TODAY’S DEVOTION (SUNDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2024)
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.” Isaiah 53:5 AMPC
WELCOME TO THE 245TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF IMPACT.
What a scripture to begin a new month with. What a blessing to begin a month with what the LORD did for us on the Cross of Calvary.
We give GOD the glory for being our guide and shield for the 245 days of the year that we have seen. We give Him grace for watching over us and feeding us with His word on daily bases. We thank Him for speaking to us about His ways, especially through this platform.
We also thank Him for keeping us healthy.
Today we will be looking at health matters. To start with, I want you to understand that sickness is not the will of God for your life, and it has never been. The Bible says in Exodus 15:26, “I am the LORD that healeth thee.” It did not say “I am the LORD that made you sick.”
Except to judge, rebuke or correct wicked men, God does not make people sick. It is sin and rebellion that makes people sick.
Yes, He could use sickness to afflict the wicked like He did to the Egyptians in Bible days; remember, they caught boils – but He is not the author of illness. When Adam was on His side and in His will in the Garden of Eden, Adam was never sick.
But when he took side with the devil through the fall, history had it that he expired out of illness.
When we take side with the devil by committing sin or becoming rebellious to the ways and will of God for us, we may become sick and diseased. That was why Apostle James wrote and said;
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV
In this scripture, we see a person sick with a disease that is sourced in sin and rebellion, and a healing sourced in the person’s confession the sin and repentance.
THE EFFECTIVE FERVENT PRAYER ONLY WORKED AFTER THE PERSON CONFESSED
When getting ourselves involved with the sinful or abominable is responsible for our illness, healing will only come when we renounce the devil deed, and repent or break any covenants that might have tied us to it.
But if sickness came due to natural causes or age, we will need proper medical care and prayer to be made whole. Sometimes prayer alone will take care of it!
There are some things we might consider as dynamics of divine health. Things in Christ that makes the grace of God go active to restore our health. Let’s look at some of them.
Many years ago, during my secondary school days. I was taught what many of us know today as “division of labour” by my Business Management Teacher. It was a new concept to my young mind, and I started sharing responsibilities in our little home.
I also started withdrawing from things that were not my responsibility.
Life became easier and the pressure of making sure things were okay at home before mum or Dad returns, was lifted. Division of labour was applied in doing the house Chores and every other thing that needed to be done then.
I applied the principle diligently, and it became better as I grew older. But little did I know that it is more of a kingdom concept than a secular-success principle.
When I embraced the call of God upon my life, I realized that division of labour was not just a business management philosophy but a mystery of the Kingdom. In every miracle that the grace of God in Jesus Christ performed in the Bible, there was division of labour; including Healing miracles.
Yes, there was what man did, and there was what God did. For example, when the ten lepers were cleansed, there was division of labour. There was what God did, and there was what man did.
Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priest. Then the Bible says, as they went, they were healed. Going was their part, healing was God’s part. They did their part, and God did His part.
HERE IS HOW THE BIBLE TOLD THE STORY;
“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” Luke 17:11-14 NKJV
The message here is this, lasting healing and sound health, are children of God’s work. They are divinity products. They come when we identify our part and do it.
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit would have to help us identify it when our minds become too weak to do so. But we must identify our part and do it for us to be healed or kept sound in health by GOD.
The ten lepers were cleansed when they did their part. Their part was to go show themselves to the priest. As they went in obedience, they were healed.
One thing we should know is this, in those days, you do not go to show yourself to the priest for examination, unless you are sure you have been healed. God healed them in the spirit, and as they took responsibility to do their part by obeying Jesus, what was done in the spirit realm, was made manifest in the physical realm.
Clearly, doing their part took their healing from the Spirit’s realm to their bodies.
This principle can be seen in the healing of every other person in scripture. There was always something to do for God to act. But the story of Lazarus is more profound. This man was not just sick, he died out of the illness, and was buried.
There were two things to be done for him to get back on his feet again. The breath of life must get back into him, and the disease that killed him must be taken away from his body. The LORD did that for him in few seconds. However, there was division of labour.
When He was sick, Jesus never came to pray for him, but when he died Jesus came. That is a mystery! If God delay in coming into your life, with a much-needed miracle, it’s a sign that when He finally comes, it will be extremely glorious.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF GOD SEEMS TO BE COMING LATE INTO YOUR LIFE, IT’S A SIGN THAT HE IS COMING BIG!
However, do not forget, like in the case of Lazarus, when He finally comes, there will be division of labour; you will have your part to play. This was depicted in the instruction Jesus gave when He got to the grave of Lazarus.
He instructed them to roll away the stone.
Now, the people’s part was to roll away the stone, God’s part was to send the breath of life into him, kill the disease that killed him, and set him on his feet to walk out of the grave despite the grave clothes. Eventually, the people did their part and God did His part.
The Bible says, Jesus asked them to roll away the stone covering the entrance to the grave. They did, and the grace of God went active to raise Him from the dead.
Now, God could roll away the stone because He did it the day Jesus resurrected, but He did not roll it away. Those who needed the miracle rolled it away. God only raised their dead back to life.
In every supernatural feat or miracle that you want from the LORD, you must understand what God will never do and what you must do.
One Healing secret we can glean from here is this; “If you need divine healing or health, sense your part and do it. When you do your part, God’s grace will be made active to do His part. If you want to enjoy the best of God this month, sense your part and keep doing it.
As you keep doing your part, God will keep doing His part, and your life will be beautiful every day of this month.
You may ask, “Pastor what is my part?”
Well, if I give you the answer it means I have become the Holy Spirit. I don’t know your part because I am not living in you or with you, but I know it exist. He who lives in you, the Holy Spirit, is the only one who can tell you what your part is.
That is the stone to roll away for God’s grace to move in your life and restore back your health.
It is not a carnal act but a spirit led act that will turn things around and set you free. That is your part.
Our devotional text today says,
“the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole”.
THE TEXT MADE IT CLEAR THAT JESUS’ DEATH ON THE CROSS TOOK AWAY OUR SICKNESSES AND DISEASES – SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY.
That is what God’s grace is released to bring to pass in our lives, and the principle of division of labour is one of the many principles of the kingdom that we need to embrace to allow His grace to actualize it in our life.
It is actually improper for a man to have in his body what Jesus took away on the cross.
If only we will discern what it is and take away the stone, grace will bring us out of the grave of sicknesses and diseases like it brought Lazarus from the grave of premature death.
The same principle is what to apply to experience miracles in any other area of our lives.
As you pass through this 9th month of our year of Impact, may you begin a journey into the realm of divine health, amazing favour, peace and prosperity, by bending your ears to God in prayer, and seeking Him to show you what your part is in anything you want Him to do for you.
God sent this word to tell you that, no matter the kind of sickness or disease that you may be struggling with, no matter what you want Him to do for you, there is something for you to do to be saved.
It might be as simple as giving your life to Christ, walking away from a sinful relationship, living a sanctified life, or holding on to Him in faith. It might be as simple as changing the church you worship or sitting under a genuine teacher of the word and learning how to follow the LORD diligently over time.
No matter what it might be, until you discern what that thing is and do it, there will be no salvation. “If you do the possible, God will definitely do the impossible.” That is the first key!!
We will be looking at other keys in our devotional tomorrow. May the LORD use these truths to keep you from loosing your inheritance among they that are sanctified! Amen
Happy New Month!!!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY
“And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30 NKJV