Healed

Last night I had a discussion with an old friend about a mutual friend with some recent health issues.  My brother asked for prayer for our old friend for healing.  As we talked via text, I thought of two books of the Bible Ephesians 2 and Romans 8 that I shared with him.

I prayed last night and this morning for my friends healing and peace.  I also read the two books I recommended and listened to sermon on Ephesians 2:7. After the sermon, I just took some time to think about the last few years and God in my life.  I have been disabled almost three years now.  I had not looked back at my E-Journal in a long time, so I just started scrolling back.

I was surprised to see that I had started saving my writings August 1, 2015.  I clicked on August 25, 2015, and just read it.  I was a lot more concise in the beginning.  I had had a setback in that week.  I remembered it as quickly as I read it. I had to have another MRI.

Philippians 1:6

I had written about healing in my circumstance.  I was coming to terms with all the prayers that had been said for me, and I realized some things that morning that I hold on to every day.  Philippians 1:6 is one of my favorite verses, (if you can have a favorite).

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) ⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

As I read this passage, I think regardless of the condition of my flesh God continues to work a good work in me.  I read on in Philippians 1, stopping at verses 18-21

Philippians 1:18-21

As I read this passage, I was comforted and thought of life and healing.  I thought where Paul was.  He was sure that at some point the Romans would kill him, but he did not fear or worry he knew that no matter which way things went God was in control and He would serve Him and praise Him here or there.

Philippians 1:18-21 (ESV) Yes, and I will rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, ²⁰ as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

I am sure that all the churches that knew of Paul’s incarceration prayed for his release, and he knew that God would assure his deliverance because of the prayers and the “help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”(v19b). 

Reflections on Healing Prayer

I meditated on those passages in Philippians 1 and thought about Paul spoke of deliverance.  He was talking about freedom from the prison, but he also spoke of life and death and the difference between the two for someone born again.

I thought about my old friend.  I thought of all the people I have been asked to pray for, and I thought about all the cherished prayers that have been prayed for me.  I thought of all God does for me and us all that believe, and I came to this passage in Romans 8.

Romans 8:31-32 (ESV) ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

I realized that morning in 2015 that I was healed and that God had and did answer all the prayers prayed for me.  I did not always understand the answer, but I knew that if I needed to understand that answer, I would know it either in this life or when I get home.   That was for God to reveal and for me to be patient and wait on the Lord.

Patience – Romans 8:23-25

I thought about Romans 8:23-25 and thought about all believers and all our circumstances and all the prayers we pray, and I am thankful for the hope I have in Jesus Christ and the promise of redemption that He has given me.  That lead me to Romans 8:23-28

Romans 8:23-25 (ESV) ²³ And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

That is it, isn’t it?  Our hope is in Christ Jesus.  He gave His life for our redemption.

The Gift of Healing – By Grace Through Faith Ephesians 2:1-10

That brings me to Ephesians 2.  To me, this is the healing that I needed the most.  It assures eternal life rather than death in my sin, and I did nothing to earn it.  It was a gift.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV) ¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

What joy there is in that I partake in a living healing every day through Christ Jesus.  Some circumstances are difficult.  Some are not, but regardless He is with me through them all.

Closing

I am so thankful for prayer and I give thanks for the opportunity to pray for others and, like Paul, in Philippians 1:18-19, I know that they bear good fruit “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance” (Phil 1:19).

As I was writing this, I got another request for prayer, and I am humbled by God’s timing.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of prayer.  I praise you and give you thanks for all your provision.  Father, I know that you answer our prayers and You know our needs even when we do not.

Today Lord I ask for healing for my old friend and that you might grant Him peace in your comfort.  I also pray for my friends traveling and those that lead my home church.  Father, I pray for all that believe that we might hold fast to you in all circumstances.

Thank you, Lord, for your grace and mercy.  Thank you for the hope we have in your Son Jesus Christ, and it is in His name that I pray, Amen!