The Grace of Christ Brings Health and Prosperity

Many times when believers talk about health, they do it from the perspective of the world. As if sickness and disease is just a normal part of life. From a very early age, we are conditioned by the world to accept illness as a natural condition – as just part of being human, and so we receive it without a second-thought. Likewise when believers talk about prosperity, many times it is with derision “we don’t want that prosperity gospel!”. As a result, many people spend their lives battling sickness and in poverty, but is this what the Bible says should be? Is this what the life of a believer redeemed by Christ Jesus should be like?

Today in this study, we will be answering these questions from scripture as we examine what the Bible has to say regarding health and prosperity, in the light of the finished work of Jesus Christ. And as we see the truth of Jesus regarding these things, we will be able to receive more of Him.

Now I’m going to warn you right up-front, that what I am about to share with you today in this study will probably be contrary to everything you have commonly heard in churches all of your life. When I teach on this, most believers will think that I am crazy! That’s what we have come to in our modern society – where it is considered strange or “hyper-spiritual” to believe in the miraculous life which Jesus paid for us to live. But this kind of belief in the miraculous blessings of Jesus is not actually hyper, in-fact it should be normal. What we are going to read about today in scripture, is describing what should be the standard-of-life for the believer in Jesus Christ.

Let me tell you right now, there is no such thing as a “prosperity gospel”; there is also no such thing as a “health and wealth gospel”; there is simply “The Gospel of Jesus Christ” – which happens to include health and prosperity. And please don’t just take my word for it… we will be examining the scriptures closely to see what God Himself says about it.

So with that said, let’s begin our study today by reading Isaiah 60:1-4:

“Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.

And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.”

In verse 1, we see an imperative statement: Arise, shine. We all want to shine as brightly as we can, but before we can shine, we must first Arise. When we arise in Christ Jesus, that is when we can shine, because the light we shine with is not ultimately our own, but Jesus’ light in us and shining through us. The more that we look to Jesus and the more that we see and receive of Him, then the more we will arise out of our pit, and arise out of our shackles. His light will permeate our entire being, and we will naturally shine.

In the next part of the verse we are given a statement of fact and an excellent promise. This fact and promise is the foundation and the reason why we can Arise and Shine: for your light is (present-tense) come, and that the glory of the LORD is (present-tense) risen upon you. Take special notice of the word “glory” here, because it is the Hebrew word kāvôḏ,which is a word for the Divine Glory of God, encompasses within it, not only glory, but also honor, riches, splendor and dignity.

Now please don’t despise the fact that riches are included there… God is not against prosperity, He is a rich Father and He wants His children to be rich as well. There is a movement among Christianity today that acts as though to be rich is to be unholy, and to be poor is to be spiritually humble or somehow more in-tune with God, but it is not true! Most of the advice given in the book of Proverbs, is about how to prosper – financially and otherwise. In-fact the very first use of the word kāvôḏ in the Bible is Genesis 31:1 in which it refers to wealth. Furthermore, the root word for kāvôḏ is kavad which means “heavy, weighty” and its first use is in Genesis 13:2 which refers to Abram’s riches. John who leaned on the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper (John 13:23) and listened to the heartbeat of the Savior, wrote in 3^rd John 1:2: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.”

Friend, the Holy Spirit would not have written it in the Bible if it was not true. God is not against you having wealth. The Bible says in Proverbs 1:32 that prosperity destroys fools… so if prosperity destroys you, ask God for wisdom.

So going back to our text in Isaiah 60, now at verse 2, we see that darkness covers the earth and deep darkness covers the people but the glory of the lord arises on you and His glory will be seen on you. Some people think that this is a prophecy of the Millennial Reign of Christ when He returns. However this can not be true because according to Daniel 7:13-14, Jeremiah 33:15 and Micah 5:4-5, there is no darkness when Jesus reigns.

Now verse 2 is telling us, when there is darkness on the earth and deep (gross) darkness covering the people, the Lord will arise on you and His glory will be seen on you. And today we do certainly have the earth and the people in deep and terrible darkness. The world has sickness, the world has disease, and all manner of oppression and depression, but the glory of the LORD will arise on you, His beloved child, and His chosen ambassador.

The darkness that covers the earth, in Hebrew the word means “obscurity”. And the main definition of obscurity is actually “uncertainty”. The world is in obscurity and uncertainty constantly. The world has uncertainty about life and about God. The world has sickness, disease, oppression and depression,

The second “deep darkness” that covers the people, in the Hebrew the word means “thick cloud”. The first mention of this thick cloud in the Bible is at the foot of Mt. Sinai when God gave the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19:9. When the Law was given, a barrier was placed between God and humanity. In contrast when Jesus came and was transfigured, and Peter spoke wrongly, God came in a “bright cloud” not a dark cloud, and glorified Jesus in Matthew 17:5.

Take notice that the darkness covers the earth, and the people, but it never covers you. Let everyone, even your critics see the glory of the LORD upon you. The best response to critics is to shine.

Furthermore in verse 3, the scriptures say that the Gentiles (which in this context represent the other nations) will be drawn to the light of Christ on you, and that kings will be drawn to your radiance. These will not just be unknown people, but kings, rulers and leaders of their field. When they see the Divine Glory of God on you, they will not be able to help but to be drawn towards it, because the truth my friends, is that Christ is attractive; the Gospel of Grace is naturally attractive, otherwise the devil would not need to blind people’s eyes from seeing it. (2^nd Corinthians 4:4)

Next we have verse 4. We have another imperative: Lift up your eyes round about, and see. This is a word picture being painted here. If you are always looking down all the time, you will miss the glory of God around you. What is on the ground? Dirt and dust, which in the Bible represents condemnation. In the Bible the people would would dust on their foreheads to represent condemnation. (Revelation 18:19, 2^nd Samuel 1:2) and God told Satan in the form of a serpent that he will feed on dust all the days of his life. When you are experiencing condemnation, you will be food for the devil. But Jesus says that He has come so that you would not be condemned (John 3:17). This is what He wants you to lift up your eyes and see! The work is finished. God is well pleased in Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:5) and so in Him, God is well pleased in you also! This is the truth that makes you shine! And another blessing of this shining, comes in the rest of verse 4 of our text:

All they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

This is a family blessing. This verse is saying that when you are resting on the finished work of Christ and when you are shining with His light, even your sons and daughters, your wayward children will be brought back to you. The verse says that your sons shall come from afar, which means they have left and gone astray –- they are far off, but they will be brought back by the shining glory of Jesus. And your daughters will be nursed at your side. This is family restoration, made possible by the Grace and glory of God.

Do you believe that God is this good? Do you believe that all of these blessings will come on you because of Christ? Or do you still think that you have to work and perform for them? Do you believe that the Father is well pleased in Jesus on your behalf? Or are you still trying to please God by keeping the law? Friend, Romans 4:15 states that the law brings the wrath of God. But those who are in Christ receive blessings and favor freely because Christ already has everything, and it pleases the Father to bless those who are in Christ because it actually gives glory to Jesus – do you understand that when those who are in Christ receive blessings freely, it actually testifies to the finished work of Jesus and gives Him glory? (Ephesians 1:3, John 14:13-14)

So how good can the blessings get? The scriptures say that they are limitless (Ephesians 3:20, Romans 8:32). So in closing today, I want to share with you an aspect of divine health: Turn with me to Isaiah 33:20-24:

“Look on Zion, the city of our solemnities: your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

But there the glorious LORD will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.

For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Your tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.

And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”

As we see in verse 20, it all starts with looking on Mt. Zion, the mountain of Grace (Hebrews 12:22). Do you see how much God cherishes Grace? Do you see how close He holds it to His heart? It’s not that God has gone soft on sin or judgment… quite the contrary, but He has righteously and in all Holiness, judged and punished all sin in the body of Jesus Christ, so that all who believe and receive Jesus are freed completely. As verse 20 says, Zion is the place of our solemnities – that is our appointed place of feasting. You will be completely satisfied by Grace, you will not be left hungry there, but in Grace you have been appointed by God to feast there; to dine on His mercies as with a banquet (Luke 14:15-24). Zion stands forever. The tabernacle there will never be taken down, nor will its cords ever be broken. Your fellowship with God in Christ is eternal and will never be removed or cut-off.

Verse 21 continues, that in Zion, firmly planted and dwelling in the Grace of Christ, the glorious Lord shall be a place of broad rivers and streams. And no galley (enemy fleet) will go by, and no gallant ship (warship) will pass by. The enemy will not be able to enter or cross. It is a place of provision and safety.

Why is the Grace of God a place of absolute safety? If it’s just a nice thought, then it will mean nothing and won’t be of any use. So verse 22 tells us exactly why the Grace of God is a safe place to rest and find provision and security: For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. Again, God has not gone soft and just swept sin under the carpet. But He has completely exhausted all of His wrath and punishment on Jesus. So today we can confidently claim what is written in this verse. The LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us!

Because of this, verse 23 is a reality: that even though in yourself you can do absolutely nothing… Keep in mind the imagery being used in these verses: The LORD is an abundant river, our enemies are warships, and we ourselves are a poorly equipped vessel with a broken sail and unkempt rigging. Yet because of Jesus, the second-half of the verse says, because He has overthrown and conquered our enemies so completely, still a great spoil is divided; even the lame will capture and plunder the prey.

Finally we have verse 24: The inhabitants of Zion will not say “I am sick”: why? Because the people that dwell there are forgiven their iniquity.

So let me ask you a question today… have you been forgiven your iniquity through Christ? The word “sick” in this verse is ḥālāh which means “physically weak, ill or feeble.” It is absolutely referring to physical ailments and diseases. I would encourage you today to start translating your entire life, through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Start receiving all of what He paid for you to have. He paid the price for you to have health and prosperity, we have read it tonight in scripture, and yet people die prematurely every day because they do not know the truth. You can be God’s ambassador to them.

The normal life in Christ, is one full of the blessings which He has purchased with His own body and blood. Remember that Jesus Himself said to go into every nation and Heal the sick and cleanse the leper (Matthew 10:8). He is the one who said that the elders of the church should anoint the sick and pray the prayer of faith (James 5:14-15), but you can’t pray in faith if you are not sure of what’s yours in Christ Jesus! We have read it tonight that both health and prosperity are part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He paid for it and it would be a great tragedy to refuse it in favor of holding on to a man-made doctrine of false humility and doubt of God’s goodness. I encourage you today: freely receive what He has paid for, and also freely give it; be a good ambassador and give Jesus the glory.