“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
When speaking in Nazareth, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2, and then makes the remarkable claim, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)
Jesus proclaims good news to the poor.
Jesus proclaims freedom from prison and oppression.
Jesus proclaims healing for the blind.
Jesus proclaims the time of God’s favour.
The good news now is: I am forgiven! I am free!
But does this mean that the good news now is also: I am healed!?
When we are with someone who is sick, should we ASK for healing?
Or should we do what Jesus did, should we ANNOUNCE healing?
But if I say to someone, for example with diabetes, ‘you are healed’, am I misleading them?
Well that depends, if I say to them ‘you are forgiven’ or ‘you are free’, is that misleading?
From God’s point of view, because of Jesus’ victory, they are forgiven, they are free.
Would it not also be true that from God’s point of view, they are healed?
But what if they do not see or feel their healing, how can they be healed?
Good question… but what if they do not see or feel their forgiveness or freedom?
Does what we see and feel reflect the truth?
Paul urges us to focus with eyes of faith on what is unseen.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Poverty, sickness, oppression, bondage, temptation, sin, guilt, not to mention death, are still experienced by us.
In fact, these very things lead people to doubt the truth of Jesus’ victory.
But I am wondering if we give these things too much power in our minds.
We make them truer than Jesus victory, and as a result they hold greater power over us.
Are many Christians still struggling under the bad news because they do not proclaim the good news?
Should we, by faith, ANNOUNCE the good news of forgiveness, freedom and healing, whether we see them or not?
Similarly, though death still continues, should we ANNOUNCE and live by the fact that we are LIVING, not DYING.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
We need to believe it, and live in it’s truth, even though death still happens.
By faith we need to live AS IF we are forgiven, free, and healed… AND WE ARE.
The experience of it may vary in this life, but the reality of it cannot be changed.
What does all this mean?
I want to explore the idea that I should not ask for forgiveness or freedom or healing.
Instead I want to pray it’s reality, to ANNOUNCE it as I pray, by faith.
I am forgiven, I am free, I am healed, whether I see or feel it or not.
The next time someone asks for healing, will I be able to pray: In Jesus’ Name, you are healed?
Just announce it, it is not up to me to accomplish it.
I don’t have to pray with dramatic effect (‘in JESus NAme you are HEALed!!!’).
I don’t have to emphasize it with pushing them on the forehead.
Just announce the good news, and leave the rest up to God.
He will take it from there, He will choose how and when the healing will manifest.
What do you think?
I think this is interesting. I tend to find myself in a vicious cycle when it comes to my faith. I have a hard time accepting I am forgiven or freed from guilt even though I know Jesus died on the cross taking that burden with Him so that I wouldn’t have to live in bondage or fear.
Although it doesn’t make it “feel” any less different. What I know to be right and true isn’t what I feel to be true. If you were to say, “Talia, you are healed now from all sickness.” I’d probably say something like nice try. Even though that would be pretty cool if it worked out that way. There has been times I’ve been desperate for oil thinking the moment its placed on my forehead, I will be healed.
And who knows. Maybe God does choose to heal some and not others. Who knows if its about physical, emotional or spiritual healing that is being taken place without us being able to comprehend and understand it. I think we are tools used by Christ and this His healing does come just not always in what we feel is the right timing.