We can see Jesus on several occasions in the holy scriptures issuing words of command to heal the sick. And as those who were commanded to be healed had acted in obedience to His word of command, great miracles of healing happened.
You will never see Jesus in the scriptures elongating while praying for the healing of the sick. He always commanded the diseased or sick persons to be healed.
However, there are many Christians who often say long prayers these days, whenever they are praying for people to be healed. God doesn’t hear us because of long prayers, but He will always honor our acts of faith at all times.
And the issuing of the word of command for healing is an act of faith. Jesus illustrated for us in the scriptures how we are supposed to be doing this. His examples in the scriptures are meant for us to be following, so that we can get the same type of results which He had in healing the sick.
Jesus spoke the word of command to heal the sick and to cast out demons. And several times also we had seen Him in the scriptures praying to the Father, before addressing certain issues in dealing with the sick.
This shows to us His total reliance on the Father in Heaven for everything that He did on the earth. He never did anything without consulting with His Father about everything that He did. He said:
“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
John 12:49-50 NKJV
This statement reveals to us the key factor for the success that He had in ministering to the needs of the people.
Jesus expects us to be following in His examples. He had taught us how to pray to the Father (see Matthew 6:5-15).
If anyone should follow His principles of approaching the Father in prayer, he will be instructed and directed by Him concerning anything that he faces in healing the sick.
And in most cases those prayers of Jesus were meant for the sake of the listeners around Him (John 11:41-42).
In most cases Jesus would have been instructed and directed by the Father on a daily basis concerning every encounter of healing.
That was why He’s in the habit of spending personal time of fellowshipping with the Father in Heaven through prayer, before starting each day.
It was during these moments that God the Father reveals to Him, what lies ahead of Him for each day, and how He was to deal with every situation.
This was why He had made the statement above in John 12:49-50. He expects every believer in His name to be doing the same thing that He did every day.
His example in consulting with the Father in Heaven is what we have to follow, if we want to get the same type of results that He had in praying for people to be healed.
The prayers of Jesus to the Father were always conversational in nature. This points directly to His special relationship with the Father.
No one can approach the Father in such a manner, without having a special and personal relationship with Him, in the name of Jesus and through the cleansing of His blood.
Our Covenant relationship with the Father by the Blood of Jesus Christ positions us before Him in that special relationship.
Jesus knew that everything that He said on the earth were heard by the Father. He knew that all that He needed to do was to issue the word of command, as given to Him by the Father in Heaven for the healing of the sick.
The hosts of Heaven were always standing by to enforce His word, just as they are always standing by to carry out your own word of command also.
You are representing Jesus on the earth today. That’s why your words carry the same weight of authority, that Jesus had when He was on the earth.
Although at the garden of Gethsemane Jesus must had interceded for at least three hours. However, a closer observation of His posture and appearance during that time, suggests that He was in fact in the spirit (see Matthew 26:37; Luke 22:41, 43 and 44).
But in healing the sick, Jesus would often use words in the form of commands. He did this also in casting out demons (see John 5:8-9; 9:6-7 and much more).
A vivid example of issuing the word of command was when He had cursed the fig tree, by only saying that no one should ever eat from the tree again. The tree had dried up to its root in less than twelve hours.
In the same manner demonic activities, sicknesses and diseases are meant to bow in His name.
The Bible described to us what happened at the time, as He had cursed the fig tree that:
“And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”
Mark 11:13-14 NKJV
Jesus never prayed to God, the Father about the fig tree at all. There was no need for prayer here. He just needed to use His authority over the created thing, just as you have the same authority over every created thing on the earth.
Jesus spoke words with a direct command to the tree, and it obeyed Him as it dried out within twelve hours.
He then explained further because the disciples were baffled about this incident, to teach them and us about how we can use our faith for anything, including sicknesses and diseases.
He said:
“Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Mark 11: 22-24 NKJV
We can see clearly here that in dealing with any issue at all, Jesus pointed out to us that the solution is always in, what we are saying with our words in regard to each situation.
How we are issuing our words of command matters a lot. It matters because it can determine if a person will remain sick or healed. Your word of command carries life with it. It will impact life to the person who’s sick.
You cannot issue the word of command to demons, sicknesses and diseases in a wishy-washy manner, and expect them to obey you.
The authoritative use of our faith does matter a lot. Satan knows when you are commanding him and his works with authority and when you are not.
When Jesus said in the statement above that: “… and not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” He really meant it.
Everything in God’s Kingdom works by faith and with the use of our authority in the name of Jesus. And our word of command in the name of Jesus over sicknesses and diseases are no exceptions.
When Jesus sent out the first disciples to preach the gospel, He had given them this command:
“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew 10:8 NKJV
The response of faith to these words of Jesus were not based on some choices or attempts on the part of the disciples in obeying His command.
This was the command that He issued out to them, as they went out to confront the enemy.
He never sent them out to try and heal the sick. He commanded them to do it. And He expected them to get it done.
Now, for example a command in the military to a soldier is an authoritative order which the person who had been sent, is bond by virtue of the relationship with the commanding officer to carry out, without any excuse for failure.
Jesus exercised spiritual authority and dominion on the earth over sicknesses and diseases by issuing words of command.
And in sending out the early disciples they were exhorted to do the same things that He did.
That was why they went everywhere speaking words in destroying the works of the devil.
Jesus had given us all the authority in His name over every works of the devil. He transferred that authority into the hands of His believers on the earth, before ascending to Heaven.
This includes the spiritual authority over sicknesses and diseases. He had mandated those who believes in His name to use the authority in His name; to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons”.
In other words, He sent them out to do what they had seen Him doing.
Again, in another place, before His ascension to heaven Jesus had said:
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Mark 16:17-18 NKJV
The command here from Jesus to us as His followers is definitive and clear for anyone to understand. It is meant to achieve an intended end purpose.
The signs that were given to us by Him in the scripture texts above, were meant for us to be able to use them in judging and evaluating our walk of obedience to His command.
Jesus said: “they will cast out demons”. That means demons have to clear out completely away from the lives of those they’re being casted out from in His name.
And when He said: “they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover”. This also means that sicknesses and diseases are bond to clear out of every life, that you are touching in His name.
Jesus was not telling us to do what is impossible. If it’s not possible He would not have issued out the command to us.
There is no compromise here with the devil about how to deal with sicknesses and diseases.
Jesus never told us to sit down and drink tea or coffee with demon possessed people in casting out the demon. He said that we should be casting the demons out in His name – period!
There is no room for playing games in obeying the commands of Jesus. You are either obeying Him or disobeying Him. His command is not meant for us, to be playing religion or church doctrinal politics around with.
You have to be bold in order to “leave the dead behind you” (Matthew 8:22). You have to be bold in leaving dead religious activities behind you, in order to move on in obedience to Jesus.
You have no business with mediocre Christianity. You are in the army of God. You are a soldier for Christ.
The demons are meant to be subjected to your authority in the name of Jesus. That’s why you don’t have the time to be listening to the enemy at all. Cast him out in the name of Jesus.
If you want the signs that Jesus mentioned above to follow you in your Christian walk, you have to make up your mind to leave certain things from your past life behind you.
You have to let them go away completely, because they are preventing you from obeying the command of Jesus.
Jesus never sent out the early disciples to experiment with the healing of the sick. He launched them out directly into the battlefield against the devil.
It’s just like sending them out into a bull fight. You know that in a bull fight, either you or the bull will eventually become the casualty.
You will either have to do as Jesus commanded you to do, or you will be at the losing end.
Jesus never sends anyone out to be a casualty in the hand of the devil. You are victorious always in His name. So, walk in the victory that’s yours – doing what Jesus commanded you to be doing in His name.
There may be difficulties and persecution, but you don’t ever allow such things to prevent you from obeying Jesus.
Jesus has His eyes on you right now. What have you done in walking in obedience to His command to be winning souls, healing the sick and casting out demons?
That’s why He said again:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NKJV
The early disciples faced all types of trials and persecutions; but they still had to obey the command of Jesus, so as to be able to see the same results like Him.
You are not different from them today also. You have a real enemy – the devil, who is making people sick and doing everything to possess them with his demons.
And on the other hand, you do have a clear mandate from Jesus to heal the sick and to cast the demons out.
There is no room here for practicing lukewarm Christianity (Revelation 3:15-19); as some are doing in their evil ploys to please their social circles.
Jesus never came to please or satisfy the world. He came to save the world. And that is why you are a bearer of His name – A Christian.
You are now a soldier in the army of Jesus. You had been commissioned to heal the sick, cast the demons out and to save those who are lost.
When Jesus sent out the early disciples there was no questioning among them, about whether or not the devil would bow down to their use of the authority in the name of Jesus.
In fact, the Bible said:
“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
Luke 10:17 NKJV
The demons were subject to them as they did what Jesus commanded them to do.
They had seen Jesus issuing the word of command in doing the work of the Kingdom. They also used their faith in issuing the word of command, as they had seen Jesus did against the devil and his works. And great things happened as a result of this.
This is what every believer in His name on the earth today had been called to be doing also. There is nothing that is strange in seeing miracles, signs and wonders following every believer in the name of Jesus.
It’s a normal thing for the believers in the name of Jesus to be healing the sick and casting out demons.
In fact, when such signs are not accompanying your testimony about Jesus, it means that something is wrong with you.
Jesus said that you can heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. If these things were not possible, He would not have told you to do them.
When we are obeying His command to heal the sick, we will see the results that were mentioned above by Him.
There is no excuse for not obeying the command of Jesus. You are either on His side or on the side of the devil. You can’t stand in between the two.
If you’re standing in between the two sides so as to please your social world, then you are signaling that you are on the devil’s side already.
That’s why it’s important to just do as Jesus said that you should do.
As a Christian you were not called to do what’s impossible. You only have to do what you were commanded by Jesus to do. That’s all.
And all things are always possible to those who believes in His name. There’s therefore no impossibility for you. It’s not and shouldn’t be in your vocabulary.
There is not supposed to be an opinion or suggestion about getting healed today among Christians, when we are doing exactly what Jesus commanded us to do.
When we are obeying the command of Jesus to heal the sick, we shall see the same miracles that He performed everywhere we go in His name.
Nothing can stop you from being like Jesus.
Several religious belief systems and traditions had been teaching people for a long time, that sometimes people will get healed and sometimes they will not. To them healing the sick has become like a gamble.
You have to be fed up with seeing people falling sick, until you begin to have a hatred for such silly dead religious doctrine.
In fact, many of those who are in this circle of belief system will often flee whenever they encounter a demon possessed person. Instead of the demons fleeing away in terror of them, they are the ones who are fleeing.
They don’t have the spiritual boldness to confront the devil and his works. Yet they are always the ones to come out against you in criticism, as you are obeying Jesus by healing the sick.
They see other Christians doing many things with results, but they are doing the same things without any result, because their actions are not being mixed with faith and boldness in the name of Jesus.
So, they have ended up with the conclusion that healing is not for today.
And instead of learning from those who are getting the results, they are resolved to bring them down at all costs with all types of lies, innuendos and negativities.
Some others will say that sometimes God will heal the sick, and sometimes He will not.
No! God doesn’t want anyone to die of sickness and disease. It’s His perfect will to heal them all.
An example of such people were the seven sons of Sceva in the city Ephesus. The Bible said about them as they were trying to imitate Paul:
“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also, there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Acts 19:13-16 NKJV
Can the devil say that he knows you?
Apparently, these men were not even recognized by the devil. Faith with the corresponding action in the command of Jesus will heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons.
Yes, you can raise the dead, if the Holy Spirit guides you in doing it. That’s why it’s important to listen and get instruction from the Holy Spirit before going out, in witnessing to others about Jesus and to pray for the sick.
Wherever faith is being applied for definite results we will see the optimization of the power in His name.
Healing the sick is a command that all believers in Christ has been called upon to obey.
If people are not getting healed, then something is wrong somewhere. It’s obviously not up to Jesus anymore. He had given us all authority in Heaven and on the earth. He had issued the command to us as His soldiers on the earth to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, cast out the demons.
And He had given us the signs for us to know when we are actually obeying His commands (Mark 15:16-18).
Religious skeptics about the healing power of God are all over the Body of Christ today.
There are many Christians today who do not believe in divine healing. They will question any miracle of healing, even if it takes place before their very eyes.
We saw them around Jesus while He was in His hometown of Nazareth. The Bible says:
“Now He (Jesus) could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”
Mark 6:5-6 NKJV
What were they saying about Jesus in questioning His authority?
They belittled His ministry and anointing, because of their familiarity with Him and His upbringing from childhood. The Bible says:
“And when the Sabbath had come, He (Jesus) began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So, they were offended at Him.”
Mark 6:2-3 NKJV
Religious skeptics will always try to dispute the power of God, to heal the sick or deliver the captives.
You have to be very careful with them as you’re walking in obedience to Jesus. Their unbelief is dangerous to your faith in obeying the command of Jesus, to heal the sick and cast the demons out.
In most cases where the healing of the sick can’t be denied by them, religious skeptics will do everything possible to downplay it.
They will do everything possible to belittle the power of God in your life. They will do everything possible to dispute the testimony of the people, who had been healed through your ministry.
No wonder Jesus gave us the command to heal the sick, cleanse the leper and cast out demons. He knew that there will be skeptics who will do everything possible, to hinder the faith of the believers in His name.
That’s why He commanded us to heal the sick, so that we can be able to boldly confront and overcome these skeptics.
Their aim is to stop you from being productive with your faith in doing the work of the Kingdom of God. Watch out for them.
Persecution shouldn’t stop you either.
Jesus once said in the Parable of the Sower:
“But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”
Matthew 13:20-21 NKJV
Whether or not you like it, persecution will always come to test your faith. The more you are obeying the Spirit of Jesus by healing the sick, the more often people will persecute you.
The devil will never disturb those Christians who are not healing the sick. He likes their lukewarm attitude to the command from Jesus.
But the good thing about persecution is that it will increase the anointing of the Holy Spirit over your life, for as long as your faith in God remains active while going through it.
The more we are being persecuted, the more of God’s grace will be given to us, if we’ll never allow it to affect our faith.
Note from the above statement by Jesus that persecution arose, because of the word which was sown in the stony places. This is a reference to the spiritual atmosphere where skeptics and religious unbelief are predominant.
The word of healing that is sowed in the life of a Christian, faces persecution from the skeptics and the religious people in such places.
Persecution comes from them, because many of them believes that the days of healing and miracles are passed away.
They are the people who will talk in great length about how Jesus performed miracles. But that’s where they will always stop.
They can’t see Jesus healing the sick today anymore, even though the scriptures commanded us to do it in His name.
A command is normally issued out by higher authorities. In most cases the soldiers in any fighting army runs the risk of being charged with serious crimes, for disobeying the superior authority over them, who has given them a command.
A soldier in the military can never disobey the command of the superior officers. The command may be difficult to obey, but a real soldier knows that the command must be carried out, even to the very end at all costs.
If obeying the command of the commanding officer will cost him his life, that’s the high price he will have to pay for service to his nation.
God’s Kingdom is just like that. You had been commissioned to serve in God’s Kingdom.
As a soldier in the Kingdom of God there is no time for sitting out the storm. You have to ride on the wave of healings at all times, and everywhere you go with the declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The lives and destinies of many people are in your hand. But your word of command against the works of darkness can deliver them.
Don’t sit out the season of healing without doing something about it. You can heal the sick everywhere you find them – in the stores, on the streets, in the marketplace, at school, at work and other places.
And obedience to the command of Jesus may bring you troubles and persecution.
That was the high price paid by Stephen, as he became the very first martyr for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible said:
“And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Acts 7:59-60 NKJV
What a glorious way to meet with Jesus in Heaven. Stephen chose to obey Jesus till the very end of his life. He went home to be with the Lord, as he saw and was declaring the vision of Heaven to his accusers.
His very last words were a testimony to them about life after death. They never killed Stephen. His spirit was released into the hands of Jesus, and not into the hands of his persecutors or the devil.
The Bible says:
“The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
Proverbs 29:25 NKJV
Or as the Contemporary English Version of the Bible puts it:
“Don’t fall into the trap of being a coward— trust the Lord, and you will be safe.”
Proverbs 29:25 CEV
Jesus is the One who has given you the command to heal the sick. Don’t become a coward by disobeying Jesus.
Be bold, trust in Him. He is always there with you through every persecution.
Choose to obey Jesus and make the devil mad about it. Sicknesses and diseases will have to bow, as you go in His name by obeying His command.
Who are you reverently afraid of? Are you in dread of the sick or the sickness itself?
Don’t let the devil ever make you afraid. You can never fail. There is no failure in Christ Jesus, except if you succumb yourself to it.
Or are you just being fearful of the skeptics and the religious folks?
Don’t let them bother you either. They will be perfectly okay at the end. Eventually you will see them coming to side with you, if you will not give up.
Remember that the person you are fearful of will automatically become the master over your life.
If you reverentially fear the Lord, then He is your Master. And if you are in fearful dread of the devil and his agents, then he is the person who is ruling over your life.
Choose today to obey the command of Jesus. Persecution may come as a result of your act of obedience to go out and heal the sick, but the eternal reward is so great and refreshing.
It’s always so refreshing and fulfilling to hear and read testimonies of people who are being healed.
Testimonies of healing glorifies Jesus. The devil trembles whenever people are sharing their testimonies with you. He knows that each testimony opens the door of faith into other people’s lives to be healed and delivered.
So go ahead and heal the sick and cast out the demons. It’s important to keep the devil on the run with your testimonies as you are obeying Christ.
I will obey and heal the sick in the name of Jesus!