Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

The Hope of Healing Pt.3

We'll be praying with Forbe and Ruth, sending them off after service. Only a couple more days and they're heading back out. It has been good to have them home. I know for them, at times like this, there are always the mixed emotions of leaving and yet the excitement of going back to what Father has called them to do. Rob and Tony and Ron--the more you're there, then that becomes family. Those people we all know as brothers and sisters. We have good relationship and fellowship with them. They become a part of their lives there, and so we are excited for that.

We know that this time around, Forbe and Ruth will continue to be knit together. Tony's testimony of the work that Forbe and Ruth have been doing has blessed me. They've done a great job. Continue to hold their hands up. There is a lot going on in the ministry, and each member needs to fulfill his place. I asked Forbe if he had anything that he wanted to share tonight. He said he felt that he really had shared everything Father had on his heart the other evening. I know many of you were blessed by that, and it was a great time together. I think it is important, not only for us here, but that the tapes will be going to the guys there. I know Forbe will be taking back with him some of what the Spirit is saying to us now, to stir up again this expectation of the Spirit of God visiting us in this age and bringing healing into their midst. Those people need it. They don't have the luxuries that we do to walk down and see a doctor or take a pill and make the pain go away and the symptoms subside. But every day, they are living by faith over there, or dying. Living in pain, living in misery. You can see it on their faces--the headaches--every one of them. If you want to be real precise and move in the gifts of the Spirit over there, you can just stand up and say, "You know, the Lord has revealed that somebody here has a stomach problem." You've got one-hundred percent; every one of them is hurting. You can't drink that water over there. You don't get used to it. You don't adjust to disease, and they're living in that. So, not only for ourselves, but as we are praying here in these next weeks, let's not only believe God for a visitation here, but let's believe God for a visitation in our churches there so that the Spirit of God will begin to move in those places and people will begin to be touched and healed, and the name of Jesus will be glorified over there. It is part of our privilege as the children of God, as covenant children.

So, let's pick up where we were this morning. We were leaving off, as you remember, in Matthew 8. We saw the whole scenario of the ministry of Jesus following the Sermon on the Mount. Following His proclamation of the kingdom of God, He began to show the expression of God's love to humanity in destroying the power of disease and sickness. The leper came to Him and said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean [and He said] I will [and He healed him]" (Matthew 8:2). Then the centurion came and said, "Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. [He said] Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:6-8). The Scripture says that Jesus declared him whole, and at that same hour, he was delivered. Then we saw the account in Matthew and also in Mark about Peter's mother-in-law who had an extremely high fever. Jesus touched her and made her whole, and she rose and began to minister to them. We talked about the different reasons that we see the manifestation of the love of God and how we can walk in divine health as we were pointing out this morning. "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils [and sick]: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses" (Matthew 8:16-17).

So let's take a moment, go over to Isaiah 53, and look at that statement that was made and at the promises of God, this awareness that healing is truly in the atonement for us. We use the term "atonement." We know that in the New Testament, we are really talking about the redemptive work of Jesus. But the fulfillment of this fifty-third chapter of Isaiah is specifically declared here in Matthew 8 as Jesus was ministering the healing to each one of those that were present. The power of God was manifesting itself in a way that was undeniable. He healed them all that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the prophet.

In Isaiah 53, we begin to see the revelation of God. We are all very aware of the redemptive work that is being spoken of here. In Chapter 53, verse 4, he says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Now, of course, he's talking about how they observed Him on that day. You remember when Jesus was being crucified, they were mocking Him. "If you are the Son of God, come down off the cross. He healed others and can't save Himself!" The prophet speaking here said that this was the response of His people, the covenant people, toward Him. They saw this as a judgment of God upon Him because of blasphemy, because He called Himself the Son of God. But the prophet says that is not the case. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6). Now, the thing that I want you to see is that the same provision that got our salvation got our healing. It all happened at the same time. It is all done. It is paid for. It is a finished work, historically, and we realize that it is immutable. It is for us, all of us, the children of God.

Isaiah goes on and makes this comment to us: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7). I want to read through this passage, because I want you to see what was done for us. I don't want to use too strong of terms, but at the same time, I want to make it real to us. In our vernacular of today, we just blow off what Jesus did every time we pop a pill without thinking about Him. When we take communion, we are commemorating His body that was broken on this day, His blood that was shed. He said to do this how? "In remembrance of Me." We need to remember what He did for us. Jesus went through that not only to save us from our sins, but to purchase redemption, healing, and deliverance for our bodies. Aren't you thankful for His love for us? But we almost become cavalier. We almost have a take-it-or-leave-it mentality. "Well, yes, I understand it is there for me. But this is so much easier. So until things really get bad, I think I'll do it the easy way." Beloved, it is not just taking things easier or taking things for granted. It's not about things that we can see and be comfortable moving in in the natural realm. It is not what we are doing that is so out of order (in taking the natural way of medicines and doctors); it is what we are not doing in recognizing and remembering Him.

So, as we read this account again, look at what he was saying. "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers [and yet He didn't try to justify Himself]. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: [and He hath put Him to grief] when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear [and heal] their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:7-12).

Let's go back through this and look at a couple of points that are very important. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities." It is important that we begin to understand what is being spoken here. So often, people are putting this off as just the spiritual work. Yet we saw in Matthew that the physical deliverance of the people was part of the fulfillment of this particular passage: "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah."

Now go back to verse 4, and let's take a minute and look at a couple of words. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." We are not in an in-depth study at this particular juncture, and it will suffice to say that you can study this out in your own time. I'm not going to take a lot of time to do it, but the word "griefs" here literally speaks of "sickness, weakness, and [I like this one] pain." A lot of this stuff wouldn't be so bad if it didn't hurt. But God made us in a way that pain allows us to know something is not right in our body and in the temple that God built. He says He wants to deliver us from the sicknesses and the weakness and pain of our disease. "Surely he hath borne our [sickness, our weakness, our pain], and carried our sorrows." Again it is talking of griefs. This word "sorrows" is literally rendered again, "pain." This is an interesting passage of Scripture. As we begin to study this out, we see that in verses 4 and 12 the word "to bear" in the Hebrew means "to endure punishment of affliction." It also has to do with a righteous afflicting at this particular point. It is a judgment that is coming upon Him. This was put on Jesus because of our sin. It was put upon Jesus because of the sin of Adam. He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrow. That word "carried" in the Hebrew means "to bear as a penalty, to have placed upon you and to have the actual judgment." He became guilty. It was not just a vicarious work. He was made sin with our sin that we might be made righteous with His righteousness.

The Scripture goes on and says that this is what was being placed upon Him. This passage is so powerful! "And it pleased the Lord to bruise him." Every time I read that passage, it is hard to comprehend. It pleased God to be defiled, to bear--beloved, listen--to bear the penalty of sin so you and I could be declared free and innocent. Jesus became guilty. He didn't just write a check and pay the judge off. He took the shame and the reproach. It was put to His account that it might be removed from ours. He became guilty that we might be innocent. That blows my mind. It pleased God to do that for us. It made Him joyful to be made sick with my sickness, my disease, and my pain. It is beyond my comprehension. Yet, so often we are not ready to place this upon Him through our worship, through our thanksgiving, and through faith, asking Him, "Lord, give me the grace, give me the faith to be able to worship You, to offer up to You my sin, my pain, my sickness, that You can bear it for Your own glory." It is beyond the natural mind, and yet this is the depth of this doctrine. If we could grab ahold of some of these things, we'd be quick to go and put this into His hands and say, "Lord, I've come to place on You the sickness and the pain so that You can be glorified in Your victory over it." It was not just that He took it upon Himself. He bore the guilt. He bore the judgment, and then He was delivered and brought to death. This is the provision that we are rejoicing in.

Let's go on. As the prophet is speaking, he says that we are a people that are healed by His stripes. So now we are about the ministry. We are seeing Jesus out there and declaring this and saying, "Now I want you to bring this message to the masses." I want to take a couple of moments again and find out whether or not this is really something that you and I have at our disposal on a daily basis.

Turn back to Matthew's gospel with me, and I want to look at two or three passages that I think will be a blessing to us and help us understand how normal this life should be. I want to say that again. "How normal this life should be." This is not supernatural in the sense of being unique or extreme. This is supernatural, but it should be common to us in our daily experience--His desire to heal us all. In Matthew 12:14, the Pharisees are trying to find a way to destroy the Lord. "But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all" (Matthew 12:13). He goes, and He begins to declare the testimony in verse 21 that in this name shall the Gentiles trust. As He's being opposed, He's continuing to pour out the mercy of God and the ministry of the kingdom of God to man. What I want us to see is that this is the message of the kingdom of God. "Go and proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand, cast out devils, and heal the sick." The question we are asking tonight is, What are we doing about spreading the gospel, the good news? Are we just limiting it to half of what Isaiah 53 says Jesus did? Are we out just talking about the forgiveness of sins and the bearing of our iniquity, or are we just as bold in our testimony that He bore our sickness and our disease so that the people could begin to see a supernatural visitation, something that they could tangibly see, and know that Jesus is alive; so that you, out of your own mouth--wouldn't you love to be able to say it tomorrow--can say that the reason God just healed you, the reason that pain left your body, the reason all of those symptoms left, the reason that growth on your body disappeared, was because Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, His name and faith in that name, made you whole? How many of you would like that testimony tomorrow? You've got to proclaim it. We have got to begin to be just as bold in our proclamation of this part of redemption as we are about the forgiveness of our sins, and it has to become common to us again. The Scripture says He healed them all.

"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? [Surely this is the Messiah]" (Matthew  12:22-23). These are the things that point to His sonship and His divinity. The Scripture says here that He healed them--therapeo, "physical healing." The deliverance that was there manifest for them.

Look over at Chapter 14, verse 36. I want to take you on a cruise through so you can see how common this is. Beloved, this is the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Matthew 10:7-8, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." We want to be stirred into that proclamation of the kingdom. Tragically, today, so many people that profess to be Christians are wanting to, just as in the days of Jesus, see an earthly kingdom. They're more concerned with politics and life on this planet than with the declaration of life in the spiritual and supernatural. In this fourteenth chapter, take a look at verse 36 for just a moment, and watch how this ends. We see the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. The ship comes to the other side, and after reproving them of their little faith and their doubt, verse 32 says, "And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God." The people that had been walking with Him knew His heart. They had watched the ministry and they partook of their own miracles. Was it Jesus walking on the water? Was it Peter walking on the water? Was it the stilling of the wind and the waves? Somehow in the midst of all this supernatural visitation, they knew that they had to come to grips with having to make this decision once and for all that surely this is the Son of God. There's no way to deny that a "notable miracle" has been done here, just as we saw in the book of Acts when the lame man was healed. When was the last time you experienced something supernatural? When was the last time you saw a miracle? When was the last time that people, as they stood in your presence and saw the power of God manifested in the prayer of faith, were convicted of their sins and made aware of the lordship of Jesus? That is what all of this is about--God showing up.

"And when they were gone over [to the other side]...the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased" (Matthew 14:34-35). Hey, there's something here that is beginning to happen. There's a common denominator. When God shows up, people are expecting what? To be healed! Is that what is expected today when we show up as His representatives? Are we even expecting that when we come here? It is our doctrine. It is one of the foundational cornerstones of our tenets of faith. Not totally, but we are very much like the Foursquare. We believe in redemption, in sanctification, in the second coming, and in divine healing. Those are four cornerstones on which our faith is built here. So I think we need to ask ourselves a question. Did we come here tonight expecting that if God shows up, we are going to get healed? They believed it so much that they started going out and rounding people up. "You need to get down here! Jesus is going to show up and you're going to be healed!" When was the last time you did that? When was the last time that we really anticipated sin's power being broken in our midst, disease being driven out, and demons being destroyed, by the faith that He's given to us? That is vitally important.

Look what he goes on and says: "So they brought all that were diseased. And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole." Let us just touch the hem of Your garment. Now, where did they get that idea? We know that the woman with the issue of blood said, "If I can touch the hem of His garment, I'll be healed." She pressed her way in and touched Him, as we talked about in our last session. You remember that? People were thronging upon Him, touching Him, and He stopped right in His tracks and said, "Who touched me?" They said, "What do you mean, ‘Who touched Me?' People are touching you everywhere!" He said, "Virtue has gone out of Me. The power of God left Me. Somebody touched Me in faith." That woman with the issue, healed at that very moment, said, "I'm the one."

These people are saying, "If we can just touch His garment, we'll be healed." Where did they get that hope? In Malachi, Chapter 4, the Word of God had professed that. In Malachi 4:2, the Scripture says, "...Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." That word "wings" in the Hebrew literally is a pretty poor interpretation. It is like the poor rendering that Michelangelo used when he created "Moses." How many of you have seen the statue of Moses? I was able to see it when we were in our travels. It is kind of interesting, because Moses has little horns. You're thinking, What is Moses doing with these little horns? But in the Hebrew, when Moses was on the mountain and the Scripture talks about the light and the glory, the Hebrew talked about beams or shafts of light that came out of him so that he had to put the veil over is face. You can also render in Hebrew that same word "horns." So when Michelangelo was studying this thing out, he put horns on Moses. Well, this word "wings" is very interesting. If you misinterpret it or misapply some of the interpretation, you can use the characters in the Hebrew for "wings" as for "the border of a garment." I don't know why, but I just had a flashback of Clarence with his little nightgown on from "It's A Wonderful Life" and no wings. With healing in His wings--but it means "the border or hem of a garment."

Turn over to Malachi for just a second. Let me show you something about how faith works and what it was really all about here. What were these people really saying when they said, "If we can touch His garment we'll be healed"? What were they really saying? They were saying, "This is the Messiah. We recognize Jesus as Lord. This man is God. This man is the Son of God. This man is the Messiah." That is what they're saying. Look at Malachi 4:2. "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." It is interesting. The Sun of righteousness shall arise, radiating beams of light, with healing in His wings, or the border of His garment. The word "healing" here in the Hebrew is very, very descriptive. It really speaks of not only health, but deliverance, soundness, and--I like this--a medicine. He is our medicine. Jesus is our medicine. He is our cure. There is another word used here as you interpret this word in the Hebrew. He is our health. This Word is health. It is life to those that find it, and health to all their flesh. You're holding it right there in your hands. Beloved, I want you to understand something. He sent His Word and healed us. We saw that in the Scriptures and heard it in the Spirit this evening. Right in your laps, right now, this Word is alive and powerful. You can flip through there right now, as we are going through these passages and reading them. I want you to understand something. These people that came and got healed that night flipped through the Scripture, found Malachi 4:2, and said, "There it is, bless God." And they went and got it. What are you going to do with what you're hearing tonight? Are you going to go, "Well, praise God, good thing for them," or are you, like the woman with the issue, going to say, "I'm going to get it, praise God! I'm not going to be denied. I believe that Jesus is the Sun of righteousness. I believe that by His stripes, I am healed. I believe that He bore my sin and sickness on His body on the tree. I'm going for it, and nothing's going to stop me"? Then we begin to hear people around us say, "Hey, Jesus is here. Jesus is in town. Jesus is in the region. Let's go out, get some people and bring them, because we know they'll be healed." "And when they saw Him, they came and said, If I can just touch His garment...And as many as touched were healed."

What do you think? Are you going to touch Him tonight? Is anybody here ready to reach out and touch Jesus tonight? Just one of us? Does anybody here believe that Jesus is in our midst tonight and that His promises, as they're being unfolded to us, are here to tear down all of the lies that for years and years now we have been listening to? "Oh, it is not going to happen to you. You don't deserve it." "Well, God gave us medicine. Thank God for doctors. God invented doctors. God invented medicine." Let me tell you something. Everything that medical science knows came from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in that tree is good. Medicine can be used for good, but it is never good when it replaces God. Medicine is not evil. I'm not saying that it is. I'm saying that it can't replace God. I'm telling you that God didn't cause man to come to all of this scientific knowledge as a great gift. He had already given the greatest gift. There is a balm in Gilead. We are a people that have a Lord who heals, who has promised that He will take sickness from the midst of us. "I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). He Himself bore our sin and our sickness, our griefs, and our sorrow, and by His stripes we are healed. "I've heard a rumor going around. Jesus is here tonight." They said, "If we can touch Him, we'll be healed."

That promise is to us, the children of God. That promise is ours. Mark 16 says, "These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name..." There's a prayer of faith that will save the sick, the Scripture says, and the Lord shall raise them up. For many of us, this part of our lives has not been emphasized. That muscle, that faith muscle for the doctrine of divine healing, has been dormant. We need to re-exercise that. We need to begin to expect, believe, proclaim, and stand, so that God can be glorified in our midst. It is pretty obvious here that He wants to heal everybody. Every time He shows up, the people were aware of it. "Jesus wants to heal us. Let's go get some folks and bring them down here!" And they were all healed.

Look over at Luke, Chapter 6, for just a second. We are not going to look at all the verses, but it just goes on and on and on. "And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees [began to talk among themselves and they] watched him, whether he would ["therapeuo"] on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. [We know the story] But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.  Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?  And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." I want you to see something. This anointing and this ability to represent Him as ambassadors, it is not going to happen just because "it would be nice." There is a price to pay. Remember what we shared this morning. "I have meat to eat that you don't know anything of. You will find Me when you seek for Me with all of your heart. Seek first the kingdom. Don't worry about all the stuff. Seek the kingdom. This stuff will all be taken care of and added to you." Jesus spent all night in prayer. We need to be spending some time in the presence of God so that we can go out and do His will and His work.

Then He comes down out of the presence of God and chooses the twelve that are going to be ministering with Him. As He was coming down, "a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all." Virtue went out of Him. How do you think we get the virtue in us? Is it by spending all night in prayer in the presence of God? It is not some kind of merit--"Okay, I'm going to spend all night in prayer. I'm going to fast 20 days." It is living in the presence of God. It is the desire to be used of Him, to prepare ourselves to be about Father's business. But I want to tell you something. It is amazing how well you can represent Him to people when you'll take time to get away from people, to be with Him alone, to hear His heart, to know His promises, to be jealous for His glory. Then come out and let His virtue flow out of you, touch the people around you, heal diseases, and cast out devils. That is who we are. He didn't call us to come and sit in church buildings. The Scripture says in Matthew 10 and Luke 9 and 10 that we have been called as ambassadors. Jesus looked on the multitudes and was moved with compassion. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. He told them, "Pray the Lord of the harvest, that He might send laborers into the harvest." They prayed, and they believed. They said, "There's a need here. Lord, send somebody." Jesus said, "I choose you now that you have been touched with a vision." He brought that anointing.

Since we are in Luke, go ahead and turn up a couple of chapters, rather than going over to Matthew. Luke Chapter 9, verse 1. We'll be ending with this, probably, for tonight. "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority." This is powerful. Many of us have read this so many times that it almost doesn't affect us any longer. We know the words, and we know the doctrine. But, do we really understand what it means to be an ambassador, the authority that goes with that; the immunities that come with it? We live separate. We represent that kingdom. "And He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the [good news, the] gospel [God raised Jesus from the dead. He was made sin with our sin that we might be made righteous with His righteousness. Jesus died for our sins, was risen the third day. If He be not risen you are still in your sins. We of all men are most miserable. But He's raised Him and they preached that good news], and healing every where. And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, And went aside.... And the people, when they knew it, followed...and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing."

Jesus was always available, never too busy to touch those that are were in need. The disciples are rejoicing in this and representing Him. "Even the devils are subject to us in His name." He said, "That is tremendous. I saw Satan cast down. But rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven." Then as the passage goes on, we see the admonition to them about the cost of living the cross-centered life.

Then, like people would so often do, we go, "Yes, but that is the twelve disciples. That is the twelve apostles. We are talking Peter and John and Andrew!" It is so great the way God does stuff. You go to Chapter 10, verse 1, and it says, "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy [Well, so much for the elite twelve], and sent them two and two before his face." I think "two by two" is very important, and I'd encourage you as you're out ministering to do it this way. Why? Because two are better than one. We need people to strengthen us, to lift up our hands, and to intercede on our behalf. We need people to check our doctrine. He sent them two by two. "And said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray [And He sent them forth. And the Scripture says that as they proclaimed the Word, they were to] heal the sick...and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you."

I want us to begin to see tonight. We are trying to put these pieces together. God wants to heal so that they'll know that the kingdom is here and that God has raised Jesus from the dead. It is not about getting them well. It is about them coming to understand that God has raised Jesus from the dead. His name and faith in His name is what is causing that virtue to come out and make you whole. That faith is what is causing you to be healed when I speak the Word and I put my hands on you. Do you understand the torment that the world is living in today? Just ask God to open your eyes. You would be shocked to see the number of people that are living on pills like Valium and such. They don't need Valium. They need deliverance. They need devils of fear cast out of them. We are living in a whole society that is so fearful and under the power of Satan. We can speak the peace of God into their lives and see their minds delivered and captives set free. We can proclaim to them that the kingdom of God is nigh after we have cast their demon out and seen them become free and whole and delivered from their afflictions. "You've got to leave that kingdom and come into this one or a worse thing could come back on you. Be careful when that house is cleaned and swept and you don't fill it with the glory of God, because seven demons worse are going to come back." Isn't that the teaching? We share with them the provision that God has given them for deliverance. Many of us become free and turn back to our sins like dogs to their vomit, and you wonder why things are getting worse. Why are things going downhill? How come my prayers aren't effectual anymore? The house was swept clean, and you filled it back up with garbage again. Where is the godly sorrow? Where is the brokenness that comes from knowing that we have defiled the temple? Repent. Let God set you free from those spirits tonight.

Those of you that have family members in chronic situations, we need to rise up again with this same anointing and cast devils out of our children and out of our spouses. You say, "Yes, praise God! I knew my wife was demon possessed." I'm just talking about spirits of fear and many of the different things that attack our lives. We are wondering what is going on, and our weapons are spiritual. They are mighty through God to the pulling own of strongholds. Satan is sitting back laughing at us as we are looking for another pill to pop or another vacation to go on. "That will soothe everybody down. We just need refreshing. We just need rest." No, we need deliverance. We need the power of God. We need the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. We need to go to war. We are at war. We are being inundated with a world that is telling us all of that. "Well, you just need another vacation. You need a raise. You need another toy." We need the presence of God. We need to go about Father's business for which we have been called and be ambassadors of Christ and go out and begin to declare that the kingdom of God is at hand. It would probably be good to start at home and see God moving in our lives and the power of God, His presence manifest.

As Jesus is going on in the tenth chapter, this is virtually all red ink. We see that Jesus is bringing forth doctrine for the seventy and the disciples. Listen to the power of this sixteenth verse: "Those that hear you hear Me." That is powerful! Do you understand who we are? "Those that hear you, hear Me." Not one of His promises is going to fall to the ground. When we go out and represent Him properly, for His glory, not our own reputation, not showing off how spiritual we are, not out of obligation, not because of works, but when we go out there and just look for the glory of God, saying, "Somehow, Lord, let me be used so that You might be big," He'll watch over His Word and perform it.

"He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned...[and said] the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, [recognize this,] I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. [Thank God for the power. Thank God for the ministry.] Notwithstanding rejoice [in this, that] your names are written in heaven." We see the power of God and the presence of God being represented here, and we rejoice that we have been called too. It not only goes from the twelve in Chapter 9 to the seventy in Chapter 10, but, as Mark 16 says, it goes to all of us that believe. "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they shall..."

Father, we are believers, and we just ask You to send us in Your name. You said You have given us power over all the power of the enemy. You said that signs would follow us. You said that we are Your ambassadors. We are the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. We are epistles read of men. We are the proclaimers of the kingdom at hand. And as we proclaim, we cast out devils and heal the sick. And those that hear us have heard You. What a powerful position You've called us to. Help us to be faithful to it, Father. And bring our minds back, as we close in this admonition tonight, to Isaiah 53, "It pleased You." You delighted in doing this for man, to free us from sin and to free us from sickness. You don't begrudge it. You wish that more would appropriate that You might be glorified. We do not esteem you stricken and smitten of men. We see you, Jesus, the innocent lamb of God of whom the Father was pleased to lay our sin and our iniquity upon You, that You might bear it away. The scapegoat, the burnt offering, the price is paid, and by Your stripes we are healed. This do in remembrance of Me.

Don't take another pill without remembering Him. Don't go to another doctor visit without remembering Him, seeking His glory, and seeing the work finished, proclaiming it. Press for it that He might be all in all. For that, Father, we say thank You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's stand before the Lord tonight. If Forbe and Ruth will come, and the other pastors, we are going to pray and believe God to strengthen them and place His peace upon them as we send them on their way. It is a good work that is going on there, and we are proud of them and thankful for all that is being done in their lives through their ministry. As we begin to pray for them and believe for them to move in a new anointing that they've never known, to take this message back in their own lives and in their own hands, pray and believe God to strengthen and anoint them. As that virtue is going out of you, be healed yourself. Let it flow through you and bring the deliverance and the cleansing that the Word of God has promised for us. He's present here, so just reach out and touch His garment tonight. Let's pray in the name of Jesus.

Father, we thank You tonight for Your glory, and we rejoice in all the goodness that You've given us and Your call on our lives. Father, I ask you for a fresh anointing for Forbe and Ruth in their ministry, in this doctrine of healing, Father, and in the administrations that You've called them to. Father, the work that they've done has been great and even greater now as You're glorified in their lives, Father, as we seek the kingdom of God first. Go before them, Father, and bring peace. Comfort their hearts at this time of acclimation. Your wisdom is there. The ability to represent You is there. Your headship is there in them, and for that, Father, we give You all the praise--a new boldness and peace, in the name of Jesus.

Oh Lord, we bless You! You're good, Lord! Your way is great among us. You've been faithful in all the generations of Your people. Be glorified in our lives, Lord. Stir us now to be about Your business. Help us to boast in the price paid. You're so good, Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Father, we thank You that even tonight, some have stepped in as the waters were troubled. Some have reached out and touched the hem of Your garment. We delight, Father, in Your presence and in the anointing. We rejoice in the lives that have been touched, bodies made whole, hearts strengthened and lifted up, swords taken back into our hands and armor put on as we understand again the great calling of God as You've given us all things that pertain to life and godliness in Christ Jesus. You've given us all power and all authority over the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means harm us. For that we say, thank You, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen. Turn to somebody and say, "He healed them all. Praise God!" Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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