REAL ISSUE: ‘Are you sick because God is punishing you, trying to teach you something, or because its His will?’
Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’
John 5:5,6 , New King James Version
RESEARCH AND STUDY
Do you want to be made well? Then the first thing you must do is settle it in your heart that it is GOD’S WILL for you to be healed and be made well. I know that seems a bit elementary, but many believe God is punishing them and that’s why their sick. Others think He’s trying to teach them something. Some are even convinced that it’s God’s will, that He wants them to be sick.
Let’s jus think about that for a minute. If He’s punishing you, then when is the punishment up - when you get healed? Well, what if you get healed and do the same thing you did that you thought He was punishing you for in the first place? Does that mean you’re supposed to be sick for the rest of your life?
Okay then well if He’s teaching you something, then what did you learn? I’ve even heard some preachers teach that sickness is a good teacher. But the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is our teacher (John 14:26); so is the Holy Spirit supposed to teach us how to be sick?
If it’s God’s will for you to be sick, then why are you taking medicine and going to the doctor trying to get better? If it’s His will that you be sick, stay sick. Stop taking those prescriptions and going to the doctor and sit down some where and stay sick for Jesus!
But if in fact God ISN’T punishing you or trying to teach you something and that it’s NOT His will that you be sick, then, you’re going to have to make up your mind and settle that issue in your heart. Because if you continue to believe that it is God’s will for you to be sick and you’re taking medication at the same time, then you’re disobedient and once again, by default, need to be punished with more sickness.
So what is God’s will? God’s will is in His Word and His Word says in Isaiah 53:5 that, ‘…He was wounded for [YOUR] transgressions, He was bruised for [YOUR] iniquities; the chastisement for [YOUR] peace was upon Him, and by His stripes [YOU] ARE HEALED.’ That’s God’s will. PERIOD.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
Re-read this issue a few more times if you’re sick. Pray and ask God to reveal His will for you – in the Word! Go over Isaiah 53:5 and insert your name or the word ‘my’. “But He was wounded my Staci’s trangressions. He was bruised for my…’ Make it personal. Look up the words transgressions, iniquities, chastisement.
RESOURCES
Copyright 2011 © Real Issues Ministries®. All rights reserved.
Comments