Are you ready for a glorious challenge to reach the world for Jesus? Yes, I’m talking to you!
Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, & 28 – And God said . . .
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“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Again today, we will be examining the commanded expectations set forth by the Lord Jesus in the Great Commission of Mark 16. Are you ready for one of the greatest faith challenges our Lord ever extended to us? And joy of joys, not only did He extend it to us, but He fully licensed, equipped, and prepared us to carry it out to His glory.
Today we examine the final element of the commanded expectations of the passage in question. “They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” And just so you’ll have no excuse, “They” is talking directly about you, and the “hands” that will be laid “on the sick” are your hands. Get ready to be shaken. When Jesus gave this Great Commission to the Church, He had already paid the full price for redemption, and was ready for His ascent to the right hand of the Father in heaven. At that moment, the truth of 1 Peter 2:24, “by whose stripes ye WERE healed” was already in full position for your fulfillment. In the plan of redemption of the New Covenant, it is NEVER God’s intention for His people to be sick. Your healing and mine has already been fully purchased and given to us. It is now our responsibility to hold to, and fight for if necessary, our health which is ours after healing was given.
Well, brother Moorefield, if the church is healed, who are the sick on whom we are to lay our hands. They sick on whom we are to lay our hands are the same today as it was when Jesus laid hands on the sick. Think of this. Not a single sick person Jesus touched, on whom He laid His hands, to whom He spoke a healing word, in whom He demonstrated the healing power of God, was born again. Yes, they may have had covenant through the Old Covenant, but they were not born again. They were NOT His joint heirs. They did NOT possess New Testament authority and covenant relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. None of those things were possible until after Jesus was resurrected from the dead and ascended to the right hand of Father. Such power and authority only existed in the earth when the Church came into existence. So, who are “the sick” of whom this passage speaks? They are the lost. Health belongs to the Church, and healing is made available to the world through your hands. Yes, the Word is talking to you!
Manna for Today – Genesis 1; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 4:20-23; Mark 11:22-26; Romans 3:4
My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 