Welcome back to the second part of our series looking at the truth of your healing, and the biblical reality that because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the truth that your healing is unstoppable.
Last week we took an honest look at the “sin problem”, and we answered the question of whether sinful deeds could actually impede or stop your healing… and I would encourage everyone to view that study if they have any doubts regarding healing and sin.
Today we are going to continue this theme, and look at a related argument regarding healing, which is healing is not guaranteed, and sickness is inevitable, because we live in a sinful world.
Much like what we looked at last week regarding sinful deeds stopping healing, this idea about a sinful world stopping healing is just as common – and just as crippling when it comes to healing, and so we will be examining it today in this study.
Now as mentioned, the typical idea held by many, is that because we are in a sinful world, this somehow lessens or inhibits the healing power of God; or at-least the chance of being healed (as if it were left up to random chance in the first place). The simple fact is that this position has no basis whatsoever in scripture, and it exists entirely in the realm of human experience and doubt.
I invite you to take a step back, put all of the man-made theology and ideas aside, and honestly consider the fact that scripture does not actually say that because we live in a fallen, sinful world, as a result some people will be left without healing. You will not find that anywhere in scripture; or even anything close to that.
Instead, let’s take a look at what scripture actually does say, and as we explore this today, you will see with me that although we may currently exist in a sinful world, we are not subject to that fallen nature, and in-fact we are victorious over it in Christ.
So let’s begin with a scripture that is often misunderstood and mis-used to promote the idea that in a sinful world, we really can’t expect much; and it’s the words of Jesus found in John 16:33, however most people only quote only one segment of the verse, without quoting the rest of it – nor do they examine it within the context of the rest of what Jesus was saying. In John 16:33, Jesus says:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
This is one of those verses that always gets tossed around, typically when someone is experiencing something negative… a Christian brother or sister or even a pastor will quote only one part of the verse and say “well, you know, Jesus said that in this world we will have tribulation…” – as if to say well, you’ll just have to grit your teeth and suffer through the pain.
And that, my friend, is an extremely incomplete and frankly impotent idea of Jesus and His completed work, and isn’t even an honest representation of the message that Jesus was conveying here. And this falsehood has led people to roll-over and simply accept suffering as an inevitability, when that’s actually the opposite of the truth.
Even a simple examination of verse 33 here will tell us a few interesting things. The first of which is that we will notice the verse begins with Jesus saying these things I have spoken… So He is telling us quite plainly that verse 33 is not intended to be an island unto itself; it’s connected with what He was saying previously. And notice that Jesus makes clear that the things which He was speaking, had a specific purpose: …that in Me you may have peace. This peace is not just a nice thought; not a powerless kind of peace. It is שלום in Hebrew, εἰρήνη in Greek – wholeness, completeness, security, safety and prosperity, in every sense of the word.
So what was Jesus previously saying that would give us such a powerful peace, such amazing security, safety and prosperity in Him? Well, we don’t need to look far, only 14 verses up in the same chapter of John 16, in verses 19 to 27, we find this:
“Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said to them, Do you inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me?
Truly, truly, I say to you, That you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
A woman when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you.
And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
Till now have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.
These things have I spoken to you in proverbs: but the time comes, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.
At that day you shall ask in my name: and I say not to you, that I will pray the Father for you:
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.”
Now there is a reason that we read all of this, and that’s because the context is really important here.
Jesus says that there will be a time that His disciples would weep and lament (He spoke about this earlier as well, regarding fasting). He says that they will be sad for a brief period of time (during His crucifixion about to take place) – but that they will see Him again (after His resurrection) and their joy will never be taken from them. That sets the entire context for what Jesus says next.
We then see that in His next statements in verse 23, Jesus says And in that day… that is after His resurrection, when His work is finished and we are reborn in Christ and in His New Covenant – in that day, Jesus says, you will ask Me nothing.
Now we need to ask why He says we will not ask Him anything… this is a lesson and a truth that many believers have yet to learn. Jesus plainly says here that once we have become new creations, once His work is finished, and we have entered into His New Covenant, we no longer ask Jesus for anything – these are His own words, so we need to pay attention.
Why should we no longer ask Him for anything? He tells us that we should be asking the Father in His name. So in the New Covenant, instead of asking Jesus for things, we should now recognize that we are redeemed new creations, reborn into Christ, and that we can come to the Father and ask the Father for things in the name (place, position and authority) of Christ; that’s what it means to ask in the Name of Jesus.
Look at what Jesus says: He says Whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you. That’s plain and simple. Notice that Jesus also didn’t place any other preconditions or even limitations there. Simply ask in His Name – which does not mean saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer, but means to actually be in Christ, and whatever you ask the Father in the authority and position of Christ, the Father will give it to you. These are the words of Jesus Himself my friend, and you would be surprised how many believers really don’t believe these words.
Jesus then reinforces this point, because He knew that so many people would have issues believing this amazing truth and He says in verse 24: Till now, you have asked nothing in My name (He was about to go to the cross, but He hadn’t completed the work yet).
He then says: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. (keep this in mind, in connection with verse 33 that we read earlier).
Jesus used to speak and teach in proverbs because the people rejected Him, and in a certain way He was showing mercy by doing so. Yet once He completes His work, finishes the Old Covenant, and brings in the New Covenant, and we are reborn as righteous and sanctified, then He can speak openly about all things to us.
Well, Jesus certainly has finished His work, He has brought us into the New Covenant (Hebrews 12:18-22), and we stand in His righteousness and holiness (Hebrews 10:8-22). And Jesus says in verses 26 and 27 of John 16: in that day, you shall ask in My name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father for you, because the Father Himself loves you, because you loved Me and believe that I came from God.
So do you see how Jesus’ finished work has changed everything? How it has changed your status, position and standing before God? How you are not in the old, dead place, but you are now a completely reborn new creation in Christ. And this gives you authority to speak – even directly to the Father in the Name of Jesus!
Now with all of this understanding and context, look again now at verse 33, and it will suddenly take on a whole new meaning to you… a meaning that was obfuscated before, through traditional church theology:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Do you see how the words of Jesus here, when read in context, are not meant to be powerless in suffering, but actually to encourage you to powerful deliverance?
Jesus says that in the world you will have “tribulation” which in Greek is θλι̑ψις, meaning “pressure” – however that pressure is not something that can or should dominate you, or be blindly accepted – rather you dominate and overcome that worldly pressure, and you even do it cheerfully, because you are in Christ and Jesus overcame the world!
So as we close today, knowing your status and position in Christ, my prayer is that you can now see how this sinful world really has no authority to stop healing, just as it didn’t stop Jesus from healing all who came to Him (Matthew 12:15, 14:14, 15:30), and you are in Him today and He is in you.
In fact, 1st John 4:17 makes it perfectly clear by saying:
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
If you ever doubt, just remember as Jesus is, so are you in this world. Not later, not in Heaven… NOW in this world.
Be sure to join my again next week my friend, as we continue exploring how your healing is unstoppable!
Be blessed.
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