Bible Study Notes:

We’ve been studying about healing for several weeks now. In fact, the Holy Spirit strongly influenced me to interrupt our regular studies on Luke to talk about healing. And since we’ve been studying healing, the spiritual attacks against us have intensified. Our equipment has been attacked, our finances, our children, and recently our health.

Which is confirmation to me that we are right on target! LOL I did have a question come in through email about this study. In reading the notes, someone got the impression that God only heals Christians. Well this is certainly NOT the case.

God can and does heal non-Christians. But recall that the purpose of this study is to help believers get rid of types of subtle unbelief so that their healing CAN be manifested in their body, mind and spirit.

The theme of these lessons is "The Manifestation of YOUR Healing". How can YOU obtain the healing that you need for your life? "Healing" is the PROCESS by which we receive relief from pain, deliverance from symptoms, reversal of deterioration, regeneration of bodily functions and restoration to full health, physically, mentally and spiritually.

I also would like to emphasize that I am a fellow seeker for healing and health and don’t pretend to have all the answers. And we discussed that healing comes to us three ways: through the natural healing processes of our bodies, through doctors and medicine, and also through what is commonly called "faith" or divine healing, although the source of all healing is God.

I made the statement in one lesson that "I can't stress enough that healing is a process and part of your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The key to YOUR healing lies in getting closer and closer and closer to the HEALER, the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, don't expect your healing to manifest OUTSIDE of the provision of salvation."

According to Isaiah 53 and other passages, Jesus’ atonement on Calvary not only paid the price for our sins, but He also bore our illnesses. He is the source of our healing.

That’s why Peter used the past tense – we HAVE BEEN healed. We look back to the cross for the provision of physical healing. In this sense, there is no healing apart from our salvation – the only source is Jesus.

I was also criticized for this statement "first settle it in your heart that it IS God's will to heal." If God is not willing to heal us, why bother praying for healing? We have already heard Jesus say I AM WILLING. So faith says, "Jesus is able and willing to heal, I am sick, Lord heal me!"

We have been looking at some of the subtle sources of unbelief and hindrances to healing that commonly afflict God’s children. If any one or combination of these applies to you, then study them further, and ask the Holy Spirit’s guidance in ridding yourself of that hindrance, and be healed in Jesus Name!

So far we’ve discovered 18 hindrances to healing, including: Failure to ask; believing that God doesn't answer prayer today; Don't really want healing; Fearful of health; Jesus is not willing to heal; Not worthy; Demonic influence; Unconfessed sin; Disobedience; and Unforgiveness; Poor health habits; Addictions, Lack of fasting, Influence of others, Unrighteous covenants; Anxiety, Don’t want to "bother" God, and having a "Thorn in the flesh".

Hindrance to Healing # 19 Spirit of Infirmity

After a recent bout with the flu, I experienced a weakness in my body that seemed to cling to me. I couldn’t get enough sleep it seemed, and was beginning to feel spiritually sluggish. As a teacher, I must keep my spiritual vision clear so I can hear from the Holy Spirit what to teach.

As this feeling of weakness intensified, I became alarmed and begin to seek God for the cause. I was assailed with doubt and fear, which I recognized to be spiritual oppressions from the enemy and not from my Heavenly Father.

I asked God to forgive me if I had sinned against Him, but really couldn’t get a clear picture of what I had done wrong.

Also, several people lately have come to me for spiritual help, and no matter what solution I gave them from the Word, they said it didn’t work for them. Brothers and sisters in Christ, if the Word doesn’t work for you, what hope is there for your life? And then the Holy Spirit reminded me of a passage we’ve studied, but need to revisit.

Luke 13:10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years [literally a spirit of infirmity]. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.

Recall that this lady had been literally crippled for 18 years by a spirit of infirmity, and was so bent over, that she couldn’t straighten up.

This is what trying to bear the burdens of life, the anxieties, and the cares all by yourself will do to you. This is why we are told to "cast your care upon Him for He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7)

Luke 13:12-13 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Now Jesus didn’t hesitate to heal her. He called her forward and set her free. Immediately she straightened up and praised God.

An 18-year bondage was broken in an instant of time by Jesus’ healing, delivering power! Recall also that Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath, but He replied:

Luke 13:16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

Notice Jesus’ attitude towards this spirit of infirmity. He didn’t pet it or waste time in false compassion for this woman’s suffering. He saw the bondage, and it didn’t matter what religious conventions or traditions He was breaking, He set her free!

The word used for spirit here is pneuma {pnyoo'-mah} also meaning wind or breath, and is our root word for pneumonia, pneumatics, and the like.

Here it means a spirit, a simple essence, devoid of matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting, specifically a spirit higher than man but lower than God, in this case demons, or evil spirits, who inhabit the bodies of men.

But, instead of being a life-giving spirit or breath from God, this spirit of infirmity was a life-robbing spirit.

Infirmity is astheneia {as-then'-i-ah} in the Greek, as to the body, meaning: lack of strength, weakness, infirmity; native weakness and frailty, or feebleness of health or sickness;

Infirmity of the soul: lack of strength and diminished understanding, inability to do things great and glorious, to restrain corrupt desires and to bear trials and troubles.

What a horrible burden to have to bear! No wonder Jesus called it a bondage of satan! I’ve wondered in the past how a person could be become subject to such a thing. What processes come about to allow a spirit of weakness, infirmity or enfeeblement to come upon a person?

And because of my experience from this illness and from trying to help those who will not receive strength, I realize that due to a physical weakness or a failure in some area, a person can be in danger of receiving this spirit of infirmity, and all the things that rides on its’ coat tail, so to speak: doubt, fear, unease, and defeat.

Isaiah prophesied of Jesus: 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

Infirmities here in Hebrew is choliy {khol-ee'} from chalah {khaw-law'} meaning to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry, basically the same meaning as asthenia in the New Testament.

You see, Jesus BORE our infirmities when He became weak for us and died on the cross for our sins. So we must not let a spirit of infirmity invade us. Jesus died to set us free, just like the woman who had been bound by this spirit of helplessness for 18 long years, crippled and bowed over from it.

Matthew 8:16-17 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."

Matthew confirms that the power of Jesus Name drives out the spirit of infirmity, and brings healing as prophesied by Isaiah so many years ago. Ok, so how does this spirit of infirmity come upon us?

2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

What does this mean? Jesus is the "Yes" to all the promises God has made to us. By His atoning sacrifice and resurrecting power, Jesus has made all the God has promised in the Word available to every believer. All we have to do is speak "Amen" or "So be it in my life", and the promises are ours.

In other words, I am what the Word says I am and I can have what the Word says I can have, IF I exercise the faith to receive it. In this context we are specifically talking about healing, but this verse applies to ANY promise in the word – for peace, for joy, for financial needs, or for deliverance from all bondage to satan.

Well what happens when we refuse to believe? What happens when we fall into sin? What happens when we allow a spirit of infirmity to invade us?

We are calling God a liar, and making the Word of no effect in our lives, when we in effect say, "The Word doesn’t work for me, there must be some other way".

But if faith in God and His Word doesn’t work, what does? What is left except an expectation of doom and hopelessness?

This is why so many are weak and lack victory in their lives, are unable to make decisions, are filled with anxiety and are constantly seeking attention and are sickly. If you reject the Word, you reject life.

The GOOD news is: Jesus came to set the captives free. If you have become bound to a spirit of infirmity through unbelief, it can be driven out by the Name of Jesus.

Are you willing to give up defeat, weakness, enfeeblement, and start to live in victory? Are you willing to give up the sin that enchains you and become holy?

Recall what this spirit of infirmity brings with it: lack of bodily strength, weakness, infirmity, frailty, feebleness of health, sickness.

In addition, in reference to the soul, it brings: lack of mental and emotional strength, diminished understanding, a weakening of ability to do things great and glorious, and an inability to restrain corrupt desires and to bear trials and troubles.

In fact, I have a theory that satan has to afflict you with the spirit of infirmity before he can make you ill. How many times do you feel weak, feeble, "blue", "down", etc., just before you come ill? How many times do you SAY, "I feel like I’m coming down with something"? What would happen if you began to resist the spirit of infirmity instead of giving in to it?

Isaiah 35:3-5 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."

When you refuse to be bound by a spirit of infirmity in Jesus Name, will God hear you? Oh yes! Do not fear, be strong, your God WILL come and save you. And does our salvation include healing? Oh yes! As we’ve said many times, Jesus died to atone for our sins, to bear our infirmities and to bring us healing, body, mind and spirit:

Isaiah 35:5-6 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Are you blind, are you deaf, are you lame? Do you need healing? Cast off that spirit of infirmity in Jesus Name and be strengthened in His might! Say YES and AMEN in Jesus Name!

But does the New Testament confirm this promise? OH YES, I’m glad you asked that!

Hebrews 12:12-14 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

So does the Word work for you? Oh yes! And don’t let a lying spirit of infirmity come upon you and tell you otherwise! Cast off the spirit of infirmity, don’t be disabled, but rather BE HEALED in Jesus Name! Put on peace and holiness that will be able to see the love of Lord in the land of the living.

Proverbs 4:18-19 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

Proverbs 4:23-25 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.

Proverbs 4:26-27 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Did you know that the influence and opinions of others can be a help or a hindrance to your healing? If they speak words of encouragement and faith, they can promote healing. If they continually speak doubt and fear into your heart, it can destroy your faith and keep you sick.

Matthew 13:54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked.

Now Jesus had been ministering to the people in different areas, and had healed many and taught many. But when he came home, he ran into a different climate. The people just could not accept the fact that the hometown boy was the Messiah.

Matthew 13:55-56 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"

And they began to gossip among themselves. Basically they said, "Just who does this Jesus think he is? He puts his pants on just like we do. Where’d he get the Big Head? Thinks he’s better than us country folk…." Etc., well that was my interpretation, LOL!

Matthew 13:57-58 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

At any rate, they got "ticked off" at Jesus, and didn’t give him any honor or respect. And he could NOT do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Now if any place should have been full of God’s power, it should have been Jesus’ hometown! But it wasn’t. Why? They talked themselves out of it! Instead of accepting the obvious presence of God in Jesus life, they CHOSE to take offense at Him.

Do your friends tell you that Jesus doesn’t heal today? Or that, for whatever reason, He won’t heal YOU? Or that you have to be a super-saint to receive from God? Or that it will make you weird? Why are you listening to them instead of what the Word says?

Hebrews 3: 12-14 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Why do some people try to rob you of your faith and confidence in Christ? It’s really odd to me that many that do not believe in Jesus or in the Bible, or healing, etc., aren’t content with just doubting in their own hearts, they have a need to spread their unbelief around! Ya know, thanks a lot for sharing! LOL

The Word is clear that unbelief will turn you away from God – your source of life. Sin is deceitful and will harden your heart so that you will have no share in Christ, which includes physical healing.

Even those who call themselves Christians are sometimes guilty of tearing down each others faith, rather than encouraging one another and building one another up. Some have a theological "axe to grind" and care more about proving some theory or another than about who they are robbing of courage.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

But the best thing to do, especially when you need healing, is to surround yourself with men and women of faith who can encourage you in the Lord and build up your faith. What you need when you are ill is "faith talkers" not "doubt walkers".

Malachi 3:16-17 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him."

In fact the Lord has a special book where He records those who talk with each other about the Lord, who fear Him and honor His Name. He remembers you with favor! He pays attention to what you say! And if you talk the Word, remembering to fear and honor His Name, you will be His treasured possession, and receive compassion from Him.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

So if you are being influenced by your so-called friends to doubt God, it will hinder your healing. Find those who are of like faith, and talk about the Lord with them, honoring and fearing His Name. And He will have compassion on you and you will be encouraged, strengthened and healed.

God’s Word has healing properties in and of itself. But if you are ignorant of the Word, if you don’t read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and get it deep into your heart, how can it do you any good?

Too many people tell me that it’s boring, they "can’t get into it", or they can’t understand it. Read it anyway, because it is LIFE to you. Understanding will come if you are persistent.

Solomon declared in Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

If you ignore the Word, you are "being wise in your own eyes". You think you "know it all" already and don’t need God to tell you what to do! Will this bring you health and healing?

Not according to the Word of God. Seek God’s wisdom, have a respect and reverence for the Lord, shun evil, and this will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

Here again we are told that God’s wisdom that He gave Solomon, if attended to closely, would bring health to a man’s WHOLE body. If the wisdom in the book of Proverbs is followed, it will keep you from a lot of foolishness, and from a lot of disease!

Luke 7:7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

When the Roman soldier (centurion) needed healing for his servant, what did he request? That Jesus say the WORD! Jesus didn’t even need to come to his house, just speak the WORD and the centurion believed that his servant would be healed. And the servant was healed, at the very hour Jesus spoke the word of healing.

Matthew 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.

Can the Word heal? Oh yes, the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ drove out the evil spirits and healed ALL the sick with a WORD. And we have the written Word today that will drive out evil spirits and heal us if we speak it and trust in it.

John 15:7-8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Jesus said that if HIS words remain in us, we can ask whatever we will, and it WILL be given to us, including healing! He wants us to produce MUCH fruit, and sick believers aren’t productive!

Do you need healing? How much of the Word have you hidden in your heart? Are you meditating on it day and night? Are you remaining, or abiding in Jesus and His Words? Then ask for healing, and it will be given to you, that you can produce much fruit!

But we won’t be blessed if we "sit in the seat of mockers". We must be careful not to get caught up in a spirit of scorn against God’s servants. Even if they are not of your denomination, if they are hurting we are commanded to pray for them, not make fun of them.