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Linking sickness and the demonic – Casting out demons

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I want to share an experience from last Sunday which involved casting out a clearly demonically related sickness (and accompanying demon) — and thus establishing the fact that the realm of sickness and disease is not something we need to tolerate nor is it ‘sent from God to teach us something’, but it is something which Jesus bore so we don’t have to (Isa. 53:4, Mt. 8:16-17) and thus needs to be dealt with in the way that Jesus prescribes such as when He told his disciples to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons…” (Matthew 10:8) — something which He said all believers should be doing as well.  (Mk. 16:15-20)

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

After speaking on the Mystery and power of the Gospel last Sunday at a church in Diepsloot, many people lined up to receive prayer, healing, infilling of the spirit, etc.  All were delivered from their various pains and such and one lady in particular asked for prayer against stomach pains.  I proceeded to command her stomach to be healed and released life (see Acts 3:6) at which she started doubling over in pain.

I asked her what she was feeling and she said the pain was now moving from her stomach and darting here and there — throughout her body.  At this I knew we weren’t simply dealing with a physical issue and proceeded to command the demon to leave after which her pain was gone, and I could tell she was completely set free (from both the pain and the evil spirit that caused it).

Along the same lines a friend of mine related an instance where he and another brother were praying for someone who was blind in one eye.  After quite a while of proclaiming healing for that eye the person exclaimed that his other eye was now blind too!  Well, this made it clear that it was not simply a physical issue — so they proceeded to cast out this demon after which the person was immediately set free — having perfect vision in both eyes.

Both of these situations are examples how satan has a deep interest in promoting (and causing and/or exacerbating) sickness and disease (whatever steals, kills, and destroys (see Jn. 10:10)),  because he’s out to destroy those who were created in God’s image (that would be us).  This is not to say that each and every cold or other sickness has its physical manifestations directly resulting from present demonic activity.  However, at minimum, every sickness and disease CAN be traced back to original sin, the fall, and thus stems ultimately from the direct work of the devil within the realm of mankind. (There’s no sickness, pain, nor disease in Heaven, after all.)  Based upon this, Jesus has come to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:8) and redeem mankind from every curse (Gal. 3:13, which includes sickness and disease) and effectively offer salvation to all who will believe. (Rom. 10:9)

Now the word salvation (saved) is used both in instances of physical healing (James 5:15) as well as spiritual renewal and deliverance (Acts 16:31).  The reason for this is because it’s the same Greek word (sozo) used (the language which the New Testament was originally written in) which means to be set free from an oppressor and to be made whole.  The Devil is busy stealing, killing, destroying, and oppressing all mankind through various means, one of which includes sickness and disease — thus Jesus came to remove it (1 Jn. 3:8) and thus we see Him healing ALL the sick who came to him. (Mt. 8:16, Lk. 4:40, etc.)

Jesus came to offer us complete salvation — body and spirit.  Thus we have the symbol of communion at which Jesus took the bread and said “this is my body which is broken for you” (1 Cor. 11:24) (relating to physical healing see also 1 Peter 2:24), as well as the cup which symbolized the shedding of His blood for the forgiveness of sins. (Eph. 1:7)  Both are components of salvation and both Jesus made available at cost of considerable pain and suffering which He had to endure.

The Bible says many are sick due to not correctly discerning the Lord’s body (1 Cor. 11:29-30) at the time of communion, so there’s something (a lot actually) to be said for understanding what Jesus provided for us.  Jesus provided his own body, whipped and beaten, as payment for our physical healing.  He provided his blood as payment for our sins.  Let us not minimize the stripes of Jesus he bore for us.  Let us not partake only of the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, but let’s partake of his body as well for the healing of our bodies.   Jesus thought it important enough to provide both — so should we not partake of what Jesus suffered to provide?  Let us not allow His suffering to be in vain, but rather give him the reward for which he bore each and every stripe on his body.  Not to mention of course the healing benefit it provides for all who believe.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”  (John 6:53)

For His glory and honor,

– Paul

 

Healing sickness and disease in Diepsloot – the importance

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Could be any of us growing up in Diepsloot.

Remaining healthy in Diepsloot can be challenging since many residents don’t have access to running water, proper sewage removal, medicine, nor can many afford to eat a nutritious and balanced meal. Then there is the plague of HIV and AIDS which ravage lives and spread not only amongst those making unhealthy lifestyle choices, but amongst the victims of those making those poor choices — innocent women and children. 

Untold numbers of men, women and children suffer debilitating sickness and disease in Diepsloot. Many (in a society in which 50% are unemployed) find themselves unable to properly provide for themselves or their families — and this is multiplied and compounded when the breadwinner is sick in bed and can’t get up to care for his or her family. Kids go hungry; a grandma caring for her grandchildren (because her son died of AIDS) can’t get up to take care of the kids, and the list goes on.

Why do I walk the streets of Diepsloot extending God’s personal, healing touch? I think the answer is clear. It’s vital to be healthy in order to even hope to scrape by within the context of the dire living conditions the residents of Diepsloot find themselves in. Beyond this, the encouragement and positive paradigm shift people experience when experiencing  supernatural healing lets them know they are loved — by God, as well as by someone who cares enough to bring them this kind of deliverance.  A bit of hope in the midst of adversity begins to shine through … a burst of light within a previous realm and experience of darkness.  People begin to see there’s more to life than the pain they’ve experienced, and that perhaps there’s even more to life than they’ve ever imagined — a reason and a purpose for it all.  Faith is born; faith that leads in to a relationship with the One who created them … and safely under the shadow of His wings, they find a security, love, and purpose that could not possibly come from any other source.

Friends in Diepsloot

The core issue is this: God Himself made provision for the healing (spiritual and physical) of all mankind within the context of what Jesus has provided and accomplished. (See Isaiah 53:4-5 and Matthew 8:16-17). God is in the business of setting people free from all forms of oppression (Luke 4:18-19) and this includes liberation from sickness and disease.  This deliverance is extended and proclaimed through the hands and faith of all who believe. (Mark 16:17-18) Let us never make the mistake of asking why God would allow sickness and disease. Rather, let us askourselves why WE allow it when God has furnished us with His power to eradicate it.

“As the Father has sent me, so I send you … I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these.”  — Jesus (John 20:21, John 14:12)

Looking into a grandmother’s relieved and peaceful eyes which just a few minutes before were marked with pain and suffering — perhaps I experience just a tiny bit of the love and joy that God Himself experiences every time someone is set free from this kind of pain and suffering — all made possible because of what He’s already accomplished through Jesus Christ.