The Healing Series Lesson 1. Hindrances to Healing.

THE HEALING SERIES


Lesson One: HINDRANCES TO HEALING

Purpose:. The purpose of this lesson is for us to be aware of hindrances that prevent our healing.

Note: All scripture is from the King James version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Hindrances to Healing

There is an interesting word found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The word is whole.

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Greek word translated as whole is holokleros (hol'-ok'-lay-ros). It means complete in every part, i.e. perfectly sound (in body).

A consequence of sin includes curses. Curses include sickness and disease. Nonetheless God wants His people to be perfectly sound and complete in every part of their body, soul, and spirit. This was His plan for Adam and Eve in the beginning and it remains His plan for His believers today. To bridge the gap and be whole requires us to overcome the hindrances to healing.

God created man as a triune or three part creature. We just read in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 that man is a spirit with a soul. These two live in an earth suit called a body. From the moment of conception, the spirit and soul are eternal. However, the days of our body are numbered. From a spiritual or religious perspective, it is the spirit and soul that are of greatest importance. The scripture on the other hand encourages us to forsake or buffet the desires of the body. Nevertheless, these three parts are very interrelated, with the success or failure of one part affecting the others. Although success or failure in one area never insures success or failure in another, it is impossible to discount or minimize the affect one part has on the other parts. It has been stated many times that a man can go to heaven with a sick body and a well spirit but not vise versa. However, we have all seen how sick bodies can hinder and impede well spirits.

The Church has always been able to lead the lost to God’s plan of redemption of restoring health to the spirit. We have finely honed our scripture skills till we at great length can tell someone what they must do with their spirit. Yet, many times the sick receive little more for their bodies than the assurance that God is able to heal, and the promise that, “I will be praying for you”. Churches commonly have prayer lines or time given to praying for the needs of the people. However, honesty forces us to admit that many things observed during this time of prayer have been bittersweet.

Through the years churches have witnessed and heard the confession of many that have been healed of sickness and disease. Cancer, goiters, cataracts and headaches have disappeared. Hearing and sight has been restored again and again. Broken bones, lives, and marriages have been mended. People have been filled with the Holy Ghost, released from demonic possession, and habits taken from their lives.

Simultaneously and all too often we have also observed others return from the altar, seemingly, without their needs being met. It is to this group of people to whom this study is addressed. They carry in their bodies every day the same colds, cancers, blood disorders and bad backs that have afflicted them throughout their lives. It is sad enough that their needs are not yet met, but even more unfortunate that after an extended period of time they no longer come forward for prayer at all. Worse still because of deteriorating physical or weakened spiritual condition some no longer attend the House of God . . . and others with a depressed mental condition respond with “What’s the use?” What a paradox . . . the delightfully happy and the sadly confused all too often in the same church. To those whose needs have been met and rejoice, we rejoice with you. But it still remains so sad to watch so many as they return from the altar still shackled with their burdens and carrying their yokes.

Rightly Divide the Word

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

There are two words in this passage that deserve close attention: rightly and dividing. If it is possible to rightly divide God’s Word, there is also a chance that we can wrongly divide it. The word divide speaks of parts. If we are to understand anything in its wholeness or entirety, we must put the pieces together. The purpose of this lesson is for us to be aware of hindrances that prevent our healing.

Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. This should not be because God wants us to have knowledge. He gave us His Word and His Spirit that we might have knowledge.

Isaiah 28:9-11says the following:

9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

God wants His born-again children to have knowledge . . . the knowledge that comes from His Word and Spirit and not just the carnal world.

God wants His children to have wisdom.

James 1:5 says:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Question? Is there a link between our lack of knowledge of God’s Word (and the wisdom to implement that knowledge) and our needs not being met?

Answer: Yes!

Question? Is there a difference between miracles and blessings?

Answer: Yes!

Miracles, Healings, and Blessings

Miracles occur when God supercedes or suspends natural or spiritual laws. Unlike blessings, miracles come in times of crisis, happen infrequently, and are intended for the unbeliever or immature Christian. Furthermore, there is neither promise of nor instruction on how to receive a miracle. A search of the scriptures reveals that nowhere in God’s Word does He give promise for or instruction how to receive a miracle.

Conversely, blessings occur when born-again Christians follow the spiritual laws created by God. Unlike miracles, they are abundant, part of everyday life, and designed for born-again believers. They are promised to everyone who follows a prescribed process found in God’s Word.

Questions? Why do some and not all receive a miracle? Why does God sometimes heal a sinner of a condition that takes the life of a saint?

Answer: There is very little need for miracles when Christians have wisdom (the ability to use knowledge to achieve a desired result) of blessings. The sinner is healed by God’s grace, while the saint is healed by God’s covenant (promises). So when we ask the question, “Is it a miracle you need or the wisdom to receive your covenant (promise)? The proper response is born-again believers only need miracles when there is a lack of wisdom.

Many times when faced with needs we are also confronted with a lack of understanding of God’s Word and His covenant (promises). People ask others to pray for them and then gaze blankly skyward hoping God will come through one more time and deliver us from our perilous situation. But God will not do the impossible until we have done the possible. If we could pull back the curtain to the spirit realm, perhaps we would see God looking back at us and wondering why we have not used the laws that He has already set in order for our deliverance. We must do the possible before God does the impossible.

Another observation is that it appears as though preachers and members of their family receive blessings a greater percentage of the time than the average church member. This produces the next question.

God is a Respecter of Faith

Question? Is God a respecter of persons?

Answer: No. Acts 10:34 plainly says, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:” God is not a respecter of persons, however, God is a respecter of faith.
There is a great insight to this principle found in Matthew 13:54-58.

54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

According to these verses when Jesus returned to His hometown, they viewed Him as the son of Mary and Joseph the carpenter instead of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One). If God were a respecter of persons, their previous acquaintance and friendships would have worked in their favor. However, what they could receive was not based on who they were, but according to their faith. Therefore in spite of His capability he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Galatians 3:28-29 supports that by stating:

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So unlike our world, what you receive in the Kingdom of God is based on your faith and not any physical, mental, ethnic, or economic advantages that you have.

James 1:5-7 states:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

The Good and Bad News

Jesus said for us to seek, knock, and ask See Matthew 7:7 and Luke 11:9). But James tells that the petition must be accompanied with faith. Therefore there is good news and there is bad news. The good news is that Jesus is the healer that can heal any disease or sickness that you may have. The bad news is that it may take strong or great faith to receive your healing. We must have great faith before the mountain that we speak to moves. We must have strong faith before we see the manifestation of God’s healing power.

I refer to this as bad news because how many of you think that you now have strong or great faith?

Mark 6:5-6 says:

5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief.

Please notice the desire of Jesus that is implied in the scripture. Jesus’ will was to heal, but it was hindered because of their unbelief. That is why I earlier stated that God is not a respecter of persons but of faith. God will bankrupt heaven to supply the need if you have great or strong faith. On the contrary, a person with weak faith must be content with the crumbs.

You might reply that you have a great need, so surely God will answer your prayer. Not necessarily. God is not moved by our need. Search the scripture. God is only moved by our faith. He has promised in His Word to supply our need.. Phil. 4:19 promises, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. But, where is our faith?

Carnal vs. Spiritual

First, let us define from the scriptures strong or great faith vs. weak, little, or no faith. Jesus said in John 3:6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh (carnal); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (spiritual).

Question? How do we contact or live in the natural world?

Answer: By our five senses.

We learn and experience or live life by hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching the world around us. These five senses teach and tell us about our circumstances and our surroundings. Jesus said that in the world of the flesh we use the flesh to live. But, faith is what we use to contact or live in the spirit world. What works in the natural (carnal) world does not work in the spirit (spiritual) world that we have been born-again into. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

The problem has been that we have tried to use the things that work in the carnal world to receive the things of the spirit world. Romans 10:17 tells us how faith comes to us or how we can get faith when it says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. With that understanding we can then define “living by the flesh” as living, speaking, or believing what our five senses or circumstances tell us. We can define “living by the spirit” as living, speaking, or believing what God’s Word tells us.

We can see this illustrated in the following scripture settings. We will show the scriptures in entirety and then comment afterward.

Matthew 14:22-31records the following:

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

In verse 26 they saw Him.
In verse 27 they heard the Word of God saying, “It is I.”
In verse 28 Peter questions the Word of God by asking . . . “If . . . “
In verse 29 the Word of God tells Peter what to do. Peter begins well as led by the Spirit, but then he looks at his circumstances and believes them rather than the Word of God.
In verse 31 it reveals how Jesus saw them when He said, O thou of little faith.”

Regardless of what God could do in the Spirit it became forfeited when overpowered by the power of the carnal senses.

Now let us consider another example as found in Matthew 8:5-10.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

In this story there is a great need for healing. A prayer request is made to Jesus by the centurion that He would heal his servant.

In verse 7 Jesus said He would come to the centurion’s house and heal his servant.
In verse 8 the centurion responded to Jesus saying that wasn’t necessary but that all He had to do was, “speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
In verse 10 Jesus called the centurion’s faith, “great faith”.

In one setting the disciples manifested little faith by choosing to live by sight and not by faith. In the other setting the centurion manifested great faith which meant that he was willing to live by the word and not by sight.

Little faith is living a life led by the five senses. Great faith is living life led by the Word.

Faith Must Accompany Our Petition

All believers must accept by absolute faith what the Word of God tells us that we already have. Freely it has been given to us and we must freely give it out. Peter told the lame man at the gate called Beautiful in Acts 3, “such as I have give I thee.”

Since faith must accompany our petition to God, let us look at one of faiths greatest hindrances. One of faith’s greatest hindrances is not having a revelation or understanding of God’s will when healing is needed. People often say that, “God is able”, however, our faith is not hindered by our perception of God’s ability or inability. It is not the ability of God that we question because most people believe that God can do anything. It is God’s will or willingness to do it for us that we doubt. I may or do not doubt that He can, but that He will or wants to do it for me.

But to the contrary, Hebrews 11:6 says, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The measure or depth of our faith will never be any greater than our knowledge of God’s will for our lives. Your faith can never go beyond you knowledge of God’s will.

Many of us are in the same mindset as the leper in Matthew 8:2,3 which says,

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

God’s Will Regarding Healing

It is much easier to live, speak, and believe faith when you know God’s will. So therefore let us look at God’s will in God’s Word about healing. We shall first begin in the Old Testament.

Ps 103:2-3 says, Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

We know that when we are water baptized, all our sins are remitted. There is never any question in our minds that the blood covers all of our sins. I have never heard anyone being baptized ask if there was any particular sin that the blood of Jesus did not cover. Yet, here in Psalm 103:2-3, God links forgiveness of sin and healing of diseases with one word, all.

We have as much right to expect Him to heal us as we do for Him to forgive our sins. Healing and forgiveness of sin are both covenant promises provided by His shed blood. The choice for us to be healed is no more up to God than the decision for us to receive forgiveness of sins. The condition for our receiving either one of them is not predicated on God’s choice, but rather our faith, desire, and ability to receive what is already accomplished and promised in God’s Word.

Exodus 15:26 says, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Exodus 23:25 says, And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

Again we see the promise of the Lord to be their healer. Now there might be those who say that is only an Old Testament promise. The answer to that challenge is that healing is neither an Old or New Testament promise. Healing is a covenant promise. These promises that God made to Old Testament Israel are Abrahamic covenant promises that we are told in Galatians 3:7 to be ours if we are of faith. God would not give a healing promise to Old Testament Israel, and not to His New Testament Church. As proof consider the following four scriptures:

James 1:17

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Malachi 3:6

6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8

8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

1 Corinthians 10:11

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

New Testament Links Salvation and Healing

The Old Testament connects the coequal promise of forgiveness of sins and healing for our bodies. Not surprisingly, this connection is much stronger in the New Testament.

In the New Testament when we hear the word salvation, many times we think of repentance, baptism, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost (the born-again experience). However, in the New Testament the Greek word for salvation is soteria. Soteria means: deliverance, preservation, safety, peace, soundness, and health. Sadly, we have thought of salvation as only restoration of our spirit, but God uses an all encompassing word which means peace for our mind, prosperity for our pocketbook, unity in our relationships, health for our bodies, deliverance from sin, and rebirth of our spirit. Therefore, when we see scriptures concerning salvation, they not only promise our spirits will be healed but that our total being can be whole.

We know that salvation was incomplete in Old Testament time because they used the inferior substitute of a lamb (or animal sacrifice), looking forward to the day when the real lamb (Jesus) would be sacrificed. Still, in a small symbolic way the lamb was dying for and exchanging places with the one who had brought the sacrifice. God was conditioning the minds of mankind to exchange or substitution.
To understand the enormity and magnitude of what Jesus purchased and did for us at Calvary, we must understand the concept of exchange and substitution. Calvary was not a place where Jesus died for our sins only, but a place where God and man made an exchange through the mediator Jesus Christ. God and man met at the foot of the cross, and we gave Him our sin, sickness, poverty, sadness, ashes, heaviness, prison, and so forth . . . and He gave us remission of sin, health, prosperity, joy, beauty, praise, liberty, and so forth. It was an exchange.

Salvation is not a purgatory condition that we struggle through life with until we go to heaven. Salvation is God restoring back to us all the things that Satan through sin robbed from us in the Garden. Before sin robbed him, Adam had health, prosperity, abundance, a loving relationship (Eve), a right spirit, a whole mind, and a beautiful relationship with God. Faith in Jesus on our part and the sacrifice He made as our substitute at Calvary on His part make the exchange that gives all of these back to us.

Consider the following witnesses from the Word of God.

Psalm 107:20

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Isaiah 61:3

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

Isaiah 53:4-6

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 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.

6 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.

Colossians 2:14

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

God’s Word Triumphs Over Tradition and Religion

Tradition or religion would have us to believe that we must struggle through the world the best way possible. However, God’s Word teaches us that the things Jesus purchased for us at Calvary are immediately available when we are born-again. These things are received by faith and patience. Hebrews 6:12 says,

12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Then Hebrews 6:15 adds to that understanding as it was referring to Abraham with,

15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Tradition teaches us that it could be God’s will for us to be sick and die early in our years, but to the contrary of that Jesus told us to pray the following in His prayer in Matthew 6:9-10 when He taught,

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

God’s Will Concerning Your Health

So what is God’s will concerning your health in heaven?

We are not the sick trying to be healed, but we are the healed trying to maintain our health. The scripture affirms that in Isaiah 53: 5 where it says “we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

5 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.

The word “are” is present tense, or meaning that it has already happened!
So reflecting back to an earlier part of this lesson please consider the following. The doctor’s report says that we are sick. Jesus says that we are healed. Whenever we fully live, speak, and believe what the Word of God says rather than what our five senses or the doctor’s report says, our bodies will line up with the Word of God.

It is not that unlike Peter walking on the water. Do you trust the Word of God or do you trust the five senses?

2 Corinthians 4:18 instructs us,

18 While we look not at the things which are seen (such as sickness), but at the things which are not seen (Word of God): for the things which are seen (such as sickness) are temporal; but the things which are not seen (Word of God) are eternal.

If we speak contrary to the Word of God we are a liar. The Word of God is true.

Romans 3:4 says,

4 . . . let God be true, but every man a liar;

The doctor’s diagnosis is a report. God’s Word is a report. Whose report will you believe?

This is living by faith. Let us read a few examples of what the Word of God says about living by faith.

Romans 1:17

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:11

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.




Hebrews 10:38

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Habakkuk 2:4

4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

Living the God Kind of Life

It is obvious then that to live the kind of life God wants us to live requires us to live by faith.

There are many Greek words used for the word “life”, but the one used in the following scriptures is ZOE. It means the God kind of life or the kind of life that God has and we would have had if sin had not entered in. When we see the phrase “everlasting life” in the scriptures it means forever, the God kind of life. Now read the following scriptures with their true meaning to see God’s will for our lives.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting (forever) life (the God kind of life).

John 10:28

28 And I give unto them eternal (forever) life (the God kind of life); and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

In Closing

This chapter study is not, nor was it meant to be, an exhaustive study of the hindrances to healing. It is not designed to convert the skeptic, but to give those who are sick and diseased direction and instruction.

The Apostle John was not only a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, but arguably closer in relationship and in thinking than all the rest. Under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost He writes in 3 John 1:2 saying,

2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Please ponder the following question. If a friend or family member (testator) were to name you as a beneficiary if a large inheritance in their will, when would you legally be allowed to claim your inheritance? After they die or after you die?

The answer is after they die.

Why then do so many continue to insist that we have no claim here on earth to our inheritance? Why do some insist that we cannot receive our inheritance until we die (only to be received into heaven?

Be healed!