What Did You See?
So, I imagine my heart with you. See what imagination will do? It’s not hard to conceive. Love’s ecstasy imagining you, imagining me. The beauty we both can see.
Do you recall who sang the lyrics above? How about these:
These dreams go on when I close my eyes. Every second of the night I live another life. These dreams that sleep when it’s cold outside. Every moment I’m awake the further I’m away.
Imagination performed by Earth, Wind & Fire. These Dreams performed by Heart.
I send a weekly word of encouragement via email to about 70 of our Ascent College students. I entitled this week’s message: What Did You See?
I gave the students a practical exercise (PE) designed to engage their imagination and capacity to dream. Play along for a moment:
Imagine that you are serving in ministry after you’ve graduated. Visualize yourself in the role. What did you see?
Let’s repeat this exercise but this time, see yourself engaged in a ministry based on Mark 16:17-18:
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
What did you see? I believe the students saw something familiar from their past in part one of the PE.
I believe they struggled to see themselves in a signs and wonders ministry. Such ministries are rare these days. Incidentally, Mark 16:17-18 pertains to all believers. Take a moment to see yourself operating in this framework. What did YOU see?
You can tie three verses of scriptures together and make a solid case that Jesus provided healing for us through His atoning sacrifice. Isaiah 53:5 + Matthew 8:17 + 1 Peter 2:24 = Jesus provided healing for every sickness and disease.
Jesus heals all of our diseases, but what does this truth mean when we suffer physically or see others suffering?
Should we fight and resist sickness and disease or accept the circumstances? Jesus commended those who aggressively pursued relief from physical infirmities.
People could not keep blind Bartimaeus from crying out for mercy. The Syrophoenician woman challenged Jesus when He said healing was only for the Jews. Jesus commended her. The woman with the issue of blood reached out to touch the hem of His garment. The four friends of the paralytic man cut a hole in the roof to get their friend to Jesus. (See verses at end of article.)* The sick and suffering received healing in each instance.
Aggressively oppose all challenges to your health and wellbeing. Do your research on what ails you. Adjust your diet if you have to. Walk around the block. Forgive others; pray around the clock. Above all the other things you can do, get in the Word of Truth, and be confident. Jesus will see you through.
Study scriptures that relate to divine healing. Meditate on these verses. Your God-given ability to dream and imagine enables you to see yourself healed and delivered NOW by faith! It may seem awkward at the beginning but all you need is a mustard seed.
Mountain-moving faith begins as a mustard seed. The more we nurture the seed through study and meditation, the more it will grow. (Mark 11:23)
Stay at it and mountain moving faith is produced. A life without limits becomes believable and achievable. We can receive our healing and then get to the main point of it all. We can begin to function within the framework of Mark 16:17-18 as God intended.
You are now going against the tide of church culture. Sadly, we don’t study the Bible and meditate on God’s Word as we should.
Moreover, your aggressive stance on healing is going to run you right into opposition. The devil will use any means necessary to move you from faith to unbelief, but you know what to do: STAND! (Eph 6:10) At the end of this article is a link to 149 healing scriptures.**
Let’s practice. Imagine total healing. Dream of a life without pain and disability. See yourself sound and whole. Your mustard seed just grew. Keep practicing. You are going to depart the battleground of healing victoriously!
Thank you for having this conversation with me. God Bless! Press On!! Kevin
* Aggressive stances on healing:
Mark 10:46-52 – Blind Bartimaeus
Mark 7:24-30 – Syrophoenician woman
Mt 9:20-22 – Woman issue of blood
Mark 2:1-5 – Paralytic man
**List of 149 healing verses in the Bible. https://stillfaith.com/topics/healing/
A response to statements : “you must aggressively oppose all challenges to your health and wellbeing….do your research….” And “miscalculated the nature of war and what it would take to win” in the blog on Healing.
As I have read each of your blogs on healing, I recalled my testimony that I had not shared with others outside of my circle and into the public. I Keep within my keepsakes a black eye patch and a paste on prism. Why? to remember the faithfulness of God.
I was sick with an incurable disease and going blind. I had an inoperable tumor, and the blindness was progressive with migraines. I lived on steroids and pain medications as the only solution. The doctors gave me no hope or cure only comfort measures to get me through. I was a Navy military wife , with two small children and I had just rededicated my life to Christ returning from a backslidden state. We were at our first duty station on the Island of Guam with no church.
I would read my bible, pray, sing, read, pray, sing. I searched the scripture and the Holy Spirit taught me. One day I studied, “ with His stripes I was healed” right? I had to grasp that; it took a moment of time. Each morning, as I looked at my swollen eyes and face, took pain meds and got no better, I asked God to please heal me and yes, I wondered why it was not working. So, I searched the scriptures, prayed, and sang. I did not know what I was doing right or wrong. Jesus did not struggle to get it done, so what was I missing? I would ask God a question, and He would give me a scripture. Line upon line precept upon precept. I found the scripture that said, “ he would give me wisdom,” well Lord, give me wisdom on how to get through this. Standing in the grocery checkout line one day, I saw a book on eating biblically which caught my attention, I bought it and read it. So, I changed my diet lol. I found out there are foods and additives that cause migraines great to read. I was killing myself eating MSG.
I was reading and came across the scripture “ without faith it is impossible to please him.” Well, I certainly wanted to please God. The question was always a chase through scripture. How do I please God? I studied the people who had favor from God in the word. My choice was Elijah. 1 Kings 17:17-18—he healed the widow’s son, but it puzzled me why did he have to pray three times.( My answer from God) strengthen my faith. There is a scripture that says, “ these kinds go out by much fasting and prayer.” So, I began fasting and prayer. I was reading/praying Psalm 139:24 search me lord if anything is in me that is not pleasing to you show me. He led me to Mt 5:24 unforgiveness. So , you know that had to go. My goal was to please God because the word said, delight thyself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. It said I would please him with FAITH.
This was a 5-year journey of Faith, Prayer, Word, walking close to God to hear his voice and following the Holy Spirit. The relationship between me and God strengthened. One day, just another day, I felt full of God’s spirit got up and went outside, laid out in the front yard on the ground! Christ said with HIS stripes healed me. There was a great light that engulfed me, and when it faded away, I got up went inside to look in the mirror. The swelling was gone, my eyes were back in the sockets as normal ( not bulging) and the pain was gone.
You see , “ don’t mis calculate the nature of war and what it will take to FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH” YOU will have to aggressively oppose all challenges, you will have to do your research and seek WISDOM. But remember GOD HONORS FAITH! He cannot lie. We need Wisdom in order to know what his will is in the matter. He will give you the strategy to win the fight or give you PEACE with the direction it will go. Healings take time or Healings are miraculous and others will find PEACE. …Mae
My, my, my, my, my…what a testimony! You have built my faith. I know you will build the faith of others with this incredible testimony!!