How do I receive healing? This is a fair question and a most vital one to the sick. Praise God there is a direct answer. Jesus said to the Centurion who pleaded healing for a sick servant "...as thou has believed -- so be it done unto thee ": and to this same person: "I have not found so great faith. no, not in Israel, "

Healing comes by faith and believing in the promises of God. As the scriptures read: "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God, "

If we attend church services where we do not hear the Bible message of healing. where we do not hear testimonies of His wonderful delivering power. we will not have our faith lifted by the hearing of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There are various approaches to healing in the Bible. Some approached the Lord with a bold statement of faith: "Loud. "declared the leper. "if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean. " (Matthew 8:2). The bold statement of what our Lord could do was a wonderfully positive approach to the question " If Thou wilt." How many have found from the Bible just what God can do? How often does the word assures us that our Lord will heal the sick?

Jesus said: ''What things so ever ye desire. when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them. " (Mark 1 1:24.) Even if no direct word of healing was to be found in the Bible our needs are amply met in this verse alone.

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS

Of His believers Jesus promised: "...they shall lay hands on the sick. and they shall recover. " (Mark 16: 18.) Many doubters and Holy Spirit rejectors have opposed these words when unable to produce the miracle. Rest assured that the true Spirit filled believer will preach healing, will testify to healing, will practise healing. The true Church will not shun the power of God, but lead those who are seeking healing from the Lord to embrace the full Gospel of repentance, baptism and the Holy Spirit. One hundred per cent results are not being enjoyed by believers through the laying on of hands, but increasing numbers are being set free from sickness by this means. How strange that so many have been taught by their churches that this wonderful ministry is not for today. The Lord Jesus Christ often laid hands on the sick. It was a "point of contact." just as the outstretched hand of the woman who touched the hem of His garment . Again in this instance two outstanding facts are obvious. She said: "If I can but touch His garment I shall be whole." Her faith plus the point of contact brought the miracle. Many today believe that God can heal them but are afraid to reach out to touch the resources of His great power.

"SPEAK THE WORD ONLY"

Some are healed just by faith in the spoken word. It is necessary that the word of healing be spoken. The Roman Centurion accepted the power of Christ's spoken authority: "I am not worthy : he said, "that Thou shouId`st come under my roof, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed." No tradition, no ceremony, no man-made similitudes nor additions - just the word only and vicarious faith of one for the other will bring the blessing of God to the sick. We read:"he sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction " And further, "0 that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. " (Psalm 107).

The account given of Philip at Samaria is one of revival power and healing. Philip preached the word, he preached Christ unto them. (Acts 8). It was the name of Christ, the description of His healing and saving power that brought both to the people of that city. The disciples, labouring under the challenge of unbelievers, called on our Lord to "...stretch forth Thy hand and heaI and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of the Holy Child Jesus... and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word Of God with boldness. " (Acts 4.)

"CALL FOR THE ELDERS"

"and God hath set in the church first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. " (I Cor. 12:28).

The injunction given by James to "call for the elders" was not for the modernistic, unbelieving church of today. It was for those ordained into eldership and oversight of the flock by the Spirit of God -- those who were part of the believing Church described in the foregoing text. I recall asking a clergyman whether he prayed for the sick in his church and really believed in divine healing as a gift of God. He answered that he did believe in healing and recalled praying for a member of his flock three years before. What a travesty, when the church of God will actually meet every need for the people -- body. soul and spirit. Many have called for the elders of their own particular church and found uncertainty, compromise and often antagonism to this wonderful ministry.

ONLY BELIEVE !

"And Jesus said un to them (the blind men): Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto Him: Yea Lord. Then touched He their eyes saying: According to your faith be it unto you. " (Matthew 9:28).

We are to assume that all things are possible -- only believe! And the apostle Paul added: "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a (believing) preacher. " (Romans 10: 14).

We believe what we see and we believe what we hear. Of those wonderful miracles Jesus said: "Believe and you will see, " but alas so many today refuse to attend any service where one would see the sick healed or hear the Gospel of healing proclaimed. To many the stigma of fanatics surrounds the healing meeting. While suffering from unbelief, many refuse to lower themselves to attend true churches where healing is not hidden. Their believing is purely mental and has no spiritual acceleration -- their 'faith', being without works is dead.

DEATH TO DOUBLE - MINDED

Finally our faith in God's promises demands steadfastness and action.

James wrote: "For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think he shall receive anythiny of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. "

Double mindedness is a killer. It is the opposite of faith. It is like swimming with one foot on the sand or trying to fly with one foot on the ground, faith must be airborne. Faith demands a full and active committal of oneself to God.

The double minded do not please God: they cannot appropriate the promises of the Bible.

Organised religion is double minded, therefore the people are also. The word is clear: we must repent of uncertainty and suspicion of self-sufficiency and yield to God. Thousands, even millions all over the world are turning to the Christ of the Bible -- the Christ of miracles -- the Christ of Holy Ghost power -- the healing Christ. He is indeed "Just the same today!

We read that "The wages of sin (unbelief) is death (physical and spiritual), but the gift of God (to the believer) is eternal life (today and in the world to come) though Jesus Christ our Lord!"

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