Understanding Generational Curses – Part 2 (Does God Punish Sons for the Sins of Their Fathers?)

Does God visit the sins of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations? (Exodus 20:5-6). As part of the Ten Commandments, God seems to say that He would do exactly that. In Exodus 34:7, God revealed Himself to Moses, and gave the same warning that He would visit “the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation”. When one cross-examines Leviticus 26:39, the sins of the fathers would definitely affect future generations – “Because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.”

Then we read other prophets who recorded that “the son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.” (Ezekiel 18:20, cf. Jeremiah 31:30). How are we to reconcile these two opposing ideas? The coherence of these biblical texts would help us in our understanding of the character of God – Is God really a loving Father or just a tyrannical despot? This information will also help us to counsel people who are loaded with guilt not only from their own sins but the sins of their ancestors.

DO WE REALLY HAVE TO PAY FOR OUR ANCESTORS’ SINS?
The proponents of “generational curses” argue that verses such as Exodus 20:5-6; 34:7; and Leviticus 26:39 are clear pieces of evidence of the generational curses, being placed by God upon a family, up to the third and the fourth generation. So, according to these proponents, if you were born into a family with such generational curses, then it’s just as what the world would say, “tough luck!”

You will be responsible for the sins of your ancestors whether you like it or not. You may scream that it is unfair and unjustified for you to bear the consequences of your ancestors’ sins but you still have to pay the price. The only way that you can stop the “generational curses’ is by “going back” to identify every sin of your ancestors and renounce each sin. If you have no idea what those sins might be, then you have to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you.

Can this be true? Do we really have to do that? Does God require us to renounce the sins of our ancestors? Nowhere else in the New Testament requires us to seek out every sin of the ancestors. Jesus never taught that and neither did the Apostles. Where did this idea come from?

THOSE WHO HATE THE LORD
Let’s see if the Lord requires all believers to do the ritual of renouncing the individual sins of their forefathers? Returning to those scriptures again – “I the Lord…visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5; cf. Numbers 14:18) and compare with the verse in Ezekiel 18:20 – “the son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son.”

With careful evaluation, we can safely conclude that the descendants who are being judged are those who have been influenced by the sins of their forefathers. As the Bible is clear that temptation alone is not sin, therefore the descendants would be judged solely for their sinful actions. These descendants would be like their forefathers, they hate God and so they are rightfully being judged or cursed.

In short, those who hate God will be judged and they will pay the price. Thus the sins of the forefathers would have indeed visited the descendants – sinful generation after sinful generation because those sins are being expressed and manifested in the lives of the descendants. Ultimately, the ungodly children will be judged according to their own sins and not the sins of their forefathers as mentioned by Prophet Jeremiah – “Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:30).

THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD
How about those who love the Lord? Since the descendants are being judged for their own sins, that means that we would be judged based upon our own sins or faith. If the price of sins has been paid by Jesus at Calvary cross, then we should be living in the zone of victory and blessings.

In Exodus 20:5, God said in the second half of the verse that He would show “steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Wow. Isn’t that wonderful!

In Deuteronomy 7:9, we read the confirmation of God’s promise to those who love God and walk in His way – “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” So, even in the Old Testament, people did get the promise of a thousand generations, if they were to honor God and keep His commandments. What about the believers in the New Testament?

A THOUSAND GENERATIONS
King David says that God will always stand by his covenant – “the commitment He made to a thousand generations”. (Psalm 105:8). For the true followers of Christ, this promise or covenant of love (Exodus 20:5) for a thousand generations has been given to us in the form of a New Covenant because of the obedience of Christ.

Paul declares. “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8). In Romans 5:18, we read, “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.” (NLT). Our blessings will not just be a thousand generations of God-fearing descendants but a life of worship in eternity.

ARE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS STILL UNDER THE CURSE?
Therefore, how can we who have been Born Again still be under the judgement or curses similar to those who are living in godless disobedience?

Shouldn’t we be exempted since we are not “those who hate the Lord”? Why is there teaching about believers still being chained to the sins of their past and sinful forefathers? Why must we be asked to dig up all our past sins and those of our forefathers and renounce them one by one when Jesus has already paid for all our sins? Why is the Blood of Jesus not able to break all these yokes and we need a “second grace” of special prayer to break them?

Do we really need to renounce every specific sin of our past and also that of our ancestors? What happens if we were to miss one or two? Wouldn’t that make this whole exercise a failure and we would still be in bondage? Wouldn’t this approach undermine the cleansing of sin through the blood of Jesus in the general repentance of sin during salvation? Having to have another set of rituals to target specific sins in the past and also those of the ancestors only points to the fact that the blood of Christ alone is not powerful enough to free the believer from the power of Satan. That is of course a ridiculous notion.

ARE WE STILL IN THE ADAMIC BLOODLINE?
Most of the teachings about believers still under some kinds of generational curses comes from the idea that we are still stuck with the bloodline of first Adam. This Adamic bloodline of Original Sin is more of a corporate problem than an individual one. We have to understand that the Original Sin is not primarily about the sinful actions of individuals but rather the nature or condition of sin in every one of us.

That is to say, everyone is born with a fallen nature or sin nature. David acknowledges his frailty, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5). Paul exclaims in Romans 3:23 “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and explains further in Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned….”

A DIFFERENT BLOODLINE
In John chapter 1, we read, “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

To be born of God is to be Born Again. Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3 – “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’. (John 3:5-7).

That is the good news: As the citizens of the kingdom of God, we now have a different bloodline and are a part of the eternal family of God, through the bloodline of the second or last Adam – Jesus Christ.

YOU ARE NOT UNDER ANY GENERATIONAL CURSE
Many people got stuck here when they were told that they need to renounce all the sins of their ancestors so as to be set free from their generational curses. However, most of them have no idea what their ancestors had done. And that put that false guilt and condemnation upon them. Maybe they are still under the generational curses. Those who have been adopted have been told that they are at a disadvantage. Why? Because many do not even know who their ancestors were. All these add guilt trip and fear into the life of the believer. Instead of being free in Christ, they experience additional bondage.
Today, we want to affirm that all these are absolutely false. We are now of a different bloodline – the blood of Jesus. We are all free from any generational curses. Remember – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

Understanding Generational Curses – Part 1 (Adamic Curse Versus Generational Curse)

Have you ever encountered a family where the grandfather was an alcoholic, the father has the same problem and now the son seems to be drinking like a fish? How about the grandfather who died of heart disease, the father also died of the same disease and now the son is suffering from heart disease? How about the grandfather who failed miserably in his business, and the father is bankrupt and now the son is in financial bondage? The most familiar so-called “evidence” of generational curses is that certain negative behavioral traits such as anger management issues, suicidal tendencies, adultery, incest, and other moral failures seem to run deep in the family from generation to generation.

Are these issues part of the “generational curses” as believed by so many? The answer is yes and no, depending on how and what you understand about “generational curses”.

What Is A Generational Curse?
A generational curse is deemed to be a continual pattern of negative behaviors, physical ailments, or tragic events that are being passed from generation to generation. The most common reference to the “evidence” of the generational curse is the family diseases that pass down through the generations. Many believers, who continue to live under the bondage of sins believe that they have inherited all these tendencies to sin from their forefathers and so they cannot help but sin. That sounds a lot like the result of the Adamic curse because of the Fall rather than the generational curses. Could it be that most believers have mistaken the Adamic curse to be generational curses?

Inherited Diseases
One of the common symptoms mentioned in the teaching of the “generational curses” are the inherited diseases and infirmities that seem to run in the family. For example. I used to suffer from an inherited genetic disorder known as ankylosing spondylitis (The Lord has miraculously healed me from this chronic pain caused by a fused spine and I am now practically pain-free). My father had the same dilapidating disease and had to be hospitalized. I had no idea if my paternal grandfather had it or not because he passed away before he was even 40 years old. (This autoimmune disease becomes highly active when the patient reaches 40 years of age). Many other families struggle with inherited illnesses such as cancer, weak heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, mental disorder, etc.

Breaking Generational Curses?
For the proponents of “generational curses” such medical conditions would be counted as spiritual bondages or a part of the generational curses. And they advocate a ritual whereby you verbally break the curses. You will notice there are many different non-biblical methods such as drawing up the family tree known as a genogram. Then, the person is encouraged to go back generation after generation and “break” every curse. Some offer special prayers to break these generational curses while others go to the “courts of heaven” to appropriate their legal rights against the curses. All these non-biblical approaches are new and we have never read about them in church history. However, they are very popular among many believers and some vowed that these approaches are really effective. It could be a placebo effect because there is no precedent of such rituals in the Bible.

Once again, I reiterate that these discrepancies in life are the results of the Adamic curse but not the accumulated sins of later ancestors that created the “generational curses”. And I also believe that if there are sins in our lives, we can repent, if there is a real demon we can cast it out, and if there are diseases we can heal. All these can be done in the mighty name of Jesus, with His kingly authority that is given to us. Let’s find out what the Adamic curse is all about.

The Adamic Curse – Hereditary Depravity
In Genesis 3:16-19, Adam and Eve disobeyed and sinned against God. As Adam was the federal head of mankind, his disobedience brought a curse of hereditary depravity upon all mankind. The curse resulted in several discrepancies in the order of God on earth:

• Satan became the ruler of this world
• He is seeking to destroy mankind
• Women will give birth in pain
• Marriage will have strife and conflict
• The land is cursed and does not produce crops easily
• There will be thorns and thistles everywhere
• In order to survive, mankind will have to struggle
• Human beings will grow old and weak
• Diseases and pain will be a part of mankind
• Death will come to all and the bodies will return to dust

Hope In The Midst Of The Curse
In the midst of all these negative reactions, God gave us one promise of redemption and that is found in Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel.” You’ll notice the word is “Seed” and not “seeds” – that “Seed” is our Lord Jesus Christ. He had come to crush the head of Satan by allowing His heel to be bruised at Calvary cross. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8 – “For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Are You Still Under The Adamic Curse?
When we understand that all “generational curses” are actually the results of the Adamic Curse, then we must find how we can come out of this major bondage. Jesus used the illustration of a slave being set free when He said, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36). That is the power of salvation accorded by the Lord. He also said that if whosoever holds on to His teaching, then”you know the truth, the truth will set you free.” ( John 8:32). All these words reveal that Jesus has set us free from the slavery of the Adamic curse and that we are no longer under its bondage anymore. Do we need a set of special rituals to set us free? Do we need to go back to generations of ancestors and break every sin that they had committed? No! The Son of God is powerful enough to set us free from all sins and also from these superstitious activities.

The Price Has Been Paid
Whether you believe in the “generational curses” or the “Adamic curse”, the great news is that Jesus has paid the price for the curses of those who have accepted Him as their Savior. Sadly, those who do not accept His salvation are still under the Adamic curse and if you prefer, generational curses.

The truth is that Christ was made a curse for all who are His disciples and so we are now freed from the curses of our own sins and also those of our forefathers. Once again, the words of Paul the Apostle found in Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole”. Peter says that Jesus came to bear “our sins in His body on the tree that we might live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). The cross is an important factor. When Christ died, He covered us with His blood and nullified the sins, and curses of all who believe in Him. (Ephesians 2:8).

Jesus Broke The Adamic Curse
The ultimate result of the Adamic Curse is death. May I repeat that the Bible says in Galatians 3:13 that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” ). When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” what He meant was that He had come to reverse this curse. Paul says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). He also adds, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

You Are Born Again
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:50 – “I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” If you are still flesh and blood, following the lineage of first Adam, how are you going to inherit the kingdom of God? In order to inherit the kingdom of God what must happen? Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 – “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” So, you have your answer – once you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are “born again”. The phrase “born again” literally in the Greek means “born from above. The new birth happens when God bestows eternal life to you when you accept Jesus as your Savior. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). You have become a child of God through your trust in the name of Jesus (John 1:12-13).

You Are Of A Different Bloodline
When you are born again, you have a different bloodline of the Second or Last Adam who is Jesus Christ. Jesus affirms in John 3:5-6, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” You are not in the bondage of a so-called “generational curse” because the simple truth is that there is no condemnation or curse for those who are in Christ. (Romans 8:1). You don’t have to go to any “courts of heaven” to remind the King of kings or the devil that you have been legally set free and that you are now of the royal bloodline.

Additional Rituals To Dissolve The Curses?
According to the proponents of the generational curses, the death and resurrection of Jesus only made it legal for us to get out of the curse but they claim that it is up to us to enforce it. They believe that legally you are free but practically you are not. The idea that they conjure up is an image of the judge who renders a verdict but that the judge does not come down from his bench to execute his verdict. That means that there are rituals of enforcement we have to perform to dissolve the curses. All these sound very logical except that they are not biblical. Their illustration of the judge is also not accurate – the judge does not need to physically step out of his bench to set the prisoner free. The whole court system is under his authority. With one word of instruction, the sheriffs or police on duty would uncuff the prisoner and set him free. There is no need for another special ritual to appropriate the verdict.

Moreover, nowhere in the Bible teaches additional rituals to break curses. You don’t have to break any curse by yourself because Jesus has broken the curses for you. He does not only make it legal but enforces it for you. You will remember that Jesus has been given all power and authority in heaven and on earth to break all your bondages and curses (Matthew 28:18). And He has sent the Holy Spirit to live within you.

After you are saved, then you go through the sanctifying process by the Holy Spirit. This process is not for the purpose of breaking the Adamic curse or generational curses. It is the sanctifying process of spiritual transformation. Any demons that are afflicting you can be cast out, any inherited diseases can be healed in the mighty name of Jesus and the believers can repel all temptations with the help of the Holy Spirit.

In the next few articles, we shall look objectively at some of the pet scriptures offered by the proponents of generational curses and see if they actually support their premise. We will also study why this new teaching of generational curses has taken root and becomes very popular.

Here is a video teaching about how to overcome witchcraft, black magic, and curses.

Is Unforgiveness Blocking Your Healing?

Since 2005, I have ministered healing successfully to more than 10,000 people and I praise God that they have been gloriously healed. However, I notice another large group of people, even though they have great faith to be healed but still do not receive their healing miracles.

There may be various reasons why they are not healed but after having counseled and checked many cases, I traced the discrepancy to one huge, ugly obstacle and that it is unforgiveness. This confirmed what I have learned from the Bible and also from my mentor, Pastor William Lau, the founder of The Elijah Challenge. The unconfessed sins of bitterness, hatred, and unresolved anger are actually hindering God’s blessings and healing miracles.

In a few of the deliverance encounters, demons left upon my command but returned quickly to the victims. I call this the “Swinging-Door Syndrome“. Unforgiveness somehow gives the demons the legal ground to enter the victim again. (Matthew 12:43-45).

Our Lord Jesus knew the danger of unforgiveness and how it would hurt us – and so He gave this admonition, “if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.” (Matthews 6:15).

In Matthew 9, we read the narrative of a paralyzed man lowered from the roof so that Jesus could heal him. Before Jesus healed him, He first forgave the sins of the paralyzed man. The paralysis was obviously caused by the man’s sins and therefore that needed to be dealt with.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.” (Matthews 6:12)

Peter was trying to place a limit to forgiveness when he asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” ‘No, not seven times,’ answered Jesus, ‘but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). In short, Jesus was teaching that in the kingdom of God, we should always forgive each other. There is no limit to forgiveness.

Paul emphasized, “You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.” (Colossians 3:13).

A forgiven person should be the first to recognize the need to forgive others. The chances why it is difficult for most believers to forgive is because they have forgotten that they are forgiven people. When believers fail to accept the truth of their own forgiveness, they continue to live with a sense of guilt and self-condemnation. The hurts caused by the offenses that have been taken away by the Lord at the cross, continue to be upon them. This perpetually generates unlimited guilt and shame upon their lives.

There is no freedom of Christ for those who have allowed themselves to be shackled and imprisoned by their own harsh judgmental attitude. People who are under judgment will always judge others. When you shackle yourself to the notion of “justice” and that you must get even with those people who hurt you or despitefully use you, you lose your freedom within your spirit. You no longer can be gracious or operate from the zone of grace.

The truth of the kingdom is that the people who recognize themselves to be under grace, find the source of strength to always be gracious to others. Once you realize that you are no longer under judgment but have been fully forgiven by the grace of God, you are liberated and become free. Suddenly, you’ll notice that the door of your self-imposed prison of judgment has never been locked. The grace of God has smashed every lock of judgement and condemnation. You do not need to remain in this dreadful dungeon anymore but step out into the sunshine of grace and forgiveness. Now you will have the grace and freedom to forgive others seventy times seven times.

Here are some declarations that you present before the Lord and be set free from the shackle of unforgiveness:

In the mighty name of Jesus, I nullify the power of these past offenses that have been keeping me in mental anguish, emotional shackles and spiritual bondage.

I surrender to the Lord any right to judge so-and-so for saying bad things about me or doing harm to me.

I write off any responsibility, debt, liability, or obligation that the person owes me because of past offenses.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, I forgive all who have offended me and release them unto the Lord.

I humbly submit to the Lord and ask Him for courage, grace and strength to relate with the person without regard to past offenses.

I am asking and will continue to ask God’s blessings to be upon their well-beings.

Here is a video on Radical Forgiveness! Trust that it will help you. God bless!

Part 5 – Why Some Are Healed And Others Are Not? [The Belief That Miracles Have Ceased]

A Lutheran missionary to Cambodia visited me in Phnom Penh to ask for some advice about casting out demons. He did not know what to do with a demon-possessed person in his congregation at Siem Reap. He said he was never taught how to cast out demons during his missionary training. After showing him how to use his God-given authority and power to cast out evil spirits, he went back to do so by faith. After a week or so, he returned and happily informed me that he had successfully cast out the evil spirits from the afflicted person. My question to this missionary was why did his organization send him to Cambodia without teaching him how to engage the enemy. Did they really think that there would be no demonic activities in the mission field? No wonder, we read about “defeated” missionaries returning home totally discouraged and disillusioned.

Do we really have a correct understanding of what ministry and mission is all about? Have we been hoodwinked into thinking that we can just hide in a little corner and do our little ministry peacefully while the whole world is powerless in the face of an evil onslaught? So, can we can cast out demons or not? Can we heal the sick in the mighty name of Jesus or not? Can we do what Jesus did or not? Is the Church empowered to confront the enemy or not?

CAN WE HEAL THE SICK?
A pastor from the Philippines warned me not to say that we, the disciples of Christ, can heal the sick in the name of Jesus. His belief was that only Jesus can heal and that we are all powerless except by praying to Jesus to do the work. Now, this pastor has changed his approach and is healing the infirm in the mighty name of Jesus. Why? Because right at the airport, I ministered healing to his injured legs and he walked without pain. Then I showed him Luke 9:1-2.

 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

That was the convincing factor for him – the Lord had given power and authority to His disciples so that they could do what He did. And that applies to all modern disciples too. The Filipino pastor believed and applied the kingly authority accordingly. Now his ministry is not only with powerful preaching of God’s Word but is confirmed with signs and wonders. This is in accordance with what Jesus said in John 14:12

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. 

By simply believing what Jesus has promised, my life and ministry have been thoroughly transformed too. From the early years of my ministry as a Pastor, I prayed to Jesus and asked Him to heal the sick, if I remember correctly only 10 people were healed. Since, learning from Pastor William Lau of The Elijah Challenge in 2005, of not asking Jesus to be the servant and do the work of healing, instead, I became the servant and dId the healing in the mighty name of Jesus, more than 10,000 people have been healed.

HAVE MIRACLES CEASED?
Today, some churches believe that miracles have ceased in spite of much evidence and testimonies of unexplained instant healing cases reported not only from the churches but in news portals and various social media channels. The anti-miracles Christians explain all these away as false miracles and call them “lying wonders.” They based their understanding on 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12. This portion says that Satan will deceive people who do not love the truth by using signs and lying wonders. They also refer to Revelation 13:13 that describes the false prophet as having the ability to cause supernatural fire to come down from heaven.

Then they invoke the serious warning from Jesus found in Matthew 7:21-22, misquoting this portion to mean the Lord is against all so-called prophets. However, a closer examination of the scriptural context reveals that the Lord had already identified the false prophets in Matthew 7:15-20. And He had indicated that the way to recognize true or false prophets is by identifying their fruits. So, this portion can hardly be used as biblical proof that miracles have ceased and that anyone ministering in signs and wonders is a false prophet.

DID MIRACLES CEASE AFTER THE WRITING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT?
Another reason that some churches give as to why God performed healing miracles only in the past is that those incidents were primarily for the purpose of writing the New Testament. Since that task has already been completed, miracles should cease by now. For the same reason, not only miracles have ceased but the spiritual gifts, particularly speaking in tongues and prophesying, have also ceased. Their favorite supporting verses are found in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.

Let us read verse 10: “But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” (NKJV) or in the NIV translation: “But when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.”

They have taken the Greek word, “tevleio” which means “completion” to refer to the “Completion of the Bible” as written words of God rather than the “Completion of the Age.” Did Paul actually write about the completion of the Bible or was he referring to something else?

The context of this scriptural portion has no indication that Paul even had the “Completion of the Bible” in mind when he wrote to the Corinthian Christians. In fact, Paul did not even realize that God would use his epistles to become an integral part of the New Testament. How could he write something that he had no idea at all? How could he add an idea that was outside the context of his explanation?

WHAT IS THE CORRECT BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION?
A good basic rule that governs biblical interpretation is that the Bible should never be interpreted to say what it never did say. Why then is this traditional argument that depicts the “Completion of the Bible” as the reason for the cessation of healing miracles accepted by most Evangelical believers? Could it be due to the lack of miracles in their churches that have forced them to find an excuse?

It seems that once a certain theory is repeated long enough, it is then believed to become synonymous with Biblical Truth.

Today, most believers are aware of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The time for obedience is even more critical because there is still much work to be done. Jesus is very concerned about our obedience: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Doing what Jesus instructed is crucial not only to our spiritual growth but to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. We cannot choose to obey only portions of His instruction and be effective. There must be a reason why the Commander-in-chief has instructed us in such a way and also given us the Kingly Authority to encounter the evil one. Soldiers must submit to the Commander-in-chief and do what He desires. To obey only when it is convenient is not the correct attitude of a faithful kingdom warrior. Let’s respond to the Commander-in-chief and march according to the order of the heavenly herald. To victory in the mighty name of Jesus.

Here is my recent video message on YouTube of why some people are healed and some are not:

Dead Woman Raised To Life

In 2015, we conducted a five-day Healing Encounter Ministry (HEM) Training Seminar in Bandung Trade Center, Bandung, Indonesia. Among the seminar trainers was an Indonesian minister, Pastor Elijah (This is not his actual name. To protect these brothers and sisters who are ministering in very sensitive areas of Indonesia, their real names are not used in this article) who was trained by Pastor William Lau, the founder of The Elijah Challenge International. Pastor Elijah was used by the Lord to initiate the raising of a young woman from the dead. Our seminar participants had the privilege of meeting this young believer, Rene, and here is the story of her resurrection.

Pastor Elijah prayed for Pastor Albert and Pastor Grace at the Healing Encounter Ministry (HEM) Training Seminar in Bandung.

Since her conversion, Rene was very faithful in attending church in Bandung. However, as she felt that age was catching up with her, she hurriedly got married but to an unbeliever. In her new role as a wife, she became too busy and subsequently, she stopped attending church completely. Pastor Elijah was her pastor and he felt sad that he could not get her back to church. Moreover, Rene had moved away to a village far away from his church.

Two years later, Pastor Elijah received the bad news that Rene was extremely ill. She had developed a cancerous cyst in her womb and it had burst. Her relatives rushed her to Immanuel Hospital in Bandung – a two-hour drive from her village. By the time, she arrived, her body was badly dehydrated as she had not been able to drink water for ten days. After the medical examination, the diagnosis of her ruptured ovarian cyst was not good. The medical team felt that they could not do anything to help her and told the family to give her the best comfort at home and get ready for her funeral as she would die very soon.

The two-hour drive back to the village was excruciating for Rene who was in extreme pain. Apparently, the infection had spread and her emaciated body could hold on longer. She promptly passed away at around 5:00 PM. According to her husband’s religion, she was to be buried as soon as possible. As the relatives prepared her dead body for the burial ceremony, Rene shared later that at that moment, her spirit was moving through a very dark tunnel.

When Pastor Elijah received the news of Rene’s death, his spirit was very troubled. He told us that he was very “unsatisfied” with this outcome. He immediately prayed to the Lord and received a stunning instruction from on high. He was to raise Rene from the dead and at a distance. Human reasoning started to bring doubt into his mind but he overwhelmed it by what he had learned from Pastor William Lau through The Elijah Challenge. He had heard from the Lord and he was to activate his mountain-moving faith to raise the dead. And he was to do it with “distance healing” through the kingly authority given to him by the Lord.

Pastor Elijah telephoned one of his Christian elders who lived in that village to visit Rene. He told this elder to “wake” Rene up so as to meet him at Immanuel Hospital in Bandung. The elder was puzzled at the request. He told his pastor in no uncertain terms, “Rene is dead”. He continued to explain that he was a little busy collecting funds for Rene’s funeral. Pastor Elijah assured him that he understood that Rene had died and that was why he was requesting the elder and his wife to go and raise Rene up on his behalf.

During the training seminar, we met up with this elder and his wife. We asked him why did he and his wife simply obey and go. The humble brother said that because he considered himself a soldier in the kingdom of God and when God’s pastor gave him an order, he had to obey. And so without a doubt, the elder and his wife rushed to Rene’s house. The elder’s wife managed to get in to see Rene’s body. All the mourners were around the body, chanting their prayer and they were wondering what this woman was going to do with the dead body. With mountain-moving faith, the elder’s wife took Rene’s hand and commanded, “Rene, get up in the name of Jesus!” The power and authority of God began to flow into Rene and she started to move her fingers. Then Rene opened her eyes to the great surprise of all the mourners. The Elder’s wife told Rena, “You have to meet Pastor Elijah at Immanuel Hospital.”

The village was in commotion. They had never seen or heard of anyone being raised from the dead. As the relatives drove Rene to meet Pastor Elijah, almost all the villagers followed them in their own vehicles. Pastor Elijah was surprised to see so many villagers at the hospital. The medical team examined Rene and found her to be very much alive and all she needed was hydration by means of intravenous solution. The next day, Rene was able to leave the hospital because the medical team had discovered that the ovarian cyst had miraculously vanished and the infection was gone. This was a double-miracle. After being raised from the dead, the Lord had also given her a clean bill of health.

When we met Rene at the training seminar, it was already three years since her resurrection from the dead. Today, our dear sister is living in good health, and the best of all is that she has become a dedicated handmaiden of the Lord. Her resurrection had also caused the people from the other religion to respond positively to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the last count, there were more than 2,700 people who gave their lives to Jesus Christ because of this incident. All glory to Jesus.

We thank God for Pastor Elijah who received a prompting of the Holy Spirit and was willing to take this step of mountain-moving faith. Here is a sermon that will encourage your faith to expect great things from God.

Part 4 – Why Some Are Healed And Others Are Not? [The Difference Between Faith and Presumption]

In the previous articles, I have pointed out that healing miracles may be blocked by the lack of faith – whether it is in the patient or the minister of healing. Therefore, having “mountain-moving faith” is of key importance in receiving healing miracles. I must also clarify that on many occasions, the lack of faith may not be the only reason why a patient is not miraculously healed.

Guilt Through Presumption
Many patients have carried the terrible burden of guilt because of the accusation by well-meaning healing ministers that these sick people lacked the faith to receive their healing miracles. For example, a 16-year old teenager who had both his legs amputated because of bone cancer was devastated by immense guilt. An elderly brother from our church visited him and told this young believer that God would grow his legs back if he had enough faith. The teenager was desperate because he could not muster enough faith to grow back his legs. His guilt was intensified by the presumption of our church member.

The question is asked, “Can God grow back those legs?” I believe that our Creator God can perform any miracles if He wanted to. Growing limbs would be a simple feat as compared with the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus. Imagine, Jesus had to restore the dead brain cells, non-functioning organs, and all the decaying flesh of Lazarus who had died and was buried for four days. (John 11:17-44). And in this case, Jesus raised Lazarus back to life without even requiring Lazarus to activate his faith. The poor fellow was dead, remember? He had no faith at all and 100% of faith was from Jesus.

Difference Between Faith And Presumption
God is sovereign and He knows what is best. When King Herod chopped off the head of John the Baptist (Mark 6:27), Jesus did not perform a miracle to place John’s head back and bring him back to life. Could Jesus raise the dead? Of course! Jesus raised the dead son of a widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–17) and also Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:54-55). You may question that wouldn’t it be better to raise John the Baptist as he would be of great benefit to the kingdom of God? You may have your reason and presumption but once again, God is sovereign and He knows best.

In the early church, the disciples were doing great miracles but when James was killed, they did not raise him back to life. (Acts 12:2). In the same chapter, we read about Peter being rescued from prison by an angel (Acts 12:7-10). Why didn’t God save James in the same manner? Wasn’t James a member of Christ’s inner circle of three, along with Peter and John? How about Stephen? Did the early church raise him from the dead after he was being stoned to death? (Acts 7:59). Could they raise the dead? Of course! Peter raised Dorcas from the dead in Acts 9 and Paul raised Eutychus who fell to his death after falling asleep by the window (Acts 20).

Three Basic Guiding Posts
Jesus said that “all things are possible” for those who have faith. James confirmed that without faith, no one would receive anything from God (James 1:7). However, so often, because of presumptuous faith, we move with unwarranted authority, thinking that we are the ultimate determiners of all miracles. That is an erroneous idea and an absolutely misplaced assumption. God has a bigger plan that goes far beyond our little crises, aches, and pains. He may want us to do certain things and not do certain things so as to fulfill His ultimate purpose. We just have to be more attentive and listen to His guidance.

Here are the three basic guiding posts that you would need to follow so as to avoid presumptuous faith and activate real mountain-moving faith. We have to ask whether we have…
1. Precedents, principles, or examples in the Bible that we can apply.
2. Specific instruction by God that clearly delineates our healing ministry.
3. A word of knowledge or the gift of discernment that directs us to do otherwise

Healing A Deaf-Mute
On a mission trip to Solo city, Indonesia, our mission team and I were faced with the request to heal a man who was born deaf and dumb. So, we ministered according to the above guiding posts:

1. Precedents, principles, OR examples in the Bible that we can apply.
In Mark 7:31-37, we learn that Jesus healed a man who was deaf and mute. The Gospel has identified no fewer than 26 healing miracles during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. The apostles followed after the footsteps of Jesus and they performed many miracles (Acts 2:43). Peter and John healed a lame man at the gates of the Temple (Acts 3:7-11). Signs and wonders were a part of the ministry of the apostles (Acts 5:12). Peter healed many from various cities (Acts 5:12-16). Stephen, who was not an apostle, performed great wonders and signs (Acts 6:8). In Samaria, Evangelist Philip who was one of the deacons did great miracles and signs (Acts 8:6,7,13). Ananias healed Saul of his blindness (Acts 9:17-18). Peter healed Aeneas (Acts 9:32-35). In Joppa, Peter raised Dorcus from the dead (Acts 9:39-42). Paul performed healing miracles in Iconium (Acts 14:3,4). At Lystra, Paul healed a crippled man in the mighty name of Jesus (Acts 14:8-18). Paul delivered a woman who was possessed by an evil spirit (Acts 16:18). Paul performed many miracles in Ephesus (Acts 19:11,12). In Troas, Paul raised Eutychus from the dead (Acts 20:8-12). Paul healed the islanders of Malta who were diseased (Acts 28:8-9). So, we have ample examples and precedents for us to proceed with healing this deaf-mute.

2. Specific instruction by God that clearly delineates our healing ministry.
The instruction from Jesus is “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12). What did Jesus do? He preached the Gospel of the kingdom. He healed the sick and cast out demons, and He made disciples. So, that means that we can do what Jesus did. Moreover, the Gospel recorded that Jesus had given power and authority to His disciples to heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the Gospel of the kingdom. (Luke 9 & 10), What more do we need? The Lord has spoken!

THE HEALING MIRACLE BEGUN
It was in Gereja Gideon Gumunggung, that we ministered to this man who was born deaf and dumb. In our first few commands, the man’s ears were opened and he could hear. However, since he could not talk, he gestured to that fact. And so I laid my hand upon his mouth and commanded the spirit of dumbness to leave him. And to test him, I indicated for him to repeat after me by saying “Puji Tuhan” (Praise God) and “Hallelujah!” As he repeated those words, the congregation was cheering. Some were in tears. Later, after the service, the sister of this man confirmed that this man who was already in his 50s, was born deaf and dumb and now he had received his healing miracle from the Lord. Praise the Lord.

3. A word of knowledge or the Spirit of discernment that directs us to do otherwise
In general, we do not need a word of knowledge to minister healing. When an infirm asks for healing, we would normally just go ahead and command for the infirmity to go in the mighty name of Jesus. We expect the person to be healed and that he or she should give glory to God after the miracle
However, if we were to discern within our spirit, that we should not proceed with ministering of healing at that particular instance, we should stop. As we listen to the Holy Spirit, He will reveal certain deeper spiritual issues in the patient. We usually cease all healing ministry and address the spiritual issues first. In summary, we do not need a word of knowledge or a Rhema word to minister healing but we do need to obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit if He were to give us a word to stop ministering healing.

What have we learned from today’s lesson?
We have to be careful not to give the infirm guilt trip or false accusation that they do not have enough faith to be healed. Wisdom is needed in how to encourage the faith of those who are seeking divine healing. It may very well be the minister of healing who lacks that mountain-moving faith. On the other hand, God may have His reason to delay healing. Just like in my case – I had to wait in God’s waiting room for two years after Pastor William Lau had commanded healing for me. There are many reasons that we may not know until later in the future. Meanwhile, let’s be faithful and continue to minister healing and cast out demons in the mighty name of Jesus.

Here is a video on healing that might be helpful to you.

Part 3 – Why Some Are Healed And Others Are Not?

The question is often asked, “Why some are healed and others are not?” In the previous two articles, I shared the first primary reason for the lack of healing miracles: the patient harbors hatred, bitterness, and grudges. The second reason is when the healing minister does not have enough faith. In this article, I like to share a little about the era or time that we are living in so that we will understand why healing miracles are highly dependent upon faith.

THE PRESENT EVIL AGE
We are living in this “Present Evil Age” (Galatians 1:4) and waiting for the “Age To Come” (Matthew 12:32). The idea of the “Present Evil Age” comes from the “Fall of Mankind” in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). The dominion and authority of Adam were transferred to Satan who is now the ruler of the world. Jesus called Satan the ‘ruler of this world’ or “prince of this world” in John 16:11. However, the Word of God confirms that the world still belongs to God even though the devil usurped it. As the psalmist says in Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the LORD’S…“

THE AGE TO COME
The “Age To Come” is in the future and it will entail complete healing and perfect health. There will be no more death too. However, we must not detach the “Age To Come” from this “Present Evil Age” because when Jesus came, He brought the blessings of the future “Age To Come” into the “here and now”.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:28: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The “kingdom of God” here refers to the rule and reign of God rather than a geographical location. Salvation and divine healing are then the redemptive events that are actually happening in the midst of us. A sampling of the “perfection” of the “Age To Come” has entered our present experience. That is where our faith comes into play. Do we trust that the Lord would usher in this “Age To Come” and do we accept the “present blessings” of this future age? Do we believe the concept of the “kingdom of God is in the midst of you”? (Luke 17:21). In short, do we believe that we can receive healing and minister healing in the mighty name of Jesus?

ENGAGING THE AGE TO COME
When Jesus died on the cross, He provided us the privilege of being justified by faith. And so we are now engaging the “Age To Come” as the “righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21) instead of being guilty sinners residing in this “Present Evil Age”. By His death, we have moved from the rule of darkness to the rule of Christ our King (Colossians 1:13). Now, we can do what Jesus did while He was here on earth. We can preach the Gospel; we can make disciples for Christ; we can heal the sick and cast out demons. This is the authority of the kingdom of God here countering this “Present Evil Age”. We, the modern disciples of Christ, have become the “colonizing force” that will take the message of the kingdom of God all over the world, and… we will do it by the power and authority of Christ.

PREVIEWS OF THE AGE TO COME
All healing miracles are therefore previews of what would come later. The raising of the dead points us to the future when death shall be no more. The healing of physical ailments depicts the perfect health of the coming Age. So, why are still some people not healed today? Apart from the patient’s issues with unforgiveness or bitterness, and the lack of faith of the ministers, there are obviously other reasons. Some, we may know and some, we may not.

GOD’S WAITING ROOM
In my experience, about 80 percent of the miracles are instantaneous. However, for whatever reasons, some experienced healing at a much later date. For example, an elderly deaf man was not healed at the meeting but after he went home. While he slept, he felt a cool wind blowing at his head. Then the next day, he was completely healed of deafness. The first thing he heard was the complaining voice of his daughter-in-law.

I was not completely healed of ankylosing spondylitis that caused chronic pain in my body until almost two years after Pastor William had ministered healing to me. Like many who had delayed healing, the experience of pain and suffering drew me very close to God. During those ten years of affliction, I grew spiritually despite the weakness in my physical body. Then when the subsequent miraculous healing happened, it further deepened my relationship with the Person of Christ. The chronic pain and the subsequent miracle gave me a realistic view of my frailty and how much I needed the Lord.

During those two years after Pastor William’s healing command, I had no idea whether I would be healed or not. However, I continued to minister healing to others and had very good results. At one time, there was a man with chronic back pain, almost similar to that of mine, who got healed. In my heart, I was complaining: “Lord, how come you healed him and I am still in pain?” God impressed upon my heart with a question: “Would you still minister healing if you were not healed?” My response was “I would!”

With that, I was placed in God’s waiting room of healing for about two years. Then one day, I got up without pain at all. The Lord had healed me without anyone laying hand on me. That was in December 2007 and since then, I have remained without pain. Now, many people would have given up their faith in the healing power of God because they were put in the waiting room for a long time. I calculated that I actually waited a total of twelve years for my healing miracle. The first ten years were filled with a certain sense of unbelief. After encountering The Elijah Challenge with Pastor William Lau, it became a journey of faith.

God is still the sovereign God. He knows best and I pray that if you are now in the waiting room as I once was, please continue to have faith. Jesus still heals today.
Here is a message on how you can apply the promises of Jesus to do greater things for the kingdom of God. Trust that it will help to boldly activate your faith to become the person whom God wants you to be.

Part 2 -Why Some Are Healed and Some Are Not?

By Albert Kang
“Why are some people healed after we commanded healing and why are some not healed?”

This is a question that is not easy to answer as there is a wide variety of reasons behind it. In the previous article, I identified unforgiveness and bitterness, on the part of the patient, as the primary hindrance to healing. In this article, you will learn that the responsibility for the lack of healing miracles rests upon the shoulders of the healing ministers.

On one occasion, Jesus rebuked his disciples for not being able to heal the demonized boy (Matthew 17:14-22). He was quite upset and reprimanded, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?” Why did Jesus expect His disciples to cast out the demon and heal the boy? The reason is quite obvious – because they were empowered to do so. These disciples were trained and empowered to do as Jesus did. The Gospel’s record is clear about this appointment and empowerment:

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Luke 9:1-2 NIV).

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8 NIV).

Then why were those disciples not able to drive out the demon and heal the boy? The disciples themselves were puzzled. They asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” The reply of Jesus was “Because you have so little faith.” That tells us that even though we have been given the power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons, we still need to exercise our faith.

WHAT IS FAITH?
Faith is simply the ability to trust. Jesus taught His disciples further about faith in Matthew 17:20 (NLT). “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible”. Didn’t Jesus just chide them for having little faith? Then why did He say that even if their faith was to be as small as a mustard seed, it would still be powerful enough to move mountains?

Faith is not a dead pebble but a living seed. It can grow. And it is not just any seed but a mustard seed that Jesus described as the “least of all seeds” (Matthew 13:32). The difference between a mustard seed and the other seeds is the amount of energy stored in the seedpod. A large seed has more energy and so it can last longer in order to seek nutrients, water, and sunlight. A mustard seed is too tiny to have extra storage of energy. This means that it is completely vulnerable to the environment, and has only one chance to make it right. Without resources to survive, it has to completely rely on God for its survival. In short, mustard seed has no other option except to have “faith” and “trust” in God for its growth.

Faith alone is futile if there is no object of faith. Faith without God is meaningless. You cannot have faith in faith or trust in trust. The power does not reside in your faith or your trust alone but in the Person whom you put your faith and trust in. Paul the Apostle talked about his trust in the Lord in 2 Timothy 1:12 (NIV) – ” …I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

Now, apart from trusting in God, your faith also requires a promise from God. Has God promised you certain things and if so, can you trust Him to perform them? Is there a promise of God you can heal the sick and cast out demons in the mighty name of Jesus? Do you trust that you have been given the power and authority from Jesus? (Luke 9:1-2, 10:17-19). Do you believe in what Jesus said about you having the ability to do what He did while He was here on earth and in fact be able to do far greater work than He did? (John 14:12).

WHOSE FAITH TO DEPEND ON?
In the narrative of the demonized boy, you will notice that even the father of the victim had no faith. Wouldn’t it be fair to say that the responsibility for the lack of miracle, in this case, should fall upon that unbelieving father? Didn’t the father say to Jesus, “Help me, my unbelief”? (Mark 9:24). Jesus, Himself, did not do many miracles in His hometown because of the lack of faith among His town folks. Very few were healed there. (Matthew 13:58). However, when we look at it carefully, there is a difference between the demonized boy’s event and that of Jesus at His hometown. In this instance, the father was seeking healing for his son but lacked the faith to believe for his son’s miracle, while in Jesus’ hometown, the people were unwilling to seek healing because they did not believe in Him and His ability at all.

A PRINCIPLE LEARNED
From this event of the demonised boy, we observe a principle – the faith of the minister is more important than that of the patient. As long as the patient is willing to be ministered to, even he has no faith, we as healing ministers should have faith to heal the person.

Grace and I were ministering in an Orang Asli village. Some of the believers there brought us to a hut to minister to a young man who could not walk. He had a motorcycle accident a couple of days ago. We talked to the man about the healing power of Jesus but he was very shy to the point of avoidance. He just shook his head and said that he was alright. To help him relax, we asked him whether he still had pain and what kind of treatment he was getting. Gradually, he opened up as the rest of the Orang Asli believers encouraged him. We realized that at that point, the healing miracle would have to depend solely upon our faith.

As I laid a hand upon his injured leg, Grace began commanding in the Malay language. (My knowledge of Malay is very limited). At that point, Grace and I were applying the KINGLY AUTHORITY of the Lord Jesus and with determined faith, we commanded all the tissues, nerves, fibers, ligaments, tendons and bones to be healed in the mighty name of Jesus. By faith, I helped the man to stand up and said to him, “Jalan!” That means “walk” in Malay. The poor man was hesitant but looking at our determined gaze, he took the first step. Then the second, third, and subsequently walked to the doorway and back. He was amazed that there was only a “shadow” of pain that was left.

We did not like that little lingering pain to remain and so Grace commanded again. That tiny bit of pain left and the man walked without pain. Everybody in that hut rejoiced. We then shared the Gospel with this healed young man and subsequently assigned him to a local believer to do the follow-up with him. Once again, the two-hand punch of “healing the infirm” and “sharing the Gospel” was applied effectively. And this would not be appropriated without our faith in Jesus Christ and His promise of power and authority to minister.

Here is a video message that will encourage your faith:

Part 1 – Why Some Are Healed And Others Are Not?

The common question in our healing ministry is why are some people healed after we commanded healing and why are some not healed? For example, one deaf man was healed of his deafness while another deaf person next to him was not healed. I had used the same authority of Jesus and the same command approach recommended by The Elijah Challenge. To the first deaf man, it was an amazing miracle. He was able to hear clearly after more than ten years of deafness, but for the second deaf man, it was a great disappointment. Why did God heal one and not the other?

SEEKING FOR THE ANSWER
When I was an itinerant preacher, it was exciting to command healing for a large congregation. People were healed and a long line of them queued night after night on stage to testify of God’s healing miracles. However, now, as a pastor, even though I rejoice with many who have been healed in our church, I have to explain to those members who do not receive their healing miracles or even improve in their health condition.

We know that ultimately, it is the sovereignty of God that is the basis of all healing miracles. We may command healing accordingly, but the miracles come from Jesus. And even those who are not healed, God, in one way or another, ministered to them.

For example, for about ten years, I suffered from chronic pain caused by ankylosing spondylitis. During every attack, the presence of the Lord was there to comfort me. The benefit was the intense presence and love of God right there in my room. Amidst the pain and tears, He told me to wait for that miracle.

In 2005, Pastor William Lau, the founder of Elijah Challenge had commanded healing for me. I did feel better but the back pain was still lingering. Then in 2007, I received my complete healing miracle. One day, I woke up with no pain at all. Nobody laid hands on me, there was no evidence of someone praying for me… it was just the mercy of God at work in my body.

At some level, the people who are not healed, have received a touch or an answer from the Lord. But, though this is true, the patients who are still suffering from diseases, are not satisfied with just this blessing. They want to be healed – they want their healing miracles.

In this and the next few articles, I hope to explain why some people do not receive their healing miracles. My fundamental belief is that God wants to heal us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In short, He wants His people to be holistic in their health. That is the reason why Jesus is coming back again. This is still an imperfect world and Jesus will bring us the perfect world…where there will be no more diseases and death.

In this article, I like to share the first most important reason why some people are not receiving their healing miracles.

Sins and Offences
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (Proverb 28:13 NLT)

In a healing service held in a small Malaysian church, among the ten people who came out for healing, one woman was not healed. All nine received their healing miracles and there was much joy among the congregation except for that woman.

At that time, I was still new to the healing ministry, and I was curious why only that woman was not healed. After the service, I caught up with her and interviewed her. In the process, this woman confessed that she had harbored bitterness against her pastor’s wife. I led her into confession and repentance of her bitterness. While she was confessing and repenting, her arthritic knees were miraculously healed. She felt the pain and tension depart from those knees. She stood up and walked to test her healed knees. I told her to try climbing the staircase and she did. This woman came back beaming with joy because she was not only healed but relieved of that terrible bitterness. It seemed that the devil had used her unhappiness and misunderstanding against her pastor’s wife to bind her physically.

Divine healing is an act of God’s grace and mercy. Therefore, if a person is in the kingdom of God, she has to move with this grace and mercy within. Forgiveness and graciousness are an integral part of a believer’s lifestyle.

FORGIVENESS IS AN ACT OF MERCY
You will remember that at one time, the Apostle Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” And our Lord answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22 BLB). Of course, Jesus did not mean that we should stop forgiving after 490 times or even 77 times – He meant that there should be no limits to our forgiveness.

Then Jesus went on to emphasize this important principle of forgiveness through the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35). The parable was about a king who had canceled the debt of ten thousand bags of gold that the servant owed him. However, when the servant went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. The fellow servant begged for mercy, but this forgiven servant refused to forgive the debt. Instead, he threw the servant into prison until the poor man could pay the debt.

What did the king do when he heard about this? He called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, the king handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. Then Jesus concluded by saying, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35 NIV).

Now after all these years of healing ministry, I realize that it is unreasonable to expect the healing miracles of God to come upon a person who is willfully holding unto unforgiveness. Divine healing is an act of mercy and it does not seem to work upon a child of God who is not merciful. As long as he wants to hold onto grudges of the offense done by others upon him, he is creating a barrier to his own healing miracle. King David had so wisely said, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18 NLT).

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TRULY FORGIVEN?
1. When you think about the person, do you still think about the hurt that he had caused you? If so, you have not really forgiven. You may say you did, but this little indication reveals the deep struggle inside.

2. Are you still hoping that God will teach the person a lesson for hurting you? If so, the sense of revenge is still keeping you in bondage. There may be consequences from God upon that person but your heart still wants to hurt the person.

3. Would you be willing to help the person if he or she asked for help? I believe you know your answer.

Forgiveness is a choice that you make to release yourself from the bondage of bitterness, hatred, unresolved anger, and grudges. Medical science has revealed that all these negative emotions will build up toxins in your body and also cause you stress. And that is how bitter people are usually very unhealthy. In my encounter with some of these people, I find many of them have restlessness, insomnia, constant migraine headaches, and even developed ulcers in the stomach. Now, I am not saying that all such infirmities are the result of bitterness. Some have other reasons and only their doctors will be able to tell them.

When you are bitter, angry, and resentful towards someone, you are giving him the power to control your healing miracles. Only by forgiveness, you will be able to take that power back. I trust that you will be wise to make the right choice and be healed in the mighty name of Jesus.

In the next few articles, I will share what other ways are preventing people from receiving their healing miracles. Keep track of this blog by subscribing to it.

Here is a video about how to receive healing in the mighty name of Jesus. Be sure to give thanks to God for your healing and testify of His goodness to others.

How To Fulfil the Great Commission When Demons Terrify You?

At a restaurant in Kota Damansara, Malaysia, a restaurant owner was suffering from pain in her leg. Grace and I knew this woman and upon seeing her painful condition, we offered to heal her in the name of Jesus. To our amazement, this Buddhist woman accepted our request because she somehow believed that such supernatural healing could happen. We promptly healed her with the authority and power given by our Lord Jesus Christ. After approximately more than a month, we visited her restaurant again and asked about her condition. She said ever since that day she had no more pain in her leg. This healing has made it easier for us to share with her about Jesus Christ and the salvation provided by the Lord. This is the “Two-hand Punch” of the Elijah Challenge Ministry – heal the sick and preach the Word.

THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Today, most believers are aware of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The time for obedience is even more critical because there is still much work to be done. Jesus is very concerned about our obedience: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Doing what Jesus instructed is crucial to our spiritual growth. We cannot choose to obey only portions of His instruction. Servants must submit to the Master and do what the Master desires. To obey only when it is convenient is not the correct attitude of a faithful servant.

Sadly, many Christians, who have said the sinner’s prayer, but have no idea what power evangelism is all about. They have been taught the doctrines, gone through water baptism, and even attended cell meetings week after week. They were taught about bearing fruits so that there is a transformation in their character, and they were even trained to share the Gospel with the unchurched. However, to those who are diligently sharing the Gospel, they soon discover another area that they have not received training in – healing the sick and casting out demons. The lack of knowledge in this area has caused the Church in general to avoid the works and activities of the demonic world.

One believer told me that she would not touch the demons with a ten-foot pole because she was afraid of them. Another said that she would not lay hands on the sick and command healing because their diseases might jump into her. A brother believes that in this day and age, one does not really need to cast out demons or heal the sick so as to share the Gospel. A theological student pointed to the fact that no demons were being cast out in the Old Testament and therefore all these demonic kinds of stuff must be created during the second temple period and adopted by the New Testament. Some believe that demons are not fallen angels but just the “ghosts” of those of dead Nephilim and their giant-clan descendants and so they are quite harmless. Some even challenge the idea of Satan as a fallen angel and whether he is just a myth created by the imagination of man.

THE POWER TRANSFORMATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
Before we talk about power evangelism, we need to talk about power transformation. This is the “journey inward” so that we would be transformed internally to become more and more like Christ. This is crucial in that this “journey inward” would affect our “journey outward” and that is facing the world and confronting the enemy.

This is not a journey to become “spiritual” but allowing the spirituality of Christ in the “Born-again” you to flow out. It is like a marriage – you do not work out so hard to be “married” if you are already married. What you are doing as a married person is to work out your married commitment of love, care, and attention to your spouse. You allow that love for your spouse to become tangible actions and events in your marriage. Have you ever noticed that most older loving couples actually look alike in their mannerism and even in their look? That is the result of years of dedication and commitment to each other.

Similarly to become more like Jesus, we need to acknowledge His holiness and Agape love. The Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in us is vital to remind and enable us to allow that holiness and Agape love of Christ to flow through us. We are able to do this because we have been Born Again and have the spirituality of Christ in us. We just need to give the Holy Spirit the liberty to flow like “rivers of living water”. The disciples who walk closely with Christ will soon, just like those loving old couples, behave and look like Christ.

ARE THE MODERN DISCIPLES REALLY HELPLESS?
Some churches have taught that believers are helpless but they have forgotten that believers are empowered by Christ in all things. An important aspect of the Christian life is to fulfill the Great Commission to disciple all nations. Once again, the Lord does not leave this major task to the disciples without the accompanying power and authority.

In Luke 9 and 10, Jesus commanded His disciples to preach that the “Kingdom of God is near.” Accompanying this message, Jesus also gave the authority and power “to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” We can see that whether it is in the area of sanctification or fulfilling the Great Commission, the Lord has made sure that His disciples have the capacity to achieve them.

The Great Commission has to do with a strong message of repentance and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. Just like the time of Elijah, the Lord is now challenging the Church to return to Him in all aspects of obedience and ministry. The spirit of Elijah was that of courage and confidence in God’s manifested power. The fire came down, and the half-hearted non-committed people turned to the Lord.

In the same manner, when believers preach repentance with manifest healing miracles, many believers and pre-believers will respond positively to the Lord.
The objectives of the believers in the End Times is three-fold:

1. To fulfil the Great Commission by sharing the Gospel with power.
2. To challenge the backslidden believers to return to the Lord.
3. To empower the restored believers so that they can in turn fulfil the Great Commission.

To reject the supernatural does not make the evil spirits go away. Western missionaries who come from secular societies have a rude awakening when they come to the Far East and Third-World countries. They expect to teach the Christians in those countries but instead, they have to learn about real demons and spiritual warfare from their “less-sophisticated counterparts”. Soon they realize that the Gospel is not merely about teaching good Christian values and behaviors, but real spiritual warfare against principalities and powers of darkness.

The evil that many in the Third-World encounter is not mere human weakness but actual demonic power. Unbelief is a dangerous thing. Like the Pharisees of old, the modern preachers and theologians from the West are seldom trained to deal with actual demons and diseases. Everything is reduced to the natural realms and many of these ministers do not even believe in the existence of the supernatural. Their ministries are utterly ineffective in the frontline of spiritual warfare.

In one evangelistic meeting, a girl who was only 16 years old who had black lipstick, black painted fingernails, black clothes with black shoes, suddenly manifested demons. As I rushed forward to confront the “enemy” and cast it out, the American pastor who was me, ran to the back of the sanctuary and hid there. After the event, I confronted him, asking why didn’t he come to help me. He said haltingly that he was afraid. He had never encountered a demonic case in his life and that first encounter threw him into a panic. He did not realize that the demons would be so ferocious and he was absolutely terrified to the point of being paralyzed. That was when it dawned on me why the Great Commission is slow to be fulfilled. All these preachers and teachers may teach and expound the Bible with intricate theological expositions but they lack the frontline experience. It is like a man who writes and gives talks about fishing but has never fished once in his life.

How to fulfill the Great Commission when demons terrify the believers? What is the use of theological prowess when theologians are powerless in spiritual warfare?

Please do not get me wrong here – I am not against theological training and good Bible exposition. (I am a postgraduate from a Bible Seminary and I fully encourage every full-time minister to get a Bible School education). It is a “both-and” rather than an “either-or” approach that we have adopted. We believe that every practitioner should have a sound biblical and theological foundation along with his or her faith to utilize the authority and power to heal the infirm and cast out demons in the name of Jesus.

Here is the link to The Elijah Challenge website where you can receive teaching on healing and casting our demons. Everything is free there. You can also learn directly from the free training videos produced by my mentor, Rev William Lau, the founder, and director of The Elijah Challenge.

https://theelijahchallenge.org/

Here is a video that gives you an idea of what the “Two-hand Punch” ministry of “sharing the Gospel and healing the sick” is all about.