What happens when you turn a light on in a dark room?

• The Light dispels the darkness.• In the same way, truth exposes lies. • A house of cards built on lies will crumble

when the truth is spoken.

• The truth will always comes out. • Just ask the politicians who have been in the news

lately: • Arnold Schwarzenegger• John Edwards • Anthony Weiner

• Just ask various sports heroes: • Roger Clemens • Barry Bonds • Brett Favre

• The Bible is like a light in the darkness. • When spoken, it exposes the lies.

Who is the source of lies? • Satan!• When speaking to the religious leaders, Jesus said:

John 8:44 – For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Revelation 12:9 – And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (NASB)

• Satan is described as the deceiver of the nations. • Since he 1st dealt with Eve in the garden, he has

been deceiving mankind.• He does not want us to know the truth because it

will set us free. • One of the truths he has lied about is healing.

• Healing is one of the major ways Jesus destroyed the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8b – The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (NASB) • Jesus came into the world to destroy the mess that

the devil made of this world—sin, sickness & bondages.

• At least in part, Acts 10:38 shows us what this means:

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (NASB)

• Healing is also one of the primary things Jesus did in His ministry.

• And it was one of the primary way He destroyed the works of the devil.

• Allow me to illustrate how the devil deceives through lies.

After the surrender of the Japanese in WW II . . .• It was not until the Allied forces landed on the

island and brought the good news that the war was over that the lie of the captors was exposed.

The truth exposed the lie.

• The same today: the devil holds the lost in his grips through lies and deception.

• Even though he was defeated, he still lies. • It is not until we learn the truth of God’s Word that

the enemy’s lies are exposed.

• Miracles and healings came because once again God heard the cries of His people.

• He came down to rescue them from their taskmasters.

• This time it was not the Egyptian taskmasters. • The demonic & the disease that Jesus came to free

people from—all who were oppressed by the devil.

• This morning I want to dispel 2 Major Lies perpetrated by the devil concerning Healing.

• These are actually traditions of men which make the Word of God of no affect.

• They are robbers of Faith! • But, we must base what we believe on the Word of

God alone. • And, not on the opinions of others no matter how

well-intentioned they are.

1. Lie #1: Healing is not for Today! (Cessation)• Some say that healing stopped when the apostles

died or when the Early Church canonized the Bible. • Canon: when the 66 books we have today were

decided to be the inspired Word of God.• One verse they use to prove this point is:1 Corinthians 13:10 – But when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. (NASB)

• Their reasoning is: when the Bible was finalized, we received the perfection.

• Completed Bible = Perfection• Therefore, the gifts, signs and miracles were no

longer needed.

• The perfect is the 2nd Coming of Jesus. • Every early church father interpreted this to mean

the 2nd Coming and not the completed Bible.

QUESTION: If the miracles truly ceased, where do you find it in the BIBLE? • You will NOT find it because Jesus still heals today! To say that Jesus does not heal today is the same as saying that God's character has changed!

• The real issue at stake is God’s character.1. God Names • God has revealed different aspects of His

personality through His names.1) Jehovah-Jireh - I Am the God Who Provides2) Jehovah-Nissi - I Am your Banner3) Jehovah-Shalom - I Am your Peace4) Jehovah-Rohi – I Am your Shepherd5) El Shaddai - All-Powerful, Abundant Supplier of all

your needs!6) Jehovah-Rapha - I Am the Lord Who Heals You!

• Healing is His character and His name. Guess what? God has not changed His Name.Exodus 15:26 – “He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His eyes, If you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, FOR I AM THE LORD, WHO HEALS YOU.'"• God reveals through His Name— Jehovah-Rapha

that He is by nature a healing God. • That is Who He is. • And that has not changed.

2. God is Eternal

Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of Man, that He should change His mind, for I am the Lord God and I change not!• Because He is eternal and never changes, we can

rest in the fact that His nature never change either. • He is still a healing God.

Hebrews 13:8- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

• Just as He was Holy then, He is Holy now.• Loving God• Righteous• Faithful• Healing

• What He did then, He does Now.• What He was then, He is Now and will be Forever.He is the One Who was, is, and is to come.For I am the Lord God, and I change not!• That should give you confidence in God & in His

Word.• His promises have not changed because He has not

changed!

Lie #2: God put this sickness on me to teach me a lesson or to receive the glory in my sickness!

Again, I ask, “Where is that in the Bible?” • God is the Healer. • He doesn’t even have sickness to give you.

Who is your teacher? • The Holy Spirit or Sickness?

Exodus 15:26 - Jehovah-Rapha! For I Am the Lord Who heals you.• No where does it say: I am the God Who Destroys!• He is the God of Life and not of Sickness. • His Nature is to heal. • He cannot do what He is not, and He cannot give

you what He does not have. • There is no evil in God. • And, in my book, sickness is evil.

John 9:1-4 – As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 "Rabbi," His disciples asked Him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" 3 "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” • God receives glory in our healing; not in our

sickness.• They were more concerned about doctrinal

questions than in seeing this man healed. • When I am sick, I don’t want to hear theology; I

want to see the power of God!

• The # 1 way God received glory in the Bible was through signs and wonders, miracles and healings.

• If that was true then, I believe it is safe to conclude that this is still the # 1 way He receives glory.

• Therefore, it is necessary for miracles to continue until Jesus returns.

John 2:11 – This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of His glory. And His disciples believed in Him.• This is when Jesus turned water into wine at the

wedding feast in Cana.

• There is always a close relationship between His power and glory in Scriptures.

• If you do a word study on glory, you will find that the # 1 way God glorifies His name is through healings, miracles and signs and wonders.

Remember when the 7 sons of Sceva tried to cast a demon out of a man using Jesus’ name? • The demon spoke through the man and said, I know

who Paul is and I certainly know who Jesus is, but who are you? (Acts 19)

• Then he overpowered them and beat them until they fled bleeding and naked.

• Look what happened when the news of this event got around town.

Acts 19:17 – The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. • The point is: Healings and miracles and not

sickness, give glory and honor to the Lord.

Who then puts sickness on us if God doesn’t? • Let’s put the blame in the right place. • This is what I call the Big Lie!

Luke 13:10-13 – On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

• Luke tells us that she had been afflicted by this spirit for 13 years.

• Not all sickness is a direct result of an evil spirit. • But, all are a result of the Fall in the Garden. • Jesus, however, came to remove the effects of the

fall of man by destroying the works of the devil.Why is this the Big Lie? • Satan puts the sickness on people, and he blames

God for it. • And people, Christian people, who should know

better, believe him.

John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.• Let’s get this straight! • The devil is the one who steals, kills and destroys. • Jesus is the One who gives Life. • Sickness is not abundant life. Now, which part of that simple equation do you not understand?

Acts 10:38 – You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

• Jesus healed all who were oppressed by the devil. • Sickness is from the devil and not Jesus.

Conclusion

• We’ve learned 2 main points this morning:1. Healing is for today.2. The devil not Jesus is the origin of sickness. • Jesus is the Healer!• The light has been flicked on. • The truth has exposed the Big Lie. • It is time that we rise up and receive what Jesus

paid for us on the cross.