Sam Nichols USMC Divine Healing Article Audio Teachings On Healing
The Narrow Path 1 - Healing Helps Let It Rain Article Gifts of the Holy Spirit
White Fields Ezine
copyright 2008 by Greg Nichols
Are Healing Miracles For Today? Part 1
copyright 2006 by Greg Nichols
Ever since I was born again in 1982, I have held firmly to the belief that God heals people today, as He did in the New and Old Testament. I have seen this belief affirmed over and over again, with the practice of healing through prayer. I know this is extremely controversial in the church with many divisions and factions and different beliefs over it, but I hope to build a uniform doctrine for White Fields readers that stabilize, teach and give growth as a Christian. This teaching will either make a person mad or glad. It depends on who you may have hung out with, been taught by, or which denomination you are in. I only ask that you not listen to someone else, but rather look in the Word of God with me, and decide what you are going to believe for yourself.
I do not believe in healing based on watching some sensational television documentary, or because I want it to be so, or because I heard second or third hand that it was so, I believe it because I see it in God's Word. God's Word is the final authority for Christians, and it ought to be this way, and if it is not in your life, you have gotten spiritual priorities out of order. By virtue of faith, I do not believe in healing because it has happened to me, although it has, or because it has happened when I prayed for someone, although it has. I don't fail to believe in it when I don't see it work, or a person who was prayed for dies, because if those things caused me to believe, or not believe, that would be acting on sense knowledge and would be immature of me, and not spiritual.
The realm of sense knowledge is under Satan's domain and I will not believe Satan rather than God's Word. "This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." James 3:15 Make sure your facts and your beliefs are based on God's Word. If not, you are basing them on sense knowledge, which the Bible calls devilish. The sense realm and the faith realm are in opposite camps. Faith is a product of the born again human spirit. Faith is based on God's Word. Sense knowledge is the product of the fallen human nature and mind, and is not on the same plane as God's Word or faith. For a believer, most sense knowledge relating to beliefs is not to be trusted, except it first be filtered with God's Word.
What does God's Word say about healing? We must all draw our conclusions only from that source. To consult anything or anyone else is dangerous. We will plunge into the Word, showing you both covenants, the old and the new, and then why you can apply healing today in modern times.
New & Better Today Through Christ!
The new covenant is called a new and better covenant by God\'s Word. How could this be true if the benefits did not exceed those in the old covenant? Healing was part of the old covenant. Would God withdraw a major benefit from us in the new covenant, and then call it a better covenant? In speaking of Jesus, the book of Hebrews states the following: "But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." Hebrews 8:6
Jesus healed almost all He came in contact with upon Earth, before He returned to Heaven. Go read the gospels. He spent most of His time healing the sick. Even then, He was operating under the old covenant. Jesus was operating as a teacher and prophet, with God's anointing upon Him. Jesus got no one born again until after He rose from the dead. Preaching, healings and miracles were His main activity during His pre-crucifixion ministry. That was the old and lesser covenant. It was not until He returned to Heaven that God poured out His new covenant on Mankind, the one He made between He and Jesus. Healing was to be a part of it. The apostles continued the healing ministry instantly. They were the first persons on Earth to perform healing ministries under the new covenant. Jesus was the last person on Earth to perform miracles and healings under the old covenant. When the veil in the temple ripped in two from the top to the bottom, as Jesus died on the cross, God was signifying the end of the old covenant. The new covenant, which we are living in as Christians, is mediated by Jesus. Hebrews says it is a more excellent ministry, one reason being is that it is duplicated into any born again, spirit filled believer who has faith. There is access to this covenant by all mankind. Not just Israel, like the old covenant, but all men. Hebrews says it is established on better promises. What that means is that it is built on higher revelations of truth. God raised the bar on what we could believe, and more insight was given on what we could become. Our very natures would be changed into vessels of virtue that could contain many things, including the healing power of God. We would become sons of God like Christ Himself.
Let's look at God in the old covenant. In Exodus 15, verse 26, God said, "....I am the Lord that healeth thee." God revealed Himself as Jehovah Rophe, which means God the Healer, to His chosen people. That is one of God's redemptive names in Hebrew. He is known as the Healer, having given Himself that name. He is our Healer. He is my Healer. He is your Healer. God is Healer. God sees Himself as our Healer. I didn't say it. He did. If this information is making you fuss and fume and choke, because the doctrine is different than you have been taught, I can't help that. Go talk to God about it. God reveals Himself by His nature. God made the diamond to show us what He is like. He is multi-faceted, very beautiful, many sided, many shaded and lighted views, and one whole segment and view of Him is Healer. If your religious doctrines want to remove Healer from God's name and character, then you won't have the real God of the Bible. That would be your loss.
God is still Healer. In the new covenant, He is Healer. God does not change. He said He doesn't change. "For I am the Lord, I change not;..." Malachi 3:6a If you are going to tell me God has changed, then either you or He is lying. The Bible says that God does not lie, and He cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)
God has put His healing virtue in His Word. Yes, your Bible has healing in it. No, you can't lay a Bible on an injury or diseased area, but, when you hear, understand, believe and act on the Word of God, the power is in it to heal. God designed His Word as seed which is loaded with dormant Divine power, waiting to be seeded into a fertile heart. The result is enormous power. It is the same power God uses to save, and impart the new birth. God made healing available to believers easily. You and I can get it easily. When I was young, it really impacted me that God loved me so much, that He even made healing provisions for me in His Word. I was floored. I was astounded, that God cares if I have a cold, or a headache, or a hang nail.
If what I am saying is so, why is healing not more prevalent? I have news for you. Millions are being healed by God every day. The world will not believe it. That is why you won't see this on the news. It might make Ripley's Believe It Or Not, or In Search Of, or certain shows on the paranormal, but as far as the real mainstream media giving any credibility to God's healing power and results, you will never see it. But when was the last time you saw a news release saying, "rock star gets saved" or, \"Hollywood actor gets saved"? No, that is never going to happen. The world is far too hard hearted to ever concede or admit God's loving power to man. They hate Him. They can tolerate Him as long as He is just God, in the Pledge of Allegiance, or God, of In God We Trust, or some supreme being you thank as you receive an Oscar, but as soon as God is called on by faith from radical believers to be a current and active reality, bringing love, deliverance, healing, power and salvation to mankind, the world shuts all that out, and so does an enormous percentage of the church.
Something that is hated even more by the world and much of the church is God moving through men and women in a strong anointing like Jesus. But that goes on everyday also. Has any one ever heard of Dave Duell? God has used him very powerfully to release His anointing and power in over 70 nations. Dave is a humble man who holds the office of a modern day apostle. White Fields Ministries is under Dave's ministry and leadership. My wife and I are connected to Dave's worldwide ministry for training and oversight. Dave is a precious man of God, who has spoke into my life and imparted Divine power to me many many times. Another is Reinhard Bonnke, evangelist to Africa. Whole crowds of people are healed and saved at the same time by the hundreds of thousands. Another is Benny Hinn, evangelist and pastor to many nations of the world. At a recent revival in the Fiji Islands, Benny Hinn had half the population of the islands in a single service worshipping God, with many receiving Christ. The Prime Minister stood up and said, \"Pastor Benny, you have conquered our nation.\" All of that is because Benny Hinn allows the healing power of God to flow through him. Pastor Benny is one of the most hated men on Earth. But I know that he walks in love, humility and goodness, and won\'t get his full reward in this world, but the next. But Jesus predicted, \"if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.\" John 15: 18 It is strange that the hatred does not start until a man or woman begins to operate in the power of God. The apostle Paul found that out. From the time he began to do miracles, they tried to kill him from then on.
Has any one ever heard of Tom Smith? No, you wouldn\'t have, I made him up. But let Tom Smith stand for you and I, and every believer, because that is who God intends to flow in His Divine power, each and every believer. \"These signs will follow those who believe, ……., they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.\" Mark 16: 17…..18. Please note that faith is the condition set down by Jesus, and if that condition is met, any believer is able to work the signs of God. Part of the new and better covenant that Jesus is mediator of is that He has imparted gifts of healing and miracles into men and women who operate in them routinely.
I have found that suggesting that God will heal a person who is under a doctor\'s care is highly hated by the world and many Christians. At White Fields Ministries and Ezine, we never suggest people not go to doctors, or do something foolish like deprive someone of critical medical treatment, but we do suggest, imply and directly state that if you rely only on man for healing, you are bound to be disappointed at some time or another, because man is limited, finite and frail, and they make mistakes. Even doctors will tell you that they simply set the body on course to heal itself, which is where real natural healing is anyway, built into our bodies by God. If a doctor cuts cancer out of a person, and God had not given the body the power to heal itself, the person would die. In any surgery or even in the setting of a broken limb, God gets first credit as Creator, then the body gets the next credit biologically – and lastly the medical practitioner gets some credit, for using skills and knowledge that is quite common in the medical field. How humble should this fact make doctors, or any of us before the Almighty God of the Universe? I am not teaching on natural healing here though, although it is important, but rather supernatural Divine healing. Many good doctors are now beginning to believe in the power of prayer. Sometimes they feel so helpless, they will take help from wherever they can get it.
Let's let God be God. Let's respect Jehovah Rophe, God our Healer. Our puny ideas don't matter. Did you ever consider it was His will to provide healing to you? Did you consider in the past that He wanted you to have His Divine healing? God has ways of glorifying His name and fulfilling our needs at the same time. Who will deny Him His glory? Will you keep failing to believe in God\'s goodness to your own detriment? What religious ideology can stand up to Him, or before Him?
In your quiet time with God, begin to speak with Him about this subject. Divine healing is like throwing a stone in a still pond. It creates a ripple effect. Things get done in God's Kingdom. People get saved. Healing from God is His dinner bell, alerting people everywhere to come and feast at His table and partake of all His blessings, including eternal salvation. If you want to start a stir around you, start to build your faith in God\'s healing power, and see how people get stirred up as you minister it. To choose to believe in healing from God is to start an adventure of fulfilled destiny. It also shows people God\'s love, it reduces human suffering and saves money. Hmmm, fulfilled destinies, spreading God\'s love, reduced human suffering, saved money, - doesn't sound like Satan's work to me,... it sounds like the signature of God.
End of Part 1
If you loved or hated this writing, I have more of the same next time. We didn't even get into the teaching, this is all foundational. Unfortunately, this isn't something you can just teach, you also have to un-teach wrong thinking, and there is a lot of it out there. Next time, we will get into more old covenant scriptures, and many new covenant ones too. We will also have stories, examples, even happenings from my own experiences. But I only ask you to believe the Word, and nothing else.
Special side note: Interestingly, as I wrote this installment, I had lost my voice, I just woke up that way the day before. People called me all day, and said, \"you sound terrible.\" But you know, God is good, He is my Healer, He knows I love Him, and I do believe the Word, - I am not moved by my lack of voice, I am not moved by how I feel, I am not moved by how I sound, I am moved by the Word of God, which says He is my Healer, and I know He cannot lie. God and His Word are one, and as I agree with His Word, I am one with Him in unity with Him. Because of that, my voice will be back anytime. Some of my relatives I preach to are rejoicing right now, I suppose. : ) Praise to Jesus!
Greg Nichols
Are Healing Miracles For Today? Part 2
copyright 2006 by Greg Nichols
If you need God to move for you in the area of healing, read this carefully. God is building faith into you as you read this. This is Part 2, go back and read Part 1 again, after you read this. Then read this a second time. Much needed understanding will result as you read this, allowing you to release your faith.
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Healing Hands?
One day in my 7th grade confirmation class, in the denomination I was raised in, the Pastor made an amazing claim. I believed him, because of a lack of knowledge myself. He said that in Oklahoma where he came from, he knew of a man who would blow on his hands and then put his hands on people and get them healed. This man was a supposed Christian, but my Pastor said this man was operating under Satan’s power. He then also lumped Oral Roberts into the same category. He said Oral was another person using Satan’s power. I believed what the Pastor said without question. In later years, I got to know who Oral Roberts is by reading his books, seeing him interviewed, and seeing him preach, and I realized he is a great, Godly, humble man.
In recent years, as I think back on that day in confirmation class, I realize that the Pastor was in ignorance and fear, and fearing and judging something he did not understand. That pastor’s denomination which was the denomination of my youth, did not teach healing as part of God’s gift to mankind, at least not in the form that I know it today. They may teach that God heals at times, in a very mystical and mysterious way. But even the world believes that. What they do not teach and understand is that God anoints men and women to carry out His will, with the Holy Spirit and with power, to bring His will to pass. And His will is to heal the sick. Jesus said in Mark 16, verse 18 that those who believe would lay hands on the sick and they would recover. Ordinary believers would be especially anointed and appointed by God to heal the sick.
Now at this time of my life, I understand by teaching and by revelation that God included healing as a free gift to mankind along with salvation. The cross of Calvary that Jesus died on purchased many covenant benefits for mankind, and mankind is the recipient of those benefits through simple faith. How do we know that? How do we know Jesus carried our sins and our diseases, both, on His body on the cross? Matthew 8: 17 said this: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” Most believers agree that Jesus bore the sins of the whole world – but they seem to struggle with healing of sickness as borne by Jesus also. In fact, some say that the healing prophecy of Isaiah was for the time of Christ, as he walked the earth, and not for us. How hard hearted can a believer be to think such a thing? Why would God favor only one generation like that? Jesus believed that healing was for us to use also, as well as Himself. Do people think Jesus was confused when He said we would lay hands on the sick and they would recover?
God told the early church in the book of James to call for the elders to pray the prayer of faith to save the sick. It seems God wanted a permanent doctrine set up for this problem. (James 5)
Why So Far Fetched?
If you believe that Jesus died for the sins of all, isn’t that a supernatural, hard to understand and far fetched thing to believe? Yes, it is. That one man could die for all is way huge to swallow. Yet many believers accept that without a doubt. But when you tell them God heals, then they say, “wait a minute, that is quite a bit to swallow, it is …,.. well, … that would be a miracle. I don’t know if I can accept that.” Isn’t one man freeing all mankind from the destruction of sin a miracle too? How can we be true to God if we pick and choose what we will and won’t believe of the things that He said in Holy Scripture? If you struggle with healing, why not walk out on the thin air of faith a little further and just believe it all? Is it because “brother so and so” doesn’t believe it? Are you going to base your faith on “brother so and so”, who is unbelieving, or on God’s Word?
Matthew 8 and Mark 16 agree perfectly. Because He took our infirmities and sicknesses, and bore them, (Matthew 8) believers everywhere would be able to pray for the sick and see them healed. (Mark 16) But it seems that most of the teaching that seems to go around Christianity is anti-healing doctrine, and in my opinion, anti-healing doctrine is the same as anti-Christ doctrine. If more of the truth of scripture prevailed in the church, the church would see more miracles today. Instead, learned men and women produce excuses and objections to healing, not realizing that they are at odds with God and scripture. All they are really doing is spouting unbelief. One wise teacher said this; “the gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple, you need help to misunderstand it.” There are plenty of church elders, pastors and theologians that will jump at the chance to help you misunderstand the simple truth. But their negative and unbelieving hype against the truth simply justifies their unbelieving position and the fact they have never seen any healing results. I personally have seen so many healing results, I now not only believe the gospel - I know it. It is fact. We will always need faith in it, but faith is a doorway to knowing, and once you know, there is no withdrawing from the truth. Many will tell you they know God saved them, and they know they are going to Heaven. They don’t just believe it, they know it. Healing can be the same way. We can reach for our Bible just the way we reach for the medicine. We know the medicine will help, but we must come to the place where we know the Word of God will help.
People say that healing is of Satan. Then, they also say that God makes people sick. The scriptures reveal the opposite of both of those statements. God does not make people sick, and God does not kill people. God is the one who said, “thou shalt not kill.” Jesus is a man who never sinned. If God killed people, Jesus would be a sinner, because he said He is one with God. Sickness came after Adam and Eve sinned, and it is a child of sin. God does not get sick, He has no disease, and God cannot give it to us. Disease is evil, and there is no evil in God. God is not like typhoid Mary, infecting people all over the world for pleasure’s sake. He won’t harm us, or give us a terminal disease, for then He would be a killer. The same religious believers who will tell you that God has made them sick so that they might suffer and learn something will then run right over to a doctor and try to undo what they believe God has done. How is that for being double minded, double tongued, and two faced? I am harsh here, I don’t really think they believe what they are saying, I think they are repeating demonic doctrines they heard, which at first sound good, and tickle the ears, but are opposed to the truth of God’s Word. That doctrine steals all their faith. They may have heard it from their Pastor who they have known 15 years, or they may have heard it on television from someone credible, but it is a lie nonetheless, and it is slanderous against God.
Like Typhoid Mary, Satan and many demons have every disease known to man, and they spread them around. Satan is a killer, a murderer, and a thief. Jesus is a healer, a restorer, and He gives life. “..the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life giving spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15: 45 “…for if by the one man’s offense, many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.” Romans 5:15
Satan’s nature in Adam our ancestor has caused many to die. This is the origin of disease. Jesus is Savior of the spirit, and the soul and the body. He is a life giver, He wants to give you and I grace instead of disease. God’s grace is life, and that is why he said this: “the thief does not come except to steal, and kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
Satan does not heal the sick. He can’t. He isn’t that competent. Satan lacks creative power. If a person heals the sick in the name of Jesus Christ, Satan is not in anyway or anywhere involved. If he were, he would be committing an act that would leave Jesus with the credit. Before he retired, Oral Roberts used to heal people in Jesus’ name, using prayer, faith and all kinds of Godly ways and methods, and do you supposed Satan taught him all that? No, not a chance. Jesus through the Holy Spirit taught him that.
My pastor when I was in confirmation class said Satan used people to heal people. But what he really was saying is that Jesus used Satan’s power to heal people. Why? Because all of the Godly healing ministries today do not belong to men or women, they belong to Jesus. Men and women are only stewards of the power and the ministry. That ministry belongs to Jesus. If you say Oral Roberts or Benny Hinn is of Satan, then it is the same as saying Jesus is of Satan. But the Pharisees said that about Jesus 2000 years ago. They said: “but some of them said, He cast out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons. … v 17, but He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Luke 11:17-20
Beware of The Leaven of the Pharisees
Jesus said that statement to his followers. Leaven dilutes and makes things taste better, but does not necessarily make things more true. Beware of things that sound right in Christianity but are not scriptural. Today, we must still beware of spiritual leavening. I will tell you who was of Satan in Luke 11. The Pharisees. Any religious elitists that accuse God’s power of being Satanic and in this modern day say a disciple of Jesus is operating in Satanic power is actually committing the same elitist and judging accusation as the Pharisees, and is under the same Satanic spirit themselves as the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. While on the subject of religious elitists, the Bible warns that in the last days, many would seem Godly but would actually deny God’s power. Many can act Godly and speak Godly until the subject of the supernatural power of Christ, working through believers to help humanity comes to the surface. Then, that group has nothing good to say about it. They despise God’s current modern day power, and won’t deal with the subject. Many churches are run this way. “…having a form of Godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:5 Such Christians will be offended at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, when mentioned, and at healing through prayer, and all the activity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit laid out by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 for the future church. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the doorway and the means by which the healing ministry is in the church of Jesus Christ. But that is another teaching for another day.
In His response to the Pharisees, Jesus minced no words, He went to the bottom line. He was doing miracles by God’s finger, His Heavenly Father, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was insane to suggest that Satan was ministering to people and freeing them from demons. There are two huge lessons we can see from Jesus’ response. One is, Satan makes people sick, or at least sickness is the fruit of Satan’s kingdom, caused by it, and all sickness and disease and demonic possession, lameness, death, leprosy, and the like, every evil Jesus encountered, and reversed, was of Satan’s kingdom. If you understand Jesus’ “house divided” principle in His reply, the house He is referring to is the sickness and disease and demon house of Satan. He goes on to say, “if Satan is divided against himself,” which indicates Satan owns that house, and if he heals people, he is attacking himself. The next thing we get is that Satan would not work to reverse his own work, for that would be kind and loving, and there is no love in Satan. Get those two points: 1) Disease is Satan’s house. 2) Satan does not attack his own house. Who then attacks Satan’s house? “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8b You and I are Jesus manifested to our generation. We are His body. You and I are left on earth and anointed and empowered by Jesus to destroy the works of the devil. You and I are Plan A, and there is no Plan B.
Wait a minute Greg. How do you get casting out demons and healing sickness as being related? Jesus said He casts out devils, and Satan originates that, but how do you say Satan originates disease?
Good question. Many think God brings sickness. Many modern day traditional believers are taught frequently that God makes people sick to train and teach them and bring spiritual growth. Jesus thought sickness was Satanic. Do you think He was confused? In Luke 17:15, Jesus encountered an epileptic boy. The disciples tried to cast out the spirit. OK, they may have been wrong, after all, epilepsy is a disease, and medication is required. But, Jesus said, “bring him here to me.” Wait a minute, God is going to now get involved, because after all, Jesus is God, and very wise. “And Jesus rebuked the demon, and he came out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour.” Luke 17:18. This true story has all the elements to obtain a biblical truth. The child was sick, Jesus cured him. Plain and simple, a demon did it, Jesus cast it out, and Satan did not cast it out, God did. Today, epilepsy is considered only a disease. I don’t believe God sees it that way. But men do.
If you must see another account, look at Luke. “And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. And He laid hands on her, and she was made straight, and glorified God.” Luke 13:11-13
A religious ruler present was mad at Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, and Jesus needed to defend Himself. He said: “So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:16 Jesus indicated Satan had done this thing, but to me it sounded like a bone condition, such as arthritis, or something. They also said it was an infirmity. Today, we call infirmities sicknesses. Wait. Matthew 8, we have already quoted. Let’s see it again. “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” Matthew 8 is referring to Isaiah 53, the substitutionary chapter of scripture, which gives a picture of the crucifixion, hundreds of years before it happened. According then to Isaiah and Matthew, Jesus bore sin, sickness, infirmities, and more on the cross. Every disease known to man was on Jesus on Calvary. Jesus took this woman’s bent over state from her on the cross. Her disease of whatever was put on Christ on Calvary. He bore it. Jesus bore the boy’s epilepsy on the cross. In God the Father’s mind, once it was bore by His chosen sacrifice, Jesus, then victims of infirmities and disease could see them removed by faith in God’s sacrifice.
Jesus did these miracles in His ministry before the cross, but God gave those people pre-cross credit, for there is no time in God, no past, present or future. You and I get post cross credit for healing and disease removal, if we believe.
Also from Matthew 8, “they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils, and He cast out spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick.” Matthew 8: 16 It seems that God paints a very, very thin line between being possessed by devils and being sick. In Acts, God seems to erase the line altogether. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38
Modern Medical Practice
I could go on and on showing you how Satan causes sickness. From Job’s boils to this woman’s lameness, to the boy’s epilepsy, those were all Satanic. Today’s diseases are Satan’s doing, and today’s Christian healing ministries are the finger of God. These ministries are operated by fallible, imperfect men and women, but they have faith and they love God and people. Never talk about a healing minister again in a negative way. He or she is Jesus’ direct representative. In fact, it is time to open your heart to this area of the kingdom of God. We who pray for healing of others and healing for ourselves are all practicing healing, but it is hard to get it the way Jesus did, but we just keep practicing. That is OK! But if a healing minister makes a mistake, or shows any human weakness, we decide to throw out our faith on the subject. Yet, we let human, frail doctors practice, they even claim they are just practicing, medicine that is, with a medical practice. They even go so far as to have malpractice insurance for their mistakes. But we seem to forgive them and their human imperfections. Why do we have so much trouble with frail humans practicing Divine healing in Jesus’ name?
Many modern ailments could be stopped by prayer for the sick. Modern science medicates, gives shock treatment, and masks Satanic activity. Thank God for doctors, but why don’t we see what God will do as we stand in faith and pray for people also?
Some of you could come towards God a little in this area, and pray and believe Him more. He will meet you where you are at. Others of you may have believed Him more in the past, but lost your way. Just pick up where you were and move on.
God’s Spirit is with you now, I believe that, especially if you read this all the way through. Pray over something you’d like to get His help on, physically and then expect an answer. God is seeking around the earth to show Himself strong to someone, it may as well be you. Just give Him a little faith.
Greg Nichols
Are Healing Miracles For Today? Part 3
copyright 2007 by Greg Nichols
It seems that any time a person such as myself starts talking or teaching on the subject of healing, many people think scary thoughts of a child not receiving medical help because the parents are fanatics, or someone rejecting chemotherapy and dying quickly. I want to make it clear that the kind of Divine healing message and teaching I am sharing does not discount the medical field, or preventive medicine, but rather can dovetail every way of healing into one huge package that benefits mankind.
One must understand that at the root of the Biblical gospel account and the New Testament is the improvement and betterment of mankind through the love of God the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord. There is nothing to fear in the message of healing from God, and everything to gain.
Carol and Cigarettes
"...they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Mark 16:18b
In 1986, I prayed over and laid hands on a woman named Carol. She was a chain smoker, was overweight, and had emphysema. She had tried everything to quit smoking, and only grew worse in her condition. One night I was having a meeting in a home with a large group and I was teaching the Word of God. At the close I asked if any persons needed prayer. Carol came forward, and shared her issues, her ailment and her habit with us. As I prayed for her, God gave me words over her and I spoke them to her. She did not feel different afterwards, so I didn't think much about it after that. In fact we lost touch with Carol as she and her husband moved out of state. We never heard if she was helped that night or not. But 5 years later, Carol wrote us. She informed us that 5 years before, from the time of that prayer, she was not only healed of emphysema, but she was able to quit smoking forever, and her husband too.
I was overjoyed. But, I said to God, "Lord, it would have been nice to know this then. Think of how this would of encouraged us to more good works in the Kingdom." But often, God does not see it that way. You see, I was saved in 1982. In 1986, I was still a literal new babe in Christ. If God had showed me that miracle then, it could have built pride in me. Also, why do I do those things? Do I do them because I get results, or do I do them because Jesus said to, and because the Word says believers should minister to and pray for sick people. The message I want to get across here is that God has no problem shielding you from results so as to test your motivations and your heart, and your perseverance. Will you act the same with no results as you do with results? That is what God wants. He wants maturity in His Kingdom, and no pride. It is not you and I doing the works of Christ, it is Christ in us. So if Christ gets the credit, then lack of results or results are His business. If you can get this down in your thinking, and stabilize on this issue, you will be on your way to doing the supernatural works of God.
God's Word Is Life
"My son, give attention to my words, ...., for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh." Proverbs 4: 20a, 22.
I couldn't heal a housefly. God is the one. God's Word has the anointing on it and in it. God's Word is seed on earth of the supernatural realm of Heaven. Read the scripture above. How much flesh will God's Word heal? Yes, all of it. Every part of you and I. Note the condition though. "Give attention to my Words." Make God's Word have first place in your life. Drink in and eat God's Word as if you are a starving person, spiritually. God's Word should be like the air. You can't exist, live or get by without it. I have a Bible by my easy chair. I have a Bible on my desk at work. I listen to teaching CD's in my car. I have dozens of 3 x 5 cards with scriptures on them. I have Bible promise books by subject, about 3 of them, and I keep them on hand. But you must not just read scripture, you must meditate it, mull over it, plant it, cultivate it, take it apart, put it back together, repeat it to yourself, speak it to one another, tell it to your kids,. and so on. We never arrive in knowledge. God will give you a new revelation every day. God's Word goes inside of you and germinates and takes root, until power begins to manifest to you and through you to others.
My Brother and Migraines
In the 1980's, my brother kept getting migraines. They were nauseating and debilitating. My brother Eric was not walking with God at that time, and he had very little kingdom knowledge. One day he called me to pick him up at emergency at the hospital. They had medicated him and he could not drive. As he got in my car, I reached over and put my hand on top of his head. I rebuked the migraine in the name of Jesus, and spoke scripture over my brother. Not only did the pain leave, he never got another migraine. Migraines are evil. They are our enemy. They are of Satan. They are like a huge vice or clamp attached to your head. I was newly saved, but I had a revelation of healing, and I was just spreading my spiritual wings. God did it. God delivered my brother.
Greg, how does it feel when power leaves your body to pass into another?
Usually, there is no feeling or sensation at all. But wouldn't that make sense, since Jesus is doing it? Ask Him how He feels. He provides the power, not me. Sometimes when I am preaching, I do however feel like a superman, and like I am watching myself from outside my body. That is the supernatural anointing of God. When that takes place, I am absolutely tireless, and my mind is so sharp, I can remember the most minute detail from years earlier. I can also quote scriptures that I never sat down and memorized.
I am not trying to get you to believe in me. That is not why I share these things. I am weak and frail, except for God and His strength. I am trying to show you what Jesus will do through you. God would like to use all of us.
To finish the story on my brother, he got baptized in the Holy Spirit last year, after going through a destructive divorce. God has seen him through the worst of it. Eric has never let me forget that day about the migraines. He has told anyone who has had migraines he ever met since about that day and what God did for him. He would tell that even before he was saved. God wants to heal the sinners and get their attention. He will heal some on our faith, before they even have any faith. God is so good. Eric called me recently after some medical procedure. He said: "Greg, guess what. I have a spleen again". In 9th grade, we almost lost him to internal bleeding, when a football mishap ruptured his spleen. The doctors removed his spleen and his appendix. But somehow, since, God gave it back. He has a spleen. Spleens do not regenerate except by a miracle. Our spleens do produce white blood cells, which we need. God gave Eric his spleen back. Do you think this weird? Yes, I guess it is. But I have seen many, many things like this in 25 years of ministry and praying, and they are not so weird anymore.
In fact, you could call me weird and a fool and a fanatic if I didn't have chapter and verse from God's Word on this stuff. But I do. So your remarks would be directed at God, because I am doing His bidding.
My Internal Organs Bless God
"Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases." Psalm 103: 1-3
As David wrote here in Psalms, all that is within me blesses God. My liver, my kidneys, my heart, my lungs, my brain, my intestines, they all bless God. Everything in me blesses God. This heart of worship is vital to keep everything healthy inside you. Throw out bitterness and hatred, let nothing stay in you that does not bless God. Note that verse 2 says God gives benefits. If you work for a large corporation, you may get benefits. I bet you signed up for them as soon as you qualified. It would be ignorant or dumb to let them go by. Those benefits are your right, if you work for that firm. God gives benefits. Won't you sign on the line of faith and receive them? It is ignorant to live one more day on earth without God's benefits. And God's corporation will not go under or bankrupt. According to the scripture, forgiveness and healing are God's benefits to believers in Christ.
You have got your forgiveness benefits but not your healing benefits from God? Eventually, if you hang on with this ezine, you will get them all.
Molly
My wife has a niece named Molly. She is now grown up, a beautiful young woman. When she was an infant, she was diagnosed with CP. (Cerebral Palsy) My wife's brother and his wife got a few doctor's opinions. Molly could not sit up or move around. One of her hands buckled under in a peculiar way as she tried to lift herself up. The doctors knew all the signs. I wrote my brother in law and his wife a long letter, telling them of the wonders of God in healing and that He would intervene, if they let Him. They traveled from out of state to our home to spend a few days. We ministered to them, and then we laid hands on Molly and prayed over her. My wife's brother and his wife received the miracle, they cried and wept, and they reconciled over some serious differences and marital issues. They had seen no results in Molly instantly, but the anointing of God was so strong in our home, they both knew it. God is a good God. We saw no difference in Molly before she left with her folks.
Some months later, we were due at Thanksgiving dinner at Debbie's mom's house, and the brother and his wife would be there, with their two children. My mother in law said to Debbie, "have you heard about the miracle?" "No", said Debbie. My mother in law had no knowledge of the prayers. We had no news of Molly since the day we prayed. About 6 months had passed. "Molly is up and walking, she pushes a box all over the house and walks behind it." Again, Debbie and I got no word or answer as to the results of our prayers for Molly until that day on Thanksgiving. How thankful I was. Again, as before, here is an example of God using us but not letting us know how and when. Maybe my brother in law wanted to call, but I am sure God blocked it.
God desires blind, raw faith, and the kind of blind obedience to His Word, that operates totally independently of results, or even recognition or human admiration and thankfulness. When you decide that you are going to stomp on Satan and His works, because you love God and people, and not for people's thanks or their money, you are ready to be a son of God in His Kingdom, and He will begin to trust you with His power.
I could have written to you in this ezine about these things much sooner, but the Holy Spirit did not release me to, until now. There is a reason for everything under the sun. Now is the time for you, my readers to contemplate just how big you have allowed God to be in your life. Some believers have God so small in their thinking, He can do nothing for them. You see, He operates through our faith. Go see what Jesus said when He healed people. "Thy faith has made thee whole." You and I and all of us have equal access to God's cookie jar by faith. God is that way. Some just need to work on their faith. Others must conquer doubt. Some need to cast out fear. Others need to remove their unbelief.
Faith is the ability to act on good information.
Doubt lacks enough information to act.
Fear acts on wrong information.
Unbelief has good information but refuses to act.
Rachel and Katelynn
You all got that prayer request from me about my niece and grand niece. December 12th rewrote the whole month of December for our whole family. My nephew called me to the crash scene, to morally support him - I saw the folded up little Dodge Neon. He looked at me and said, "my worst nightmare has happened to me."
Thank you to those who prayed. My wife and I made a stand of faith over this situation. My brother and his wife, and Debbie and I enlisted every army of praying believers we could muster. Rachel was in trouble - her life was at risk, but praise God, she is going home from the hospital tomorrow. After 3 surgeries, she is up using a walker. Her husband is saved. He was born again. She will fully recover. The morning before the afternoon that Rachel had this accident, she testified to the family by email, before the accident, that she believed God was replacing miraculously an ovary she had lost in the childbirth of Katelynn. Before the car accident, her doctor had seen a mass that he thinks is an ovary, which he had previously removed. Before the doctor's appointment, God had impressed on Rachel He was restoring the ovary. Just hours later, Rachel is fighting for her life. Life is stranger than fiction. Rachel, a Godly young woman, is after God's will, and Satan is trying to snuff her out. But Satan ought to know that if he backs a person of faith against the wall, he is going to get burned. The Old Testament says that the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they multiplied and grew. Let that be your story. People of great faith come out fighting when faced with a trial. People of faith stand, and keep standing. People of faith rally together and pick up the ones who the enemy is assailing.
The Men's Retreat
Last spring, I held a men's retreat. God really blessed us up in the mountains. We had a remarkable closing service and it seemed God had pulled us all up to Heaven. The Holy Spirit was so manifested in the building we were in. I was leading the service, and the men were gathered around, and we were praying over each man. Different men were speaking up, and literally prophesying to one another. One man saw a blue light come over my back, and silhouette me. As I prayed over each man, the light went down my arm into the man I was praying for. Then another man saw it too. But anyone there could have told you that God was in charge and had taken over the meeting. The presence in the place was so sweet, and we felt almost lighter than air. As we all drove down from the mountains, my cell phone kept ringing. It seems these men were so moved, they could not let it go. Who wants to leave the presence of God?
Yes, I have had a supernatural life since I was born again. Not everyday. In fact, I can be quite grumpy sometimes, with my various faults. Ask my wife. But there are times that God moves, and shows His power through my life and my wife's life too. In fact, I believe if people practice a non supernatural Christianity, they have the wrong Christianity. Buddah's followers do not do miracles. Mohammed's followers do not do miracles. But the followers of Jesus Christ, the risen Savior, His followers - every one of them, have the power of God inside them in seed form, maybe dormant, and ready to be released. Faith is the doorway to that Godly power, and prayer is the key.
You are not in my ezine by accident. Each one of you is loaded with destiny. God has a supernatural realm waiting for you. Each one of you is capable of changing your world for God. Just open your hearts to Him, and allow Him to speak with you and to deal with you. He will help you. He will love you. He will heal you. He will use you.
"..He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father, and whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, if you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." John 14: 12-14
Bless God Forever!
Greg Nichols
We are including the following update from Jean, my sister in law on Rachel and Katelynn. I believe God wants to make this ezine a prayer unit, and this young family was our first assignment.
Debbie - thanks for forwarding this to everyone.
Good morning everyone. I am sorry it has taken so long to write this update, but we have been busy. I thought you would all like to know how Rachel and her baby are doing.
As you all know, Rachel and her baby, Katelynn, were in a car accident on December 12th. Katelynn was in the hospital for one week and has been at our home since she was released from the hospital. The reason she was kept in the hospital for a week is that she couldn't keep any formula down. Since she has been at our home, we have tried a milder formula and she has not thrown up the new formula. She has been given a clean bill of health and she is thriving. She smiles and coos at just about everyone she sees. She has been an absolute joy to have. Amanda and I share the responsibility of taking care of Katelynn, with Amanda doing most of the midnight feedings. I am so proud of Amanda. She has done such a great job of taking care of Katelynn.
Rachel is also doing very well. In fact, we had a meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss her care when she is discharged from the hospital. Praise God, Rachel is being discharged today, Jan. 10th. Praise the Lord! She is mending very quickly, which most folks attribute to her youth. However, we know that she is mending quickly because of all the prayers that have been spoken for her. God has been faithful to answer our prayers.
When the accident first occurred, doctors told us that Rachel would be in the hospital for at least a month and then rehab for several months before she could even think about coming home to continue her recovery. On December 27th, Rachel was transferred from the UC Medical Center to Mercy General Hospital's Acute Rehab Unit. She has been learning how to take care of her personal needs so that when she comes home she will be able to use the bathroom and shower on her own as well as how to walk again. She won't be able to put any weight on her right hip/leg for another 6-8 weeks. While she still has a long recovery period, she has a very positive attitude and is anxious to get home to her baby.
Dave, Rachel's husband, is very happy that Katelynn is fine and that Rachel is going to be okay. He is holding up pretty well. However, he has moments when he struggles with the emotional stuff that goes along with this kind of accident. So, please include Dave in your prayers. One good thing to come out of this disaster is that Dave asked the Lord into his heart a few days after the accident. He and Rachel pray together every day. It is wonderful to see God working in their lives.