Healing from God.

God promised the Jews health and healing in the Old Testament.

He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” Ex 15:26 NIV

This promise was not unconditional. The Jews had to obey all of God's commandments.

But then we come across an exception, Naaman.

Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2 Ki 5:1 NIV

He had a Hebrew slave girl. She was a young woman with a good heart. Jesus later taught that we must love our enemies, and she cared for her master who had enslaved her as a captive.

She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Ki 5:3 NIV

The general went to Israel to look for the prophet Elisha.

Elisha sent his servant to Naaman with instructions. The general was to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River.

This hurt the general's pride.

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 2 Ki 5:11–12 NIV

Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 2 Ki 5:13 NIV

The general thought again and went to the Jordan River. When he emerged from the water for the seventh time, he was completely well.

Naaman was a pagan and worshipped other gods, but God spoke through the prophet and he obeyed.

Today, many Muslims are healed supernaturally in the same way. Many convert only after their miraculous healing, and others never convert.

It was similar in the New Testament. Many received miraculous healings from Jesus, and not all repented of their sins.

Jesus lamented this tragedy. He loved his countrymen with all his heart. His heart was broken.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for you.” Mt 11:23–24 NIV 

In the New Testament, healing is an effect of the love of God, who loves everyone, and not a reward for virtue. Likewise, salvation and eternal life are a free gift from God.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 NIV

God promises in Psalm 103 that he will forgive all your trespasses. In the same verse in the same psalm, he promises to heal all your diseases.

He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. Ps 103:3 CSB

Some Christians think that the gift of miracle healings was only for the first apostles. But this misguided teaching is clearly contradicted in the New Testament.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Jas 5:14–15 NIV

What is truth?

 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him. Jn 18:38 NRSV

Christians have always argued about different understandings of the truth, but in the eyes of the outside world, this hardly looks comprehensible. Postmodern man asks today, as Pilate asked then: ``Truth, what is it?

In Europe, for more than a generation, people have been talking about ``your truth`` and ``my truth,`` but when people talk like this, they are no longer thinking of The Truth, but of each person’s subjective mindset or world view.

If you no longer understand what truth means, it can be a problem to communicate the truth of the Bible.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jn 14:6 NRSV

But what is truth? People ask in the 21st century.

Some Christians want to give up the battle for truth and focus only on love. The love of God can reach hungry hearts.

But the love of God is not just kindness and helpfulness.
In the Bible, we read: ``God is love.

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 1 Jn 4:16 NRSV

God is love, but not only loving. God is loving and also all-powerful.
Jesus loved people and healed the sick.

God's love is all-powerful. God's love is by no means just a theological statement of faith.
God loves and God acts. God intervenes to heal the sick, to encourage those in despair and to save lost people.

God can and will reveal Himself if we are willing not only to proclaim His truth but also to release His miracle-working power.

The truth is that God still acts supernaturally and intervenes in human lives as He did in Bible times.

When people see and experience this for themselves, many turn back and believe in the truth they have seen and experienced.

There is a multicultural church in Düsseldorf where the African pastor firmly believes in the truth of God's Word. But his faith does not only consist of theological convictions. He puts the word into practice.

In the New Testament, Jesus healed many sick people.

That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and cured all who were sick.
 
This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Mt 8:16–17 NRSV

We see many miraculous healings in this church.

What is the result? Hundreds of Muslims are converting to Jesus.

What is the truth?

There is only one God, the almighty Creator and the Father of Jesus Christ.

There is no other God. There is no other eternal reality.

There is no other way to God. We must experience and release the power and love of God.

Otherwise most of the people around us will be lost.

God Changes Bad People

There are terrible people who repent and God forgives them.

Hermann Zaiss was a very blessed German evangelist at the end of the war. As early as 1945, thousands and thousands of people from all regions of Germany and other countries came to his meetings.

Many gravely ill people were miraculously healed, but these were not the greatest miracles.  

There was a young soldier in the British army of occupation. He had a burning hatred of the German people.

His commander was a Canadian officer who looked upon this young man with Christian compassion because his uncontrollable bitterness was poisoning his own soul.

This young man was no monster. A Jewish child from Germany, he had found refuge in England, but his entire family was murdered by the Nazis.

The Canadian officer brought the emotionally wounded young soldier to the meeting where the German evangelist was preaching.

Also among the audience was another seriously injured man. He was a hardcore Nazi from the Waffen SS, a loyal disciple of the Führer.

In the last days of the war, he was hit by an artillery shell explosion.

When he woke up from a coma, he saw a black American nurse smiling at him with Christian compassion.

He no longer understood the world. One of his legs had been torn apart, and he was permanently crippled.

The helpless SS officer and the embittered young Jew listened to the sermon, saw the healings and felt the presence of God with his love and mercy.

Then their hearts became warm and soft. They turned to Jesus and testified of their experience.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NIV

Then the most amazing of all miracles took place. They became firm friends.

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 1 Jn 3:14 NIV

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Ro 5:1 NIV

Endtime Revival. Small beginnings.

What works did Jesus do before the cross?

• He worked miracles.

• He healed all kinds of diseases.

• He healed the blind and the deaf.

• He brought corpses back to life.

• He fed great crowds with a little bread.

• He walked on water.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. John 14:12–13 NLT

You read the Bible and you believe Jesus did all that. But where do you find greater works?

Moses struck a rock with his staff. Fresh water flowed from the rock, and two million Hebrews and their cattle had enough fresh water.

As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.

Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:15–16 NLT

Jesus said whoever believes in Him should continue his ministry in this way, and the apostles did, but not only the apostles. I am 72 and in my lifetime there are faithful Christians who have brought corpses back to life.

About 55 years ago, there was a great revival in West Timor in Indonesia. Local missionaries without theological training were raising dead bodies.

One day, two of these itinerant preachers were standing by a river that was in flood due to tropical rainstorms. They had to cross the river to preach in the village opposite, but they saw no way to get to the other side.

God gave them the spiritual gifts of faith so that they could perform a miracle that surpassed their own faith.

They put their feet in the river and walked on the water.

Like many other Christians, I am expecting the end-time revival where such miracles will happen all over the world, but I don't want to be just a spectator.

If Jesus has called us to follow in his footsteps, how can we start, right here and now?

First, we must recognise that Jesus did not use his own divine omnipotence to perform miracles.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 

but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5–7 NIV84

Jesus renounced his divine omnipotence and omniscience so that he could be our example as a human being.

Moses and Elijah were also human. Moses released God's great power through his faith, and so did Elijah.

Jesus acted in the same way as the great prophets who were ordinary human beings who, with the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, released God's miraculous power through faith.

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 NLT

So how can we begin to function in this supernatural realm?

If you want to climb a huge mountain, you should start with a hill.

If you have a headache, you can put your hand on your forehead and release God's peace and healing.

Jesus himself taught that we can start small.

Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.

It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” Matthew 13:31–32 NLT

 

Don't Limit God!

 A woman had lost her sight. Her eyes were badly injured, and no doctor could help her. She went to a church service where the preacher prayed for healing.

She began to see again and was thrilled, but when she shared her miraculous news with her family, they would not believe, even though they clearly observed how she could see.

Then she began to doubt herself and after a short time she was blind again.

God wants to bless us incredibly, but often we don't want to believe it. A negative thought is firmly rooted in our mindset.

"It's too good to be true." With this thought, we often block the wonderful gifts God wants to give us.

After Jesus died on the cross, the disciples were traumatised. They had believed that Jesus as Messiah would free Israel from Roman occupation, and then he had died.

It was apparently too good to be true. The time for Israel had not yet come, but God had even better plans for his disciples.

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. 

And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:6–8 NLT

Thank God the disciples believed. We read in Acts how the disciples ministered with the same miracle-working power as Jesus himself before his death on the cross.

Then we see in Mark's Gospel how Jesus empowered his disciples to continue his miracle-working ministry. Was this only for the apostles? No. It was for all who believed.

These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.

They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” Mk 16:17–18 NLT

But some Christians do not want to believe that this promise still applies to our time.

Some doubt whether this passage really belongs to the Gospel of Mark, because it may not have been written by Mark himself.

It is possible that Mark did not write this last passage. So what!
The first five books of the Bible are attributed to the authorship of Moses himself, but the last chapter of Deuteronomy was obviously not written by Moses.

So Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, just as the LORD had said. Deuteronomy 34:5 NLT

When I read this verse, I burst into tears. This is not normal for me. The Holy Spirit communicated to me in this way how God Himself felt when Moses had to die. He wanted to bless Moses much more.

Then I heard the voice of God as a clear but inaudible thought.

"Please don't limit God."

Please open your heart to many more blessings and miracles from God.

The gut wrenching compassion of Jesus

 Why did Jesus heal every person who asked to be healed? Jesus healed out of deep compassion.

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 NKJV

How are we to understand Jesus' deep compassion? In the original Greek text the word is ``splagchnisthḗsomai''. 

What does it mean? In a word, gut-wrenching.

The suffering of the sick aroused such compassion in Jesus that his stomach turned.

When I was young I studied German literature at university. In my final year I had to study a drama based on the tortures of victims in the Auschwitz concentration camp. I was so distressed, that for some time after I finished my degree I didn’t want to read German any more.

God is deeply distressed when he sees human suffering, and he wants to do something about it.

Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him. Matthew 20:34 NASB95

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”
Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. Mark 1:40–42 NLT

God is love. Jesus came as the Son of God to reveal God's character.

God never changes.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NLT

If you or someone you love is seriously ill and suffering, Jesus is moved with deep compassion.

Don't be misled by cold theological theories.

Jesus wants to heal you.

Healing. A Faith Journey.

You probably like some movies or novels a lot. When you see or read the happy ending, it makes you happy.

But imagine if you only saw the last fifteen minutes of your favourite movie, would you still love the movie?

If you only read the last chapter of your favourite book, how would you like it?
We love humour, uncertainty and adventure.

But in your own life, you'd often like just the happy ending.

In September 2018, I had a blood test. The GP said my prostate might not be in order. I had to see a urologist. I had an MRI scan and it showed two tumours. I prayed intensely for healing. Please no cancer!

On the way to the hospital for a biopsy, I prayed for healing and believed God answered.

You can well understand that the biopsy finding was a shock. Cancer!

"Dear God, I don't understand you anymore. I believed you would heal me and now you let this happen? How can this be?"

I was totally baffled. I didn't want to have radiation therapy. The side effects can be very distasteful.

Then I went for a walk. The presence of God came upon me like a comforting cloud full of peace.

I heard the voice of God in my thoughts. "I have allowed this to happen to give you a testimony."

I kept having blood tests. I was ready to have radiation therapy if the blood tests were alarming, but after a few months the blood tests findings got better and better.

Excitement and adventure are all well and good in a book or film, but your own body is no fun.

I attended several church services where they prayed for the sick. I always felt strong encouragement from the Holy Spirit.

I expected the malignant tumours to disappear. My blood tests were still good.

More than a year passed and I visited the urologist again. I asked for a second biopsy and I expected healing.

I believed God, but I was partly disappointed. The most dangerous tumour was gone, but there were still two small and not so dangerous tumours.

I waited a few more months until I was allowed to have a second MRI scan. Then finally came the result I was expecting. The tumours had completely disappeared.

If the happy ending doesn't come right away, please don't give up.

Your story is his glory. Your story glorifies the Lord.
A quick happy ending may not be the best outcome.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NRSV

And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 

and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:3–5 NRSV

Then came a slight disappointment. In 2025 a biopsy showed the tumours were still there, but there had been no growth or progression in 4 years! 

The specialist said no treatment was needed and he was optimistic I would never need treatment. God helps us in strange ways.

God keeps His Promises

When I woke up this morning, I heard an old song in my mind. It came from the Holy Spirit.

Every promise in the book is mine
Every chapter, every verse and every line
All are blessings of His love divine
Every promise in the book is mine

When I turned on my computer, I opened a document where I had collected promises from God.

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NKJV

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:5 NIV84

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Psalm 103:2–3 NIV84

When I was diagnosed with cancer in October 2018, I was devastated. I prayed and asked God if I should have radiotherapy as the specialist advised.

As I went for a walk with God, the presence of God came tangibly over me like an invisible cloud. I felt an overwhelming peace. I knew God wanted to heal me Himself.

I didn't want to be a pious fanatic. I was careful and had regular blood tests. Fourteen months later I was allowed to have a second biopsy. The most dangerous tumour was no longer to be found.

In September 2020, I had a second MRI scan. The tumour had completely disappeared.

If we only trust in spiritual experiences and feelings, we can be wrong, but when God's Spirit speaks clearly to you and confirms the promises of God, you can trust God for a miracle.

But it can also be dangerous if you try to believe all by yourself.

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:14–15 NIV84

One Sunday I was in church. The pastor was preaching about Divine healing. He called all the sick to come forward and anointed us with oil. God confirmed his promise.

Don’t stay alone in your sickness. Seek first the loving presence of God. Hold fast to his promises. Seek out Christians who believe with you.

There are many Christians who think only humanly.

God promises in the Bible, but they say like the serpent in the garden, "Did God say that?"

If your church leaders think like this, you should seek help elsewhere.

#Near Death Experience.

Yegor was a young Russian communist sent to America on a secret mission. He was tantalised by the freedom in the US, and he wanted to defect, but he was so naïve that he made his intention known.

That was his death sentence. He was poisoned by a KGB agent. A few hours later his body was in a refrigerator in a hospital, but his mind was wide awake. 

He was amazed. He was dead, but he was still alive and conscious. As a communist, he did not believe in an afterlife.

For two days he was freed from his body and could reconsider the reality of his life, but then things got really serious. He was enveloped in deep loneliness and darkness. He knew he was on his way to hell.

"Jesus Christ, if you really exist, please, please take me away from here. Forgive me for all my sins, forgive me for never believing in you, but please, please take me away from here!"

I put my last spark of hope into that prayer, and at the very moment I uttered the last word, the miracle happened: I saw in that pitch-black darkness a small, brilliant light.

Toscani, Gabriel. And then there was light: 35 people, all clinically dead, tell what they saw and experienced "on the other side". Some were in paradise, others in hell. (German Edition) . Kindle Edition.

Jesus revealed himself as a Radiant Light but also as a Loving Presence. Jegor had never experienced such love.

"After two days they took me out of the refrigerator and after another twelve hours they wanted to start the autopsy. Just as the doctor was about to apply the scalpel and make an incision in my chest, I opened my eyes."

Toscani, Gabriel. And then there was light:  (German Edition) . Kindle Edition.

He had to stay in hospital for another nine months. Without the intensive care and God's healing power, he would not have survived.

Only later did he fully understand that it was actually Jesus who had answered his prayer.

It is exactly as it says in the Bible: 

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6.

I am convinced from the bottom of my heart that what it says is true.

Toscani, Gabriel. And then there was light:  (German Edition) . Kindle Edition.

*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

I write blogs in English and German. I often use this excellent free software. It makes my work a lot quicker and easier. I originally write this article in German. I recommend this software. It is better than the translator apps provided by Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter.

I edited this English version, but the software is so good, that I didn't need to make many changes.

The Women also Spoke

On the day of Pentecost, 50 days after the cross, 120 disciples of Jesus were dramatically filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter was no longer the coward who denied Jesus. He stood up fearlessly and spoke words of power to the crowd. 

These words of power and life were the Keys to the Kingdom. They opened the door of salvation to 2000 hearers that day.

The prophetic words of Jesus were fulfilled.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth when ill be loosed in heaven." Mt 16:19 NKJ
 
When God gives words of grace and truth, they are words of life to any and all who will receive them.
 
But was it only Peter who spoke God’s life giving words that day?

There were 120 disciples who spoke words from God to the crowd that day. They spoke in languages they had never learned and the hearers from many nations understood God’s message in their own languages.

Who were these 120 disciples? Where they only men who were ordained to preach?
Peter clearly dismisses this idea.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  Acts 2:17 NKJ

So did the women also declare the Gospel in a public meeting?

In Acts chapter one, we have clear confirmation of Peter’s revolutionary words, although they were not Peter’s words, but the words of the Holy Spirit quoted from the prophet Joel.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.  Acts 1:14 NKJ
 
Yes. The women were also there. The 120 disciples included women. The women also spoke to the crowd with the authority of the Holy Spirit.

What do keys do? They lock and unlock doors.

The words of Peter and the other 119 male and female disciples unlocked the door of salvation and locked the door of condemnation for all who believed and received their message.

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth when ill be loosed in heaven." Mt 16:19 NKJ

Locking and unlocking is another way of saying binding and loosing.
 
Jesus gave his disciples the Keys of the Kingdom, Keys, not just one key.

Keys represent God given authority. 

Words of inspired preaching, teaching, prophesying and testimony are all keys that open the doors for God to reach people with his goodness and power.

So who has the authority to bind and loose, or to lock and unlock?

• Only Peter? Clearly no.
• Only the apostles? No.
• Only ordained preachers? No.
• Only men? No.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.
Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them." Mt 18:18-20 CSB17

Where two or three male or female disciples are together in unity and agreement, their words of faith and believing prayer can bind or loose, can lock or unlock spiritual doors.

Judgement. A Dangerous Business

Discernment. Tread Carefully.

Some Christians are quick to judge. This is a dangerous business.

Many Christians are afraid of being taken in by falsehood, but in their zeal, they themselves may judge falsely.

Zealous but mistaken judgement may be just as dangerous as the influence of misguided ministry.

Paul was in his day a radical Charismatic. His critics were zealous for a more conservative interpretation of the Word of God. What did Paul write about them?

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— Gal 3:1-5

There is no such thing as new truth, because Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.”

God’s truth is eternal and unchanging, but He has sent His Spirit to lead us into all truth.

The conservative bible believers in Paul’s day included Pharisees who rejected Jesus. However, there were also conservative bible believers who accepted Jesus but who rejected Paul’s revelation that we are not to live under the Law of Moses.

Paul’s radical teaching was attacked as heresy by sincere Bible believers who said it was new truth and therefore false truth, that is, falsehood.

When we see ministry today which goes outside of our mainstream evangelical understanding of the Bible, there are some who go to one extreme by abandoning their fundamental biblical foundation. 

A good example is the people who like getting drunk in the spirit and have become universalists. They say God is so sweet and lovely, that he could not possibly condemn anyone to eternal punishment.

There are others who react in the opposite way. If they see strange or unfamiliar behaviour or teaching, they immediately assume it is demonic.

Gullible acceptance of every dramatic experience is dangerous. It is dangerous to assume every dramatic manifestation is from God. However, it is also dangerous to assume it is from the enemy.

Judgement based on assumptions is not genuine discernment at all, even if you back up your assumptions with bible quotes.

Consider these Bible stories.

Hosea the prophet said God told him to marry a prostitute. This was surely a violation of biblical principles. God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments are called to separate themselves from intimate fellowship with sinners. If a preacher today did this, would he not be condemned by a chorus of zealous bible believers?

This is an extreme example which shows how dangerous it is to rush to judgement based on preconceived assumptions, even when supported by detailed bible knowledge.

If zealous heresy hunters today studied the life of King Solomon, would they accept his writings as divinely inspired? I am quite sure many would not. What about the sensuous Song of Songs? Was this inspired by the Holy Spirit or by Solomon’s well known extreme desire for women?

Of course, we accept it as Scripture because it is in the bible, but how many of us would have agreed to include it in the bible if we were assessing which texts should be accepted as the Word of God?

What about Samson?

Surely his supernatural feats were manifestations of witchcraft! He was a man of evil character, a man who freely indulged himself with prostitutes and dishonest idol worshipping women.

Didn’t Jesus say: “By their fruits you shall know them.” What fruits of righteousness can we see in the life of Samson?

But the bible tells us that his supernatural strength came from God and that throughout his life, Samson performed supernatural feats by the power of God.

How does that fit in with the mindset of some modern heresy hunters?

Jesus Feels Your Pain

True compassion is an intense mixture of love and hate. Jesus had that kind of compassion. He loved people with an incomparable love, and at the same time He hated the circumstances in which they were trapped.
Hunter, Joan. Healing the Whole Person

If you truly love people, you will really hate disease. If you truly hate sickness as Jesus did, you will believe in God's healing power.

God really loves you. So how does He feel about you when you are sick?
 
People have different theories about it.

(The love of God) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor 13:7 (NKJV)

How are we to understand this?

``The love of God endures and tolerates illness. 
or
``The love of God believes in healing because God loves us and therefore hates our sickness.``

Jesus is our role model. What do we learn from Jesus in his ministry before the cross?

Jesus did not tell any sick person: ``I do not want to heal you because you have to learn holy patience in your illness.``

Jesus never said: ``God has chosen only some sick people to get healed and you are not one of the chosen ones.``

When we study the ministry of Jesus, we see that Jesus never rejected a sick or handicapped person seeking healing.

When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
 
This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." Mt 8:16 (NIV)
Jesus took our weaknesses upon Himself by renouncing His eternal divine omnipotence for a while. He became a weak baby and took our human limitations upon himself.
 
He took our illnesses upon himself by feeling such painful compassion.

But Mt 8:17 is a quotation from the Old Testament.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
 
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV)
These verses in Isaiah prophetically point to the cross, where Jesus took our sins upon Himself and suffered our punishment in our place.

If we look closely at the text, we see that Jesus took on not only our sins but also our sicknesses on the cross.

Why did Jesus take away not only our sins but also our sicknesses on the cross?

Because sickness came into the world through sin.
 
Therefore, Jesus wanted to abolish not only sin, but everything that is connected with sin: shame, guilt, inferiority, blindness, all kinds of handicaps and all kinds of diseases.

When Peter first proclaimed the non-Jew, he summarised Jesus' ministry with these words:

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT2)

Here we see that God not only hates disease. Disease here is equated with oppression by the devil.

If you are depressed, mentally disturbed or ill, God himself feels your pain.

God sent his son into the world to give you a new life.

He carried your sin, your shame, your guilt, your pain and your sickness on the cross.

God has a Special Place just for You.

Captain Dale Black was a pilot who died in a plane crash.

The plane broke apart ... Only Dale survived, somehow...

“Suddenly I was thrown into the air and hovered over my shattered body...

Two angel escorts accompanied me, dressed in seamless white robes woven from silver threads.''
After God sent him back to his body and his earthly life, he told what had happened to him. He tried to describe what he had experienced and seen in heaven.

Each house was custom-made and unique and yet all together looked very harmonious. Some had three or four floors, others were even higher. "No two houses were alike.

Burke, John. This is what heaven is like: near-death experiences, God's promises, and the extraordinary future that awaits you (English Edition) . Kindle Edition.

Just before his death on the cross, Jesus wanted to encourage his disciples.
 
 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

The House of the Heavenly Father is the City of God in heaven. If you trust Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you have a new and eternal citizenship. Your home is God's heaven. God has prepared a house for you, your own house.

Have you ever been to a church service and it started to get boring.
Then you start to wonder whether heaven will be just one endless church service. A depressing thought.

But if heaven is just one long church service, why will we need houses?

In God's heaven everything is indescribably beautiful, the trees, the flowers, the music and also the houses.

In Heaven we will worship God with lovely songs.

The apostle Paul was stoned to death. Then he stood up and walked away, not only alive but miraculously healed.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 2 Cor 12:2 (NKJV)
 

From the context of the passage we understand that Paul was most likely telling about his own experience.


… he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 2 Cor 12:4
 
A well-known preacher in our time also had the privilege of looking into God's heaven.

Was it in a vision, a dream or did he leave his body like the pilot after the plane crash? I don't know. God has different ways to bless his children.

Many people who have somehow visited heaven tell about the overwhelmingly beautiful music.

This preacher told how a large crowd sang worship songs in heaven. The songs were in perfect harmony, but as he listened  he found that everyone was singing their favourite music.
You could distinguish all kinds of musical styles and traditions, but the harmony was perfect.

Once I was in a wonderfully blessed meeting in Germany. The presence of God was amazing. Some people saw a heavenly white cloud in the room. I could feel it but not see it. Later, this heavenly cloud was clearly visible in digital photos.

Two men started to play the guitar in the style of 1960's rock music and we sang together and felt God's blessing. 

I started singing, but my song was in classical style, someone said like a Jewish cantor, but my song fitted perfectly with the harmony and rhythm of the rock song.

When you experience oppressive conformism in church, it's not from God.

Paul explained how God distributes different gifts to his children.

If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 1 Cor 12:15-16 (NKJV)

God created you unique. You are you.