Pastor's Corner: Jesus the healer

When we look into the word of God we find that Jesus came to the earth for one primary reason, to heal mankind. Through the work of Jesus we find healing in several different ways. In Isaiah 53:5 we see first that Jesus is the healer of our relationship with God. Jesus shed His blood for our sins so we can be forgiven and, through faith in His shed blood, enter into a restored relationship with God. It says Jesus was “wounded for our transgressions.”

Next Isaiah 53:5 reads, “He was bruised for our iniquities.” A bruise is blood that is shed under the skin. Once again, Jesus shed His blood so the iniquities we committed are forgiven and erased from the memory of God. Yes, I said erased. In Jeremiah 31:34 it says, “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

The next act listed in Isaiah 53:5 is “the chastisement for our peace was upon Him.” Jesus paid the price so we can walk in peace. We are at peace with God and have restored peace of mind. Psalm 23:3 says it this way, “He restores my soul.” Your soul is your mind, will, emotions, desires and thoughts. Jesus was chastised so we can be healed in our mind and emotions. Other scriptures pertaining to the healing of our emotions include Jeremiah 31:12-13, Zephaniah3:17-18, Luke 10:39,42, John 14:1, Isaiah 26 and Matthew 11:28-30. Read these scriptures out loud and thank God for the promises of His word.

Lastly, Isaiah 53:5 reads, “and with His stripes we are healed.” Jesus was whipped 39 times with a whip that had nine strips of leather on the end. Each strip of leather had a sharp stone fastened to it. Each time Jesus was whipped he took 9 slices into His body. After 39 times, Jesus had 351 slices in his body. He shed His blood in His body so our body can be healed. In Luke 4:18 Jesus read from the book of Isaiah about the reason He came to earth. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” You will find examples of Jesus healing people in Luke 4:40, Luke 6:19, Luke 9:11, Matthew 4:24, Matthew 9:35, and the list goes on.

Do you need healing today? Talk to Jesus and thank him for shedding His blood so you can be healed. If you believe He died on the cross and shed His blood for your sins, thank him for doing that and invite Him into your heart to be your personal savior. Thank Him that you are forgiven. Tell someone about your new life in Christ and find a fellowship of believers to worship and grow with.

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Brian Barrows is lead pastor at Abundant Life Ministries