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Having a form of godliness but denying its power
by Robert Randle During a particular worship service, some individuals among the congregation were brought forward before the altar for healing. The first thing was invoking the "Name of Jesus," praying, and laying on of hands in behalf of the persons who were brought forward and invocation to the Lord was made in their behalf. It did come as a surprise to me that this occasion did not result in either of them being unbound from their infirmity and I had to wonder why that was so. We believe in the 'anointing' of the Holy Spirit and the signs as well as authority, privilege, and right that when we call upon Jesus' Name in full assurance of 'Faith,' that if we ask anything in His Name, that He will do it. All this being said, people should have been loosed from their affliction and Satan bound by the power of God in our assembly on that day. This caused me to inquire into the matter by soliciting an explanation from the Pastor, and what I was informed is that in some instances people are not healed immediately; and the healing is also dependent on some precondition or demonstration of "faith" that the individual wants to healed, by cooperating with some particular request from the man of God. This caused me to reflect on how healings took place in Jesus' days on Earth and in the subsequent years after His ascension back to heaven. The following is what I have found. Matthew 8: 5-1, 13 Jesus healed the Centurion's servant based on the Centurion's "faith" and the Scripture does not mention anything about the servant asking for Jesus to heal him; and not only that, but the servant was healed that 'same' hour. Matthew 8: 14-15-16 Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever and she got up and served them. Jesus healed many who were demon-possessed with but a 'word.' NOTE: There were no prerequisites recorded here. Matthew 8: 26-34 Jesus healed two demon-possessed men. NOTE: There were no prerequisites recorded here. Matthew 9: 1-8 Jesus healed a paralytic who was lying on a bed. NOTE: There were no prerequisites recorded here and Jesus did not tell the man to discard his bed 'first' to show he believed Jesus would really him. Also, the person was healed almost immediately. Matthew 9: 18-26 Jesus brought back to life the daughter of a ruler of the synagogue and healed the woman with a blood hemorrhage ["flow"]. NOTE: Jesus brought "life" back to the daughter based on her father's act of 'faith' and the woman with the "issue" of blood acted in 'faith' also in behalf of herself. Matthew 9: 27-31 Jesus heals two blind men who followed along (??) as they implored Him. NOTE: There was a precondition, namely, Jesus asked them if they "believed" He was able [and 'willing'??] to do this. He also said, "According to your 'faith' let it be to you." Matthew 9: 32-34 Jesus heals a mute, demon-possessed man who was brought to Him. NOTE: There were no prerequisites recorded here and again, the healing was immediate. There are numerous examples of healings in the Gospels, and after Jesus chose the "Twelve" and commanded as well as gave them the 'Authority' in Matthew 10: 7-8: "And as you go [to the lost sheep of 'Israel'], preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand,' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.'" Jesus said in John 14: 12-14, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father. AND WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it." If this is the case then the results should be the same without any set of additional requirements or under different exigent circumstances. The Apostle Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 4: 20 that the kingdom of God is not in word but in "power." II Timothy 3: 5 Having a form of godliness but denying its "power." And from such people turn away. [email protected] http://choirboy51.blogspot.com Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |