It is good to be present in the house of the Lord. \.  There are a lot of places that you could have been today at this time. One of the places that you could have been is dead and in your grave. \. So, it is a blessing to be among the land of the living. \.

As a prelude to my closing prayer I am going to take a moment to give you what God has given to me. Nevertheless, I am going to start off, with a little antidote instead of a parable. When I was in the army about ump-teen years ago. You might say, Herman, what is ump-teen.  \. Well that is when you get to ninteen, and like, an ever-ready battery, you are still going strong, then, you find yourself knee deep in umpteen. \. Anyhow, about umpteen years ago, when I was in the army I knew a fellow named Speller. Now when you would ask Speller, what's happening, he would respond:. you me and a few others. Not a whole lot of people, just a few others. Now, many years later, about ump-teen years or so, now that I have gotton saved, and joined the Christian band, in a manner of speaking, now I find myself giving the same response, to what's happening. That is, you me and a few others, in the sense that: \. Now this is important. \.

What's happening is you me and a few others, in the sense that, anybody who believes God exists, believes that God can do anything, but by and large the body of Christ or Christians in general, do not believe that healing is something that you can control, that you can reach out and grab hold of it.  \. Believing that God can heal is quite different from believing that God wants to heal and that he has given you the power to actually release healing. \. 

Although, most Christians, believe that God can heal, and even sometimes, people do, get healed, nevertheless although we may accept healing on a random basis, yet to come out, with a statement, that healing is in God's will for you, that it is part of the atonment, it is not just for some people, it is for every person, all the time.  \. As a whole, the body of Christ would reject that. It is not if it be thy will. He has already told you in his word, in no uncertain terms that it is his will. God said, "I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in good health".  Not some things, but all things.\. Now, It is God's will that every person be well, all the time is something that we are not all in unity on. 
 
Now when I say the body of Christ, there are churches, that are doing a marvelous job, but a large segment of the church is falling short in this area.  \. 

He that descended, is the same also that ascended, and upon his ascention, Jesus said unto them, now, all power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth.  \. That is, all power is given unto me, as a man, not as God, because, I already had all power as God.  \. Jesus is holding that newly obtained power, the authority which Adam had, for you and me.  \. Jesus goes on to explain, now, that you have this power over things in the earth and under the earth, (which before you did not have power over demons), now, go ye therefore, and teach all nations, and teach them all things, including healing the sick and raising the dead. Now that is something that we are not in unity on.  \. 
 
That is something that is not understood. As a matter of fact, that is something that is fought against. You will find that many people come out against teaching on healing, because, if it is true, that God wants every person well, and, if there are things, that we can do to appropriate that healing, to make it manifest in our lives, then, what about, all the people who have died?  \. What about, all the people who are suffering?  \. Many people, rather than say, we are operating at less than, what God desires, it is much easier to say,it is all God's will, that some of these sicknesses and diseases happen.  \. It is easier to say, that this is just part of life and we just have to accept it, and roll with the punches. It is easier to say that, because it takes no effort on your part.  \. You do not have to seek God. You do not have to, acknowledge God. There is no risk of failure.  \. Which is easier, to say thy sins be forgiven, or take up your bed and walk. That is a retorical question. We say, whatever is God's will just automatically, or soverignly comes to pass. I am sharing some things that are controversial. It is amazing that people fight so hard for the right to be sick.  \. 
 
I am not condemning anybody who is sick. I am not condemning anybody who is lost, and saying that, he or she is a terrible person. Many times, people don't know, because they have never heard the truth. I am not condemning, but I am saying, that you do not have to live separate from the Lord. Just as you can choose to be saved, you can choose to be healed. As a matter of fact, they are both the same word, and the same idea, sozo, S O Z O. 

The definition of the word sozo is to save, to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction. To save a suffering one from perishing, one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health. This word sozo is used interchangeably to speak of salvation from sin and healing from sickness, and this appears repeatedly.

Just as there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile, because, the path to the righteousness of God is the same for both. That is the path to the righteousness of God is by the faith, of, Jesus Christ. Now that is an entire sermon by itself. Nevertheless, I just need to move on. Just as there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile, there is no difference between salvation and healing, because, they are both the same word, sozo. 

I do not know how many of you know the ***story of Kenneth Hagen***, but he was on his death bed as a teenager at about sixteen. He was given up for dead. He was wasting away, I forget all the diseases. Nevertheless, he got his grandmother's bible and he was reading. He comes to Romans 10:13, and it says; For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. \.

And Kenneth says, that means me. I am whosoever and I am healed. Something came alive in his heart, and he said that has got to be me. That has got to include me, and he began to speak out, and he says. If this is true, if the word of God is true, then I am healed. I declare myself healed. He got up and walked out. His family was in the kitchen or living room or whatever.  He walks out, and his family says what are you doing. You are supposed to be dying in bed. He says I am healed. You see he got it. He got it for him. He got that revelation, and he did not die until he was in his upper eighties. He ran his race. Can you imagine if he had given up, and submitted himself to the words and the thoughts of his family. Think of the ministry which would have never taken place.  \.

It is not God who sovereignly chooses to save one person and not save another person, any more, than it is not God, who sovereignly chooses, to heal one person and does not choose to heal another.  \. It is God's will, that every person be saved, and come to repentance, and, it is also God's will, that every person be healed.  \. As we learn the truth from God's word about this, this truth is going to make you free. Even if you have to be dragged to freedom kicking and screaming. As long as you are willing to hold on to the truth of God's Word, and not say, "I used to believe that salvation, healing, prosperity or deliverance were true, but now I have changed my thinking".  \. 

God forbid! Jesus died to produce forgiveness of sins, healing of your body, prosperity, and deliverance. All of these things are included. It is wrong to piece meal them and say that I am only going to accept one fourth of what Jesus provided for me, the forgiveness of sins, and I am just going to reject the others. This has hurt individuals. There is a lot of grief and suffering, because people are not receiving their healing. There are a lot of people turned away from the Lord because the church is representing God as the one who is the author of sickness and disease. They say; sometimes God allows this sickness in order to teach us something. God does not have to use the tools of the devil to teach us something. No!  He uses his word to teach us. God wants you well. That is his nature. Again I say, God says I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in good health. Not some things, but all things.
 
I know that this is a hot issue, and that there are many people upset about this. There are a lot of people who fight for sickness. If what I am saying about sickness is true, then it condemns other people.  \. It shows that there is more, that there is a level of victory available through Christ, that the vast majority of people are not living in.  \. Rather than change, rather than say that there is something that I don't know, that I don't have to be sick every flu season. It's just so much easier to be like everybody else, to not rock the boat, to not be told that I'm missing out on something.  \. It is going to interfere with my watching "as the stomach turns". I might have to start believing God. I might have to start doing more than my unsaved neighbor does. Most people are not willing to do that.  \. So they will sit and put up with sickness, disease, pain, suffering, grief, sorrow. They will see people die prematurely, and they will simply say it is all God's will, \.  or no man dies before his time. Yet, the bible asks a retorical question. "should a man die before his time"(Ecclesiastes 7:17). Guess what? Unrighteous people do. And guess who else does? The unknowing. The Word says my people perish for a lack of knowledge.  

Now the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. I am not going to bog you down with a sermon after you have already heard the word of God, from the mouth of God's servent.  \. What I am going to do is conclude with two scriptures which are often misinterpreted, resulting in killing the faith of many.  \. They are, the churchess interpretation, of Paul's thorn in the flesh, 2 Corinthians 12:6-10, and the churches interpretation, of Paul's statement; be angry but sin not, Ephesians 4:46.  \. 

If you want to gather a different understanding of these scriptures you will have to go to:
battlefieldnews dot.net. Then click on the button labeled CURRENT. 
Of course that link will only be current for a short while. Afterwards you will have to navigate to Discipleship Evangelism(at the Top of  the home Page) and God Wants You Well (at the Bottom Of the next Page). 
That is go to:
battlefieldnews dot.net. Then click on the button labeled CURRENT.

If you do not have access to the internet; well, this is the middle of the 21st century. It is kind of like looking for a job at the end of the previous century and not having a telephone. You gotta, keep up.

If all hearts and minds are clear, let us assume an attitude of prayer, that is, stand on our feets, bow our heads and close our eyes, or, look at me as I look at you, if you can. (Acts 3:4). Let us pray.

\. \.  \. 

As we leave this place we take with us your word that we have heard.  That we may be doers of the word and not hearers only. We are thankful for this opportunity to receive your word from the mouth of your servants.  For faith commeth by hearing, and hearing the word of God. That we might be edified, that you might be glorified and that an alarm would be sounded.

Father, we pray that as we apply your word to our every day lives, that our faith might be increased.  For what saith the Word. Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.  Then in another place it said, the vibrant prayers of a righteous man availeth much. 

Father, we know that as we believe you, you consider us righteous.  And because you consider us righteous, when we pray our prayers will avail much.  Thus we will get results. And as we get results we believe you for bigger things. That we would not remain baby Christians all the days of our lives, but rather be elevated to mature sons and daughters, of you our God. That someday we too might not waver at your promises.  For, we know that you are not a respecter of person, rather you are a respecter of faith.

Father, we pray that like your servant Abraham, you might see us as one of great faith. Thus, having promised him one child in his old age, you saw fit to bless him with eight.  For you said, that we are more than conquerors.  We don't just win but we stand out.  Even as you Jesus, did not just conquer death, but those who were dead, got up out of the grave and walked the earth again, to be seen by many.  Thus, making a mockery of death. 

For Lord you said that you have pleasure in the prosperity of your servants.  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He will give us the desires of our hearts. May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans.

As I lift up mine eyes, and I look up to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD. Thou art my help and my deliverer;

Grace and peace be with you until we meet again. Our confidence in this is that you said that you would never leave nor forsake us.  

When ye pray, believe that ye receive. To day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." On the day of healing, I heard you. On the day of sozo, I heard you. I helped you. Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day for getting answers to our prayers. In Jesus name I pray for these and all things. Amen.