To be at "ease" is to be FREE from pain or any discomfort, including anxiety and stress. "Dis-ease" is the opposite. In the Holy Bible, God promised MORE than healing for his people. He promised DIVINE HEALTH:   freedom from disease!

    "If you will carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you … for I am the LORD that heals you." [Exodus 15:26]

    Notice the last phrase: "I am the LORD that heals you." Literally, the Hebrew language is saying, "I am [Jehovah Rapha] JEHOVAH, YOUR DOCTOR."! It is wonderful to be able to claim God’s promises for divine healing, but it is even better to walk in divine HEALTH: not needing to be healed!

    Exodus 23:25 says, "And you shall serve the LORD your God and he shall bless your bread, and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you." When sickness is "away" from you, then you have HEALTH. Thank God, it is his will for YOU to walk in divine health just as much as it is for your soul to be saved. In 3 John, verse 2, (a passage of scripture which is written to Christians) the Holy Bible says:

    "Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper AND BE IN HEALTH, even as your soul prospers."

    Psalm 103 gives us a powerful promise from God to any and ALL who may be suffering from disease: spiritual, physical, or mental.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities (or sins); who HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES." [Psalm 103:1-3]

    God’s nature never changes. The same healing nature of God that was revealed in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible is revealed in the New Testament. His nature is the same today as it was yesterday. In the Old Testament, God said, "For I am the LORD, I change not." In the New Testament we read, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." [Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8]

    Jesus displayed the healing nature of God, Jesus said, "He that has seen me has seen the Father." [John 14:9] Jesus never refused healing to anyone! Jesus’ nature is God’s nature. He never refused healing to anyone. Jesus is God!

    "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel [good news] of the kingdom, and healing EVERY disease among the people." [Matthew 9:35]

    Jesus came to earth to heal - to restore to health: spiritually, physically, and mentally. He came to "buy" back what Adam, the first man who ever lived, lost. In the garden of Eden, Adam sinned against God by disobeying him. God had commanded Adam:

    Satan, the devil, lied to Eve, Adam’s wife, saying, "You shall not surely die." But Eve, like many people today, did not realize that REAL death is "spiritual"! Physical death (when your body dies) is merely a result of "spiritual" death. To be spiritually dead does not mean you do not exist; it simply means you exist, but that you are SEPARATED from God: "joined" to Satan!

    From one act of disobedience by Adam, sin entered into the world, so that spiritual death passed through the bloodline to ALL men … resulting in physical death.

    "Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon ALL men, for all have sinned." [Romans 5:12]

    This "spiritual" death - SEPARATION FROM GOD - which produced physical sickness and disease, and the death of the body, HAD TO BE HEALED! This is why God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth.

    "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the OBEDIENCE of one [Jesus Christ] shall many be made righteous." [Romans 5:19]

    In Isaiah Chapter 53 we see just what Jesus did … why he came to earth!

    "Surely he has borne our sicknesses and diseases, and carried [away] our pains; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. [Verse 4]

    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. [Verse 5]

    All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity [or, sin] of us all." [Verse 6]

    What Isaiah prophesied in the Old Testament was fulfilled 750 years later by the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua ha Mechiach [Jesus the "Christ", or the "Anointed One"]. He bore our sicknesses and diseases. He carried away our pains. He was wounded and bruised for our sin; the LORD laid on him the sin of us all. And with his stripes we are healed.

    In some Bibles Isaiah 53:4 reads: "Surely he has borne our ‘griefs’ and carried our ‘sorrows’." However, the original Hebrew (the original language of the Old testament) for the words "grief" and "sorrow" is "choli" and "macob", respectively. "Choli" means "sickness and disease". "Macob" means "pain" (acute pain; intense suffering: mental or physical).

    To prove that Isaiah meant in this passage that healing would be included in Messiah’s work for us, we need only to consult the New Testament record of Jesus’ ministry in Matthew Chapter 8, verses 16-17:

    "When the evening was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils; and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed ALL that were sick.

    That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘Himself [Jesus Christ] took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses’."

    Jesus fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said 750 years before:

He bore our sicknesses and diseases.

He carried away our pains.

With his stripes WE ARE HEALED.

    Jesus’ body and mind took punishment for us … his blood paid for our sins. His body was beaten, wounded, and bruised (even before he was crucified ) and then he was nailed to the wooden cross … FOR OUR HEALING: spiritual, physical, and mental!

    Oppression - both mental and physical - are included in Christ’s work for us. Christ was driven; he was abased and looked down upon. Isaiah 53:7 says, "He was oppressed and he was afflicted …" In Isaiah 53:4, where it reads, " … he carried our ‘pains’ …", the literal Hebrew meaning is "acute pain; intense suffering: MENTAL or PHYSICAL." What Jesus did FOR you, you don’t have to do!

    Jesus healed the separation between God and man through his work FOR US, and therefore ended Satan’s dominion over ALL who would trust in Christ! "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil." [1 John 3:8]

    Jesus "carried" sickness, sin, disease, poverty, and oppression - the works of the devil (Satan) - FOR YOU. Now you don’t have to carry them any longer. They do NOT belong to the believer in Christ!

WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU …

        YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO!

    Now that you know that physical and mental healing belong to the believer in Christ - as much as spiritual healing - you need to know how to obtain it: HOW TO BE HEALED! There are several ways, or avenues, to obtain AND to minister Christ’s healing power. They are listed below:

    The Holy Bible says, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." [Psalm 107:20.] God’s Word heals: God’s nature is healing, and he has given LIFE to his Word. You can be healed by knowing what God promises in his Word concerning healing. Find the promises God has made you in the Holy Bible for healing and for health, and them appropriate one or more of these promises for yourself.

    Speak the promises of God to yourself (or to others). Your faith will rise as you do. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." [Romans 10:17] As you confess (or speak aloud) the promises of God, your healing will come. Don’t worry if you don’t see it as soon as you think you should … it has to happen!

    Jesus taught that what you speak will come to pass if you believe it in your heart [Mark 11:23]. Don’t talk sickness, or doubt, or unbelief anymore … start talking healing, faith, and belief … based upon what your Father God has promised you! Hearing and meditating upon God’s Word produce healing, also. I have known people to be healed of conditions they have had for years by HEARING God’s Word while I was preaching (both in worship services indoors and preaching outdoors).

    "And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following." [Mark 16:20]

    Meditating (thinking deeply or fixing attention) upon God’s Word brings life and health, also. Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us:

    "My son, attend to my words; incline [or, direct] your ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the middle of your heart. For they are LIFE unto those that find them, and HEALTH to all their flesh."

    After Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and before he went back to Heaven, he said:

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues … they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." [Mark 16:17-18]

    Notice three things Jesus told us:

"In my name …"

" … you shall lay hands on the sick,"

" … they [the sick] shall recover."

    IN MY NAME - It is the name of Jesus Christ (or, Jesus, the Messiah  ... the Holy One of God) which is to accompany the laying on of hands. It is THE NAME that is above every name [Philippians 2:8-9]. The NAME of Jesus Christ joins God’s power to your action.

    The name of Jesus identifies you:  it tells "sickness" and "demons" the authority behind your action and command; it tells them you belong to and are a believer in Jesus, the One who conquered them and their master, Satan! The name of Jesus identifies you with the One who CREATED the world and who BOUGHT IT BACK (after Adam’s sin) with his own blood!

    Use the name of Jesus with authority: as a citizen of Christ’s kingdom. If you are in doubt, just whisper the name of Jesus for a while. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus …." It will call God’s power to the scene! If it is a case of demon affliction, speak with authority (not your authority, but Christ’s) and say: "You devil, come out! I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of this person!"

    YOU SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK - If You are a believer in Jesus, then God wants to use you to heal others. You have the privilege, as well as the responsibility, of laying hands on the sick and praying for them: whether they are Christians or non-Christians. (See Luke 4:40; Acts 28:8.)

    Your hands become Christ’s hands:  his tool! The power of the Holy Spirit flows through your hands. You may not see it, you may not feel it … but it is POWER just the same. The devil is afraid of your touch! Because of distance, sometimes, you are not able to lay hands on the sick person. (The person you want to pray for may be in a different city.) You can then send them a "prayer cloth" to be laid on the body of the sick person.

    "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: sothat from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." [Acts 19:11-12]

    Prayer cloths are very effective! Demons (evil spirits) are cast out, sick bodies are healed, minds are restored. Pray over the cloth (lay your hands on it) in the name of Jesus Christ and ask God to send deliverance, healing, and blessing. If you need a prayer cloth from Apostle Handley, E-mail to:

healing@realmiracles.com.

    If you are a Christian, you have more POWER than the devil ever hoped to have! Satan is afraid of your handkerchief!!

    THEY SHALL RECOVER - Forget what your mind or eyes tell you. Believe what God says. You may not see the person you pray for be healed as soon as you think you should … however, you may see them be healed instantly. The important thing is to KNOW that they will recover. (In some cases the sick person may be hindering their healing; such cases will be covered later in this book under the section: "Prayer and Proper Mental Attitude".)

    The Holy Spirit is God’s agent on earth to supply the healing power of Christ. Whether the sick person is healed instantly or over a period of time - whether they feel God’s power or not - Jesus promised, "These signs shall follow them that believe … they shall lay hands on the sick, and they [the sick] shall recover." Your job is to serve by faith in obedience to Christ’s command: "You go … they shall recover." Read again Mark 16:15-18 and notice the command and the promise!

    We should expect MIRACLES during the Holy Communion (or, the Lord’s Supper). We are celebrating what Christ did FOR US, and he told us to do this in order to remember him until he comes again. "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you SHOW the Lord’s death until he comes [again]." [1 Corinthians 11:26]

    The Holy Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 that we are to do two things when we come to the Lord’s Supper:

Discern the Lord’s body; and,

Examine ourselves.

    To "discern" means to see his sacrifice for us as "distinct" from other things. See his body (the bread) beaten - even before the cross - as the Roman soldiers whip (or, flog) him, leaving his back bruised and striped with open wounds. See his head pierced by the crown of thorns, causing blood to flow down his face and chest. And then … see his hands and feet nailed with rough spikes to the wooden cross. All of this for us … and for God!

    See his blood (the cup) shed for us: sinless blood, having good credit in the bank of Heaven. Not blood which inherited sin from Adam and his race, but blood from a miracle birth from above: as the Spirit of God breathed on the womb of a virgin, creating NEW LIFE from God. "In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." [Ephesians 1:7]

    Jesus’ body and mind bore the punishment for our sins … his blood paid the PRICE to redeem, or ransom, us. And God raised him from the dead: Jesus is ALIVE to save and to heal you! Yes, miracles and healing are available in the Holy Communion by discerning the Lord’s body … seeing him and what he did for us.

He bore our sicknesses and diseases.

He carried (away) our pains.

He was wounded and bruised for our sin.

The LORD laid on him the sin of us all.

And with his stripes WE ARE HEALED!

    In the Holy Bible, anointing with oil is representative of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Oil is a "type": it represents the Holy Spirit. Carry a bottle of anointing oil with you at all times, ready for use. In James 5:14-15 we read:

    "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

    And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be for given him."

    There is another type of anointing with oil which may be referred to as "evangelistic" anointing. It is just as much a part of evangelistic ministry as preaching, or teaching, or winning people to Christ. It does not require the sick person to "call" for the elders of the church; nor is it only for Christians. Mark 6:12-13 tells us:

    "And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and ANOINTED WITH OIL many that were sick, and healed them."

    Your mind - and therefore your body - can be abused by many things. At times there are hindrances to healing: things or conditions that are causing the sickness or affliction, and that must be dealt with before healing can take place permanently. Things such as:

Unforgiveness, bitterness, or resentment [Mark 11:25-26]

Envy and strife [James 3:16]

Improper food, rest, sunshine, or exercise [Isaiah 30:15]

Speaking evil of, or causing harm to, God’s ministers  [1 Samuel 26:9]

Involvement in the occult or in witchcraft [Deuteronomy 18:10-12]

Association with religious cults [1 John 4:1-3 / 1 John 5:20]

    Whether sickness is caused by disobeying God through an unforgiving spirit, strife, or resentment … involvement in the occult … or association with religious cults … Jesus Christ is the answer!

    Through prayer we can come to God and ask him to forgive us of all these things; we can also ask him to deliver us, if necessary! 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In Psalm 50:15 we read, "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."

    We see the importance of proper mental attitude in the life of Job. Job was afflicted by Satan with sore boils from his feet to his head. Also, the devil destroyed Job’s wealth and killed his seven sons and three daughters. Job’s experience was a rare, "once-in-the-Bible" case. It was allowed by God to prove that a certain man ("greatest of all the men in the east") would not curse God even if he lost everything, including his health.

    It shows that Satan is a "destroyer," who causes sickness and disease. It shows that God is a "healer," and that God calls sickness "captivity." Job was a just man; even God said so. His experience presents a question that many people ask: "Why?" Notice seven things:

1. Job’s case was unique; it was NOT an example! Don’t use it as an excuse to be sick.

2. Satan accused Job of serving God only because of God’s blessing, protection and help.

3. Satan is the one, the Bible says, who STOLE Job’s health, KILLED his children, and DESTROYED his property. [Job, Chapters 1 and 2; John 10:10]

4. Job proved faithful in trial. Job did not sin with his lips or charge God foolishly. [Job 1:22 and 2:10]

5. The Bible calls Job’s sickness and loss "captivity." [Job 42:10]. Jesus said, "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." [John 8:36]

6. Job was healed! Because of proper mental attitude, Job prayed for his friends (who were not real friends); this was when God delivered Job. [Job 42:10]

7. "The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."   "The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning."   [Job 42:10-12]