Thinking Theology, by Mike Endicott

Part 2

* Jesus healed all those who asked him of all their diseases.

* All healing was full and without delay

* He claimed not to do or say anything unless God our Father is doing it - we may conclude that it is God's will today to see everyone healed today.

* Suffering, sometimes referred to Biblically as being of value, is not a function of illness but a function of persecution. It is not the will of God. It's continuing existence through ill health cannot be used to justify lack of healing.

* To Calvary's cross Christ took all our sicknesses and there he bore all our diseases - by his wounds we are healed. The treasure chest of healing grace is opened for us in heaven.

* Expectancy, persistence and humility work together as the components of the lightening conductor that earths heaven's grace in healing and wholeness.

* Although the expectancy of the minister and supplicant are of great value, the overwhelming openness to receiving grace is the corporate expectancy of the body gathered.

* There is no sin, wound, demon, bondage or any other blockage other than unbelief that can restrict the power of God to heal the sick.

* Not everyone is healed.

* The prime, and insufficiently explored, reason for this apparent lack of answered prayer lies in the fact that Jesus has entrusted his healing ministry to the Church. Had he kept it for himself, and answered prayer down the lesser preferred route of sovereign intervention, it would work perfectly every time.

* Jesus Christ has been given authority over all things, including sickness, and has passed on that authority to his disciples.

* God has two ways of answering prayer - sovereignly and through his people. The second of these is his preferred route and is opened up not by prayer requesting sovereign action but by the church herself commanding and dismissing evil with the authority she has been given to do so.

* The use of such authority in love is commanding and effective. The power of God always follows his given authority but only where that authority is deeply understood by the disciple and is maintained by that disciple in his or her own sonship.

* God is willing and powerful to heal - we are left considering only three things:

1. the expectancy of the gathered body.(not the faith shortfall in the supplicant).

2. The exercise of authority in the deepest compassion by those who minister

3. the mystery of God and this only after the possibilities of the first two have been exhausted.

END

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