Don’t Give Excuses For Sickness

Rhapsody Of Realities TeeVo

Sunday, January 7th

Pastor Chris

A “THORN IN THE FLESH”

(Don’t Give Excuses For Sickness)

TO THE BIBLE:
Isaiah 33:24
“And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.”

LET’S TALK

Some people have a hard time accepting the supernatural life that Christ has made available for everyone who believes in Him. They find it strange to think and accept that it’s actually possible to live on earth without being sick. Some even buttress their claims with what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: “…there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

Many have interpreted Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” to be a kind of sickness, and use it as an excuse to say, “If Paul could be sick, then it’s normal for any Christian to be sick.” However, that’s not what the Bible teaches. “Thorn in the flesh” doesn’t necessarily refer to a problem in the flesh; it’s a figure of speech used to express something that causes pain or discomfort, a troubling or perplexing situation.

If you study Paul’s writing in context, you’ll discover he wasn’t referring to any kind of sickness or infirmity of the body. The tenth verse lets us know he was referring to the battering he experienced from the persecutions, reproaches, distresses and adversities he faced for the sake of the Gospel. He never for once rejoiced about being sick or excused sickness.

Understand that Jesus came, not just to die for us and save us from sin, or to heal our sick bodies, but also to give us Zoe, the God-kind of life. That life is what you received when you were born again, and it can’t be destroyed by sickness, disease and infirmity. Sadly, many haven’t understood what this life is all about, so they suffer ignorantly with sickness (Hosea 4:6). But as you take a hold of this truth today and live by it, you’ll begin to experience the joy of living in divine health.

GO DEEPER

John 1:12-13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

SPEAK
I refuse to be sick because it’s not in my nature. I’m a new creation in Christ Jesus; old things are passed away, and all things have become new. I’m an associate of the God-kind, imparted with the supernatural life of God that makes me invincible to sickness, disease and infirmity.

DAILY BIBLE READING

ONE YEAR
Matthew 6:1-18, Genesis 18-19

TWO YEAR
Matthew 4:1-11, Genesis 7

ACT
Speak to and declare divine health to your body throughout today.