Open Heavens 2012-3 December-SIN AND HEALTH

Pst. E.A. Adeboye 3 December

SIN AND HEALTH

Memorise: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  James 5:16

Read: James 5:13-16

God gives power to the faint according to Isaiah 40:31. This shows that, He is ready not only to share His health and fame but also His power. Many times, as a result of fasting, my whole body will be weak. But the moment I stand behind the altar and take up the microphone, strength comes. All He wants you to do is to stay connected to Him as your Source. What do you do to be healthy? Psalms 107:17-19 says afflictions come on fools because of their iniquities. God wants you in perfect health so if you fall sick, it cannot be God. Sometimes, sickness is as a result of sin. According to 1 Peter 2:24; in such instances, God would first forgive your sins before healing you. This simply shows one is more important to God than the other. If you are sick, all that matters to you is regaining your health but God sees beyond your physical need; He sees the need of your soul; hence if you are not yet saved, He would prefer you got saved before healing you. Furthermore, after you are born again, since He has already come inside of you, it becomes easier to chase out sickness from the inside than when the devil is still in charge of the government of your life.

A classic case study on this is recorded in Mark 2:1-12 where a man sick of the palsy was brought to Him. Because He could see that the man was in need of salvation, He first forgave his sins before healing him. It is only unfortunate that sometimes instead of looking inwards when we are sick, we look for somebody or some demon to hold responsible. If only we can admit our mistakes like eating the wrong food, not taking enough rest, entertaining worries, not doing exercises or harbouring hurts, un-forgiveness and bitterness, etc., we will be able to know how to stop most sicknesses. If you admit your faults and confess them to Him, He will not only forgive you, He will also heal you (James 5:16), What are you doing that is currently keeping you sick? Stop it. If it is your diet, change it. If it is secret sin, confess and forsake it.

PRAYER POINTS

Using 3 John 2, pray that God will heal and prosper your spirit, soul and body. Pray also that every effort you make will be prospered.