2Corinthians 10:3-5 (Amplified) tells us, "For thought we walk (live) in the flesh, we do not carry on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons; the weapons of our warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood) but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds." Verse 5 says, (In as much as we) refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God; and we lead away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
The Apostle Paul was speaking here about man's ideas and opinions about the true Gospel of Christ. As men reasoned and argued and held different theories about what the true Word really said, Paul declared that he refuted all those ideas for the truth. Today, we have much the same thing occurring in the body of Christ (the devil has never changed his tactics). We find in different circles, differing opinions about the Word.
Some have determined that, because we see people (even Christians) who are sick, healing has passed away and God no longer heals. I still see people who aren't saved, but would that mean that God no longer saves? Just because man doesn't understand and receive what God has done through Jesus, doesn't mean that God's Word and His intent has changed. When God, through Jesus, sent the Holy Spirit, "For the promise (of the Holy Spirit) is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, (even) to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself" according to Acts 2:39 (Amplified).
This is God's reasoning concerning the gift of His Holy Spirit, but I hear too often today, reasonings that declare this gift isn't for everyone and that God's gifts have passed away with the early Church. Above all people of the earth, we have been blessed with everything heaven has to offer God's children. When the Church came into being, we were made to be God's family and friends by Jesus. Because we still see things in the carnal way instead of after the Spirit, we've allowed the devil to seduce us like he did in the Garden of Eden.
Somehow, we've become afraid to believe that we have been made like our Father and our Lord. By carnal reasonings, we still see ourselves as being inferior and unworthy. In our old selves and our old being, this was true, but we're no longer in our old selves. We're now in Christ Jesus. By being in Christ, we are no longer inferior or unworthy. That would mean His sacrifice was of no avail. He didn't leave us like He found us, but He changed us into His very Own Image and likeness. He declared us to be righteous and accepted in Jesus. 1Peter 2:9 (Amplified) says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation. (God's) Own purchased people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
We are to show forth and display His virtues and perfection to the world. This doesn't mean that we're just to be nice, but powerful in His deeds as well. Jesus didn't limit His ministry simply to just being sweet, but by His being moved by His compassion to set those who were bound free. This Love of God that was poured into hearts by the Holy Spirit, was to be used as a power to liberate those who were held captive.
When we read about the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1Corinthians 12, we find these gifts are from God to be used as weapons against the devil to free those who are under his power. This is what Jesus used them for and this is still their purpose. We've preached the new birth and the forgiveness of sin, but have left the people in their own bondage of sickness, condemnation, and oppression. The gifts of the Spirit are the very weapons of our warfare according to 2Corinthians 10:4.
These gifts weren't to glorify some man, but to glorify Jesus. They were intended for the warrior who would learn to use them to liberate the people and for the glory of the Lord. When we learn the true power of His love for the people, then we will learn the true meaning of His gifts of the Spirit.
Jesus couldn't go anywhere that His love for the people didn't pull His power out of Him and set them free. He loved so deeply that He couldn't stand to see the people under slavery of the enemy. We have determined that it doesn't make a difference if people are healed and made whole on earth because they'll be so in heaven. Thus, we've concluded that healing isn't really that important. Someone should have told Jesus that.
I once prayed for a woman whose hands were crippled from arthritis. She couldn't open her finger at all. As I prayed for her healing, nothing happened. I asked God why her healing hadn't come and His answer was His reasoning and not mine. God told me that she needed loosed and not healed. He took me into Luke 13:16 (Amplified) which says, "And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom satan has kept bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" Jesus answered in Verse 12 saying, "She needed to be loosed, released from her infirmity."
I never thought about a there being a difference between healing and loosening before that. I went back to this same lady the next week and as I walked towards her, I could see the hope ion her eyes. I laid my hands on her and said, "In the Name of Jesus, I loose you from this infirmity." As I watched, her fingers began to straighten and flex into working hands again.
I could have reasoned away why healing hadn't worked and made excuses about how she didn't have enough faith. I could have reasoned that God was using this arthritis to teach her or that healing wasn't for today or for everyone. Instead, though, I decided to, "Come let us reason together says the Lord." His reasonings set the lady free when many reasonins had left her bound.
It's so easy to justify what happens to us and look for a reason why things happen or don't happen (even at the expense of the Word). We so want reasons for everything that happens in our lives. Some even reason that God puts these things on us to make us love Him. Man's reasonings and traditions have made God's Word of no effect. God is raising up a people in these last days before Jesus returns, who put away reasonings and just walk in His love and His power to set the captives free. It is time for us to let God be God once again and to see His great love loosed upon this planet in a great way today.
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