In Exchange for a Look Receive Life

And Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on a pole, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he lived.  -Numbers 219 AMP

When the Israelites were bitten by snakes in the wilderness, they had to do something in order to be healed. Just because the bronze serpent was placed on the pole didn’t mean the people would automatically be healed. God told Moses to put the bronze serpent on the pole. Then He said, “Every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live” (Num. 21:8). The people had to do the looking. The answer was held up before them, but they had to look at it.

The Amplified Bible expands that thought. God didn’t say, “Once you put the serpent on a pole, you can take a quick glance and head for home.” He said, “If you want to live, you’ll have to attentively, expectantly and with a steady and absorbing gaze look to that answer.”

In essence, God was telling the Israelites, “You can’t look at the biting snakes and the serpent on the pole at the same time. It’s your choice whether you gaze at the problem or the answer. But if you want to live, you have to look to My answer.”

The people receive life for a look. Forgiveness, healing and deliverance were theirs for the taking as they looked at the serpent on the pole.

Today, we receive life, forgiveness, healing and deliverance as we set our eyes on Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. (Matt. 8:17.) It also says we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:13.) As we fix our eyes attentively, expectantly and with a steady, absorbing gaze on Jesus, we’ll receive our healing and begin to live in divine health!

CONFESSION:

When symptoms of pain and sickness attack me, I overlook the circumstances and look to Jesus. Jesus is greater than any sickness or problem I face. He causes me to triumph in every situation as I expectantly look to Him!

From: A Devotional for Divine Health Prescription for a Miracle, Mark Brazee, 1999