Step Out on the Word

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. -John 9:1,6,7

Here was a man who had been blind from birth. Jesus walked over to him, spit in the dirt, made clay of the spittle, smeared the clay on the man’s eyes and said, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.”

That man could have said, “What do You mean, go wash in the pool of Siloam?’ Look, Jesus, I don’t’ need a bath—I need my sight! What is mud in my eyes going to do? Everyone will laugh at me. I’m waiting for You to work a miracle. I’m waiting for a feeling.”

Instead, the Bible tells us that the blind man submitted himself to Jesus and went to the pool of Siloam and washed the mud off his eyes. He had to obey what Jesus told him to do with no feeling and no manifestation. Every symptom was still there; his eyes were still blind. The only difference was that he now had mud in his eyes! There was no physical change at all.

But Jesus said, “Go,” and the blind man went. Jesus gave him an opportunity to walk by faith. The blind man took off for the pool of Siloam on the Word of God alone. That was his faith in operation. He went, he washed and he came again seeing. But he had to step out on the word Jesus spoke before he saw results.

Sometimes people say, “I wish Jesus would speak a word to me so I’d have something to believe.” But God has given them something to believe—His Word!

So find out in God’s Word what He has said about your situation. Then step out on that Word, believing what He said. Let your faith take hold of your answer. Release God’s power in your life!

CONFESSION:

Jesus has spoken to me in His Word. I choose to take Him at His Word, even when I’m not able to see my answer yet. Jesus says I’m healed, so I’m healed!

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

 

“I Will”

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. -Matthew 8:2,3

Jesus did two things when He was moved with compassion: First, He touched the leper. Second, He said something to him.

I always thought that the moment Jesus touched someone, that person was healed. But this man’s leprosy didn’t depart until Jesus said something. Apparently, His words were as important as His touch.

What did Jesus say to the leper? "Be cleansed.” He gave the command for the leprosy to depart. But He also said something else—the phrase most Christians are looking for—"I will.”

Notice what Jesus didn’t say. He didn’t say, “I won’t” or “Later.” He didn’t say, “This disease is good for you” or “You deserve this” or "God sent this leprosy to teach you something.”

Jesus didn’t have to fast and pray to find out God's will. He just said, “I will.” He knew God’s will. He also knew one of His purposes for coming to earth was to destroy all the works of the devil (1John 3:8), including sickness and disease. Part of Jesus’ commission was to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils and bring deliverance to all mankind—spirit, soul and body.

God never told Jesus to just seek out a few here and there who needed healing. Jesus was sent to heal all! So when the man said, “If You will", Jesus responded,"Of course I will! Why shouldn’t I heal you? God's will is healing for all mankind.”

CONFESSION:

My Father sent Jesus to destroy the works of the devil, including sickness. Sickness isn’t in God’s plan for me. Therefore, by faith I receive my healing!

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

 

 

God’s Compassion To Heal

And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him. -Mark 1:41

“Moved with compassion.” Jesus touched the leper. This may have been the first time in years that someone touched this man. No one wanted to touch him. He wasn’t even supposed to come near people.

In Luke 17:12, Jesus came to a place where ten lepers cried unto Him from afar. Why didn’t these ten lepers walk over to Jesus? Because it was illegal. If a leper came within 100 paces of a healthy human being, he had to get out of the way and call out “Unclean! Unclean!”

So these ten lepers, knowing they couldn’t legally come within 100 paces of Jesus, cried to Him from some distance away. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priest, and they were healed as they went. (v.14)

Yet this one leper came close to Jesus. Though he could have been stoned for being there, he had the tenacity of someone who wanted healing so badly that he was willing to take a risk for it.

The leper fell down before Jesus and said, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” Jesus immediately settled that question. Moved with compassion, He put forth His hand and touched the leper saying, “I will, be cleaned.”

You see, God’s ability shows His power, but His willingness shows His compassion. In the Word, God’s compassion is magnified above His power. The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), but it never says, “God is power.”

So trust in your heavenly Father’s love for you. As you come to Him in faith, His compassion will flow freely to you to heal you and make you whole.

CONFESSION:

God’s love and compassion reach out to me and heal me of every sickness and disease. He is not only able, but willing to make me whole. I am healed and whole!

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

It’s God’s Will to Heal You

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him and said to him, “I am willing, be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. -Mark 1:40-42

The average Christian is in the same position as this leper was-not knowing whether it is God’s will to heal or not. The believer may think, I know God is able to heal. I just don’t know whether or not it's His will to heal me.

The leper knew the ability of Jesus. He came to Jesus and said, "Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.” I’ve heard the same thing from people in prayer lines. They stand there praying, “Oh, Lord, I know You’re able to heal me.””

But knowing God is able isn’t enough; it’s just a starting point. Knowing God’s ability is about 25 percent of the answer. The other 75 percent is knowing His will.

The one hindrance that stood between the leper and his miracle was revealed in his statement: “If you are willing, You can make me clean.” The same is true for people all over the world. They are trusting God for healing. But if you were to ask them if they are convinced that it is God’s will to heal them, they would probably answer, I sure hope so. They are operating in strong hope, but they haven’t stepped over into the realm of faith yet.

Faith always begins where the will of God is known. "I know God heals some people,” you may say. But only when you know that it is God’s will to heal you do you reach the beginning point of faith.

CONFESSION:

I know without a doubt that it is my Father’s will to heal me. I come to Him with confident assurance that He desires my healing even more than I do. Healing is mine!

 

 

Taking the “If Out of Healing

Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying, I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. -Matthew 8:3

What did Jesus do when this leper said, "I know You are able to heal me, Lord, but I don’t know if You are willing”? Did Jesus say, "Now, Brother, I’ll have to fast and pray first to see if it is God’s will to heal you”? No, Jesus answered the question for all mankind right there. He turned to that man and said, “I will, be cleansed." In other words, Jesus was saying, “Why in the world would you doubt a thing like that? If I’m able, surely, I am willing.”

We shouldn’t have any question in our hearts about God’s will to heal. Jesus certainly didn’t. He didn’t hesitate when the leper said to Him, "If you will," Immediately Jesus turned to the man and said, “Of course, I will. That’s part of My commission. That’s part of the reason I came. Of course its My will for you to be whole.”

Jesus took the “if” out of the healing issue. He didn’t have to beg, plead or spend three days finding God’s will about healing. He just automatically said, “I will heal you.” Why? Because Jesus was the will of God in action.

Jesus was the expression of the will of God to Adams race. Jesus didn’t say, “I heal on My own.” He said, “The Father that dwells in me, He does the works." (John 14:10). Therefore, for Jesus to heal the leper, it had to be God’s will because it was the Father, dwelling inside Jesus, who did the work!

CONFESSION:

I read and meditate on God’s Word, and it builds an unshakable confidence in me that God wants me healthy and whole. So I boldly say, “I am healed,” and the Holy Spirit, who lives in me does the work!

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

 

 

God Is Willing to Heal

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. -Matthew 8:2,3

The leper is the only person recorded in the New Testament to have questioned God’s will to heal. This man is also the first in the four Gospels whom Jesus heals. So the first thing God does through Jesus is to clear up this question: Is it God’s will to heal?

A major obstacle standing between Christians and miracles today is that they know God is able to heal, but they don’t know whether He’s willing. Many in the church world say, “Lord, heal this person, if it by Thy will.”

Under the Levitical law, a leper was unclean and had to live in the wilderness away from civilization. This particular leper, however, had apparently heard that Jesus was healing people. He wanted to be healed so much that he took risks to be well. The leper fell before Jesus and said, “Lord, if it is Your will, You can make me clean.” He came to Jesus desiring to be healed. But desire wasn’t enough. The leper didn’t receive anything until Jesus cleared up his question. Is it Your will to heal me?”

This is a guideline for the Church today. People say, “I saw people in the prayer lines who weren’t healed or “I prayed, and I wasn’t healed.” But so many of these people didn’t expect to be healed, they only hoped they would be. They couldn’t expect healing because they didn’t confidently know that God’s will is to heal every time.

One translation of verse 3 says, “Jesus stretched out his hand and placed it on the leper saying, “Of course I want to. Be clean!” (Philips) The man didn’t get healed until Jesus answered that question for him.

So we can see the importance of knowing Gods will. When Jesus answered the leper, He also gave that answer to all mankind—including you. God is able and willing to heal you!

CONFESSION:

With two words, “I will.” Jesus showed me beyond a doubt that God’s will for me is divine health. If sickness shows up, God wants me well. Therefore, according to Your will, Lord, I accept my healing!

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

 

A Miracle Received Through Faith

And they were preaching (in Lystra) 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

That crippled man had never taken a step in his life. Then suddenly, he was up leaping and praising God! How did that happen? He received through faith. Where did he get his faith? “The same heard Paul speak.” What did Paul speak? Verse 7 says, “And there they preached the gospel.” So the man put his faith n the Gospel message and received a miraculous healing!

You hear some people say, “Well, Brother, we don’t preach healing around here; we just preach the Gospel.” That’s amazing. When Paul preached the Gospel, people had faith to be healed! A person can’t preach the whole Gospel without preaching healing.

“The same heard Paul speak: who observed him intently and perceiving that he had faith to be healed…” Did Paul perceive that someday the man would get faith? No, Paul perceived that the man had faith right then. The man hadn’t taken a step yet, but he had faith to be healed. However, his faith didn’t work until he stepped out and acted on it.

It isn’t right to say to someone, “Well if you had faith, you’d be healed. Sometimes people just haven’t come to the point of stepping out and acting on their faith to get results.

And you can’t say, “Well then so-and-so is not healed because he isn’t acting on his faith.” No, a number of things can keep faith from working.

The bottom line is that we can’t judge another person’s faith. However, we can know that it’s God’s will to heal every person every time, because we have His Word on it!

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

 

A Crippled Man Walks

And [throughout Lycaonia] 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.

Paul and Barnabus were preaching the Gospel, the Good News, in the cities of Lycaonia. Good news to a sinner is that he can be saved, good news to a poor man is that his needs can be met and good news to a sick man is that he can be healed. Therefore, healing must have been part of the Gospel Paul and Barnabus were preaching.

As they preached in Lystra, a crippled man who had never walked sat in the crowd. Suddenly, something radically changed his condition. What was it that changed the course of his life? “The same heard Paul speak.” The man heard the Gospel. Then Paul “observed 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.”

A miracle happened that day. Yes, the man leaped and walked and praised God for his healing. But the first step he took that set a new course in his life was to hear. He tapped into the connection between hearing and healing.

CONFESSION:

Hearing God’s Word produces faith in me. Therefore, as I continually hear the Word, I walk in divine health, peace and abundance.

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

 

Jesus’ Will Is the Father’s Will

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” -Matthew 8:5-7

When the centurion asked Jesus to come heal his servant, Jesus responded “I will.” Jesus was saying, “My will is to heal him because My will is the Father’s will. And the Father’s will is to heal everyone who allows Him to. Therefore, I will come heal him.

Jesus didn’t know and had never before seen the centurion’s servant. Jesus wasn’t even in the servant’s presence. But Jesus knew the will of the Father.

Then the centurion said, “You don’t need to come to my house, Lord; I’m not really worthy of that. But if You will just speak the word, my servant will be healed. Jesus commended the centurion for his faith and sent him home. There the centurion found his servant healed and set free!

Healing the servant was God’s will. Jesus had probably never seen the centurion or the servant before; He didn’t know them. But Jesus knew the will of the Father—healing for all!

CONFESSION:

Like the centurion, I believe in the power and authority of Jesus’ words. I know God's will is that I be healed and walk in health. So I ask in faith for my healing, and I believe I receive my answer.

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

 

 

You can Do Something About the Devil!

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. -Matthew 8:5-9

There’s a connection between understanding authority and having great faith. Sometimes a believer’s faith doesn’t operate because he doesn’t understand his authority in Christ. Every time he starts to receive something from God, the devil steals it away, and he doesn’t realize he can do something about it.

So, we must develop an understanding of the authority God has given us. Authority is not our own power or strength. The best term to explain authority is “delegated power.” Jesus delegated authority to His disciples and to the Church. “Verily I say unto you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt. 18:18) Jesus said “Whatever you forbid on earth, heaven will forbid. Whatever you allow on earth, heaven will allow.”

Jesus is the Head of the Church. We are His body on this earth with the right to use the authority vested in His name. The body has the same authority as the Head.

God is waiting for us to give orders to the enemy so He can legally enforce those decisions. We are the ones with the authority to do something about the devil. Whatever we forbid on earth, heaven forbids. Whatever we allow on earth, heaven allows!

CONFESSION:

Jesus has spoken healing to me through His Word. Now I have authority on earth to keep the devil from stealing my healing from me. In the name of Jesus, I am healed!

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

 

 

Take God at His Word

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” -Matthew 8:5-10

The Roman centurion had great faith because he understood Jesus’ words had authority over sickness and disease. The centurion was willing not only to believe the words of Jesus, but to act on them as well.

The centurion didn’t say, “Jesus, I need You to come to my house.” He said, “You just speak the Word, Jesus, and I’ll take that Word and act on it!” In verse 13, Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

The centurion didn’t need a special manifestation or special feeling. He just heard the incorruptible seed of Jesus’ words, and said, “I believe what You say.” And when the centurion acted on the Word he heard, his servant received his healing.

That’s what God expects us to do. He doesn’t expect us to wait for some special manifestation, even though that may happen at times. God expects us to simply take Him at His Word, believe we receive His promises and boldly act on them in faith.

CONFESSION:

Jesus responds to faith. The servant was healed because the centurion believed the words Jesus spoke would come to pass. I am healed because I believe God’s healing promises will come to pass in me!

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

 

 

Put Your Trust in Jesus, Not Man

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” -John 5:5-8

Jesus walked directly to the man and asked, Is it your will to be healed?

The man replied, “But I have no man…”

That was this man’s first problem. He was looking to man. In other words, he was saying, “Yes, I’d like to be healed, but I can’t. I’m too slow. I’ve been here too long. I don’t have any friends. No one will help me, so I can’t be healed.”

Apparently, some of the sick around the pool were prosperous enough to hire a man to stay with them. When the water was troubled, the hired man would pick up the sick person, run to the pool and put him in the pool. And if that person was first, he’d be healed. But evidently this man didn’t have any money, because he told Jesus, “I have no man.”

We must not make the mistake this man did by keeping our eyes on what we lack. We have a man—the Man Jesus—and in Him there is no lack. If we focus on what we don’t have, we miss our answer when it stands before us.

When you look to man, you will always be sadly disappointed. Some believers even go to a specific healing evangelist, expecting him to heal them. But no man can heal anyone.

Regardless of what kind of anointing someone operates in, no man is a healer. Jesus alone is the healer. So trust in Him alone for your healing. Jesus is all you need!

CONFESSION:

I focus my spiritual eyes on Jesus, with whom there is no lack. No man is my healer—Jesus is my Healer!

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

 

 

Don’t Wait for the Water to Move

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well? -John 5:6

Notice Jesus went to this pool where a great multitude of sick people gathered. They were all waiting for the water to be troubled. They knew that when the water moved, the first person who stepped in would be healed. Everyone else had to wait for the next visitation. And they’d wait and wait and wait…

The situation was a little like a person who decides to stand out in a field and wait for lightening to strike. Maybe it will strike; maybe it won’t. There are no guarantees.

Unfortunately, most of the church world is in that state of wishful thinking. Most Christians would like healing to just hit them. But they won’t do their part to take hold of their healing by faith.

“Do you want to be made well?” That’s a good question.

Some Christians would protest,” But if healing were for today, everyone would be healed.” No, not everyone even wants healing! Some folks would rather stay sick. For example, Janet and I know a lady who has been sick for thirty-five years and she’s become accustomed to it. If some people were healed, they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. It would cut their vocabulary about 95 percent! If other people were healed, they wouldn’t get any attention.

I don’t mean that unkindly, but that kind of situation is a reproach to the body of Christ. We ought to love people and give them the attention they need when they’re well so they don’t have to be sick to receive it.

At the same time, we ought to examine ourselves. Are we waiting for the water to move? Or are we doing our part to receive our healing by faith?

CONFESSION:

I am whole. I don’t use sickness as a way to get attention, and I don’t just wait for the “water to move.” Healing is mine and I receive it now by faith!

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

 

Keep a Watch on Your Words

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” -John 5:6,7

The Living Bible puts it this way: “When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, ‘Would you like to get well?”

“I can’t,’ the sick man said…”

Just as we can locate this man’s faith by his words, “I can’t,” we can locate our faith by our words. You see, many of us have been taught a great deal about faith and confession (or saying what the Word says) and can “talk a good talk.” But when no one is listening and the pressure is on, we need to pay attention to what comes out of our mouths. We don’t need to be “confession monitors” for other people; we can stay busy just checking up on ourselves!

When many of us first heard the teaching, “You can have what you say,” we were dangerous. We’d say, “Don’t say that!” to people who had no idea what we were talking about. Hopefully we’ve learned better by now. But we still need to locate ourselves with our words. It’s easy to keep a good confession when things are going well. But when pressure comes and no one is listening, we may discover some adjustments we need to make!

When you get into a tight spot while standing in faith for something, you may say words of doubt and unbelief. Don’t let that put you under condemnation. Don’t say, “Oh, dear God, I thought I was in faith, but now I’ve completely blown it by spewing out all kinds of unbelief!” No, all isn’t lost. Just make the adjustment, and feed on the Word for a while. Get full of the Word, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34)!

CONFESSION:

The words I speak control the circumstances of my life. God's Word in me drives out sickness and disease. I can have what I say, and I say I’m healed!

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

 

The Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep  market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water; whoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatever disease he had. -John 5:2-4

This account gives us a picture of God’s sovereign side. Five sheds full of people sat by the pool. The people didn’t know when the angel was coming; they just knew he was coming. They didn’t know who would be healed; they just knew someone would be healed. And afterwards, the rest of the people would have to sit and wait for the next time the angel came to trouble the water. Now let’s look at verses 5-9.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie…he said to him, will you be made whole?

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool…

Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked…

Obviously, the impotent man wasn’t healed on his own faith. Well, then, someone may say, “Jesus’ faith healed the man.” But Jesus never once said in the Bible, “My faith made you whole.” If Jesus’ faith had healed that man, He would have healed everyone else there too. But after the healing this one man, Jesus disappeared into the crowd.

So what healed the man? The sovereignty of God. Why did God single that one man out? I don’t know; that’s God’s business. God did it, and He knows what He’s doing.

CONFESSION:

God reaches out to heal people as He wills. He also made a way for me to receive my healing by faith in His Word. I exercise that faith, and I receive my healing now!

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

 

Be a Person of Your Word

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. -Matthew 12:34

You cannot separate yourself from your word, for you are only as good as your word.

I heard one minister say, “Sometimes a person’s faith doesn’t work because his word is not good.” After hearing this probably 100 times, I finally realized that if our word isn’t any good, our faith will never work.

Sometimes people aren’t used to believing their own words. If they don’t believe their words in certain natural areas of their lives, they’ll have a hard time believing their words when they’re standing in faith for something.

Faith is believing that what you say according to the Word will come to pass. Mark 11:23 says, “For surely I say to you, that whosoever will say to this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea, and shall not doubt  in his heart, but will believe that those things which he says will come to pass, he will have whatsoever he says."

If you are going to be a person of faith whose faith works, you have to be a person of your word. Stick to your word. Keep your word. Honor your word. Watch over your word.

As you do, people may start talking about you, saying, “Boy, I’m telling you, if that person says something, you can just count on its coming to pass. You can count on him to back up his word.” When you gain a reputation like that, your faith will skyrocket!

CONFESSION:

My words create God’s realities in my life. I watch my words carefully and speak only truth and life. As I walk in faith according to God’s Word, I shall have whatever I say. So right now I say, “By Jesus’ stripes, I am healed!

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

 

Choose God’s Higher Thoughts

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. -Isaiah 55:8,9

People say, I believe God wants to use sickness to teach me. But is that in the Bible?

All of us have probably held theories and beliefs at one time or another that have messed up our thinking. Perhaps Satan’s biggest lie is that sickness and disease are from God. When we fall for that lie, we stop resisting the devil’s attacks on our bodies and open the door for him to walk right in and strap sickness on us. Then we wonder why we can’t get rid of the sickness!

We might receive temporary relief from sickness or pain if people lay hands on us and pray. But often the symptoms come right back. We won’t find permanent relief until we make sure that the door giving the enemy access is closed and locked. How do we lock the door? By getting a strong revelation in our hearts that healing is God’s will.

You see, we open the door to sickness through wrong thinking. Wrong thinking produces wrong believing, and wrong believing produces wrong speaking. When all those factors are put together, we experience only bad results.

When faced with symptoms of sickness, we should immediately say, “The Bible is God talking to me. What does God think? What does the Bible say?”

God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isa 55:9.) Thank God, He wrote down His thoughts and ways in sixty-six books and gave them to us! And in those books, He tells us that healing is His will!

CONFESSION:

I don’t allow the devil’s doubt and unbelief to keep me from receiving my healing. I choose  God’s higher thoughts and ways, and they produce healing in me!

 

Understand Why Jesus’ Body Was Broken

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 11:29,30

People say, ”I believe God wants to use sickness to teach me.” But is that in the Bible?

All of us have probably held theories and beliefs at one time or another that have messed up our thinking. Perhaps Satan’s biggest lie is that sickness and disease are from God. When we fall for that lie, we stop resisting the devil’s attacks on our bodies and open the door for him to walk right in and strap sickness on us. Then we wonder why we can’t get rid of the sickness!

We might receive temporary relief from sickness or pain if people lay hands on us and pray. But often the symptoms come right back. We won’t find permanent relief until we make sure that the door giving the enemy access is closed and locked. How do we lock the door? By getting a strong revelation in our hearts that healing is God’s will.

You see, we open the door to sickness through wrong thinking. Wrong thinking produces wrong believing, and wrong believing produces wrong speaking. When all those factors are put together, we experience only bad results.

When faced with symptoms of sickness, we should immediately say, "The Bible is God talking to me. What does God think? What does the Bible say?”

God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isa. 55:9) Thank God, He wrote down His thoughts and ways in sixty-six books and gave them to us! And in those books, He tells us that healing is His will!

CONFESSION:

I don’t allow the devil’s doubt and unbelief to keep me from receiving my healing. I choose Gods higher thoughts and ways, and they produce healing in me!

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

 

 

Rightly Discerning Jesus’ Body

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 11:28-30

Writing to the believers at the Corinthian church, Paul says, “Many in the church are weak, sickly and sleeping.”

What does Paul mean? Some definitions will help us understand. The word weak indicates being without strength, infirmed, feeble, impotent, diseased and sick. A sickly person is one whose strength has failed through disease. Paul is talking about physical problems in this Scripture. And when he refers to those who are sleeping, he is talking about the “sleep” of death.

So, Paul is actually saying in this verse, “For this reason, many are physically sick and even dying early.”

What is the reason Paul is referring to? He’s discussing the Lord’s Supper. In verse 29, he says, “For he that eats and drinks in an unworthy manner, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” Weymouth’s translation says, “…if he fails to estimate the body right.” Wuest’s translation says, “…if he does not properly evaluate the body.” The Living Bible puts it this way: “…not thinking about the body of Christ and what it means.” Finally, The Modern Language Bible says, “…without due appreciation of the body.”

This is the only place in the Bible where Paul says, “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” Apparently, it’s important to understand how to rightly discern, estimate, evaluate and appreciate the body of Jesus Christ.

CONFESSION:

I rightly discern Jesus’ body, broken for my physical healing. I appreciate and appropriate the healing Jesus purchased for me.

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

 

Healing Is Good!

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. -Acts 10:38

The Bible doesn’t say, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power: who went about making people sick everywhere He went.” No, Jesus went about doing good. What “good” did Jesus do? This Scripture says He “went about doing good, and healing.” Whom did He heal? Those who were oppressed.

Who oppressed them? The devil. That’s pretty plain. God tells us in the Scripture where sickness and disease come from—the devil.

God also tells us what “good” is: Good is healing. Sickness isn’t good, because Jesus healed those who were sick and oppressed of the devil. “Good” is setting people free from sickness and disease.

Sickness isn’t a blessing from God. It’s a curse, a satanic oppression and a bondage that the enemy places in the body of Christ to slow us down or stop us from preaching the Gospel to all the world.

God wants us well so we can fulfill the Great Commission. He wants us not only to preach the Gospel, but to lay hands on the sick to set them free. (Mark 16:18) Why? Because sickness is bad, and healing is good!

CONFESSION

My Father says healing is good. He willingly heals me. And as I lay hands on the sick, God’s power causes them to recover!

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

  

 

Was Sickness Part of God’s Creation?

Then God saw everything that He made and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. -Genesis 1:31

God had just finished Creation. He said, “That’s it. I’m through!” He finished creation displayed His perfect will for Adam and all his descendants. That was the way He wanted everything to be.

But what was not in God’s creation on that sixth day? Well, you’ll never find a Scripture that says, “On such-and-such a day, God created sickness and disease.” You’ll never read, “And God said, ‘Let there be cancer!! Let there be pneumonia!” No, God looked at His creation, and “behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31). That means sickness and disease were absent in the original creation.

When Adam sinned and fell spiritually in the Garden of Eden, he chose a new master to serve. He turned creation over to the enemy. At that moment, Satan became the god of this world with a long-term lease on creation.

When Satan entered into his new domain, he brought all his goods with him—sickness, disease, fear, poverty, depression, oppression, death and everything else that’s evil. Someone once said, “Sickness is the foul offspring of its father, Satan, and its mother, sin.”

You don’t find sickness and disease anywhere in the Bible until after Satan became the god of this world. Then you find sickness running rampant throughout the earth.

Satan is the author of sickness. He brought it into the earth with him. And only through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the Cross would life ever again become “very good” on this earth.

CONFESSION:

Sickness doesn’t come from God. Satan is the father of all diseases, but I’ve been delivered from his kingdom. I walk in health and healing because my Father wants me well!

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

 

The God Who Never Changes

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. -James 1:16,17

Every good and perfect gift comes from God, who never changes. So when we find out that something is good and perfect, we know it comes from God. And if it isn’t good or perfect, we know it doesn’t come from above.

What about sickness? Well, if sickness came from God, it would have to be good. But we know sickness isn’t good, because it steals, kills and destroys. It doesn’t come from God.

I like the last part of verse 17, where James describes God as “the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”! There isn’t even a trace of change in God.

Jesus doesn’t change either. He is the express image of the Father, and He’s the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb. 13:8) And Acts 10:38 says Jesus “went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.”

God didn’t send sickness and disease to the earth in the beginning; He didn’t send sickness and disease during the time of Jesus’ earthly walk and He doesn’t send sickness and disease to the earth today. Rather, God made a way to deliver us from sickness and disease when He sent the living Word, Jesus Christ.

CONFESSION:

My Father and His Word never change. He sent His Word to heal His people under the old covenant, and He sends His Word to heal me today. I receive my healing by faith in God’s Word!

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

 

 

Does Sickness Come From God?

He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions. -Psalm 107:20

If sickness or disease comes from God, how does He give it to us? Does He reach out and touch us, giving it to us by His own hand?

Jesus was the express image of God—the will of God in action. He said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” (John 14:9) So if it were true that God gave us sickness by His hand, then Jesus would have given sickness to people instead of taking it away from them.

But when Jesus touched people, they were healed. He lived on this earth thirty-three-and-a-half years and ministered for three-and-a-half of those years. In all that time, Jesus never gave sickness or disease to anyone. He acted out the will of God, taking sickness away from people.

Well, then, does God give us sickness by His Word? Does He speak it on us? No, Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent his word, and healed them.” So God doesn’t put sickness on us with His hands nor by His Word.

Where would God get sickness to put on us anyway? He doesn’t have sickness in heaven. And when sickness entered this earth through the fall of man, Jesus paid the price to send it to the depths of hell, where it belongs.

So there’s only one conclusion to make: God doesn’t have any sickness to give us. Therefore, sickness and disease are not from God.

CONFESSION:

Father; let Your will be done in my life, as it is in heaven. Because there is no sickness in heaven, sickness must leave my body! I receive God’s healing Word now in Jesus’ name.

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

 

Don’t Be Double-Minded

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. -James 1:6-8

Whenever sickness or disease attacks our bodies, everything in us wants to be free of it. It’s uncomfortable. It is “dis-ease,” and we automatically want to get rid of it as quickly as we can.

But if we think sickness is from God for any reason—whether we think it’s commissioned by Him, sent by Him or allowed by Him—we’re in trouble. We become double-minded. One side of our mind thinks, I don’t want this; but the other side thinks, If God wants me to have this sickness, it must be good for me and I should keep it. I want whatever God wants for me. I want to obey God.

If sickness is a blessing from God, we should never be found fighting against it. We shouldn’t fight it with medical science, with prayer, with the laying on of hands or anything else. If our sickness is from God, we should keep it and pray for the rest of the family to get sick!

But if sickness is not from God, then as God’s children, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we shouldn’t have any part of it.

You can walk free of sickness. So don’t be double-minded about it—refuse to accept it when it comes. If symptoms attack your body, attack those symptoms with the Word of God! You are God’s child and you don’t have to keep one thing that doesn’t come from Him!

CONFESSION:

I am single-minded and stable in all my ways. I know God’s will for me is healing and good health. Sickness has no place in me, and I refuse to let it stay!\ From: 

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

 

Fill Your Mind With the Word

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  -1 John 3:8

Where does sickness come from? We have to find the source of the problem before we can get rid of it. So let’s look at the reason Jesus came to earth. First John 3:8 says He came “to destroy the works of the devil.” What are the works Jesus came to destroy? Sin, poverty, sickness and disease.

I know people who are just beginning to walk by faith. But even though they are learning to believe and confess the truth of God’s Word, they still have that old, doubt-filled thought following them around: God may want me sick for a purpose. This sickness may be sent from God to teach me something.

If that’s what you’re thinking, you won’t be healed. Your faith will never operate beyond your knowledge of God’s will. You have to know healing is God’s will before you can believe for it.

So feed your spirit on healing Scriptures that tell you God wants you healthy and whole. Fill your mind with the Word so those old,,doubt-filled thoughts can’t even find a way to get in! Your faith can make you whole—if you know what you believe!

CONFESSION:

It’s God’s will for me to be healed and live in health. Sickness doesn’t come from God, and He doesn’t use sickness to teach me. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil, so I live free of sickness and disease!

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

 

God’s Kind of Life

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

Where does sickness come from? I was taught for years that it came from God. I was told He used sickness to teach us and to make us pious and more “Christ-like.”

However, if we look in the Word, we definitely see that sickness comes from the enemy and not from God. Jesus certainly didn’t get Christ-like through sickness and disease, so I don’t know why we should have to do it that way! Sickness is a satanic force, God called it a curse in Deuteronomy 28:59-61. In Luke 13:16, Jesus called it a bondage. And by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Peter called it satanic oppression in Acts 10:38.

God doesn’t like sickness: He is totally and completely against it. He has done, and is still doing, everything in His power to get healing and health to His children.

The thief—the devil—is the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus gives only abundant life. (John 10:10)

So where do sickness and disease fit into the equation? Well, do sickness and disease steal, kill and destroy, or do they give abundant life?

Sickness steals money, it steals families, it steals homes. It steals everything it can steal. Sickness kills and destroys. The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, and one way he does that is through sickness and disease.

Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” The word life in the Greek is “zoe,” and it refers to life as God has it. Jesus was saying, “I have come that you might have the life of God.”

Was God ever sick? No! Sickness and disease don’t come from God; otherwise Jesus would have given sickness to us as part of the “abundant life” package. Remember, He was the will of God in action. But Jesus didn’t come to bind us in chains of bondage and oppression. He came to set us free!

CONFESSION:

Jesus gives me abundant life—life as God has it. God doesn’t get sick, so I don’t allow sickness to stay in my body either. God’s divine health belongs to me!

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

 

 

Come Out of the Trial Stronger!

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. -1 Timothy 6:12

Someone said, “I thought when a person operated in faith, he wouldn’t have any problems.” No, that’s what faith is for—to help you overcome the enemy when he attacks you with problems.

A man came to one minister and said, “I want you to pray I’ll never have any more trouble with the devil.”

The minister said, “Do you want me to pray you will die?”

You can count on it—the enemy will come with tests and trials. He is trying to steal, kill and destroy everything good in your life. (John 10:10) As long as we live down here, we will have trouble with the devil.

What does the devil do? He tries to stir up negative circumstances, symptoms, thoughts, imaginations and trials. He does anything he can to discourage us and make us quit. I’m not preaching doom and gloom; I’m just saying we may as well face the fact that life on this earth won’t be “a bed of roses.”

Even though we are Christians, problems will come to us in life. But we aren’t supposed to hide, bury our heads in the sand or run in fear and cry, “Oh, God, what am I going to do now?”

We just need to stay scriptural. Then every time symptoms, temptations, tests or trials come along, we’ll get a silly grin on our faces and say, “Glory to God! Here’s one more chance for me to flex my faith muscles. I’ll come out of this stronger. The next time the devil comes against me, I’m throwing back in his face with the Word of God! And in the name of Jesus, I’ll grow as a result of it!”

CONFESSION:

I overcome every test, every trial and every symptom with God’s Word and the name of Jesus. I will not be discouraged. I will not fear and I will not quit. I come out of every test stronger because I am growing in faith!

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

 

 

Conquer Sickness With Your Faith!

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  -2 Corinthians 2:14

A few years ago, my father decided he didn’t want to get “soft,” so he started lifting weights. As Dad worked out every morning with those weights, he became stronger and stronger. He’d say, “I don’t like lifting these weights, but I’m going to conquer them. If it takes the rest of my life, I’m going to conquer them!”

It’s the same way with tests and trials. You can either let them plant themselves in your life and put pressure on you, or you can use your faith muscles to push those trials out of your life. You can decide, “Bless God, I’m going after those tests and trials, and I’m going to conquer them!”

I remember when it used to take me two weeks to get rid of a cold. But I didn’t just sit back and say, “Well, I’m going to learn from this cold.” (I don’t know what you could learn from a cold anyway—except that you don’t want another one!) I kept using my faith muscles to push off those cold symptoms. After a while, the symptoms only lasted one week instead of two. Then they lasted three days instead of a week. Soon the cold symptoms just started falling off before they could hook on to my body!

The more you push off the enemy’s attacks—the symptoms, the tests, the trials, the temptations—the stronger your faith muscles will get and the quicker the problems will leave. So don’t forget—sickness doesn’t come to make you strong; it comes to defeat you. Just keep using your faith muscles to push those symptoms out of your body. Soon your faith will be so strong that the sickness won’t even bother trying to return!

CONFESSION:

I look at God’s Word to find truth, and I believe that truth is manifested in my life. The fact may be that symptoms are affecting my body, but the truth is that I am healed!

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