Joel Osteen - Healing Belongs to You
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I want to talk to you today about Healing Belongs to You. All of us have times where we're dealing with an illness, or we have family, or friends that have a physical ailment. From diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic pain, cancer, there's a lot of sickness in our world. One name that God gave himself in the scripture is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer. God knew we would face battles in our health, he knew there would be times where medically speaking there was nothing that could be done. That's why he said, "Don't worry, I'm your healer. I'm going to do what medicine cannot do. I'm going to restore health back into you".
God is not limited by the natural, he's supernatural. He made your body, he knows how to correct what's wrong. Don't believe those lies that it's never going to change, "Man, the treatments not working", or "That heart disease has been in your family for generations, just learned to live with it". No, this is a new day. The Lord your healer is at work, restoration is coming, freedom from chronic pain, diabetes leaving, illnesses that look permanent are going to suddenly begin to turn around. There's no explanation, it doesn't make sense. What happened? Jehovah Rapha stepped in, the Lord's your healer.
Isaiah 5:4-5 said "Jesus carried our sicknesses and took our infirmities, and by his stripes you were healed". Jesus took 39 stripes on his back before he was crucified. Studies tell us there are 39 major categories of disease. It's not a coincidence Jesus took one stripe for each category, he didn't leave anything out. "Well, Joel, if God wants me to endure this sickness, then I will". You don't have to endure it, Jesus already endured it. He already paid the price. Healing belongs to you, healing is a part of your heritage. You need to see that sickness as temporary. It didn't come to stay, it came to pass. It's on foreign territory. It has no right to be there, you are a temple of the Most High God.
I hear people say, "My arthritis is acting up. My cancer, my diabetes, my thyroid problem". No, it doesn't belong to you. Don't take ownership of it. As long as you're accepting it, you're giving it the right to stay. The scripture says to resist the enemy. You need to resist the sickness, resist the cancer. You can't be passive, your attitude should be, "Cancer, you are not welcome here. Leukemia, you cannot stay. Kidney disease, this is not your home, I am God's property, I belong to the Most High". And I don't mean to live upset where you're always in a fight mode, but there needs to be a passion, a resilience where you are not going to settle for sickness and disease.
David said in Psalm 103:1-3, "Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all of his benefits. Who forgives all of our sins and who heals all of our diseases". One of the benefits of serving God is he heals your diseases. Many of us know God as a Savior, that's the most important, but do you know him as a healer? My sister Lisa was born with a birth injury, similar to cerebral palsy. And the doctors told my parents she'd never be able to walk or feed herself. And of course they were devastated. My father was pastoring a church, and he was taught back then that God doesn't heal today, that he uses sickness to teach us a lesson. You just have to suffer through it. But when he saw his little girl with that affliction, something rose up in him like a fire.
He went away for a few days to get alone with God. He told how he took off his denominational glasses, and he began to read the scripture like he was reading it for the first time. He saw how Jesus went around healing sick people, and curing the lepers, and causing the lame to walk, freeing them from infirmities. He read in Hebrews 13:18, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever". What he did in the Bible days, he'll do today. There never was a day of miracles, there's a God of miracles.
He came back, with my mother they prayed the prayer of faith over their little baby girl. Not, "God, if it be your will, you can heal her". They prayed, "God, we know what your will is, we know healing belongs to us, we know the price has been paid for our sicknesses. So Lord, we're asking you to heal our daughter". The scripture says when you believe all things are possible, when you believe angels go to work, when you believe God dispatches healing, when you believe chains are broken, miracles are set into motion.
Lisa had no muscle tone, she couldn't nurse, couldn't move her limbs, she just laid there motionless. But 9 months old, against all odds she lifted her head off the mattress for the first time. Was a small miracle, didn't seem like much, but my parents celebrated what God was doing. They knew Jehovah Rapha was at work. She began to move her legs, and eventually she could crawl. And the whole time they just kept thanking God that she was healed, believing that she would be totally normal. Little by little she got better and better, and today you know Lisa's perfectly healthy, it's a beautiful family, a great Bible teacher. This would have never happened if my parents had not realized: healing belongs to us.
Are there areas in your health that you've accepted, you're always going to have these migraines, always have this chronic pain, diabetes, arthritis, is my lot in life? No, your lot in life is to be healthy and whole. Now, you need to pray the prayer of faith. Not the prayer of doubt, "I don't see how I can get well, Joel, have you seen the medical report"? Not the prayer of discouragement, "I've had this so long, everyone in my family deals with this sickness". Not the prayer of suffering, "God, help me to endure, help me to just make it through". No, pray like you know healing belongs to you, pray like you know that God has paid the price for your sickness, pray like know God is a good Father, and it's his good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
You don't have to beg, "God, please heal me". No, the prayer of faith is, "Lord, I receive my healing. I know you're Jehovah Rapha, you're bigger than this sickness. I thank you that healing, wholeness, vitality is flowing through me right now". Then all through the day you may not feel any different, you don't see any sign of it, this is what faith is all about, "Lord, thank you that I am healed. Thank you that I'm getting better and better". You don't have to keep asking God to heal you over and over. Believe that you received it when you prayed, and just keep thanking him that you're healed.
Luke chapter 13, Jesus saw a woman that had been sick for 18 years. She was bent over and not able to stand up. He said in verse 16, "Should not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom satan has bound, be loosed from this sickness". Notice where the sickness came from, "Whom the enemy has bound". You have to be very clear, the sickness is not from God, it's the work of the enemy. The good news is: God came to take off of you what the enemy put on you. He came to free you from what's bound you. The scripture says, "Nothing can snatch you out of God's hand". No sickness, no addiction, no depression. The forces that are for you are greater than any force that's coming against you. But you can't believe, like my father was taught, that God's putting that sickness on you to teach you something, you just need to suffer through it.
A lady told me how she was glad that God gave her cancer, so her daughter wouldn't have to have it. And now understand what she meant, we take anything to not have our children deal with it, but her premise was wrong. God wasn't the one giving her the cancer. The truth is: God doesn't have any cancer to give. There's no cancer up in heaven. God is not on the throne saying, "Let me zap this one with cancer, and zap her with migraines, and zap him with kidney disease", that's the wrong concept of God. He's the Lord your healer, not the Lord who makes you sick. He came to destroy the works of the enemy.
This woman had been sick for 18 years. You can imagine how she tried different treatments, different medicines, different doctors, but nothing had worked. Now she had accepted that she'd always be bent over. Jesus showed up and said, "Woman, you are healed from your sickness". He touched her, and immediately she stood up straight. There are only so many miracles recorded in the scripture, Jesus did many more than we read about. I believe one reason this was chosen was because the lady had been sick for 18 years. God was showing us: no matter how long you've been dealing with an illness, no matter how many times you tried to get well, taking the treatment, nothing has improved, your time is coming.
The Lord your healer has not forgotten about you. He has seen the pain, the heartache, the lonely nights. That is not how your story ends, God is going to make things happen that the medicine couldn't make happen. He's going to do what the treatment couldn't do. The experts may have run out of options, they've come to the end of their ability, but God has not run out of options. It's not going to be natural, it's going to be supernatural, it's going to defy the odds. Now, stay in this attitude of faith, "Healing belongs to me. It's flowing through my body right now. I'm getting healthier, stronger, more energetic, with long life God will satisfy me". See, when you know something belongs to you it's a different mindset. You expect it, you believe it'll happen, you talk like it's on the way, you take steps to see it come to pass.
When our children were growing up, they'd come home from school. First thing they would do is go to the refrigerator to get something to eat. They never asked me, "Dad, would it be okay if I got some juice? Is it all right for me to make a sandwich"? They didn't think twice, they acted like they own the place. They knew, as my child that belonged to them. God is saying to you, "You're my child, healing belongs to you. Come on to the refrigerator. Believe for your healing, believe for wholeness". Expect things to change in your favor because of who your Father is.
Jesus called this woman "A daughter of Abraham". That was significant. She wasn't just any random person, she was a part of the covenant that God made with Abraham. That meant she had rights and privileges because of her family line. If Jesus were here today he would say this about you. "Should not Susan, being my daughter, should not Jose, should not bill being my son be loosed from this infirmity"? Because you're his child, God is going to make things happen for you that may not make happen for others. Like this woman, may have been a long time, get ready, God's about to loose you from the sickness, and loose you from the cancer, loose you from the depression. Things are about to turn in your favor. Healing is coming, freedom is coming, victory is coming.
I met a man that traveled to Houston several times a year for treatment. He has this incurable disease, and the only way he could stay alive was to take the treatment. He'd been doing it for six years, and I'd see him in the lobby after the service, never complained, always had a good attitude, but he believed that sickness was meant to be for his life, and he was supposed to just endure it, and live with it the best that he could. He'd never been taught that God was a healer, that he can restore health back into us, and how we need to believe for our healing.
He heard me talking about this, and he changed his approach. Every day he started declaring, "Father, thank you that I'm healed. Thank you that I will live and not die". Every time he said that, thoughts whispered, "You're wasting your time. You heard the experts, you can't get well. You know this is an incurable disease". The real battle takes place in our mind. The enemy will try to convince you, "It's been too long. The sickness is too bad, just settle where you are". Tune all that out and get in agreement with God, "Father, I know healing belongs to me. I'm not moved by what I see, I'm moved by what I know. You're Jehovah Rapha the Lord my healer".
Two years later he came back for his routine treatment like he'd been doing for 8 years, his main doctor called him in, one of the leading cancer specialists in the world, he said, "In all my years of practice I've never seen this, but this disease that's known to be incurable is slowly fading away, and you don't need to take this treatment anymore". When God says, "I'm going to loose you from that sickness", he doesn't check to see if it's incurable, if it's too big, if you've had it too long, not possible. He controls the universe. One touch of his favor and you're free, you're healthy you're whole.
1 Peter 3:22, the message translation says, "God has the last word on everything and everyone". You may be facing an illness, it's been that way a long time. The medical report says, "You're not going to improve". That's one word, but God has the last word. He said he's restoring health back into you, he said the number of your days he will fulfill. When thoughts tell you that you're never going to get well, just say, "No, thanks, I know a secret. God has the final word". Sickness may have a word, depression may have a word, addictions, but always remember: it's not the last word. The final word comes from the God who created the universe, the God who flung stars into space, the God who parts Red Seas, the God shuts the mouths of lions, the God who breathed life into you, the God who knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb. The final word goes to Jehovah Rapha, the Lord's your healer.
When you're facing an illness or any kind of challenge, it's important to make the promise bigger than the problem. What you dwell on you're going to magnify. If all you think about is the sickness, and the negative medical report, you go call three friends and talk to them about it, you Google it and look up all your symptoms, you'll find 47 reasons why you're not going to make it to Friday. That'll depress you quicker than listening to a country western song. Don't let the enemy plant all that doubt and discouragement in your mind. When you read something negative about your health, all of the sudden your back starts to hurt, just like it says. You feel a little bit weaker. There's something called the power of suggestion, it's just a little thought, but if you dwell on it, it gets bigger and bigger, it can become a reality.
These co-workers decided to play a trick on their friend, and he came to work one morning feeling great, happy as can be. The receptionist said to him, "Are you feeling okay today"? He said, "Yeah, I feel great, why"? She said, "I don't know, you just look a little pale". Just a seed of doubt. Went to his office, 10 minutes later a co-worker came in, "Are you extra tired today? You don't look up to par". He said, "No, I feel fine". Few minutes he started thinking, "Maybe I'm a little tired". Another man came by, "You don't have a fever, do you? Seem like you're perspiring". The guy started to loosen his tie and said, "Yeah, I am getting kind of hot", sat down, "I'm kind of feeling dizzy". Another man stopped by, "You look terrible today, what's wrong with you"? By 10:00 in the morning he gone home sick.
There's power in what you're feeding yourself. You have to be careful what you're taking in. Don't dwell on the medical report, don't go research it and find all the people that have not made it, all the possible negative outcomes. You don't need that in your spirit. That's going to talk you into being weak, sick, "It's never going to change, I'm so tired". Quick feeding on junk food, and start feeding on faith food. Make the promise bigger, not the problem. All through the day, "I'm getting better, healing is flowing through me, I'm strong, I'm energetic, I will run and not be weary". That's going to cause you to get stronger, and help you to believe for healing, and expect the goodness and favor of God.
See, you only have so much room in your mind each day. You're always dwelling on the negative, what's wrong, how it's not going to work out, that's taking up all the space in your thinking, it's occupying all the real estate, you don't have any room for faith and hope to believe that God's working. Be selective in what you allow in.
Jesus told a man that he was going to go to his house and pray for his little girl that was very very sick, but Jesus got delayed. Eventually the man sent his assistant and said to the disciples, "Tell Jesus, he doesn't need to come anymore. It's too late, my little girl has died". The scripture (Mark 5:36) says, "Jesus overhearing, but ignoring". He heard the negative report, he heard the little girl had died, but he didn't dwell on it. He didn't say, "Oh, man, I waited too long, I missed it this time". He didn't pay it any attention. He wasn't going to let that doubt and negativity get in his spirit. When you're believing for your healing, and believing for the promises, you have to get good at hearing, but ignoring. Because there going to be plenty of negative reports, plenty of naysayers. "You have that kind of cancer, man, that's what my cousin died of, good luck". Let that go in one ear and out the other. They don't determine your destiny, ignore it.
Sometimes it's our own thoughts that tell us, "You're not going to get well. You'll never meet the right person. You'll never break this addiction". You can't stop that from coming, but you don't have to dwell on it. Let it be a reminder to thank God that he's working. You have to protect your mind. Be selective what you dwell on, and be selective who you spend time with. When you're fighting a battle, you don't need to be around negative, defeated, can't-do-it, never-going-to-happen people. Get away from the doubters, that's going to talk you out of it. There are two types of people: there are dream stealers, people that'll tell you all the reasons it's not going to work out, and there are dream releasers, people that will encourage you and believe with you, build your faith up and not tear it down.
That's why so many people listen to our services, because I'm going to tell you that you can get well, that healing belongs to you, that the sickness is not the end, that God has the final say, that when you believe all things are possible. That's how you make the promise bigger than the problem. Surround yourself with the right people, and be selective what you're dwelling on. If you're discouraged, doubting, thinking it's never going to happen, I can tell you: you're magnifying the problem. As long as you're focused on that, you're going to be down. You'll be amazed at what will happen if you'll start magnifying the promise. Start dwelling on the fact that God is your healer, he's fighting your battles, that no weapon formed against you will prosper, that what he started in your life he will finish.
When my mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer back in 1981, and given a few weeks to live, she told how in the middle of the night thoughts would come, saying, "You can be buried in that new red dress that you bought". The enemy loves to whisper things to try to get you imagining the worst, seeing yourself defeated and going down. My mother had a choice: she could have dwell on those thoughts, and let them create a negative image, but she did what we all have to do.
The scripture (2 Corinthians 10:5) says, "Cast down wrong imaginations". You decide what's playing on the movie screen of your mind. You can't let those negative images play. My mother put up pictures all over the house from a time when she was healthy. Her wedding pictures, out riding a horse, traveling with my father, working in the garden. Instead of letting that negative image take root, being buried in the red dress, she saw herself healthy, energetic, traveling, laughing, enjoying her family. By the grace of God, 43 years later she's still healthy and whole. There's no medical explanation, the expert said she couldn't get well. Her main doctor, he's passed, but my mother's 90 years young, still going strong. God has the final say. He can do what medicine cannot do.
I received a phone call from a woman on my sirius xm program, one of her family members is going through a health challenge, and he's lost his ability to walk, and to function normally. They heard me telling about my mother's battle with cancer, and how she had to overcome those thoughts of being buried in a red dress. This lady told how her family is dealing with these discouraging thoughts, and how it's so easy to start envisioning all the negative and playing out the worst case scenarios. When they start to get discouraged and go down the wrong path, she said "We came up with a phrase that we say to each other: no red dresses". That reminds them, "We're not going to dwell on the negative". All through the day different family members would look at each other, "No red dresses".
They're protecting their mind, they're not allowing the wrong imagination to play. When the enemy tells you that it's not going to work out, and how you'll never beat the cancer, never be free from the pain, never get off a dialysis, just smile and say, "No red dresses. I'm not going there". Friends, God has you in the palm of his hand. You may have things coming against you in your health, but you have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt: healing belongs to you. The price has been paid. As a child of the Most High, that's one of your benefits. Now clear out all the doubt, the discouragement, get away from the dream stealers, and get in agreement with God. Start making the promise bigger than the problem. The bigger you make God, the smaller your problems become, and the more faith will rise in your heart.
Like that woman that was been over for 18 years, you may have struggled with an illness for a long time, but this is a new day. You're about to walk into divine healing where there's no explanation, it doesn't make sense, it's Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your healer. I believe and declare: God is loosing you from every sickness right now, loosing you from cancer, chronic pain, generational illnesses. Healing is coming, wholeness, strength, vitality, a long healthy life, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen?