We are continuing our study on answering the question— does God test us? As I wrote before, I believe the answer is “Yes”, but not like the way so many people have explained it before.
We left off last month on how temptation couldn’t be any kind of test from God, but rather it is an attack from the devil, other people, and carnal desires.
The next thing on my list was sickness. Could sickness be a test from God? Many people have assumed so. However, the answer again is still “No”. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Remember again, Jesus’ cross paid for everything required to live and that includes good health.
Isaiah 53:3-5 (NASB)
3 He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of [pains]sorrows and acquainted with [sickness]grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely our [sickness]griefs He Himself bore,
And our [pains]sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our [peace]well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
Part of this passage is reiterated in 1 Peter 2:24, making it a New Testament truth today.
Luke also wrote that everyone whom Jesus ever healed was healed from the oppression of the devil.
Acts 10:38 (NASB)
38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Since God has delivered us from all ailments, how could He ever use any kind of sickness as a means to test us? If He doesn’t have any ailments in Heaven then He wouldn’t use them on the earth either. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
If He had recreated the earth with any kind of sickness than we would’ve been reading about how they affected Adam and Eve in the garden. We could be reading something like this in the Bible today: Adam looks over at his beautiful wife Eve and says, “Wow Eve! That boil on your shoulder is three times bigger today than it was yesterday. God is showing you His love. I’m so thankful for Him testing us like this. Eve you just keep humble and trust God in this test.” See how ridiculous that reads? Read it out loud for a fuller affect; and while you’re at it listen to your heart as you voice it out. If God really tested them like this then is it any wonder why they would have sinned. God doesn’t prove anything this way.
If you tested your children the way that some people like to assume God tests His, by making them sick or breaking their bones, than I might be seeing you in prison for child abuse and neglect. Why would anyone suppose a loving father would ever be so cruel and do something like this to someone he loves? That is neither loving nor logical thinking.
Even in the Old Covenant they had healing or else why would King David write this in the beginning of Psalm 103?
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
To top it all off, we have a better covenant than the Jews. In fact Jesus fulfilled the Laws of Moses. The Laws of Moses brought death.
Romans 8:2 (NKJV)
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Hebrews 7:22 (NKJV)
22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Hebrews 8:6 (NKJV)
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
If you are experiencing any kind of ailments in your body then command your body to be made whole in Jesus name and take the healing now. He paid the price for you to have peace in your body.
(Continued next month)
