Gerry van der Wende: February 2012

Healing and the heart of God
February 26, 2011
Matthew 7:11

Introduction

How many here had a good dad?
What was your favorite memory?
What other good qualities did your father have?
Not all of us had that kind of dad
Since Adam and Eve, dads have messed up, and have not fulfilled their God-given role
During the 4 years before coming to pastor Grace Fellowship, I was the chaplain for between 80 and 90 clients at the Reno Sparks Gospel Mission
I counseled each of these clients, and would hear the terrible things that happened to them
A common denominator in over 90% of these people, was that they did not have a father who stepped up to the plate
The absence of a father’s love and direction, created a vacuum, which led them to using and drinking, and basically ruined their lives. Often it was only in their 50’s or 60’s that they finally hit bottom and sought help.
But it was not intended that way by God

What does a good dad look like

Good dads provide, protect, give identity, give a sense of belonging, give a sense of family, give leadership, can be trusted
When we have not had a good dad, we usually don’t see God as being a good dad. Or he seems distant, out of touch
But God is a good dad:
- God provides – this last week Dianne and I were faced with a $6,000 repair bill for our car – God sent us a check to be able to pay this bill
- God protects - Deuteronomy 32:11 “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings”
- God gives identity - Ephesians 3:15 “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named”
- We God’s children - 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”
- God supplies our need - Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
- God only gives good things to his children – Matt 7:11 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

So where does sickness come from?

When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, they were made healthy
It was very good - Gen 1:31 – an expression of God’s infinite goodness towards his creation
Zeph 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing”
God desires us to be healthy - 3 John 1:2 “…I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well”
Things became messed up when man rebelled against God
This is now Satan’s world – Eph 2:2, 2 Cor 4:4
Satan wants to destroy us – John 10:10
Satan is the one who brings sickness into our lives – Acts 10:35

So how do we find healing?

We often pray for healing but do not do the things that are needed for that healing to take place
Jesus paid the price for our healing – 1 Pet 2:24 – by his stripes you were healed
His stripes were physical, our sickness is physical, that should do it, right?
But God wants us to be blameless in body, soul and spirit -= 1 Thes 5:23 – he wants to sanctify us through and through
When we stop at just the physical aspect, maybe he is looking for more!
Our soul in the Bible, refers to our mental faculties, our emotions, our thinking
There is also a spiritual side to life
When we accepted Jesus, the Father Son and Holy Spirit took up residence in our human spirit.
But the enemy also can have strongholds in our life. He does this in our thought patterns, in other words, in our soul
God’s purpose for us is that we be healthy, in our emotions and in our spiritual life too
Perhaps healing has not yet come in the physical, because the rest of our life needs to come into alignment with God’s will for us!
If you want to dig deeper into this, please see Pastor Dianne or myself, and we will work through this with you
God wants you to live in health
He has provided the means, through Jesus’ sacrifice
But that healing may require some self-examination, and prayer and dealing with issues.

Conclusion

God is the Lord who heals us – Exodus 15:26
His desire for us is that we prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers – 3 John 1:2
As we seek healing in the physical, perhaps we need to examine our need for healing in our soul – both healing in our emotional life, and also dealing with spiritual issues we may have
If you have any questions about this please see me afterwards.

Gerry van der Wende