Calvin L Passmore
The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
Romans 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Being the power of God unto salvation also makes the gospel the power of God unto healing.
First, what is the gospel? This old testament prophesy tells us neatly what the gospel is….
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
That prophesy foretold Christ being made an atonement for our sins and that along with the remission of sins there would also be healing. This is fulfilled in Matthew chapter 8…
Matthew 8:16-17 (KJV) When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Notice that the fulfillment of the old testament prophesy that foretold our saviour and our salvation included healing along with Christ being bruised for us taking our sins. Matthew 8 is even more clear about this for it says that the healing that he did was the fulfillment of that prophesy even neatly restating the entire prophesy by simply saying
“Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses”
Reading this in both Isaiah and Matthew we see that salvation and healing are tied tightly together.
The Gospel is that Jesus took the sins of the world upon himself and that he was crucified in our place but it is also that he took our sickness. Therefore, if the gospel is the power of God unto salvation then by default it is also the power of God unto healing for, according to the above scriptures, healing and salvation are bound together.
The bible tells us over and over that healing is a part of conversion, therefore healing is a part of salvation. This is a theme that runs throughout the entire Bible as is also seen in these verses….
Isaiah 6:9-10 (KJV) And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Matthew 13:15 (KJV) For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
It says plainly that if they should be converted that he should heal them.
John 12:40 (KJV) He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Acts 28:27 (KJV) For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
So, we see this theme of conversion and healing, as God’s will for those that are his in not just the new testament but, also in the old testament, before the full manifestation of the gospel. If they would see their sin, repent and turn to God that he would heal them. In other words their conversion would bring with it healing from God….
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Exodus 15:26 (KJV) And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Even here it can be seen that:
1) We shouldn’t marvel at healing. We should expect it
2) Healing is for us because God glorified his son in whom he is well pleased
Acts 3:12-13 (KJV) And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
And in the next verse he tells them three things:
1) Why they are in a place spiritually where not only is healing has not been normal for them.
2) Why they don’t realize that healing and wholeness even exists
3) Why it should exist and why it should be matter-of-fact normal.
Acts 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
In other words, they suffer sickness and bondage because they denied Jesus who came that they might have life and life more abundantly and instead chose a murderer known to bring death among them.
The mindset that is behind these choices is why many today are unthinkingly, broken and sick and it is the cause that keeps them that way.
Yet this healing of the impotent man among them by the same glorified Jesus whom they denied is proof that even among deniers, the kingdom of heaven and all that it provides is always within reach. Only by faith. Not by man and not by works.
In the very next chapter, religious leaders were actually grieved at them teaching the resurrection of the dead through Jesus and laid hold of Peter and John.
Acts 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
Being filled with the Holy Ghost, Peter’s answer to them the following day was first, to bring together in one sentence, the healing of the impotent man with the life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
So these people denied Jesus who came to bring life, chose a murderer who brings death and in the very next chapter Peter and John were held and detained by the religious rulers of the day for preaching the resurrection from the dead of the very same Jesus that they denied and crucified. So blinded and shut up to the kingdom of heaven are they that after the healing and the preaching which five thousand people heard and believed they still questioned Peter and John asking them in verse 8 “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”
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There is something very important to be seen in this story starting at verse 12
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
What is very important for us today that should not be overlooked is that because of the undeniable miracle that had been done the leaders could not deny Peter’s words, which would include the statement that “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. True healing and other miracles are an important witnessing tools. It is amazing there are those that study the bible but don’t see that but they know that the antichrist will use counterfeit miracles deceive and control the entire earth.
Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Like anything else, If somebody calls something that you have access to worthless and tells you that you should give it to them you should find out what they want it for.
The devil wants you to believe miracles are worthless as a means to an end in ministry but he himself will use counterfeit miracles to deceive the whole world.
This is why the devil wants Christians and the Church to be impoverished and sick. Doing so says to the world that poverty and sickness are of God. Just use common sense. Even if you do not concur that a Christian should always be able to feed his family and help others when necessary, for that is what prosperity truly is, and if you don’t also believe that Christians should walk in Divine health, that does not change the natural fact that if Christians are impoverished and sick the world will believe that poverty and sickness or of God.
How does a person who is never able to feed his family witness to the man has to borrow money from?
Now be aware (or rather “beware”) that those who serve this present world system (those who’s profession of faith is false and those who’s profession of faith is not existent) would rather see you sick and die than to see you converted and healed.
- They will have something else take precedent over you being healed and whole….
Luke 13:10-17 (KJV) And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
- They will put a difference between the truth of God’s word and the lies that they prefer to accept as truth, and seek to separate those who walk in actual truth from mainstream religion. In their backward, demonic minds they will also think your death, often by their doing, is preferred by God and not your deliverance…..
John 16:2-3 (KJV) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Finally, even though Jesus said….
Luke 10:9 (KJV) And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
- they will use whatever means they can to block others from entering into the kingdom of heaven….
Matthew 23:13 (KJV) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Gospel In America 