A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (October 4, 2016)
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:20)
The definition of malnutrition in Webster’s New World Dictionary is, “faulty or inadequate nutrition”. We normally associate malnutrition with poverty and starving children in poor countries but for this devotional we are going in a slightly different direction.
We have spent 33 years ministering in churches, prisons, and the corporate arena. We have ministered in a wide variety of churches and to people in the marketplace that come from all types of religious backgrounds. The shocking thing that keeps on coming up in these various contacts, especially with Christians, is the amount of people that are malnourished. They have either not been fed the “Word of God” at all or they have been fed a faulty Word which leads to complacency, poverty, sickness and destruction.
I was in a function once where an attendee and I started talking about a hurricane that was in the forecast. He commented that God was bringing that storm. I mentioned to him the story of Jesus telling His disciples to enter the boat with Him and go to the other side of the sea. When they were about halfway across the sea a violent storm arose. The disciples were fearful for their lives while Jesus was asleep. They woke Jesus and asked for help. Jesus spoke to (rebuked) the storm and it ceased. My question to this attendee was how could Jesus rebuke a storm that His Father sent?
The answer to the next question I asked the attendee made my heart hurt. I asked him where disease comes from and without hesitation he said, “Disease comes from God.” I could write a book on this but I do not have room in this devotional. This is a prime example of a malnourished Christian. It is so critical that you know the heart of God and know His Word. If you do not have a personal relationship with Him you will be led astray by the religious doctrines of man which will rob you of all the benefits paid for by Jesus on the cross and ultimately lead you to arrogance, complacency, poverty and destruction.
Listen to the heart of God in the following scriptures:
And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. (Matthew 12:15)
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
The thief cometh not but to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth 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)
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 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. (Mark 16:15-18)
My point is this. Jesus is not going to rebuke anything that is of God and He is not going to tell us to rebuke or pray against anything that is of God. God’s heart is for us to prosper and be in health. The devil is the one that comes to steal, kill and destroy, not God. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and He did that by defeating death, hell and the grave. He did that by healing all that were oppressed of the devil. Don’t be fed a lie by the religious doctrines of man! Your Father loves you. You are His child and He does not need to use the tools of the enemy (such as sickness and disease) to get your attention.
