Walking by faith - encouragment for today

[Aoife]

For we walk by faith not by sight...
(2 Cor 5:7)

It is sad that we confess this statement but really we practice walking by sight SO much more..
its how we get around obstacles, it's how we know where we are heading, what we see is so REAL to us, and what we don't see is less real to us but it needs to be the other way around. The spiritual realm isn't "make believe" even though it is invisible. Our FAITH makes it manifest into the material world.

God is not moved by your need, He is moved by your faith.

The sickness and disease we see in our bodies IS A LIE! I know, some are saying, "no, I assure you, it's REAL, I need this wheelchair to get around, I need these meds to live", whatever...well, maybe for now in your temporary manifestation of what you see, but the TRUTH is YOU ARE HEALED (Isa 53:5,James 5:14-15, Mark 11:24 many others). Why is this TRUTH and NOT the manifested sickness in your body? Because God said so. God is not a MAN that He should lie (Numbers 23:19) but we ARE and our very bodies can lie to us.

What you SEE isn't always the truth. We cannot afford to take Peter's attitude and say "once I see it I'll believe it" we need to believe for truth to manifest to see it sometimes. Heb 11:1 "Faith IS the substance of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen." FAITH makes God's truth manifest in our lives. Lacking faith? Cry out to God, and Him for more faith, to strengthen you as needed, and get rid of negative thoughts that try to remove truth from your meditations. He WILL help you! 2 Cor 10:4-5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down every high things that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Think today about areas you may have been walking by sight and not by faith and change those today.  

[Garland-Green]

Thank you for posting this. ^^ With us being in a sinful world, with bodies that are not yet glorified do you think it is possible that on occasions we have to endure physical discomfort, and illness? I remember Paul mentioned something about a thorn in his side or flesh;

2 Corinthians 12:7
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

This is something I do struggle with myself. I am kind of a hands on, 'have to experience it myself' person. So it is kind of ironic that I became a Christian.
I think it in the end boils down to trust. Do we trust the Lord to give us what he thinks we need? We believe in him. Do we believe what he says about himself?

Matthew 6:8
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  

[Aoife]

Yes, I DO think that we have to, we are told plainly that trials and tribulations will come, but while Paul was told about his "thorn" there are many many many many more examples of Jesus healing those He met. I like to think of it like this...if God didn't want us healed, then He shouldn't have done it! The work of the cross, the work of our healing, is written in a perfect tense, a once and forever. by His stripes we ARE healed. Not we were healed and now suffer. I think that if God does want us to put up with something in our bodies, he will speak it to us after much prayer like he did Paul. Otherwise, I think we forget to call upon His supernatural healing and health more often than not and just accept the natural sickness and suffering of this world, when we should be praying and believing for what is ours already.  

[Aquatic_blue]

Aoife

Yes, I DO think that we have to, we are told plainly that trials and tribulations will come, but while Paul was told about his "thorn" there are many many many many more examples of Jesus healing those He met. I like to think of it like this...if God didn't want us healed, then He shouldn't have done it! The work of the cross, the work of our healing, is written in a perfect tense, a once and forever. by His stripes we ARE healed. Not we were healed and now suffer. I think that if God does want us to put up with something in our bodies, he will speak it to us after much prayer like he did Paul. Otherwise, I think we forget to call upon His supernatural healing and health more often than not and just accept the natural sickness and suffering of this world, when we should be praying and believing for what is ours already.

As a thought, what about the ones in this world that Jesus did heal? If God hadn't made them lame in the first place - they may never have come to Him to receive His word. If a person isn't sick, chances are - they may never go to the Great Physician.

Mark 2:17 KJV:

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

1 Peter 4:12 - 15 NIV:

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

*We will suffer and even some of us be martyrs for Christ, but we should be glad because we do have God. 3nodding

1 Peter 1:6 - 7 NIV:

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  

[Aoife]

Aquatic_blue

As a thought, what about the ones in this world that Jesus did heal? If God hadn't made them lame in the first place - they may never have come to Him to receive His word. If a person isn't sick, chances are - they may never go to the Great Physician.

Mark 2:17 KJV:

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

I only have a moment here, but I had to say that no sickness ever comes from God. I am fairly certain you know this but I had to point it out to anyone else who will ever read this.
Also, the verse you are referring to doesn't have to do with actual sick people, but sinners, those who didn't know the forgiveness of God. (why does He eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors was the question before this)

Jesus says in reference for healing people before (driving out demons) that a house divided against itself can not stand, God would not put sickness on or in us and then drive it out of us, it is clearly not from God. (Matt 12:somewhere)

The sharing the sufferings of Christ also don't imply Jesus was ever sick or diseased, although the Bible is clear he took them for us and carried them for us and by His stripes we are healed.

He could have just died on that cross for our salvation...it would have been enough. The beating He took before though...that was not for our salvation, that was for our health.

Trials and tribulations come in all shapes and sizes, not simply sickness. Certainly God can use it (Satan is where sickness comes from though, but he gets permission from God, if you really need me to find the verses I can, I haven't memorized those, but see Job where he was before the throne of God needing permission, and it says he is frequently with God or something)
but health and healing can bring people to the Lord, no doubt, but it is also ours as part of our inheritance once we belong to the family of Christ and not the family of Adam any longer.

I hope I am doing this justice at the moment, it's 2 am and I should be in bed! wink  

[Aquatic_blue]

Aoife

Aquatic_blue

As a thought, what about the ones in this world that Jesus did heal? If God hadn't made them lame in the first place - they may never have come to Him to receive His word. If a person isn't sick, chances are - they may never go to the Great Physician.

Mark 2:17 KJV:

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

I only have a moment here, but I had to say that no sickness ever comes from God. I am fairly certain you know this but I had to point it out to anyone else who will ever read this.
Also, the verse you are referring to doesn't have to do with actual sick people, but sinners, those who didn't know the forgiveness of God. (why does He eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors was the question before this)

Jesus says in reference for healing people before (driving out demons) that a house divided against itself can not stand, God would not put sickness on or in us and then drive it out of us, it is clearly not from God. (Matt 12:somewhere)

The sharing the sufferings of Christ also don't imply Jesus was ever sick or diseased, although the Bible is clear he took them for us and carried them for us and by His stripes we are healed.

He could have just died on that cross for our salvation...it would have been enough. The beating He took before though...that was not for our salvation, that was for our health.

Trials and tribulations come in all shapes and sizes, not simply sickness. Certainly God can use it (Satan is where sickness comes from though, but he gets permission from God, if you really need me to find the verses I can, I haven't memorized those, but see Job where he was before the throne of God needing permission, and it says he is frequently with God or something)
but health and healing can bring people to the Lord, no doubt, but it is also ours as part of our inheritance once we belong to the family of Christ and not the family of Adam any longer.

I hope I am doing this justice at the moment, it's 2 am and I should be in bed! wink

Whether it's between physical or spiritual sickness was not exactly made clear.

God can do whatever to an individual that he wills and sometimes I believe God uses illness in order to possibly protect us from going somewhere that may be harmful. I remember once that I had been looking for a new church and this one church online sounded good, and that Sunday I was sick and unable to make it. I still had planned to go next Sunday and became sick again. Then, I went back to their webpage and saw one of their sermons and I discovered it definitely wasn't a church for me. If I went to a church such as that one, I would've had a difficult time with dealing with it physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I am glad I was sick and unable to go. I believe God made me feel ill for a day to keep me from going there.

However, God wouldn't make us sick or injured without a way to combat it unless our time on this Earth is done. Sometimes one person's illness can save someone else and God would use that illness for a reason.

If someone is born with a defect, it does not mean that it's Satan's doing. God definitely has a reason and purpose for that. Also, just because someone is physically ill does not mean that they are spiritually ill. Through our physical weakness, we can become stronger through God and be spiritually stronger through our weakness.

Also, you mention that the verse I posted was about sinners and you posted it as if it had nothing to do with what you were mentioning. However, you mention Jesus driving out demons - being demon possessed is a spiritual sickness, not a physical one.

Jesus was sent to be a perfect sacrifice by God, and to spread the good news before the crucifixion. If Jesus were to become ill then He may not have been a "perfect" sacrifice, and Jesus always needed to be out and about. Jesus did not die for our physical health - He died so that our sins would be washed away and we would have a chance at salvation. The blood that was dripped while He was beaten was the blood that washed away sin - we are healed from spiritual sickness.

Isaiah 53:5 NIV:

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.  

[Aoife]

Gee girl, you sure like to argue with me!
This isn't a debate thread ya know.
I never said God couldn't use sickness, His Word says ALL things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His Purposes. But the Bible is very clear that sickness doesn't come from God. Period. Ever. Does He allow it? Yes. Does it come from Him? No.