and casting out demons as a fulfillment of the atoning work of Jesus. Same words used for what Jesus did with our sin - "He bore" - "He carried". These are substitutionary words used both to describe what He did to sin and to sickness. For more reasons to believe that God is still a healer listen to the message, Faith That Rips The Roof Off.

We look forward to what God is going to do tonight as we come together to trust Him to fulfill His promises.