It really never occurred to me how intricately intertwined these two aspects are until today. Forgiveness & Healing.
Just came across a story that I have heard of and seen so many times before but today it really hit home.
The story is found in Luke 5:17-26 .Where Jesus was teaching and healing many at a certain house where the Pharisees and teachers of the law happened to present too.
There was a huge crowd as well as certain men tried to bring in a paralyzed man to Jesus but were unable to reach him and found an ingenious way to get to him – Through the roof! They lowered him in the middle of the crowd right in front of Jesus!
Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralyzed man “Friend, your sins are forgiven”
This caused quite a stir among the Pharisees who wondered who could forgive sins but God alone? Jesus however knowing their thoughts and hearts said to them “….I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
Let’s back up a little bit, to where Jesus said “Your sins are forgiven.”
This is the first instance in the gospel of Luke that Jesus says this when his intention is to heal the individual. The earlier chapters he healed through rebuking the illness, laying hands on the sick and declaring “Be clean”
Then it hit me, could it be that there are some illnesses or conditions that are as a result of something one did that required forgiving in order for healing to occur?
Well I figured one may do things either intentionally or unintentionally and end up defiling themselves. God does not want us defiled in any way. Furthermore one may at times forget what they did, especially if it was unintentional.
One thing that Jesus was intentional about was letting the people know that;
1) He had (and still has!) authority on earth to forgive sins and
2) His forgiveness leads to healing
I would urge you to review this scripture one more time Luke 5:17-26 and If you desire healing say this prayer.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your word and thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die for me on the cross. Thank you Father for showing me that your forgiveness of my sins brings healing .Father Please forgive me for my sins, those I did knowingly and unknowingly that have defiled me. Forgive me Lord and heal me .In Jesus name I pray ,amen.
Like the paralyzed man who was healed “he took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.” Luke 5:25
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