By Jesus’ Stripes You Are Healed

 

    Isaiah 53:5
    5… The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

You know, one of the biggest outcries against Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion Of The Christ, was that it was too violent, especially the part where Jesus was scourged.

Let me tell you this: It was not violent enough! The Bible says that at the cross, Jesus’ visage was marred beyond that of any man. (Isaiah 52:14) In the movie, even after all the beatings, the actor James Caviezel, who played Jesus, still looked quite handsome.

But the reality is that when Jesus hung on the cross, He had “no form or comeliness… there is no beauty that we should desire Him”. (Isaiah 53:2) He was beaten to a pulp until His face looked like jelly hanging out!

In the movie, when they scourged Him, only a small portion of His bones was exposed, so it was still quite tidy. But the messianic psalms say, “The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long” (Psalm 129:3), and “I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me”. (Psalm 22:17) All His bones were exposed!

My friend, He was thinking of you when the soldiers tied Him to the scourging post. As they raised their whips, He said, “Let it all come on Me!”

But what came on Him was not just the whip stripping the flesh off His bare back, but your sicknesses and diseases. Each time He was whipped, every form of sickness and disease, including arthritis, cancer, diabetes, bird flu and dengue fever, came upon Him. “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Today, healing is your right because Jesus has paid the price for your healing. So if the devil says, “You cannot be healed,” just declare, “Jesus has paid for my healing. Disease has no right to be in my body. I am healed in Jesus’ name!”

Every curse of sickness that was supposed to fall on you fell on Jesus instead. He bore every one of those stripes, so that you can walk in divine health all the days of your life. The price has been paid so that you can rise up and get out of your bed of affliction!

 

Facts Change But God’s Word Remains John 8:32 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Consider the cold, hard facts that these three people faced: The aunt of a lady in our church saw her X-ray which showed that one of her two kidneys was cancerous. A couple in our church read their medical reports which said that they would never be able to produce a child. A lady in our church who acted as a guarantor ended up being asked by the finance company to pay it S$34 million. When such situations hit us and we allow the facts to settle in our hearts, we end up feeling greatly troubled. But when we let the truths of God’s Word settle them all, we will sense the Holy Spirit bearing witness to the truths that we are believing. He is the Spirit of truth. (John 16:13) He is not the Spirit of facts and does not bear witness to facts. It may be a fact that you are sick. The doctors say that you are sick. The X-ray film shows that you are sick. But God’s Word says that by Jesus’ stripes you are healed! (Isaiah 53:5) That is the truth about your situation. What is the difference between fact and truth? Facts change, but truth — God’s Word — remains! When God’s people choose to defy the facts and walk instead in His truths regarding their situations, the Holy Spirit in them will bear witness to the truths that they are believing. The lady with the cancerous kidney underwent an operation to remove the organ. But praise God, she received supernatural restoration as later X-rays showed two healthy kidneys instead of one! God had formed a new kidney for her! The childless couple received their miracle bundle of joy after seven years. Today, they are proud parents of not one, but four children! The church member with the S$34 million debt told the finance company that it was not being fair to her and that God would protect her. The company’s management miraculously decided to cancel her debt! The next time you are hit by disturbing facts, let God’s Word settle the truth about your situation. And as the Holy Spirit bears witness to the truths that you are believing, the facts will change and you will receive your miracle! Superabundant Supply In Your Area Of Lack Philippians 4:19 19And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Are you facing a lack in any area of your life, be it finances, health or relationships? Know that in that very same area, God has already prepared His superabundant supply which will abound toward you, and on top of that, His grace and more of His grace! In John 6:1–13, Jesus was with a large crowd of people who were hungry. The problem then was a lack of food. But Jesus knew that where there is lack, there is superabundant supply in His Father’s kingdom to overcome that lack. His disciples, however, did not know that. They did not think the same way as Jesus did. They told Him that there was a boy with five loaves and two small fish, but they did not think that that would amount to anything. They said, “What are the five loaves and two fish among so many?” (John 6:9) They saw only the problem, the lack. But Jesus took the little, lifted it up as He looked to heaven and gave thanks to His Father, whose supply is so much more than we can ever ask for. When Jesus started distributing the little that was in His hands, a miracle happened. Five thousand men, not counting women and children, ate as much as they wanted and for as long as they were hungry! The supply kept flowing as long as the need was there. And after they were so filled, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers! That is God’s superabundant supply. In God’s kingdom, there is no such thing as the Father not having enough or not wanting to give abundantly to His children. No, He promises that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! My friend, God wants us to always be conscious of His grace abounding toward us and enveloping us. So let us, like Jesus, acknowledge God’s superabundant supply by thanking Him for it and for whatever is in our hands. Let us believe that His superabundant supply will flow and multiply the little that we have, and fill us up to overflowing!