Step Out of the Boat By Faith

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. So He said, “Come,” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. -Matthew 14: 25, 28-29

In this passage, the disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee, fighting to keep afloat in a storm. Suddenly, Jesus came walking across the sea toward their boat! Jesus had been spending time with His Father, and He’d gotten so caught up in the glory that He didn’t even need a boat!

Peter saw Jesus and called out, “Lord, if that’s You, I want to come out there!” Jesus called back, “Come on out!”

I like Peter; he was a pioneer. He didn’t want to walk the same road everyone else traveled. He wanted to plow a new one!

Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. Now, it wasn’t the water that held Peter up. Just go try it sometime, and see if water will hold you up! No, it wasn’t the water—it was Jesus’ word that kept Peter on top of the water.

Jesus had said to him, “Come.” And every time Peter put his foot down to take another step on the water, he landed on that word. So Peter first heard and believed what Jesus said. Then Peter acted on what He’d said, keeping his eyes on Jesus all the while.

Also, did you notice that no one followed Peter out of the boat? No, the other disciples were probably all standing back, thinking, If it works for Peter, maybe I’ll try it. That’s the attitude that causes people to run into problems. They say, “Well, so-and-so got healed. I believe I’ll try that.” Then they wonder why it doesn’t work for them.

We aren’t healed because someone else was healed. We can’t live continually off someone else’s faith. We’re healed because the Bible says, “By Jesus’ stripes, you were healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24.) Just like Peter, we have to take a step of faith out on the Word and believe God for the miracle we need!

CONFESSION:

When the One who made the water tells me I can walk on it, I can. The One who made my body tells me it’s healed, so it’s healed. The Word of God is the unsinkable foundation I walk on!

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

 

 

Let God Be True in Your Life

God forbid, be true but every man a liar -Romans 3:4

Paul was saying to the Romans, “You have to choose what you’re going to believe.” Every person in this world has to decide what is going to be true in his life.

Notice, Paul didn’t say, “God is true.” He said, “Let God be true.” You is the understood subject of the sentence. That means you are to let God be true in your life. Are you going to let God be true, or are you gong to let the problem be true?

The Bible says, “By Jesus’ stripes you were healed.” (Isa. 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24.) A lot of people say, “I know that’s what the Bible says, but I know what I feel like.” Well, they’ve chosen to let their symptoms be truth and God a liar. They’ve chosen to let the problems be truth and God a liar. They are living on the negative side of life, always focusing on their problems instead of God’s Word.

You can’t focus on the problem and go over in victory, and you can’t focus on the answer and go under in defeat! So what are you watching? What are you focusing your attention on?

We have to let God be true, switch over to the realm of faith and declare, “Who cares what it looks like? Who cares what it feels like? The Bible says I’m healed.”

You may know God’s Word is true, but Paul says in this Scripture that you have to choose what is going to be truth in your life. Are you going to believe the symptoms and the circumstances, or are you going to believe God?

CONFESSION:

God’s Word is true, and I choose to let His Word be truth in my life. I steadfastly focus on God’s Word and I receive what God says is mine.

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

 

All Things Are Possible When You Believe

Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. -Mark 9:23

Jesus made a powerful statement to the man who brought his son to Him for deliverance. He said, “All things are possible to him that believes.”

The reason Jesus could say that is shown in Hebrews 1:1-2: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things…” How many is all? All is all! Jesus has been made heir of all things.

Then Romans 8:16-17 says, “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” Many times, we in the church world have shouted about the promise, but most of us have never gone back to find out what it means.

If you are a joint heir with someone, then whatever he inherits also belongs to you. Well, what did Jesus inherit? God appointed Him heir of all things.

Jesus said in Mark 10:27, “For with God all things are possible.” Well, that’s great for God, but what about us? Jesus cleared up that question as well when He said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” Why are all things possible to the person who believes? Because we are joint heirs with Jesus, the heir of all things!

So whatever God has, whatever He is and whatever He can do is available to us as we learn to believe God and tap our faith into His grace and His ability.

If we in the Church world would just get hold of that, it would absolutely change our lives. All things are possible to us when we believe!

CONFESSION:

With God, all things are possible. He is greater than any sickness, any disease, any difficulty, any lack. He’s greater than all, and He lives in me-so all things are possible to me because I believe.

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

 

 

“Help Thou Mine Unbelief”

…but if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord I believe; help my unbelief!”

When the man in this passage pleaded with Jesus to help his son, Jesus in essence, said to him, “It’s not just up to Me. It’s whether you can believe that really matters.” Instead of getting discouraged, the man caught what Jesus said, I believe it in my heart, but my head is giving me trouble.”

A lot of times people say, “I believe I’m healed, but what about the symptoms? What about the circumstances?” or “I believe I’m healed, but when is this pain going to stop?”

Have you ever been in a spot like that? That’s where the father of a demon-possessed son found himself. “I believe my son is free, Lord; I extend my faith. But please help my unbelief.” In other words, doubts were trying to crowd into his head.

The minute people say, “I believe, but…” you just know they’re looking in the wrong direction. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul said, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen…” Too many times, we’ve dwelt on, though about and watched the problem. Then we’ve wondered why our faith hasn’t worked.

We need to say, “I know the problem is there, but who cares? I’m not looking at what I can see. I’m looking at the unseen—God’s Word, the answer, the victory over all my faith challenges.”

We have to follow the example of Paul, who said, “I’m not dwelling on the problems. I’m dwelling on the answer. I’m keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith!” (Heb. 12:2.)

CONFESSION:

I believe God’s Word. He speaks to me through the Bible and in my heart, and I choose to believe what He says. The Word says I’m healed, so I am healed!

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

 

What Can You Believe

But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. -Mark 9:22,23

A man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus and said, “If You can do anything, have compassion for have mercy on us and help us.”

Jesus said, “It’s not a question of what I can do; the question is, what can you believe. If you can believe, all things become possible for you. It’s not up to Me, it’s up to you. It’s not My decision whether or not your son is healed; it’s your decision. I have the ability, but it’s up to you whether or not My ability is released.”

Over and over again in the Scriptures God “puts the ball back in our court.” We’ve been crying out to God, saying, “Oh, God, move. Oh, God, do something!” Meanwhile, He’s been saying, “You believe, then I’ll move.”

God gave us His Word and His faith. After we use the faith He gave us to believe the Word He gave us, it’s His turn to move again.

God really gave us the easy part of the covenant. But a lot of times, we’ve avoided our responsibility. It’s easier to just lean back and wait for God to do everything.

But that never would have worked for the people under Jesus’ ministry. Jesus always taught the Word to give the people something to believe; then they had to act on their faith in that Word.

Jesus never attributed the resulting miracles to His faith or His disciple’s faith. He always attributed them either to the individual’s faith or to spiritual gifts. According to Jesus’ own words, approximately 70 percent of the people who received healing under His ministry did so as a result of their own faith.

The man said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” (v. 24.) The man had done his part, confessing his faith in Jesus’ power to heal his son. Instantly Jesus cast the spirit out of the man’s son, setting the boy totally free!

CONFESSION:

Nothing is impossible to me when I know what God has said and I stand in faith on His Word. I believe and act on the Word and receive my miracle today!

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

 

What Can You Believe

But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. -Mark 9:22,23

A man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus and said, “If You can do anything, have compassion for have mercy on us and help us.”

Jesus said, “It’s not a question of what I can do; the question is, what can you believe. If you can believe, all things become possible for you. It’s not up to Me, it’s up to you. It’s not My decision whether or not your son is healed; it’s your decision. I have the ability, but it’s up to you whether or not My ability is released.”

Over and over again in the Scriptures God “puts the ball back in our court.” We’ve been crying out to God, saying, “Oh, God, move. Oh, God, do something!” Meanwhile, He’s been saying, “You believe, then I’ll move.”

God gave us His Word and His faith. After we use the faith He gave us to believe the Word He gave us, it’s His turn to move again.

God really gave us the easy part of the covenant. But a lot of times, we’ve avoided our responsibility. It’s easier to just lean back and wait for God to do everything.

But that never would have worked for the people under Jesus’ ministry. Jesus always taught the Word to give the people something to believe; then they had to act on their faith in that Word.

Jesus never attributed the resulting miracles to His faith or His disciple’s faith. He always attributed them either to the individual’s faith or to spiritual gifts. According to Jesus’ own words, approximately 70 percent of the people who received healing under His ministry did so as a result of their own faith.

The man said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” (v. 24.) The man had done his part, confessing his faith in Jesus’ power to heal his son. Instantly Jesus cast the spirit out of the man’s son, setting the boy totally free!

CONFESSION:

Nothing is impossible to me when I know what God has said and I stand in faith on His Word. I believe and act on the Word and receive my miracle today!

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

 

 

Keep Your Confidence Toward God

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment. -1 John 3:21-23

God said if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence toward Him and we receive what we ask for. So, if we’ve been asking for something and haven’t received our answer, we need to examine our love walk with others.

We receive what we ask for, because we obey His commandments and do that which is pleasing in His sight. And these are His commandments: first, that we believe on the Lord Jesus; and second that we love one another.

Walking in love keeps us out of trouble and in the blessings of God. Sure, it’s work. It’s not easy to put the body under. Most of us have been accustomed to letting the flesh dominate us in certain areas. For instance, the flesh thinks it’s fun to criticize and talk about people. It always makes us feel bigger.

But if we walk the love walk, we put ourselves in a position to walk in God’s blessings. And I guarantee you, nothing the flesh offers comes close to the blessings of God!

CONFESSION:

I walk in love; therefore, I am confident that God hears and answers my prayers.

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

 

Walking In the God-Kind of Love

[Love] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.  -1 Corinthians 13:6-8a

The Amplified Bible helps us see what it really means to walk in the God-kind of love:

            [Love] 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].

First, this Scripture says that love “does not rejoice in iniquity.” Love is never glad when others go the wrong way in life. Or on the other hand, your flesh is glad when someone else stumbles, because that elevates you in your own mind.

Love is always glad when truth prevails. It overlooks faults. It’s always slow to expose faults or sins and is always eager to believe the best. Love will go a long way to believe the best. It doesn’t look for something wrong but always looks for the good in every person.

So how do you measure up to this definition of love? If you find areas where you are lacking in your love walk, ask the Holy Spirit to help you make the necessary adjustments. Remember, your faith only works when love is operating in your life.

CONFESSION:

I walk in love because I’m a child of a loving God. I don’t rejoice at injustice or iniquity, but I rejoice in the truth. I believe the best about people and endure everything without weakening. God’s love in me never fails.

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

 

 

Love Always Forgives

Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.                                                                                                                                                     -1 Corinthians 13:5

Love always forgives. Forgiveness is one of the offsprings of love. The Amplified Bible says it this way:

[Love] 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].

Galatians 5:6 talks about “faith which works by love.” Love forgives, so we could say faith works by forgiveness. Isn’t that what Jesus was trying to tell us in Mark 11:25? “And when you stand praying, forgive…” Faith works by love, and love always forgives, therefore, faith works by forgiveness.

First Corinthians 13:5 goes on to say that love “does not seek her own.” The Revised Standard Version says, “Love does not insist on its own way.” Goodspeed says, “It does not insist on its own rights.” How often have we said, “I’ve got my rights!” No, love doesn’t insist on its own rights.

Love “is not easily provoked, thinks no evil” The New English Bible says that love is “not quick to take offense.” Love keeps no score of wrongs. It never remembers the wrongs done by others. Now, flesh will say, “I remember what that old bat did to me.” But love doesn’t take any account of the evil done to it because love always forgives.

CONFESSION:

I walk in love because my Father is love. I am not conceited or arrogant, prideful or rude. I don’t insist on my own rights or keep a score of wrongs. I am not quick to take offense, but I am quick to forgive. My faith works because I walk in love.

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

 

Judge Your Love Walk

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; is not puffed up.                                                                                                                    -1 Corinthians 13:4

In order to open our hearts to God and allow Him to work in our lives, we need to judge ourselves in our love toward the brethren. First, we have to find out what God’s love acts like, and then we have to make sure we are doing the same thing. Sure, it’s going to be an effort. Sure, we’ll miss it now and then. But if we don’t start endeavoring to walk in love, then we never will.

The Amplified Bible says, “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.” Love endures long. Do we endure long with people? The Phillips translation says, “This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience.” Are we always that way?

“Love envies not, love flaunt not itself.” The Williams translation says, “Love never boils over with jealousy.” Have we ever been jealous? That’s not love. Love doesn’t react that way.

The Phillips translation says, God’s love “is neither anxious to impress, nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance.” Love never tries to impress anyone.

When we know what love acts like, we have a goal to reach toward. As we trust the greater One in us and tap into His love, which is poured out in our hearts, God will enable us to walk in love.

CONFESSION:

By the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling me, I walk in love toward people. I endure long and am patient and kind. I don’t boil over with jealousy. I’m not boastful or anxious to impress. In every circumstance, I obey the law of love.

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

 

Keep the Law of Love

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. -Romans 5:5

One way for us to stay healthy is to walk in love.

Under the old covenant, God told His people that if they served Him, He would take sickness away from the midst of them. (Ex. 23:25.) Then He gave His people a list of commandments and ordinances to obey, knowing that the Israelites had no power to fulfill them.

In essence, He was saying to them, “Here are all these rules and regulations to follow in order to live holy before Me. However, there’s no way you can keep them. So when you break My laws, the blood of an animal sacrifice will cover your sins and iniquities. It will push your sins ahead for a year so you can receive My blessings.”

God gave His laws and commandments to His people to prove to them that they needed a Savior. Galatians 3:24 says the law served as a schoolmaster to bring God’s people to Jesus. God’s people couldn’t be perfected through the law. They needed a Redeemer.

What about us? Are we in better shape today? Are we able to obey Jesus’ commandment to “Love on another (John 13:34) any better than the Old Testament saints were able to keep the Law?

Under the old covenant, God’s people possessed the Law but had no power to keep it. Under the new covenant, when we’re born again, the Holy Spirit indwells us and imparts the love of God into our spirits. We then have the power to keep the law of love. And as long as we walk in love, we have the power to fulfill the other commandments as well.

So, actually, our job on this earth is to walk in love. As long as we walk in love, we’re keeping God’s commandments. And as long as we keep His commandments, our God, Jehovah Rapha, will take sickness from the midst of us!

CONFESSION:

God’s love is shed abroad in my heart. God, my healer, heals me and keeps me in divine health as I follow the ways of His Word and His Spirit.

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

 

 

God Heals Because He loves

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. -Matthew 14:14

Why did Jesus heal the multitudes? Because He was moved with compassion.

God often demonstrates His power for people who have never had the opportunity to hear His Word. Through these demonstrations, God puts His “seal of approval” on the Word that has gone forth and manifests His love to the people.

Janet and I were in a church service recently where God demonstrated His love to some visitors. The Holy Ghost quickened a word of knowledge to me, so I spoke it out. A woman on the front row came forward and was healed.

Before the service was over, the Holy Ghost had ministered to every person on that row. We later found out it was the first time those people had been to that church.

The next night, the woman who had been healed gave her testimony. She explained, “All these years, I didn’t think God loved me. But I found out differently last night. God called me out of a whole church full of people and healed me. This is the first time in my life I’ve truly known the love of God.”

I thought to myself, God sure knows His business!

Healing is the dinner bell for the Gospel, and we need to ring that bell! Many people are tired of religious doctrines and man’s ideas. They’re looking for something real. God will show Himself real to them by demonstrating His compassion and power. Healing shows God’s compassion, and miracles show His power.

Many have the idea that God is a big bully with a baseball bat, sitting on a cloud, waiting to belt them every time they do something wrong. But God is love, and He desires to show His nature to the world by healing people.

CONFESSION:

God loves me. He loved me so much that He sent Jesus to die for me. Because of His love, I am healed.

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

 

 

Whom Will You Serve?

Choose you this day whom you will serve… -Joshua 24:15

Man has always had a choice. God has tried to show us that from the very beginning, He formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed His own life into him. He put man in the midst of the Garden and gave him authority over all the works of His hands. He told him to dress it, keep it and take care of it.

Then God said, “You can eat of anything you want in the Garden. It’s good and it’s yours. You will find a tree in the midst of the Garden called the Tree of Life. You can eat of that freely. But don’t eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for in the day you do, you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:16,17.)

God was talking about spiritual death, which is separation from Him. So what happened? Adam ate of that tree, and the next time God came to walk and talk with him in the cool of the day, Adam hid. He had separated himself spiritually from God.

From that time on, mankind was separated from God, except when animal sacrifices were made. Then the Lord Jesus, our sacrificial Lamb, came to earth and brought us back into relationship with the Father.

I used to read the account of Adam and Eve and think, God, why did You do that? Instead of putting the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the midst of the Garden, why didn’t You put it on the southern tip of South America, where it would have taken them 5000 years just to find? By that time, Adam wouldn’t have wanted it!

Some folks would say, “God was just testing mankind.” No, this wasn’t a test. God was allowing man the privilege of being a free moral agent. You see, man could only be a free moral agent if he had choices to make.

God doesn’t want us to serve Him because we have to. He wants us to serve Him because we want to. He will allow us to go to hell and spend eternity there if we so choose. Or we can choose life and spend eternity in His presence—starting here and now!   

CONFESSION:

This day I choose to obey God because I want to. My choices determine the paths I take. Therefore, I choose life, that I and my seed shall live!

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

 

 

Choose Life

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. -                                                                                                                                              Deuteronomy 30:19

A number of years ago I heard a certain minister say, “The person who shuts his spirit away cripples himself in life and becomes an easy prey to selfish and designing people. But the individual who learns to be led by the Spirit of God will rise to the top in life.”

Something rose up on the inside of me when I heard that, and I thought, Well, now I know it’s my choice!

You see, God doesn’t just choose who will be successful in life. He is no respecter of persons. He doesn’t have favorites. He doesn’t pick some to receive His blessings and others to miss out. He isn’t in a good mood on some days, and a bad mood on other days. He doesn’t look at one person and say, “I like you. You get everything I’ve got” and then look at someone else and say, “I don’t know what it is about you. You just bug me. You just rub my fur backwards. You don’t get anything.” No! God has no favorites. He loves everyone equally.

It is up to us whether or not we rise to the top in life. We are free moral agents. We can live mediocre lives, scraping the bottom of the barrel, or we can rise to the top.

Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus purchased for us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). The work is already done, it’s already purchased and paid for. The benefits belong to us, but we have to choose to partake of them.

Will you walk in the blessings of God? The choice is yours. So follow God’s counsel in Deuteronomy 30:19: “Therefore choose life.”

CONFESSION

I choose, life, blessing, healing and health. I choose to believe the Word of God and rise to the top in life!

 

Satan, a Defeated Foe

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

Sickness is not a blessing from God, it’s a curse from the enemy from which we’ve been redeemed. If sickness is from the enemy, we don’t have a thing to be concerned about. Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil—and He did what He was sent to do!

            And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.           -Colossians 2:15

We see in this Scripture that Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. He spoiled Satan’s army—the beings that back up what little authority Satan had.

            Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.     -Hebrews 2:14

So, if sickness and disease are from the devil (and they are!) then we’re in a good position because Jesus destroyed his works and ruined his army. The Rotherham translation says Jesus defeated Satan so “He might paralyze him that held the dominion of death.” Jesus did all of that for us!

Satan has no legal, moral or spiritual authority to put anything on you and make it stick. He can only make you sick if you let him. His works have been destroyed, his army has been beaten and he’s been paralyzed by the blood of Jesus, which covers you!

CONFESSION:

Jesus has given me authority over all the devil’s works in my life. The devil has no legal authority to put anything on me. I am redeemed from the curse!

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

 

Sickness Is a Work of the Devil

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

Why did Jesus become flesh and dwell among us on the earth? Why was He manifested? The main reason He came into this realm was to destroy the works of the devil.

Did Jesus fulfill what God called Him to do, or did He fail? Of course, Jesus accomplished what God sent Him to do! He destroyed the works of the devil. So, if we want to find out what the works of the devil are, we need to find out what Jesus destroyed.

Acts 10:38 tells us that Jesus “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.” What good did Jesus do? He healed people.

Every time Jesus healed someone, He destroyed the works of the devil—sickness and disease. Every time He forgave someone, He destroyed the works of the devil—sin and separation from God. Every time He set someone free, He destroyed the works of the devil—spiritual, mental and physical bondage.

Healing multitudes of people was a major part of Jesus’ ministry. In fact, there were times when as many as touched Jesus were made whole! Jesus accomplished the purpose for which He was sent. Whenever He went about healing people, He was destroying the works of the devil.

CONFESSION:

The devil wanted to kill me, but Jesus set me free and gave me eternal life. The devil wanted to make me sick, but Jesus destroyed his efforts. I am the healed of the Lord!

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

 

 

Act in Faith as God leads You

When He 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 9:6-7

You may wonder, What should I do to act on my faith?

Don’t do something because it worked for someone else. Let God show you how to act in faith.

Jesus spit in the dirt, made clay of the spittle, put it on a blind man’s eyes and said, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.” (John 9:6,7.) But He didn’t tell anyone else to go dip in that pool. Jesus gave people a whole variety of instructions for acting on their faith.

I had a friend who was waiting for God to heal him from severe sugar diabetes. He heard of someone who had thrown away his insulin, so he thought, That’s my step of faith! If I throw away the insulin, God will have to do something. But the man almost died! He tried to make something happen instead of acting because he believed God had already healed him.

Another time, I traveled for a summer with a group that included two people who had sugar diabetes. I watched these people throughout the summer. They had to check the amount of insulin they needed every day. Every time they checked, they said, “Thank You, Father. I believe I’m healed by Jesus’ stripes. Glory to God!” Then they’d take whatever insulin they needed.

The insulin wasn’t healing these two people; it was just keeping them alive. A week or so later, they’d need a little bit less insulin. They’d take whatever insulin they needed, but they’d always say, “Thank God, I believe I’m healed.” Over a period of about three months, I watched both of these people get healed of diabetes. By the end of the summer, neither one of them needed any insulin!

So let God teach you what you need to do to act on your faith. Then obey Him and be healed!

CONFESSION:

God shows me how to act in faith, and I follow His instructions and praise Him because His Word is true!

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

 Jesus’ Ministry – Then and Now

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. -Acts 1:1

In Acts 10:38, Peter preached about the earthly ministry of Jesus to Cornelius’ household: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; for God was with him.” Did poor old Peter get confused? Jesus was already gone. Why preach about His earthly ministry? His earthly ministry was finished, wasn’t it?

No, Jesus’ earthly ministry was just getting started, because He didn’t really leave the earth. He just ascended to the Father’s right hand to become the Head over all things to the body. (Col. 1:18.)

Jesus is still here, working in us and through us. His earthly ministry didn’t stop or diminish—it multiplied! Jesus told His disciples, “It’s better for you if I go. I’ll pray to the Father, and He’ll send another Comforter to abide with you forever.” (John 14:16.)

He also said, “He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to my Father” (John 14:12).

The last verse of the book of John says, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25). Then in Acts 1:1, the next verse in the Bible, Luke talks about “all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” Luke didn’t say Jesus had finished His ministry; he said Jesus had just gotten started!

God wants us to know that Jesus’ ministry still continues through us. God is the same, Jesus is the same, the Holy Ghost is the same and the Word is the same. Therefore, God’s methods of healing and deliverance will be the same as well.

CONFESSION:

While Jesus walked on the earth, He preached the Word and healed the sick. As I hear God’s Word, I believe it, act on it and receive my healing because Jesus’ ministry is still alive today in me!

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

 

 

Do You Believe God’s Report?

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

Isaiah 53:1 says, “Who has believed our report? Believing the right report isn’t mind over matter or the power of positive thinking. It’s believing God’s Word over our problems. This means we have to choose whom we will believe. Will we believe God or the world? Will we believe the voice of the Holy Spirit or the voice of the devil?

Once we know what God says, we can choose to believe His report. In Isaiah 53:5, God gives us this report to believe: Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, so we can be set free from sin. He took the chastisement of our peace upon Himself, so we can have His peace. And He bore stripes upon His back for us, so we can be healed.

In my King James Version Bible, a note in the margin states that the Hebrew word for stripes literally means “bruise.” Now look at Isaiah 53:10; “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him…” Apparently it pleased God when Jesus took those stripes for us. Can you imagine our heavenly Father being pleased to bruise His Son?

Jesus was bruised for our sickness and disease; then He died on the Cross because of His love for us. It pleased God to bruise Jesus because God knew the end result. In three days Jesus would be raised from the dead in a glorified, healthy body. Because of the bruises He bore, the body of Christ would go free from sickness and disease. That’s the report God wants us to believe!

CONFESSION:

Jesus shed His blood for me so I could be set free from sin. He was bruised for my physical healing. I am saved, healed and delivered because I choose to believe the report of the Lord!

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

 

Settling the Question of Healing

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

When Jesus was raised from the dead, was He still sick? No, He was raised with a perfect, glorified body.. So where did He leave the sickness and disease? He left them in hell. Jesus was then called the firstborn of all creation. (Col. 1:15.)

Jesus died and descended to the depths of hell, carrying our sickness and disease. But when He—the firstborn among many brethren—was raised from the dead, He came forth as a healed man. Therefore, when we are born again, healing is ours to claim!

Here’s another question. If God didn’t want us healed, why in the world did Jesus bear those stripes before He went to the Cross? That was one part of the misery Jesus could have bypassed. But He did it by choice.

Healing is a firmly established fact. Now we just need to get the revelation in our own spirits that healing is God’s will for us. When we do, we will start walking in the divine health Jesus purchased for us with the stripes on His back.

CONFESSION:

Jesus willingly paid the price for me. He took my sickness; He gave me His health. I appropriate what the Lord did for me and receive my healing now.

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

 

Chastised for Our Peace

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

“The chastisement of our peace was upon him.” Why was Jesus chastised so much? Think about it: He was beaten. He was whipped until His back was laid open. His beard was plucked out, and a crown of thorns was placed on His head. Then, finally, He was nailed to the Cross.

But none of Jesus’ suffering was without purpose. Everything that happened to Him was substitutionary. Jesus wore a crown of thorns so we could be crowned with glory and honor. Because He bore our chastisement, we can now live in peace, free from depression and mental anguish.

When you go into any church in this nation and ask, “How many would like more peace?” most people raise their hands. Why? Because most Christians don’t know that peace already belongs to them.

Jesus didn’t have to put up with all that His tormenters did to Him. He said, ‘No man can take My life, only I can lay it down. No man has any authority or power over Me unless it comes from above.” (John 10:18.) But Jesus paid that price willingly, bearing our chastisement and shedding His blood to give us peace of mind.

CONFESSION:

Jesus was chastised for my peace; therefore, I am forever free from depression and mental anguish. I live in the peace of God!

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

 

Redeemed-Spirit, Soul and Body

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5 (KJV)

When man fell in the Garden of Eden, his spirit, soul and body fell. God responded with a plan to redeem mankind with the blood of Jesus. God wasn’t interested in doing just half a job. He wanted to redeem man’s spirit, soul and body.

Man had a threefold problem, and Jesus gave us a threefold answer. He went to the Cross as our substitute, bearing our sins, our chastisements, and our sicknesses. He paid the same price for all three dimensions of our being, so apparently all three are equally important.

You may say, “Well, I thought spiritual things were more important.” In the realm of eternity, spiritual matters are more important. But God thinks spirit, soul and body are important.

God never required us to choose whether we wanted our spirits, souls or bodies to be taken care of. He said, “I paid the price for all three dimensions. They all belong to you, so receive all three benefits.”

The first benefit mentioned in Isaiah 53:5 takes care of the sin problem. “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities.” Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sins. He shed His blood for us because without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. (Heb. 9:22.) He was raised from the dead so we could be born again. Once we receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God’s report is that we are forgiven of sins.

CONFESSION:

Jesus purchased freedom for my spirit, soul and body. He took my spiritual death so I could have His eternal life. I believe God’s report. I am saved, delivered, healed and full of His peace!

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

 

 

Jesus Purchased Our Physical Healing

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted – Isaiah 53:4 (KJV)

Let’s take this Scripture apart word by word and examine it closely. “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaac Leeser’s respected translation of the Old Testament--the only English translation of the Bible accepted by the Jewish council--translates the words griefs and sorrows as “sicknesses” and pains.”  So in the Hebrew, it actually says, “Surely He has borne our sicknesses [or our diseases], and carried our pains.” That puts a little different light on this scripture.

Of course, griefs and sorrows are really the same as sickness and disease because sickness and disease cause grief and sorrow. Anyone who says that sickness, disease and pain are blessings from God doesn’t understand God’s nature.

If we want an accurate translation of what this Scripture says, we can go to where it was fulfilled in the New Testament: Referring to Jesus’ healing the multitudes. Matthew 8:17 says, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.”

So Isaiah 53:4 was fulfilled during Jesus’ ministry as He healed people physically. Isaiah’s prophecy, therefore, looked ahead to the time when Jesus would purchase healing for our physical bodies.

CONFESSION:

Jesus took my sickness and disease and carried my pain. He paid the price so I could be well. I believe what the Word says, I am healed!

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

 

He Carried the Curse Away

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted – Isaiah 53:4 (KJV)

Isaiah is called “the Gospel of the Old Testament.” Hundreds of years before Jesus Christ ever took on flesh and dwelt among us, God gave the prophet Isaiah a vision. Isaiah saw into the future, when Jesus would go to the Cross and die for mankind. The prophet told us not only what the Crucifixion looked like, but he told us what Jesus purchased and why He went to the Cross.

Let’s look at this verse carefully, “ Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” A lot of people think that means Jesus just helped us along with our burdens. But borne means to lift up, bear away, convey or remove to a distance.

When Jesus bore our sins, our sicknesses and our pains, He bore them away, or removed them. Both these words, borne and carried imply substitution, or bearing another’s load.

Now look at this: “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Jesus didn’t have any griefs or sorrows of His own. He didn’t have any sickness, pain, sin, iniquity or disease—we do.

We live in this world, we’re under the curse of the Law. But Jesus bore it all for us. He came in as our substitute and took the curse away from us. He didn’t have to do that. He chose to do it. He carried our sickness and pain on Himself, died on the Cross; paid the price; descended into the depths of hell, left the sin, sickness and disease there; and arose three days later. He knew we couldn’t carry that burden, but He could.

Jesus became sin for us, He became sickness for us. Jesus took our sickness, took our disease and carried our pain. We deserved the curse, but, as our substitute, Jesus carried it away.

CONFESSION:

Jesus, the perfect, sinless Lamb of God, took upon Himself my pain, sickness and disease because He loves me. By faith I receive the healing and divine health His sacrifice provides for me.

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

 

The Arm of the Lord Revealed

Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? – Isaiah 53:1

Did you ever wonder, To whom does God reveal His arm? In other words, to whom does God show His strength? For whom does He work miracles? People say, “Well, you never know for whom God will use His power. God works in mysterious ways.” But that isn’t the way it works.

If someone starts to reveal his arm—to roll up his sleeves—he is getting ready to use some strength.  If some big guy is rolling up his sleeves, you can know he is either about to work or he is getting ready to fight. Well, God reveals His arm—His strength and power—for His people.

For whom does God reveal His arm? Does He have favorite children, or are there some He doesn’t like? Does He look at some people and say, “I don’t know what it is, but something about you bothers me. I just don’t like you, and I don’t even know why. I think I will take all My blessings away from you and give them to someone else?”

No, God is no respecter of persons. God doesn’t have favorite children. What He does for one, He does for anyone. He loves the whole world equally. God loved us while we were yet sinners to the extent that He sent His own Son to die for us.

God doesn’t reveal His arm, use His strength, or exert His power for everyone. God’s arm, His power and His strength are revealed to people who will believe God’s report—His word. It’s so important to believe what God says.

So really, the choice isn’t God’s; it’s yours. If you want God’s power revealed to you, then you must believe His report.

CONFESSION:

God’s report says by Jesus’ stripes, I am healed. I choose to believe and receive that report. Therefore, God reveals His healing power to me, and His report comes to pass in my life.

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

 

“The Lord That Healeth Thee”

If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” – Exodus 15:26

This was God’s first healing covenant with His people. Some Hebrew scholars say this verse should be translated in the permissive tense —“I will allow” instead of “I will put,” in which case it would read, “I will allow none of these diseases upon you, which I have allowed upon the Egyptians.”

God finishes by saying, “For I am the Lord that heals you.” The Hebrew says, “I am Jehovah Rapha.”

Two or three million children of Israel had left Egypt believing God. They went out of Egypt with silver and gold, and the Bible says there wasn’t one feeble person among them. (Ps. 105:37.)

But God put a few conditions on this covenant between Himself and His people: “If you will diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes…” You see, even back then in the first healing covenant, there was a correlation between hearing and being healed. One of the conditions for receiving the healing benefits of Jehovah Rapha is giving ear to His commandments. There is a direct connection between hearing and being healed.

Also notice God didn’t say, “I will be the Lord that heals you, or “I was the Lord that healed you,” He said, “I am the Lord that heals you.”

We find in James 1:17 that God never changes, James said there is “No variableness, neither shadow of turning” with God. If He was the Lord who healed His people back then, He is the Lord who still heals His people today. He is still saying, “I am the Lord who heals you. I am Jehovah Rapha.”

CONFESSION:

I am in covenant with Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals me. Therefore, I live in divine health!

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

 

Be Loosed!

“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” -Luke 13:16

We’ve learned from this Scripture that sickness is bondage. Next, we saw that sickness came from Satan. Now let’s look at Jesus’ question: “Ought not this woman…be loosed?”

Satan had kept this woman in bondage for eighteen years. But thank God, Jesus said she ought to be loosed!

Jesus was also saying that any person whom Satan has bound with sickness and disease ought to be loosed. And Jesus is in the business of loosing people.

What qualified this woman to be loosed from this satanic bondage? Was she a real saint? Had she done something special? No, Jesus said she ought to be loosed because she was “a daughter of Abraham.”

“Well, where does that leave me?” you may ask. Galatians 3:7 says, “Know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” According to this Scripture, we are sons and daughters of Abraham. We have been grafted into his family through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:29 says, “If you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” What is that promise? Well, one of the promises is that we can be loosed from every bondage of the enemy!

CONFESSION:

Because I’m a child of Abraham, I am loosed from every satanic bondage. I not only enjoy the same rights and privileges as Abraham did, but I also live under a new and better covenant, established on better promises – including the promise that by Jesus’ stripes I am healed!

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

 

Satan Is the Author of Sickness

“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” -Luke 13:16

We see from this scripture that (1) sickness is a bondage and (2) Satan is the author of sickness.

For years, I’ve heard people say, “God chose to have me sick.” But Jesus said Satan bound the woman; God didn’t.

The truth is that God detests sickness as much as He detests sin, because sickness is a result of the original sin. Sickness didn’t come into the world until sin did. When God ruled and reigned on the earth through Adam, there was no sickness on the earth. But Adam gave Satan his authority and a long-term lease on creation, and Satan brought sickness with him.

Yet people still blame God for sickness. God had nothing to do with it! It just doesn’t make any sense to call God the author of sickness.

For instance, 1 John 3:8 says, “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” But if God made anyone sick under Jesus’ ministry, then Jesus was destroying the works of God when He healed people! If Jesus destroyed God’s works, then we’re in trouble because the Bible says a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. (Matt. 12:25)

No, Jesus never destroyed one work of God. He only “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38).

CONFESSION:

Any sickness that attacks my body is a bondage of Satan. No sickness is from God. Jesus came to set me free from every sickness and disease, so I accept my healing now!

 

Sickness – Bondage or Blessing?

“So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” -Luke 13:16

Let’s see what we can learn from this verse. First, Jesus called sickness bondage. We don’t know the specific disease this woman had. It could have been crippling arthritis. The Bible called it a spirit of infirmity. But whatever it was, Jesus never called her sickness a blessing. Nor did He say, “Ought not this woman whom Satan has blessed these eighteen years be loosed?” He also didn’t say, “Whom God has blessed these eighteen years.” No, God’s blessing was in sending Jesus to loose the woman from her infirmity.

God never had anything good to say about sickness. In fact, He detested it so much that He sent His own Son to bear all the sickness of the world upon Himself. Sickness was never called a blessing in the Bible, and anyone who calls it a blessing today doesn’t know what the Bible says.

If sickness and disease are from God, then Jesus was fighting against God when He healed people. If sickness and disease are from God, then Jesus robbed God of His glory when He called sickness a bondage of Satan.

Thank God, the Bible sets us free from wrong thinking and wrong believing so we can enjoy the blessings of healing and health!

CONFESSION:

I’m not confused about where sickness came from. Sickness is a bondage from Satan. God wants me to live free of sickness and pain, so I choose to walk in health today.

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