Lesson 6 In His Image

     We have been born again into the Image and Likeness of our Heavenly Father according to John 17:22 (Amplified) which says, "I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one (even) as You and I are One."  Jesus goes onto to say in Verse 23, that this would be intended for the whole Church or the Body of Christ."  Thus, it says, "I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that they world may know and (definitely) recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them (even) as You loved Me."
     This new birth was to once again bring us back to the state we were in with God before the fall of Adam.  We are now in His Image and Likeness and have the very life of God within us.  This eternal life is the very life and presence of God in His family living in us again.
     Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified) that, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."  The "overflow" is what I was referring to, in the previous blog, when speaking about healing the sick and doing miracles.  When Jesus, Paul, Peter or any of the other disciples laid hands on the sick or maimed, the "overflow" of life departed from them came unto those who had death or partial death (sickness or disease) and flooded their spirit and body bringing wholeness.
     Jesus said that this Life "Is the Father in Me Who does the works."  Romans 8:2 (Amplified) says, "For the law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the law of our new being) has freed me from the law of sin and death." This "law of Life" has restored us to being once again like our Father.  When the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus' garment, He felt the "power" or "virtue" flow out from Him.  This "power" or "virtue" is the very life of God within Him.  That life overcame disease and healed the woman's body.
      We've seen healing and miracles as coming only when God chooses to do so.  The truth is, that God has now entered into the realm of death and its reign, to give Life again by His presence.  His very presence brings healing and wholeness just by His overwhelming presence of Life.
     When we, as Christians, lay hands on the sick, we are simply to release God's life into their body.  His life is greater than any sickness or disease living in their body.  This is the God kind of life.  In Him there is not sickness or disease, but only life.  Jesus said this life was to be,
In abundance and overflowing."
     Life flowed from Jesus everywhere He went, healing the sick and setting at liberty the things all who were oppressed by the devil.  Acts 10:38 (Amplified) says, "God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the (Holy) Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by (the power) the devil, for God was with Him."
     We understand that Jesus was, and is, the Messiah. We understand that we are not the Messiah.  And, we understand that Jesus came to restore us back to the Image and Likeness of our Father and that the very life He had, He has given to us.  We have now been anointed and consecrated by God with the same Holy Spirit to do the same works Jesus did in His earth walk.  John 14:12 (Amplified) says, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to My Father."
     The "greater thing" that Jesus spoke about is getting someone born again.  Jesus couldn't given the fullness of life in His earth walk, until after His death and resurrection.  It took Jesus' dying to give us life, but now that life has come, we can bring life to men who were spiritually dead men, by speaking God's Word.   Men could only be born again after Jesus' death and resurrection.  Now that we have this Life within us, we can bring sons into glory.
     The very Life we speak about when presenting Jesus to others, is the same Life we impart when laying hands on them.  It's the very nature of who we are now and the nature of the On e we represent in the "Gospel of His grace."  Healing is the impartation of Life into a body or spirit, that restores wholeness to the individual we're ministering to.