Healing is always the will of God. Healing power is always present everywhere to heal. However, we know that most people do not receive this healing power. Why is this?   There are certain established spiritual laws that cause that power to flow into a person. There are spiritual laws just like there are natural laws. One very important spiritual law that accesses the power of healing is the law of FAITH. Unless someone releases their faith for healing, healing power will not flow.   What exactly is Bible faith? The Biblical definition is found in Hebrews chapter eleven, verse one: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Moffatt’s translation says: “Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.” Everyone alive has a natural human faith. But this scripture is talking about a supernatural faith. Supernatural faith believes with the heart rather than believing what the physical senses may tell us. Faith will take things that seem unrealistic and brings them into the realm of reality.   This scripture says that faith is the evidence of things NOT seen. You may have sickness or pain in your body, but faith says, “By His stripes I am healed!” Faith will always say about itself everything that the Word of God says. Faith in God is simply faith in His Word.   A dear man of God who greatly impacted my life had a great testimony along these lines. He had been bedfast for sixteen months with an incurable disease as a teenager. He was told he had to die. But he stood on God’s Word and received a miraculous healing.   He was only about ninety pounds when he was first healed, and stood over six feet tall. Within only a few months, he looked for a job. These were depression days, and jobs were hard to find. He was eventually hired to pull up two-year old peach trees from the roots. Each day the number of workers was fewer and fewer, and each day someone would say to him, “I didn’t think you’d make it today.”   His response would always be, “If it weren’t for the Lord I wouldn’t be here. The Lord is the strength of my life.” He said if he would have gone by his feelings, he wouldn’t have gotten out of bed. But he would continually quote, “The Lord is the strength of my life.”   Here is an interesting point – he said he never received any strength until he started pulling up that first tree. But once he began to put his hands to the trunk of the tree, an anointing would flow over him like honey and he would work in that supernatural strength all day long. He also ended up being the last person on that job!!   Many people want to receive and then believe they’ve got their healing. But it doesn’t work that way. You must believe first, and then you will receive. This is called HEART faith, not head faith.   Jesus explained heart faith so well in Mark chapter eleven:  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:22-24 NKJV   Here is the difference between heart faith and mentally agreeing with God’s Word: Mental agreement says  – I know God’s Word is true. I know God has promised healing, but for some reason I can’t get it. I can’t understand it. Heart faith says – (real faith in God’s Word) – If God’s Word says it’s so, then it’s so. It is mine. I have it now. I have it even though I can’t see it.   Many people have said, “But the thing I’ve been praying about hasn’t come to pass yet.” If you already had it, you wouldn’t need faith for it anymore. You have to take the step of believing before you will see it come to pass. Notice Mark 11:24 says that the receiving comes after the believing. Jesus simply said, “You’ve got to believe you have it before you can receive it.” (paraphrased)   I never have been able to receive physical healing for myself without first believing I have it. Every symptom in my body cries out, “You don’t have it!” I simply stand firm on what God’s Word says about my healing and continue to claim that I am healed. Results always come after I believe.   If we are going to sit around and groan and complain about our symptoms, waiting until they are gone before we believe we are healed, we will never see healing manifest in our bodies.   Remember that faith is the evidence of things NOT seen! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

God wants you to live your life completely healed!! He sent Jesus to pay the price for your sins and your healing, and it is your present possession according to the Word of God. However, it can only be a reality in your life if you use your faith for it.   Hebrews 11:6 says: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.   The reason it’s impossible to please God without faith is because everything we receive from God requires our faith. And God wants us to receive what He’s provided for us. The Bible teaches us that God is Love. Love gives, and Love wants the gifts to be received!   Now, if God demands that we must please Him when it’s impossible for us to have faith, we have a right to challenge His justice. However, since He’s given us the ability to obtain faith, then the responsibility rests with us whether or not we have faith.   God has told us without faith it’s impossible to please Him. But He has also told us how to obtain faith.    But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:8-11 NKJV   For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard ? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Rom 10:13-14 NKJV    So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10:17 NKJV   We see a very important truth here: People are saved by hearing words. But did you know that people are also HEALED by hearing words?   And they were preaching the gospel  there. And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!" And he leaped and walked. Acts 14:7-10 NKJV   If you look carefully at this passage, Paul did NOT heal that man. The scriptures say that the man himself had faith to be healed.   Paul did 3 things: 1.     He preached the Gospel. 2.     He perceived that the man had faith to be healed. 3.     He told the man to stand up and walk. (Act on his faith)   The man did 3 things: 1.     He heard Paul preach. 2.     He had faith to be healed. 3.     He leaped and walked.   Where did the man get the faith to be healed? By hearing Paul speak. What did Paul speak? He preached the Gospel. Therefore, Paul must have preached a Gospel that included salvation AND healing!   Paul said this in Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.   The Greek and Hebrew words for “salvation” imply the ideas of deliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. The Gospel is the power of God unto healing and soundness. Paul preached the FULL Gospel, not just part of it!   Here’s another great passage: Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8 NKJV   The great miracles that came about in this passage were the result of Philip’s preaching Christ. The New Testament knows no Christ without Christ the Healer. If there is no Gospel of healing today, then there is no Gospel of salvation.   There will always be so-called religious experts who will tell you that healing has been done away with. But can you ever remember hearing that FAITH has been done away with? No you haven’t and you never will! And as long as faith has not been done away with, you can still receive God’s promises.   It’s too late to tell me healing is not for today. I’ve been receiving healing for myself and my family for over four decades. I’ve been blessed to never have received a serious diagnosis, but I have had minor things come up as I’ve aged.   For example, I once was diagnosed with high cholesterol, and an elevated TSH level. I used my faith to change those levels back to normal. I talked to my body and commanded it to be normal.   How could I confidently do this? Because faith came when I heard God’s Word about healing. And I released my faith by agreeing with God and saying what He says about it.   God is not a respecter of persons, and what He did for me, He will do for you if you will believe and speak the Word only! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

If you are suffering from sickness and disease, do you think God is willing to heal someone like you? Let me help you with the answer: EMPHATICALLY yes!! How can you be sure that He will heal you every time you need it? You have His Word on it!! Do you believe it is God’s will to keep His promise? Here are a few promises of God regarding healing:   For I am the Lord who heals you. Ex 15:26 NKJV   He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses. Matt 8:17 NKJV   [Who] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV   All these promises are for YOU! They are not for a select few individuals. And since God said it in His Word, you can take it to the bank and cash it!   Even though healing is for all, it must be received by FAITH, or we could say by TRUST. Therefore, before anyone can have steadfast faith for healing, they must be rid of all uncertainty about God’s will to heal. God’s promises are each a revelation of what God is eager to do for us. Until we know these promises, there is nothing on which to base our faith.   The Bible teaches us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing what the Word of God promises. And faith is expecting God to do what we know He has said in His word that He will do. Faith is believing that God speaks the truth.   God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Num 23:19 NKJV   If someone you trusted promised to give you $1000 tomorrow, and they were in the habit of keeping their word, you would believe and act like it was true. Shouldn’t we trust our Heavenly Father more than we trust the word of any man?   Regarding healing, there are only 2 platforms on which to stand: Belief or unbelief. Either the word of God is true, or it is not. God is either reliable, or He is not. Will we believe the Word of God is truthful, or not?   Genuine faith in God and in His Word will step out on what He has said, regardless of what we see, feel, or sense in the natural realm. Faith is a decisive act and depends only upon God’s Word. Faith ignores every natural symptom or evidence which is contrary to what God’s Word says.   One of my favorite definitions of faith is found in Hebrews.   NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Heb 11:1 AMPC   Genuine faith will count healing as a real fact, even if your body says you are not healed. As Christians, one of the most important lessons we must learn is to not be moved by circumstances that contradict the Word of God. We must also learn to be patient, and not get discouraged if things don’t change immediately.   The devil doesn’t let anybody have a free pass – he will endeavor to deceive you so you will give up before you see the manifestation. But if you will not be moved by what you feel and see, and stand firm on what God says, you will win the battle every time!   I heard the story of a lady from New York, who many years ago was on her deathbed being ravaged by the effects of tuberculosis. She was a wonderful Christian, but had never heard about Divine healing. One afternoon she was reading the Bible and came across 1 Peter 2:24, “[Who] Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness…”   As she read this verse, she began to weep with gratitude for the salvation Jesus had provided for her. She knew when this disease had run its course, she would be ready to die and go to Heaven. Then she decided to read further. “… by whose stripes you were healed.”   She looked back and noticed that Jesus had already bore her sins. It was in the past. It was real to her and nobody could make her doubt it. But what about the rest of the verse? Could it be true? Did it mean what it said? She concluded that it must be true.   She cried out, “Mother, did you know that God has said in His Word that I was healed? I never saw this before. It’s already done. I am healed. Get my clothes and bring them here!”   Her mother tried to calm her down, but she reminded her that she always taught her children to believe every word of the Bible. She arose from bed, put on her clothes, and shouted throughout the house.  She was completely healed!!   What happened here? She treated the Word of God as if it was actually TRUE! So we see that real faith is taking God at His Word and stepping out upon His promises with all confidence and sincerity, without a doubt or fear!   You can exercise your faith in the same way today and receive your healing! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

When it comes to divine healing, it is so important to understand that it is always received by FAITH. Healing always manifests because of the faith of someone – whether it’s the preacher, the one who is sick, or a loved one standing in the gap. I have always preferred to use my own faith, because then I can be assured that someone is believing!   If you have need of faith, the Bible teaches you how to get it. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17), We see an interesting fact here - You cannot separate HEARING from RECEIVING.   When the Bible talks about hearing in reference to faith, it is always referring to hearing with your spiritual ears, not just your physical ears. Many people throughout history have heard the sayings of Jesus with their physical ears, yet have not understood and received them. In order to benefit from the sayings of Jesus, you must hear them with your spiritual ears and understand them with your spirit. Jesus frequently told His listeners, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” He was obviously referring to the spiritual ears of the listeners.   We also see this from several passages, including Luke chapter 5, verses 15-16:  “[A]nd great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.”   I think that many people have this idea that Jesus just went everywhere healing everybody He came in contact with. But if you read the gospels carefully, you find that this is simply not true. Jesus knew that if the people did not hear His sayings with their spiritual understanding, they could not receive healing. Therefore, He went places and taught the Word of God first and foremost.   The words “teach” or “taught” are mentioned more than “preach” or “heal” in connection with Jesus’ ministry. We see all three in Matthew chapter 9, verse 35, “ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”   We see that Jesus placed teaching first, preaching second, and healing last. Of course, many people want to reverse the order. They would prefer to run to a meeting and have someone heal them without spending any quality time hearing. Jesus once appeared to my spiritual father and told him that “those who would not hear Me during My earthly ministry did not receive healing.” Again, this is referring to hearing with your spiritual ears, because in Nazareth the people certainly heard with their physical ears. However, very few people were healed there.     Here is the account in Mark chapter 6: And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.     Teaching is always the solution for unbelief. Jesus knew that if He kept teaching the Word of God, eventually some would hear it with their spiritual ears. Even though Jesus was the Son of God, and divine blood flowed through His veins, He still could not heal people that were full of unbelief. God does not override our unbelief! Faith is required, and if a person refuses to believe, they will have to live without their healing.   One of the reasons the people in Nazareth refused to believe was because of familiarity. The more familiar we are with someone, the harder it can be to receive from them. We simply see them as a regular person, instead of someone anointed by the Holy Spirit to help us.   Now let’s see what the people who came to Jesus actually heard: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach  the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal  the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty  those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke 4:18-19 NKJV   Remember that in Luke chapter 5 it says the people came to hear and to be healed. They heard Jesus say He came to heal, to give recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who were oppressed. Was this effective? Emphatically YES! The woman with the issue of blood was healed because of what she heard.   Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. Mark 5:25-29 NKJV   This woman heard truth with both her natural and her spiritual ears. Then, having heard and received the truth, she acted upon it. Today, you have had the opportunity to hear truth. Now I encourage you to continue hearing with your spiritual ears until your faith is ready to receive healing. If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

3 John 2 NKJV Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.   God wants us to have a good life, a life that prospers in every arena. We all know that a sick life does not fulfill the description of a prosperous life. God has provided healing for every one of us, but it will show up in our lives according to the measure that our soul prospers. When do our souls prosper? When we embrace God’s thoughts! So, the more we embrace His thoughts, the more prosperous our souls will be. And as our souls prosper, so does our healing and health.   One thing that will rob your soul of being prosperous is worry. Why? Because when we worry, we can’t embrace God’s thoughts. Worry can very quickly sabotage your healing. Most Christians would agree that stealing, lying, and murder are sins. However, many Christians do not realize that worry is a sin. Worry is a sin because worry is unbelief.   Worry is the opposite of faith. Worry is believing the worst instead of the best, which is God’s thoughts. Worry is FEAR.   Worrying about your health is a great big invitation to the devil to put sickness and disease on you. This is one of the problems Job had. He had a worry problem.   Job 3:25 KJV For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.   Job’s fear left a wide open door to the devil to attack him, and not just in health but in almost every arena of his life.   Jesus actually taught us not to worry: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life. . . . Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Matt 6:25 and 27 NKJV   If you can’t add one inch to your height or one hair to your head by worrying, then you absolutely cannot change more serious situations in your life by worrying. Medical science tells us that smoking and drinking are habits that can ruin your health and send you to an early grave. But did you know that worry will destroy your health and kill you even faster than smoking and drinking? Jesus was so serious about us not worrying that He commanded us not to do it. If we ignore His commandments, that is a form of sin because it is unbelief. Most Christians would agree that stealing, lying, and murder are sins but they don’t realize that worry—because it is unbelief—is also a sin.  I think we all know it’s not good to worry. But most people are highly developed in their worry skills and don’t even realize how much they worry to begin with. To worry is to meditate in the negative direction. The mind is not built to conduct worry, so those who worry will eventually have a breakdown of the mind and then the body. Worry cannot receive healing, it can only receive sickness.   So how can we stop this deadly worry habit and enjoy good health? By     …casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV   The Amplified Classic version says it this way: Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. [Ps 55:22.]   You are to give your worries to Jesus and leave them there. As long as you are worrying about something, all the prayer in the world won’t change it! By casting the care completely over on the Lord, you are demonstrating a trust in Him that you believe He is bringing the answer to your prayer to pass.   When we really trust that He will do what He says in His Word, then there will be no room left for worry and fear. Trust means FAITH. Faith is how we obtain promises, not by worry.   Here is a glimpse of what faith will do: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Hebrews 11:33-35 NKJV   But worry has the opposite effect. No promises will be obtained if you remain in a state of worry. Worry is a poor receiver. And that is why as long as you are worrying, you will have difficultly receiving healing or anything else from the Lord.   There is a story in the Bible of a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve long years. After she was healed by Jesus, Jesus said to her to go in peace.    And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease.  Mark 5:34 AMPC   Jesus understood that in order for this woman to keep her healing, she had to stay in peace and not worry. The same is true for you and me today. We are to cast all our cares upon the Lord and trust Him to do exactly what He said He would do in His word.   Here is another scriptural admonition not to worry.   Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 AMPC   The next time you catch yourself starting to worry about something, confess that you refuse to worry. Pray and ask the Lord for the answer you need. And then give Him thanksgiving and praise because the answer is on the way. This is how a prosperous soul looks! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

God is a good God and He wants you to live your life HEALED! However, in order for us to live a life of health, we must know and act upon the Word of God. The Bible teaches us that all believers are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease by the precious blood of Jesus. But believers often still deal with symptoms of disease in their bodies. Why?   One answer lies in a very important truth to understand: anything God blesses us with, the devil will try to steal.   The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV   You can love the Lord and serve Him faithfully and still struggle with sickness and pain. We have an enemy that does not want us to enjoy our benefit of healing. He will try everything to keep us from walking in health and victory. No matter how much he tries, though, we have a greater weapon, and that is the Word of God. Therefore, we must be committed to staying full of the Word of God and holding fast to it in times of trouble.   Perhaps you have received healing for your body in the past, but then that sickness came back on you. Why? Because the devil will always try to gain entrance again in the place he once occupied.   Here is how the Lord Jesus explained it: "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation." Matthew 12:43-45 NKJV   This passage shows us the devil’s persistence. If the devil returns with symptoms of sickness or disease, we do not want him to find us empty. That means we don’t want him to find a weak spirit that we have not been putting the Word of God into continually.   We all know that it can be a challenge to keep our hearts full of God’s Word – everyone must contend with the busyness of life. Not only that, our enemy the devil will put extra pressure on us to keep us from spending time in the Word of God, because he knows that is where our answers lie. You see, when you spend time meditating upon God’s Word, faith comes. It takes faith to receive your healing and it takes faith to keep your healing.   The Bible tells us to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). Because the victory has already been won by Jesus, our fight is to receive and keep that victory. Faith always has a fight with it because we live in Satan’s territory. However, the good fight of faith always WINS! How to Maintain Divine Healing with Your Faith Some may have thought, “If God really healed me, then I would always stay healed.” Yes, God really heals, but we still have to maintain our healing by our FAITH. Jesus said, “But hold fast what you have till I come.” (Revelation 2:25) If we are told to hold fast to what we have, this means it’s possible to let go of it—and lose it. In order to hold fast, we must continually exercise our faith for healing. Continually exercising our faith means that daily we are meditating upon healing scriptures and daily we are releasing our faith by our words. That’s how we live healed.   Paul instructs us that we must live in resistance mode against the devil. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV   It’s good to know that our answer is to resist the devil. But how exactly do we do that?   1.     We make a decision that we will not be moved by what we see or feel.   NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. Hebrews 11:1 AMPC   There are times when you will have to stand on what God says, believing it regardless of how you feel or of the doctor’s report.   2.     We must continue to say only what God says about it, and not continue to repeat a negative report.   Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.). Hebrews 10:23 KJV   There have been times when I go to walk my dog, and my knee will try to hurt and stop me. My trained reaction is always, “Oh no you don’t! I refuse to have knee pain. My youth is renewed like the eagles and I am completed healed by the stripes of Jesus!” I continue to walk as an act of faith, and the pain disappears. If I were to say, “Oh no, I guess I can’t walk now. I thought I was healed,” I would not be holding fast to my healing.   We have been given authority over all the power the devil. I encourage you to exercise that authority by holding fast to your healing and by resisting the devil’s sickness, disease, and pain every day of your life.   If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

In past blogs, we began talking about the truth that Christians are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, but that they can still open a door to the devil that allows sickness to come upon them. There are reasons why believers suffer sickness, and we saw a key scriptural passage that brings out this truth.   Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NKJV   We see from this passage that the way we receive communion will affect our health. Not properly discerning the Lord’s body is the reason many are weak and sick, and many die prematurely. We saw that part of discerning the Lord’s body is discerning His spiritual body, the body of Christ.   The way we treat other people has everything to do with whether or not we can receive healing. It is so important to treat others the way we would treat Jesus. If we’re going to live in divine health, we will have to walk in God’s love.   If your faith is going to work and be effective, you will have to put the God kind of love to work. God’s love is the only thing that’s going to win out in the end because it NEVER FAILS. Galatians 5:6 says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.   It takes faith to receive God’s healing. Since faith works by love, we also need to let the love of God rule our words and actions. In order to let love rule, we need to know exactly what the love of God is?   Many think love is a feeling. We will certainly have feelings throughout our lives. One of the reasons the divorce rate is so high is because many have thought they lost the feeling of love. If we would live by God’s definition of love, we would never fail in our marriages. And we would also never fail to receive our healing.   Let’s take a look at the description of the God kind of love.   Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC   This is a Major Key to Experiencing Divine Healing Believers need to understand how much ill will and animosity will harm them. It can affect your spiritual growth, can cause your prayers to be hindered, and can make you sick. It can even shorten your life.   Why? Every step out of love is a step into sin. And sin destroys.   If you realize you have gotten away from walking in love, get back to it just as fast as you can. Then you can live under God’s abundant provision and promises and enjoy His great blessings in your life.   Did you know that love is not a suggestion?  It is a commandment. God wouldn’t command us to do something we weren’t able to. He has given us His love to use and we are ABLE to do it.   1 John 4:20-21 says: If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.   I would venture to say that if I asked any of you today, “Do you love God?” that your answer would be overwhelmingly, “YES.” But the more important question is, “Do you love your husband?” or “Do you love your wife?” or “Do you love your children?” or “Do you love your brother or sister in Christ?”   Husbands, when was the last time you woke up early on your day off and made breakfast for your wife and children? When was the last time you asked your wife if there was something you could do to help her, instead of taking off and doing what YOU wanted to do with your time off work?   Wives, when was the last time you did something nice for your husband or children without complaining and letting them know it was a sacrifice? Husbands and wives, when was the last time you said, “I love you” to one another in a kind and tender way?   Love is an attitude and an action, not a feeling. Just like faith is expressed through actions, love must be expressed through actions. Just as faith is expressed by your words, LOVE is expressed by words.   We express our love by saying, “I love you” and by acting lovely toward others. The more you say “I love you” and other endearing words to one another, and the more you practice actions of love, the more you will develop that love and the easier it will become.   Every Christian must decide for himself what he would like more:             -    Health or sickness?              -    Joy or sorrow?             -    Provision or poverty?   If you want to receive healing, live in divine health and fulfill the number of your days, you will have to choose to walk in love. Today is a great day to forgive anyone who has offended you and receive your healing! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

Although Christians are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, they can still open a door to the devil that allows sickness to come upon them. There are reasons why believers suffer sickness, and we see a key scriptural passage that brings out this truth.   Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NKJV   The way we receive communion will affect our health. Not properly discerning the Lord’s body is the reason many are weak and sick, and many die prematurely. There are two applications of discerning the Lord’s body that are important to know: Discerning Jesus’ physical body. Discerning Jesus’ spiritual body.   We are taught that before we receive communion, we are supposed to examine ourselves. If I was suffering with sickness and disease that was stubbornly hanging on, the first place I would examine is my love walk . How am I treating other people?  We have to realize that what we do has an effect on those around us, positive or negative.   “…from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,  according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:16 NKJV   When we become a member of the body of Christ, and particularly of a local church, the Bible says we become joined and knit together. What we are joined to will be affected by what we do. We should always be asking ourselves, “How is this action I’m about to take going to affect those around me?” If it will cause injury, then we shouldn’t do it.   Speed Up Your Healing by Changing How You Treat Others One of the greatest areas to guard is our mouth. How is what I am about to say going to affect the other person? Is what I’m about to say going to bring edification or destruction?   Sometimes we get to talking about something another person has said or done, and they could have already repented of it. If the Lord has forgiven them, He has forgotten it. If we bring it up again, we violate the law of love.   Did you know that walking in love is a ROYAL LAW? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; James 2:8 NKJV   Loving your neighbor as yourself is the Royal Law of love. Would you want someone to talk about you the way you are talking about them? Would you want someone to treat you the way you are treating them?   Let’s take this a step further: Would you say it or do it to Jesus?   If we are His body, then when we mistreat a member of the body, we are mistreating Jesus. Jesus made this clear when speaking to Saul of Tarsus:   Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Acts 9:4-5 NKJV   Saul was arresting and killing Christians. But Jesus said Saul was persecuting Him. So we can see that how we treat the body is part of discerning the Lord’s body. If I love my fellow church members, I will be careful to share the load in serving at church so that another is not overburdened. If I love my fellow church members, I will be careful about what I say about them. If I love my fellow church members, I will be mindful about my giving so that the whole church can accomplish its mission. We must discern that we are not an island, and selfishness has no place in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.   One of the reasons we see more sickness in the church today than in the past is that more people are slandering and hurting others than in the past. They have been influenced by the spirit of the world.   Bitterness and unforgiveness have a high price tag. We must ask ourselves if we can afford to have strife, bitterness, and unforgiveness in our lives? The answer is, “Not if we want to live healed!”   One of Jesus’ greatest teachings on faith and prayer reveals the importance of forgiveness.    Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." Mark 11:24-26 NKJV   You cannot receive answered prayer if you have unforgiveness toward anybody for any reason! Answered prayer includes healing of sickness and disease.   Jesus also taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as  we forgive those who trespass against us. If we are quick to forgive others when they mistreat us, we will be quick to receive healing. Let’s practice the law of love, and live the healed life that Jesus paid for us to have! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

If I were suffering from sickness and disease, even after praying for healing, I would want to know WHY! In our last blog we began talking about the truth that Christians are redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease, but that they can still open a door to the devil that allows sickness to come upon them.   There are reasons why believers suffer sickness, and we saw a key scriptural passage that brings this truth out.   Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 NKJV   The way we receive communion will affect our health. Not properly discerning the Lord’s body is the reason many are weak and sick, and many die prematurely.   We looked at the two applications of this: Discerning Jesus’ physical body. Discerning Jesus’ spiritual body.   Before we receive communion, we are supposed to examine ourselves. If I was suffering with sickness and disease that was stubbornly hanging on, the first place I would examine is my love walk. How am I treating other people?   A lot of people have the erroneous idea that what they do is between them and God, and nobody else’s business. This is simply not true. Whether you are a believer in Jesus Christ or not, the decisions you make for your life affect other people—especially your children.   Regarding your children, Exodus 34:6-7 says: "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."   God is so merciful. But if we persist in living in sin, it will have a negative effect, not only on us and our children but also on future generations, until someone surrenders to the Lord and turns that train around. Decisions we make, and lifestyles we live, influence and affect the thinking and outcome of our children.   In the same way, what we do affects other believers in the church.   [F]rom whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,  according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:16   When we become a member of the body of Christ, and particularly of a local church, the Bible says we become joined and knit together. What you are joined to will be affected by what you do. We should always be asking ourselves, “How is this action I’m about to take going to affect those around me?” If it will cause injury, then you shouldn’t do it.   If only people understood how much walking in love is connected to their receiving healing!   It may only be a very small adjustment that’s needed and you could be free of your sickness and pains. For instance:   We shouldn’t talk poorly about others. We shouldn’t neglect our share of helping in the local church. And we should always be quick to forgive.   One very important area to examine is if we have forgiven someone who we feel has wronged us.   Your Love Walk Affects Your Healing! There’s a story of a Christian woman who was faithfully involved in her local church, yet had suffered from stomach trouble and respiratory problems for a long time. After hearing a guest speaker teach about the importance of love and forgiveness, she realized what her problem was. She had fought with her brother, who was also a Christian, and they had not even spoken to each other in twenty-five years. She decided it was time to call him and ask for forgiveness.  After she did, she lay down to take a nap before the evening service.  And when she woke up, she realized she was completely healed of all her symptoms!!   It didn’t even require a minister laying hands upon her to receive her healing. All along, it was a lack of walking in love that hindered her from good health. When you refuse to forgive someone, whether they were wrong or you just think they were wrong, you open the door to Satan to attack your body physically. And your prayers will be hindered as well.   First Corinthians 13:5 from the Amplified Classic translation says,   “Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong.”   Most people would never have to get into a healing line if they would just walk in love and forgiveness with others. If you’ve been in prayer lines, especially with ministers who are well known for the healing anointing, and nothing physically has changed, it would be a good idea to start examining yourself to see if you’re walking in love!   There is a story of another woman who had a bad habit of speaking against the members of her local church. One day, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she was at death’s doorstep. When the pastor and some of the members came to her house to pray for her, she said, “Before you pray, I need to ask for forgiveness of all of you. For years, I have sown cancer into the church through my words, and now I have reaped cancer as a result.” She repented, and when the pastor and members prayed for her, she was instantly healed of cancer.   One of the greatest areas to guard is your mouth. Always ask yourself, “How is what I am about to say going to affect the other person? Is what I’m about to say going to bring edification or destruction?”   Does what you’re about to say meet the criteria of Philippians 4:8? Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.   Some things could be true, but they are not lovely. Some things are true, but they are not pure.   If we examine ourselves in this area, and get things right that are wrong, it can turn sickness into health! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

After Adam and Eve sinned, the curse came upon the human race. A description of the curse can be found in the book of Deuteronomy, and it includes every sickness and disease. But thank God, according to Galatians chapter three, Christ has redeemed us from the curse by being made a curse for us.   Believers in Jesus are called the seed of Abraham. Because Jesus took the curse, the blessing of Abraham has come upon us. The blessing includes healing from every sickness and every disease.   Now, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have noticed that plenty of Christians suffer with sickness and disease. So is Galatians 3:13 a contradiction? Absolutely not! If a born again believer is suffering with sickness and disease, it is definitely not the will of God, and the answer has decisively been given through the shed blood of Jesus.   You may be asking, “So why then, are believers suffering with sickness and disease?” It is not for the same reasons as those who do not belong to Jesus. Those who are unsaved have not been redeemed from the curse of the law. But if a believer has sickness and disease in their body, there is a cause other than the curse.   Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. Ephesians 4:27 AMPC   We are commanded to give no place or opportunity to the devil. How can we as believers give the devil a place in us? Here’s a good starting place for us today:   Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a   man examine himself , and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body . For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NKJV   The word “sleep” in this passage is the same Greek word that Jesus used when saying Lazarus is sleeping. It actually means “decease” or “be dead.”  So we see that believers can be weak, sick, or die prematurely by not discerning the Lord’s body. So how do we discern the Lord’s body?   If You Aren't Receiving Your Healing THIS Could Be Why Discerning the Lord’s body has a two-fold application.   1.     Discerning Jesus’ physical body   According to 1 Peter 2:24, Jesus took a beating so that we could receive healing: “by whose stripes you were healed.”   We must always remember that healing has been provided for us, as we discussed in previous blogs. If we don’t remember His benefits, we will not enjoy His benefits. (Psalm 103: “forget not all His benefits.”)   2.     Discerning Jesus’ spiritual body Jesus is the Head and the church is His body. Christians must discern how their actions will affect others in the body, or it could lead to weakness, sickness, and premature death. Ephesians chapter four, verse 16 describes how the body is supposed to function:   For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.   There is a supply for every member to bring to the body. We must discern how our supply is affecting the body. Are we helping it to increase, or are we causing it to decrease? Many believers have never given much thought to the truth that we must be right about how we treat other believers. If we are not bringing our supply to the body, it will hurt the other believers in some measure.   One of the most important places to discern and consider is the local church. God is the One who instituted local churches and put pastors over them to protect, guide, and correct the sheep. The way we treat our place in the local church will have a definite effect on our health. Having been pastors for over forty years, we have observed that believers who do not have a local church, or who do not treat the members properly suffer needlessly.   Here are four steps to properly discern the local church: 1.     Attend services First of all, we must discern that we need a local church and should find the one God is calling us to and attend it regularly.   2.     Pray for the pastor and the church Your pastor and fellow church members are all facing the same demonic opposition as you, and they need your prayers.   3.     Give financially to your local church Those who withhold finances to help the local church operate are hurting the supply that others could receive from the ministry.   4.     Serve in the ministry of helps It is important that you not only attend services but get involved in helping so that others can receive.   We realize that there are exceptions where a believer cannot be a part of a local church. But for the vast majority, the plan of God is always that sheep be part of a group and not loners that are in danger of wolves.   Remember, the apostle Paul said, “For this reason, MANY are weak, sick, and die prematurely, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD’S BODY. This is a good starting point for examining our lives. If we will discern our proper supply in the local church, we should never be weak, sick, or die prematurely. If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

Today we are going to discuss a word that I believe should get your attention, and that is the word CURSE!  Many people think they know what a curse is, and everyone seems to know it’s not a good thing. We were taught when we were very young that using curse words was very bad, and we often suffered the consequence of using such words.   According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, to curse is “to  utter a wish of evil against one; to imprecate evil upon; to call for mischief or injury to fall upon; to execrate .” To imprecate is to invoke against someone or something. To execrate is to feel or express great loathing for someone or something. Many pagan religions, witchcraft, and Satanism practice placing curses on people as a way of controlling them. Curses are real.   The Bible talks about something called “The curse of the law.”   Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV   If Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law , what exactly is it ? The only way to find out is to go back to the law. The expression “The Law” as found in the New Testament usually refers to the Pentateuch, which are the first five books of the Bible.   When we study these books, we find that the curse or punishment for breaking God’s law is threefold: 1.     Poverty 2.     Sickness 3.     Spiritual death   According to Deuteronomy 28, sickness and disease would come upon the people if they failed to observe to do all of God’s commandments and His statutes. Every sickness and disease known to man is called a curse in this chapter. How to Live Healed and Free From the Curse Let’s look at a few of the curses listed.   The Lord will smite you with consumption, with fever and inflammation. Deuteronomy 28:22 AMPC Consumption is pulmonary tuberculosis. And any disease that would cause a fever or inflammation is included in this verse.   The Lord will smite you with the boils of Egypt and the tumors, the scurvy and the itch, from which you cannot be healed. The Lord will smite you with madness and blindness and dismay of [mind and] heart. Deuteronomy 28:27-28 AMPC   Boils are infected bumps. Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency that causes fatigue, swollen bleeding gums, and joint and muscle pain. Madness would be any mental problem (anxiety, depression, etc.).    Then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary strokes and blows, great plagues of long continuance, and grievous sicknesses of long duration. Moreover, He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Also every sickness and every affliction which is not written in this Book of the Law the Lord will bring upon you until you are destroyed. Deuteronomy 28:59-61 AMPC   I want to bring some clarity to the phrases, “The Lord will smite you” and “the Lord will bring upon you.” Dr. Robert Young, a Greek and Hebrew scholar, points out that in the original Hebrew, the verb is in the permissive rather than the causative sense. Actually, it should have been translated, “The Lord will allow these plagues to be brought upon you.”   God permits  evil when people move themselves out from His protective covering, but He does not create i t.   God does not send plagues and sickness upon His people. Yet He repeatedly warns what will happen if we go against His Word. That’s called MERCY. The devil is just waiting to attack people, and the open door to him is disobedience to the known will of God.   Sickness and disease are not the will of God for His people. He does not want a curse to be upon His children due to their disobedience. God wants to bless us with health. That is why He warned us in Deuteronomy 28 what would cause blessing and what would cause the curse. Every person on this planet has the freedom of choice. If we are sensible, we will choose the blessing and life. Since Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, then as believers we legally no longer have the curse in our lives. Many in the body of Christ teach that there are generational curses that believers must be delivered from. I want you to know that no man can curse what God has blessed. All believers in Jesus are legally redeemed from every bit of the curse of the law.   Some may wonder why then, are so many believers sick? If any believer experiences sickness or disease, it is no longer for the same reason as those who are unsaved. Because an unbeliever is in rebellion to God’s Word, he has no protection from the curse. The unbeliever is subject to the curse of spiritual death, sickness, and poverty. By contrast, believers have been redeemed and freed from the curse of the law through Christ; they have legal protection from the curse. However, many face difficulties, including sickness, because they give  place to the devil.   Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. Ephesians 4:27 AMPC   Some of the ways believers can give place to the devil will be discussed in upcoming blogs.   But for today, I want to mention one way—through a lack of believing the Word of God. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. We can school ourselves in faith by continually saying what God says about us.   I want to encourage you to quote these scriptures every day. Simply fill in the blank with the trouble or disease you are facing. Say:  According to Deuteronomy 28, __________ is a curse of the law. But according to Galatians 3:13, Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Therefore, I no longer have __________ !   As you continue to confess this, you will find that your symptoms and your troubles will begin to disappear. If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!

We live in a society that’s obsessed with healthcare. You can’t even turn on the television without being blasted by multiple drug commercials. And after they finish listing all the potential side effects, one wonders why anyone would take them.   People don’t want to be sick! This is obvious by how overused our healthcare system is. And you know what? God doesn’t want people sick either!   Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 NKJV   Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may   keep well , even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers. 3 John 2 AMPC   John was a beloved disciple of Jesus. He knew Jesus well. If he prayed that the bodies of believers would be kept well, then you can know this was the will of God. After all, why would John pray for something that wasn’t the will of God? He would not! God wants our bodies to be kept well!   Many would ask, “If God wants people well, why are so many sick?” Great question! There are many reasons, but here are three:   1.     Many don’t know they can live healed. 2.     Many don’t believe God wants them well. 3.     Many don’t understand how to receive healing.   In previous blogs, I’ve covered the fact that it is God’s will to heal and it is God’s will to heal every time we ask. Today I want to show you how to receive healing.   The Lord so desires that we be well that He has provided many methods whereby we may be healed. One method that is critical for every believer to know about is the method of prayer.    Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24 NKJV   The subject of this verse is PRAYER. Prayer is available to everyone, not just a select few. The King James version states it this way: “Whatsoever things ye desire…” This passage is talking about praying for things you desire. For now, we’ll just consider one desire: healing for your body.   Let’s insert it into this verse: “When you pray, believe that you receive healing, and you will have it.”   Some would argue, “But I’ve prayed before and I didn’t receive healing.” Many determined their prayer was not answered by how they felt after praying. However, Jesus said clearly, “And you will have it.” I want you to see that first you must believe you receive healing. God's Will For Your Health and How to Receive Your Healing Many have cried, “But I’m not healed!”   That’s a person who is going by their head instead of their heart. When you pray, you have to believe you receive healing first, and THEN you will have healing. When are you going to have healing? After you believe you receive! When do you believe you receive healing? Before  you have it!   Some are thinking, “But that doesn’t make sense. It’s not even common sense!” That’s exactly right! It’s way above common sense.   Isaiah 55:9 KJV tells us: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.   Did it ever occur to you that God’s way would be different than your way? This kind of thinking is as high above common sense as the heavens are above the earth. This kind of thinking receives a lot of criticism, but it also receives what it desires from God.   This type of prayer has been working in my life beautifully for 40 years now. One example is when my youngest daughter was just a few months old. She had cold symptoms that developed into a more serious condition with labored breathing. I ended up bringing her to a doctor, and then an ER visit. I was told that if there was a third visit, they would diagnose her with asthma. I was determined to receive her healing and that there would be no diagnosis.   I prayed for healing according to Mark 11:24. And then I continued to thank God that my baby was healed, regardless of what I saw and heard. Faith will stand on what God has said, regardless of what it sees, hears, or feels. Those symptoms disappeared. But we had several more episodes over the next year that were screaming, “she has asthma.” I continued to stand and say only what I believed about it. We never did need to go to the ER again, and those symptoms never returned.   So many fail to receive because they believe the lying symptoms of the devil more than they believe what God has said in His Word.   I believe that, as scripture says, God is not a man that He should lie. If anyone is lying, it’s the devil and his symptoms. So when I pray, I believe I receive and refuse to be moved by anything until I receive the answer. God is no respecter of persons. You can do the same thing and be assured of victory every time you pray according to the will of God in faith! If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church . As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!