Foundations of Faith
SPIRITUAL GIFTS (VI)
Some today claim to have the gift of healing, but the manner in which many use their “gift,” and the results of it, are often far different from the examples given in the Bible. For this reason, in May99 we gave points that ought to be considered by those who think they have the gift of healing.
Let us now consider this topic of healing from the standpoint of one who is sick or experiencing trouble. What if a sick or injured person is not healed, even after much prayer or laying on of hands by a “healer”? Some teach that all sickness is of the devil and that God wants everyone to be healed. Some may lay a “guilt trip” on the sick person and accuse him of not having enough faith if he is not healed. Scriptural responses to each of these teachings were given in May99. Let us follow Paul’s example when suffering:”I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And [the Lord] said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:8-10).
For those who are sick, in pain, bereaved, or suffering in other ways, it is very important to learn God’s purposes for our pain and suffering. Why do so many women purposely try to have more children after having to endure all the discomforts of pregnancy and the intense pain of childbirth? I believe it is the anticipated joy of having, loving, and raising the baby that makes it all seem worthwhile. So when we are experiencing pain and suffering, it helps us to know that our suffering is going to result in benefit to ourselves or others. Here are a number of reasons from the Bible why God allows His people to suffer:
1. That we might be partakers of Christ’s sufferings (Rom. 8:17). (See Assignment 7)
2. That we might be purified and partakers of God’s holiness (Job 42:6; Psa. 119:67,71; Heb. 12:10; 1 Pet. 5:10).
3. That we might learn more of God’s grace and goodness and manifest the works and goodness of God (Psa. 107; John 9:3; Rom. 8:28).
4. That we might glorify God (Psa. 50:15; John 11:4; 17:5; 1 Pet. 4:14,16).
5. That we might realize our own weakness and learn to depend more upon the Lord’s strength (2 Cor. 1:9; 12:8-10).
6. That we might learn patience (Rom. 5:3; Jas. 1:3).
7. That we might be drawn closer to one another as children of God and members of the body of Christ (Acts 12:5,12; 2 Cor. 1:11).
8. That we might be able to comfort, encourage, and understand others who are suffering (2 Cor. 1:3-7).
9. That we might be a testimony to the unsaved (Acts 16:25,30).
10. That we might see the emptiness of this present world and be stirred up to have a real desire for the next one (2 Cor. 4:17; 5:4; Phil. 1:23).
11. That we might smite the consciences of evildoers by returning good for evil (2 Ki. 6:21-23; Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:19-21; 1 Pet. 3:6).
12. That we might be awakened to our sin or judged for our lack of repentance and persistence in sinning (1 Cor. 11:30).
13. That we might have impressed upon us the seriousness of sin, even after we have confessed it to the Lord (2 Sam. 12:7-15).
14. That we might receive the natural and just consequences of our sinful behavior (Gal. 6:9).
When we are suffering it is well to pray, “Search me … and see if there be any wicked way in me” (Psa. 139:23,24). At the same time, we can see from the list above that there may be many other reasons for our suffering that have nothing to do with sin in our life. Remember that God took Job who “was perfect and upright, and one who feared God and avoided evil” (Job 1:1) and put him through the fire of pain and suffering to purify him even more (Job 42:1-6).
“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them” (Mark 16:18). This does not mean we are to tempt God (Matt. 4:7) by purposely playing with cobras and drinking poison (as some way-out cults do today, often with dire consequences). But the life of a missionary can be made very hazardous by scorpions, tigers, polluted water, and hostile people. King Darius feared that Daniel would be killed by the lions (Dan. 6:19-22) and the people of Malta expected the apostle Paul to die from the snakebite (Acts 28:3-6). While neither Daniel nor Paul set out to perform miracles in these instances, the Holy Spirit saw fit to work miracles through them.
How might the working of miracles be applied today? Have you ever heard it said, “It will take a miracle for X to become saved [or for Y to be restored to the Lord; or for Z and his wife to be reconciled]”? Thank God for those of his faithful children who are willing to challenge “the impossible” and accomplish, through ministry of the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit, that which-humanly speaking-is impossible (Luke 18:27).
Running the Race
SERVING THE LORD (III)
Remember from Jan99 that prophesying is bringing a message of “edification, exhortation, [or] comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3) from the Lord to another person. Here are a few examples from the Bible:
1. Samuel, as a child, brought a message from the LORD to the high priest Eli (1 Sam. 3:11-18). Later, Samuel brought messages both of instruction and of God’s judgment to King Saul (1 Sam. 13:13,14; 15:1-3,16-29).
2. A man of God from Judah brought a word of warning to King Jeroboam (1 Ki. 13:1,2).
3. Elijah brought a message of doom from the Lord to King Ahaziah (2 Ki. 1:16), while Elisha brought a word of hope to the starving people of Samaria (2 Ki. 7:1).
4. The prophetess Huldah delivered a message of judgment to the nation of Judah, but a word of peace to King Josiah (2 Chron. 34:22-28).
5. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the minor prophets, the apostles Peter, Paul, and John, and others wrote down messages from God for the readers of Holy Scripture.
6. While the apostle Paul was a prominent prophet of the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave to Agabus a message to give to Paul (Acts 21:10,11).
Assignment 7: Write out verses in Colossians 1 and 1 Peter 2 and 4 that illustrate this point.
Assignment 8: Describe, if you can, an occasion when you strongly felt the Lord giving you a message from Himself to give to another person.