What is God's Will?

Today's Bible Reading:  Numbers 33:40-35:34, Luke 5:12-28, Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23

We need to set something up today before talking about our scriptures:

Many people in the Body of Christ believe that God will heal them someday when He is ready.  Many of them pray "Lord, I know when I'm ready, you will heal me.", or "Lord, please heal me... if it is your will.  I only want your will to be done in my life.".  

Some even believe that they have a "thorn in the flesh" and that God uses that thorn to keep them humble.  This idea comes from 2 Corinthians 12:7 - And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Remember that Paul prayed three times that the Thorn in the Flesh would be removed and Jesus said in verse 8 "My grace is sufficient...".  

So people will make the mistake of thinking that their sickness comes from God, because they too have received an "Abundance of Revelations", and that He is keeping them humble.  I hope you can see the pride in this attitude.  I have pulled an a story out of Smith Wigglesworth's Book "Ever Increasing Faith" that can reveal alot to us about this issue:

 I visited a woman who had been suffering for many years. She was all twisted up with rheumatism and had been two years in bed. I said to her, “What makes you lie here?” She said, “I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a thorn in the flesh.” I said, “To what wonderful degree of righteousness have you attained that you have to have a thorn in the flesh? Have you had such an abundance of divine revelations that there is danger of your being exalted above measure?” She said, “I believe it is the Lord who is causing me to suffer.” I said, “You believe it is the Lord’s will for you to suffer, and you are trying to get out of it as quickly as you can. There are doctor’s bottles all over the place. Get out of your hiding place and confess that you are a sinner. If you’ll get rid of your self-righteousness, God will do something for you. Drop the idea that you are so holy that God has got to afflict you. Sin is the cause of your sickness and not righteousness. Disease is not caused by righteousness, but by sin.”

No, its not always because of sin that people get sick.  He was operating in the Gift of Knowledge here and we have no business accusing people when they get sick.  

There are two points that I want to pull from today's reading:

1.  What is the "Thorn in the Flesh"?

2.  What is Gods will on the topic of Healing?

1.  The Thorn in The Flesh

In today's reading in Numbers 33:50-54 God tells Moses that when they attack Canaan, that they need to drive out ALL THE INHABITANTS of that land.  Destroy Everything.  Leave nothing, and if they obey, then they will possess the land and be able to give an inheritance to many generations.  But if they do not...

Numbers 33:55 - But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 

In the Bible, the Thorn in the Flesh is ALWAYS a person, or someone being used by our enemy.  Look at 2 Corinthians 12:7 again.  He says it is a "Messenger of Satan".  God will never send you a messenger from Satan.  Look at 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, this is the "Buffeting" a continual "throwing blows" over and over again.  This is the work of Satan because Paul has received these revelations and he is sharing them and spreading the Gospel.

See Joshua 23:13, Judges 2:3, & Ezekiel 28:24 - ALWAYS a person or personality.  NEVER sickness.

2.  God's Will in Healing

Let's look at our scriptures in Luke 5:12-13:

12  And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13  And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 

It is clear over & over & over again in God's Word that He wants us to be healthy. Jesus didn't go through all of that so you could remain sick. Look at Romans 8:32 -  

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

You may ask, "Well, then why am I always sick?"  Look at your question!!!  You say "I'm always sick." or "Every year I get the Flu" or "Everyone in my family has high blood pressure and heart disease, so I guess I will too."  What did Jesus say?

Mark 11:23 - ...but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 

What you are saying over and over and over is going to happen.  Lets change the way we talk.

Instead, lets say what God's Word says.  Remember it has Power, especially when we speak it!!!

"I am the Healed of The Lord"

"God sent His Word and Healed me"

"It was by Jesus' Stripes that I WAS healed"

"No Weapon formed against me shall prosper"

"Christ has redeemed from the Curse of the Law"

You are a Child of God, you have a new Bloodline!  Tell the mountain (sickness) to leave.

Pastor Luke Willis