"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick ... So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:1-2, 6). Jesus told us to heal the sick. He did not tell us to pray for the sick. Healing should not be an isolated, one-chance-in-a-100-or-1,000 type of occurrence. Healing should be everywhere. It is part of the gospel. It is what will open the masses to the gospel. It is God's dinner bell for sinners to come and be saved. Jesus commanded us to heal the sick."
Beloved, here is a simple lesson in hermeneutics, which is a fancy word for bible interpretation. We must understand if what we are reading is a descriptive text or a prescriptive text. Is the text revealing a story being told or a timeless truth to apply to our lives. The best known example is the verse where Judas goes and hangs himself. I think it is safe to say that is a descriptive text. God is not instructing us to go and do likewise. This portion from Luke is also a descriptive text. It tells an actual story of when Jesus sent out His disciples and gave them certain authority. There is nothing in this text that indicates this authority was then magically conveyed to every believer. None whatsoever. Did you also notice that the author selected verse 1,2, and 6? What did he leave out?
And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." - Luke 9: 3-5 (ESV)
If this section of scripture was really prescriptive then all of it should be. That would mean that when we go out into the world to do this great ministry work we ought to bring nothing with us. We ought to shake the dust off of our feet against any town that does not receive us. Except we know that is silly. You cannot cherry pick parts of a passage and claim an eternal principle while ignoring the immediate context. No, Jesus did not command us to heal the sick. He commanded His disciples to do so. Here is the closing thoughts from the pulpit commentary on this portion of Scripture:
"This and the further detail of the next verse (2) roughly describe the work he intended them to do, and the means bestowed on them for its accomplishment. Very extraordinary powers were conferred on them - powers evidently intended to terminate with the short mission on which he now despatched them."
The author then cites Matthew 10 which is the same story but in a different Gospel, and Luke 10 which is another descriptive text. What he states next however reveals how deeply flawed the rationale is:
"Once again, Jesus did not tell His disciples to pray for the sick. He authorized them to heal the sick. The power is in the proclamation. Tell them what God will do. This takes boldness. Boldness produces more results."
Once again, what Jesus instructed His disciples does not automatically mean He is instructing us to do. But note how the thinking is for people under this deception. The power is not in God anymore because man is elevated to the position of the Most High. No beloved, the power is in the proclamation. Well who does the proclaiming? You do! So who has the power? You do! Who has ascended to heaven and is situated above the Most High? You have! What produces more results in this heretical thinking? Does a deep faith produce more results? Does a profound understanding of His Word produce more results? No - individual boldness produces more results. Not God; but you. Once again, ascending to the heavens. Seated above the Most High. Now the author gives a tutorial in how to convey these false healings yourself! Remember, in this mindset we can learn the gifts. The Holy Spirit no longer gives them out as He wills.
"As an example, when you see a sinner who is sick and diseased, inquire about their condition. How did it happen? How long have they been sick? Casual conversation also serves to establish a level of comfortability with them. Then say to them what Jesus told His disciples to say: "I've got good news for you today! The kingdom of God has come near you." They may look at you funny, but continue to offer them this challenge. "If you will give me your hand the power of God will go into you and heal you." Once they consent the rest is easy. Command them to be healed. Release the power of God into them. Believe that as soon as you touch them Jesus touches them."
So in order to provide divine healing we need to talk to our sick person to establish comfortability, say to them that we have good news for them and that the kingdom of God has come near them, take their hand and believe that as you touch them Jesus touches them, and the rest is easy? Just command them to be healed? Just release the power of God into them? Seriously? What is missing here? How about the sovereignty of God? How unbelievably arrogant to think that healing someone is easy once they have consented to allow you to take their hand. I will ascend to the heavens and be like the Most High indeed. The author sadly continues:
"Now here's the most important part. Ask them to examine themselves. Tell them to do something they couldn't do before. Get them to act on the word. Bend over. Twist. Walk. Move the part of their body that was in pain or immobile. Keep getting them to act. Don't stop. Keep working with them. If you have to lay hands on them again, do so."
Here is the important part. Not Jesus. Not salvation I might add. No. Get them to bend, twist, or do something so you can believe that it really worked. I think back to my friend and his hip. He was running up and down the altar but in the end was not actually healed. What's with this "lay hands on them again?" Is there anywhere in the Bible where Jesus healing didn't work and He said, wait, let me try again! This is absurd. Do you want to see what happens when you think you can teach healing? Do you want to see the end result of teaching people to then make the person bend and twist to prove you were right? Here is a video clip I have shown before from a Jesus Culture event and a mob of kids who do not understand the spiritual games they are playing laying hands on a man in a wheelchair and then dragging him around like a trophy claiming he is healed when you can clearly see he is not.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIgncKNHUU
This is disgusting and sad. We do need faith but faith in the goodness of God, not the boldness of man. God can still say no. Paul suffered from His thorn, which many believe was a physical ailment. Paul asked three times for God to take it away but did God do so? No. Was Timothy healed of his stomach ailments? No. Bill Johnson pastors Bethel, runs the school for the supernatural, created Jesus Culture and teaches God always wants to heal us yet wears prescription eyeglasses. Explain that one to me.
God is all powerful beloved. He can heal us. That does not mean He must. His primary desire is to heal us of our sin. To save us eternally unto Himself. As always we value the wrong life. Be careful who you let lay hands on you. Be careful what teachings you follow. Line them up with Scripture and see where they fall. The arrogance of the false signs and lying wonders deception is staggering. To usurp the power of God as your own and rob Him of His sovereignty would be so astonishing if we had not seen it all before. There is nothing new under the sun. These are the same prideful antics Satan tried himself and has been luring us into ever since. Chase the Giver; not the gift.
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