Recently I've had a number of people tell me that the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a "Health and Wealth" gospel. Indeed to them the very idea of associating "Health and Wealth" with Jesus was abhorent!

Now it would make sense if the claim had been made that the gospel was "only" about "Health and Wealth", but many believe that the gospel does include these things for believers whose priority is the kingdom of God!

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:33.
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

These things being food, shelter, money, clothing, etc. As someone also has said, "If Jesus was rich, why do I have to be poor?"

Now that counter statement made me think, Is "Health and Wealth" included in the gospel? For instance, what was the overall status of Jesus and the disciples? Wouldn't this be a good guide?

Let's look first at the group dynamic. What financial offices did they have?

Well, the first thing that we notice is that the group had a full-time treasurer!

John 13:29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. (NLT)

This passage tells us that the group had sufficient funds that they had appointed someone (Judas) to be their treasurer! These could not be poor people!

Another thing to note is that on this occasion the group had the thought, when Judas went out, that he was going to give some money to the poor. Now for this to spring to mind as a top option it must have been something done on a regular basis!

Are the poor regularly sending their treasurers out to give money to other poor people? This is not something that I have noticed!

Judas seems not to personally have been rich because he stole and was prepared to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, but this is hardly a great recommendation for being a poor follower of Jesus!

Now, let's take a look at some of the other people that Jesus brought in as His disciples.

Mar 1:16-20 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men". And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

These four disciples were all fishermen but, they were not just hired hands. These four owned fishing busineses. They owned their own fishing boats (plural!). James and John were in a big enough business that they had hired hands working for them! They were not poor by any means. They had money from their ongoing businesses and could go back to them at any time. In fact they did when Jesus was killed!

So we see from this first look at Jesus and the disciples that they were not generally poor and sick but quite the opposite! This being the case perhaps we should look at what one disciple, John, said about this subject...

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

I want you to notice that John, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells believers that he prays that all manner of prosperity and health should be theirs in the same way that their soul is prospering. Is that not "Health and Wealth"?

One therefore, wonders why anyone would think that Jesus would live one life with His disciples and then expect us to live the opposite today!

He doesn't! God wants to bring wealth to His people so that they can be a blessing to others. He says so all through our manual (the bible). As another scripture tells us in Proverbs 10:22...

Prov 10:22 The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

The blessing is not money. The blessing is the favour of God. We are not to love money but realize that money is useful to serve God and further the kingdom. The gospel is preached in the world through the use of money. Money/wealth is neither good nor bad of itself - it's neutral. If you only want enough so that you are comfortable though, then perhaps you see less far than God does; God sees further than Himself and wants us to do so as well!

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because of which He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to bring deliverance to the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Jesus came to bring good news to the poor and to deliver them from oppression. Staying poor is not good news! Staying sick is not good news! Poverty is not a blessing, it's a curse (Deu 28:15-68); and sickness is oppression by the devil (Act 10:38).

So we find Jesus saying this...

Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Notice that the good news is not only about what you will receive in the age to come. It applies to this age also.

And, God blesses His people so that they can be a blessing to others, I believe, just as He did Abraham, whose covenant we share.

Perhaps we can take another look now at the group dynamic. Did any of them have a financial background?

Well, one thing that we notice is that one of the group had previously been a tax collector!

Mat 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

This passage tells us that Matthew, one of Jesus' disciples had been a tax collector!

These people grew rich from the money they extracted from the people to pay taxes to Rome while including a healthy cut for themselves!

So like Zacchaeus another tax collector Jesus 'discipled', Matthew would likely have been very rich indeed. And there's no mention of him giving it all to the poor!

Of course we don't know all the disciple's occupations so we don't know how rich they all were but another incident in their lives shows us what they thought of themselves.

Mat 19:23-25 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”

Did you notice the disciple's reaction? They said, "Who then can be saved?" They were astonished! If they had considered themselves amongst the poor Jesus' statement would not have been a problem to them! It might be tough on the rich but they would be OK! But, since they exclaimed, "Then who can be saved?", it shows that they placed themselves in the camp of the rich!

With that in mind, let's consider what God says about His attitude towards His people being wealthy. God is the same always, so Old Testament scriptures should be a good place to start.

Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant(s)."

So God delights in the prosperity of His people! From what some people say one would not get that impression! But it's always a good idea to believe what God says about Himself in His word, rather that what others say about Him!

So we see from this second look at Jesus and the disciples and also at God's attitude, that they were not poor and that God loves it when His people have excess money to help the poor!

Pro 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed.

God wants us to use money wisely as He would guide, but money is neutral and greedy, money-grabbing people can be poor as well as rich!

One therefore, at second glance, wonders why anyone would think that Jesus with His disciples and God's people under the Old Covenant like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and Solomon can be rich to be a blessing to others, and then expect Jesus' disciples today to live poor thinking only of themselves!

The secular world has been given the idea that poverty is piety and this idea has entered the church also. As a result Christians themselves limit what God would like to do through them! This is not new though. Have a look at Psalm 78, verse 41 regarding the children of Israel in the wilderness.

Psa 78:41 Yes, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

So we can limit God by turning back from receiving His blessing through believing criticism and evil reports, or by accepting the world's mindset that physical blessing are for those in Satan's world and God's people are supposed to be poor!

That's not how God thinks though! He wishes that His people prosper in all areas of life and be in health - just as our souls are prospering. We should remember that "sozo" the greek word translated as 'save' in the new testament has the full meaning of - "save, heal, deliver, make whole, rescue, and prosper".

I can imagine that some would think that not all the meanings may apply! Well, God could have used a word which limited the meaning to one facet only but He didn't. But it may be more interesting to see biblical info on how money was used and whether God's people were given riches by God.

Let's look next on what things Jesus and the disciples spent their money. What about clothing?

Mat 27:35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for His (Jesus') clothes by throwing dice.

Joh 19:23-24 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, "Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it".

Jesus' cothes were of such quality that the Roman Soldiers did not give them away, or cut them up, or throw them away, but rather they gambled to see who would get what, especially His robe which was woven without a seam!

We are not talking about cut price, low budget clothing here!

Now how did Jesus and the disciples become rich? We know that Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father doing. So what does the Father do regarding finances?

Deu 8:18 Always remember that it is the LORD your God who gives YOU power to become rich, and He does it to fulfill the covenant He made with your ancestors

So did you notice that God says HE gives YOU the POWER to become rich! And, this is in fulfillment of His promises! This is under the old covenant and we are under a better covenant! So should we believe what God says or what men say? I pick God!

Now what does God mean by the "power" that He gives us?

One acronym that is used to describe this power is :-
P: Plans & Ideas.
O: Organisation & Opportunity.
W: Work Ethic.
E: Enthusiasm.
R: Rewards.

And, the scriptures tell us that God delights when we use the power He gives us to gain wealth and use it to bless others. Just as Abraham before us who was blessed to be a blessing to others so God blesses us with the power to become rich so that we can be a blessing to others.

Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor My vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant(s)."

Does God really delight in the prosperity of His servants? Well what was Abraham's situation for instance regarding prosperity/wealth?

Gen 13:2 And Abram (Abraham) was very rich; in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Abraham wasn't just rich, he was VERY rich! And this is not talking about spiritual wealth; it's talking about cattle, silver and gold. So God does delight in the prosperity of His people! From what some people say one would not get that impression! But it's always a good idea to believe what God says about Himself in His word, rather that what others say about Him!

Seeing all this, one wonders why anyone would think that Jesus would live one kind of life with His disciples and treat 'bible time' believers one way and then expect us to live the opposite today? He doesn't!

Now if someone's character is such that the only way they feel that they can follow God is if they are poor then they have to live with that mindset but that does not mean that 'God' wants all people to live that way!

God wants His peopple to be blessed like He blessed Abraham.

Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

We have the choice of using the power God gives, to the extent our faith allows. It's up to us. God is not a respecter of persons.

So, are you beginning to think that "Health and Wealth" could be included in the gospel, or not? Which is true and what did Jesus tell us about using money?

Let's look at a parable of Jesus in the book of Luke.

Luk 16:1-9 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’

So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

We see first of all that this servant although he had stolen a lot of money had not used any of it to support his future. It was all blown on fast living and expensive toys! He had nothing to fall back on when things turned against him. He was not wise!

Then he set up provision for his future by giving his master's creditors smaller bills that they should have! He was now using his head to secure his future!

Jesus tells us that the master commended him for doing this. Not for stealing of course! He commended him for being wise/shrewd enough now to use money to build a future. This is the wisest use to which we can put money.

And Jesus' own comment on the parable is this, "Use your own wealth to make friends so that when it fails they will receive you into eternal dwellings.

This suggests, to me at least, that it would be good to have some 'unrighteous wealth' to use in this way!

So (my interpretation) we should use our wealth to help those coming into the kingdom so that when we die (money fails to be of use) we will be welcomed (given a guard of honour or be met by those we helped) as we rise into the kingdom of God.

Either way, that is Jesus' comment or my interpretation, it's good to have wealth and be wise enough to use it in this life to build a future in the age to come!

But some might say, "Didn't Jesus tell the rich young man to sell all that he had and give to the poor"? This is in Matthew 19:21.

Mat 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Now we should notice that Jesus did not say 'give it ALL to the poor'! He said 'give to the poor'! Under the law one had to give a proportion of what one had to help the poor and including tithing this was a max of 30%. So Jesus' request was for the young man to give up 30% of his holdings and he couldn't do it! But what God wants is people who will help others out of the wealth that He gives them power to obtain. And note that this is another occasion when Jesus tells us using our wealth in this way will build up our treasures in heaven!

This would be why God delights in the prosperity of His servants. He knows how we can use that wealth wisely! Though we have to see things from God's point of view not through the eyes of men who impute a false piety on being poor. Poverty does not bring piety! In fact the 'poor' can be just as money-grabbing and greedy as the rich!

Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant(s)."

So if Jesus and God the Father see good uses for wealth in this life and delighted in His people of old having it, one wonders why some would think that Jesus would want us to live in poverty under the new covenant?

As you can see from Jesus' parables and words, He doesn't! God is not a respecter of persons.

So maybe that's OK for ordinary individuals but you may be thinking what about people who have ministries, or tele-evangelists, or missionarys and others who are "preaching the gospel"? Should "ministers" such as these be making requests for rich people to contribute to the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus?

Let's look at some of the people who supported Jesus as He proclaimed the gospel.

Luk 8:2-3 And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.’

I want you to notice, "Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's housold manager", was only one of the women, and presumably men also, who supported Jesus' ministry out of their means!

The life and times of Jesus' day being what they were, it is very unlikely that Joanna had a huge income independent of her husband from which she could suport Jesus without her husband's knowledge.

The passage also tells us that she was one for whom Jesus had performed a great health miracle. This would not have gone un-noticed by her husband who must therefore have acquiesed to her support of Jesus even though he was high up in Herod's court.

So we see that rich people were financially supporting Jesus in His earthly ministry from their means. It's not unreasonable then that His ministry would need a full time treasurer and that would explain why Judas was appointed.

So if Jesus and God the Father can use the support of wealthy people to advance the preaching of the Gospel in Jesus' day, then surely there is nothing wrong with His ministers today getting similar support for preaching the good news and doing the ministry to which they have been called.

As an example, have you ever heard one of those stories where a man of God is doing vital work like running an orphanage, but cannot provide the food and clothing from regular income? You know the one, where the man of God gets everyone around the table and gives God thanks for the meal even though there is nothing to put out in the plates? Then, just as he finishes praying there is a knock on the door and a stranger brings them food because he had a word from God that it was needed?

Now when you have been told one of those true stories of God's provision, which man of God would you have preferred to be? The one needing the food, or the one who had taken advantage of God's blessing and so God could use him to help his needy brother by providing the food?

Both godly men are required to keep the orphanage running until the man running the orphanage learns to walk in the blessing of God, or the orphanage is no longer required! Then God can use the rich man to help someone else!

Jesus needed similar provision for a section of His ministry and then the job was completed. The principles God uses have not changed!

Now, just because some people misuse or abuse the principles God gives to us, does not mean that the principles are wrong! You should still do the things that God says brings His blessing, and expect the results God says we should get.

Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

If you're going to believe the things God says in His word, why only believe the 'judgements against sin', the 'persecutions', and other such stuff? Why not believe the good stuff, like in Mark 10:29-30, also? Shouldn't we have faith in God in all things? Shouldn't we be believers who fully believe? That would surely please our good God; if we actually believe He's as good as His word!

And what does God want of us as Christians. What does He give us wealth for? Like the rich man in the story above, God wants us to be a blessing to others. He wants us to be a blessing to His outreach programs in the world and to be a blessing to our families! As an example from His word this time of what God blesses His people for, we can read Proverbs 13, verse 22...

Prov 13:22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

I trust that you realize that all the gold belongs to the Lord and all the silver also? (See Haggai 2:8) But, God doesn't need them for Himself! For which people do you think that He put them here? Satan's or God's?

The way they speak, I would not be surprised to find that most believers belong to a church with pastors who teach them that it's their lot to just get by, at best!

On the other hand, God has planned that His people have wealth to provide an inheritance clear through to their grandchildren! Many have physical children and grandchildren, and some have spiritual children and grandchildren. Are you interested in taking part in God's plan and leaving them an inheritance?

Do you have a heart (and faith) to do God's will as He reveals it, in all areas of life, including health and prosperity?

Then don't limit God - Do it!

Now so far I've only talked about the 'wealth' part of the equation because that's what people are mainly sneering at when they decry Christians regarding 'health and wealth'. So let's look at the 'health' part now!

Is "Health and Wealth" included in the gospel, or not? Should God's people expect to be sick? Is good health and healing a part of the gospel message?

Let's look at what the apostle John had to say on the subject.

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

I've mentioned before that John, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells believers that he prays that all manner of prosperity and health should be theirs in the same way that their soul is prospering.

This is interesting in that we see (a) that John is not just referring to spiritual prosperity or wealth and (b) that health is part of the package!

Now, are people saying that John was in error when he spoke here of a health and wealth gospel?

I hope not! One should not malign the Holy Spirit's inspiration. God does not waste words or inspire error! The blessing of God which applies to all believers includes health and prosperity. And He has given us the authority to pass it on! When Peter and John came across a lame man at the gate to the Temple, this is what they said and did....

Acts 3:4-7 Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. So the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were strengthened and He sprang to his feet and began to walk.

Notice that Peter said, "What I have I give you". Healing was not something he had to beg and plead for God to provide. It was within his authority to give it! As with Peter and John, God blesses His people today to be a blessing to others. That includes good health.

God wants His people to maintain good health, preferably. The blessing is better than a miracle and God gives advice throughout His word and through His people on how to maintain the blessing of good health.

A miracle is for a crisis. God wants to bless rather than keep rescuing us from crisis after crisis but His power is available for miracles of healing as well! Just as in the case above with Peter and John! And this is because Jesus has provided for our healing through His suffering.

Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Healing is already ours. It's a done deal. God's done His part. We will have to check on why we may not receive healing in particular situations, but the problem will be at the receiving end, not at God's transmitter!

The evidence in Isaiah 53:5 is repeated in 1 Peter 2:24 to give two witnesses.

1 Pet 2:24 "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the tree, so that we might die to those sins and live righteously. "By his wounds you have been healed."

Now these are the scriptures usually quoted and which people stand on for their healing, but God has sprinkled throughout His word, promises and information on the healing He has provided for all people. In Matthew 8:17 God tells us this...

Mat 8:17 ...that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.

Jesus took our infirmities and bore our diseases. Our sicknesses have been taken by Jesus so we do not have to carry them.

Now what spirit would want God's people to deny this and believe that good health was not a blessing God wanted us to have?

Exactly!

Let's not fall for Satan's deceptions and help him to limit God's people to accepting poverty as our lot, in health or any other area of life.

This is why Jesus told us in the book of Matthew, chapter 10, verses 7 to 8...

Mat 10:7-8 ... proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand'. ’Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons'.

Jesus has given us the authority under Him to do this. "In His name", in other words - but WE have the authority! And notice, proclaiming the kingdom of heaven goes hand in hand with healing the sick!

In the book of John, Chapter 10, in verse 37, Jesus says this...

John 10:37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

The works Jesus is talking about is, 'miracles, signs and wonders'! That is what is referred to as works in the book of John. We can see this in Chapter 14 of the same book.

John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father".

So going back to John, Chapter 10, verse 37, we see that Jesus said don't believe His words if you don't see Him doing the miracles of God! Jesus used the healings and other miracles as proof of His ministry and sonship!

And that's why He gave us authority to 'heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out devils'! As the Father sent Him, He is sending us! It's the will of God that we do these things. The word of God shows us His will! God wants us to be well.

And the Apostle John confirmed Jesus' words as mentioned earlier when he said...

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Now the book of John is not the only book which makes this point regarding the importance of healing to the gospel. We can look in the book of Mark to get two witnesses,

In the gospel of Mark, Chapter 2, verse 10-12 Jesus uses healing as proof that He could forgive sins. Forgiveness of sins did not come in isolation!

Mark 2:10-12 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!"

Did you notice that Jesus links healing as a "proof" that He had the authority to forgive sins? Now, since Jesus has sent us into the world in the same way that the Father sent Him, should we (Christians) not be healing people as proof of our authority to preach forgiveness of sins by Jesus?

John 20:21-23 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

So interestingly, we are to tell others of their sins being forgiven, and yet some would have you believe that "healing", which gives proof that Jesus is alive to grant that forgiveness, is not part of the gospel!

Why then did Jesus say...

Luke 10:8-9 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

This is also stated in Matthew 10:7-8 to give two witnesses, and I'll quote that later, but you can see that once again Jesus links healing the sick with preaching the gospel!

We do hear the cry, "Just believe in Jesus!" "Believe in Jesus!", as though this should be accepted by non-believers without proof. It's indeed fortunate if they do properly accept that Jesus is their saviour without physical proof, but that's not what Jesus expected would happen. For instance, let's take a look at what Jesus said to the disciples in Mark 16:17-18.

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Notice that Jesus says this will apply to believers. Not some special group of prophets or apostles; ordinary believers!

This is interesting in that we see Jesus expected healing and health to be part of the package! To Jesus, health is part of the gospel message. This authority is not given to us to do tricks; it's to advance the Kingdom of God, giving proof that Jesus has brought reconciliation to God and forgiveness of sins to all.

John 14:12 "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.

Both Isaiah in Isaiah 53:5 and Peter in 1 Peter 2:24 tell us that it's by Jesus' stripes/wounds that we are healed. It's a done deal. He did it over 2000 years ago. It's NOT something He is going to do!

Isa 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.

But, Satan wants people to think that their healing is something God has yet to do and so they pray for God to heal instead of commanding healing!

Another error people make is to ask for healing "if God wills". This simply shows their unbelief, since they are unsure that God wants them to be well! But, by Jesus' stripes/wounds we ARE healed, and we have the authority to administer that healing to all who need it! Jesus tells us...

Mat 10:7-8 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

Jesus has given us the authority under Him to do this. "In His name", in other words - but WE have the authority! And notice that once again proclaiming the kingdom of heaven goes hand in hand with healing the sick! It IS His will! And notice again, Jesus told US to "Heal the sick." He did not tell us to ask God, or to pray for God to heal the sick! As my school-teacher would say, "The 'YOU' is understood"!

Now you may be thinking, 'that's what it seems to say reading it in the English translation, but is that what the people of the time understood"?

Well let's look at how the disciples reacted when the Jewish authorities tried to stop them preaching. Let's look at Acts 4:29-31...

Act 4:29-31 "Now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by extending Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may occur through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Notice that they asked God to give them boldness to preach the gospel by giving them breakthroughs in healing and signs and wonders! Could it be that believers today are often mute and diffident regarding preaching the gospel to the lost, because they do not pray for breakthroughs in healing and signs and wonders? In fact they are often taught NOT to expect it!

Now what spirit would want God's people to believe that they have no authority, and wield no power to do good and bring health and healing to the world?

Exactly! But we "have" been given the authority!

Jesus came to bring good news to the poor and to deliver them from oppression. Staying poor is not good news! Staying sick is not good news! Poverty is not a blessing, it's a curse (Deu 28:15-68); and sickness is oppression by the devil (Act 10:38). We have been called as Jesus' representatives to bring good news to the poor and to deliver them from all oppression; sickness, disease, depression, bondage, etc.

Mark 11:23-25 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Notice that YOU have to "say"; not ask God to say! But whatever you ask for in this way, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. In other words - 'You tell your problem about God'! You don't tell God about your problem'!

Also, Jesus tells us we can send a literal mountain into the sea if needed! He's not talking about a general problem because He says "this" mountain, not "a" mountain. THIS IMPLIES HE'S POINTING AT AN ACTUAL MOUNTAIN NEARBY! We can look at the context of His making the statement also where Jesus is commenting about making a fig tree die! Jesus is not talking about nebulous "spritual" problems!

So, let's not fall for Satan's deceptions and help him to limit God's people by accepting poverty as the norm, in health or any other area of life and also by not acting on our authority.

As the apostle John said...

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

Don't let unbelievers or unbelief rob you of the blessing of God!

Best wishes for Grace and The Peace of Jesus.

Attlee.