In Matthew chapter 8 it is written by THE SPIRIT:
16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed all who were sick,
17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“He Himself took our infirmities
And bore our sicknesses.”
Jesus cast out the spirits with His Word. No matter how you look at this passage, you must acknowledge that “spirits” are connected with infirmities and sicknesses. The spiritual operates, affects, and overcomes the physical. The answer to sickness and disease does not lie with a pharmaceutical. Instead, the answer in the end is dealing with the spiritual. In the U.S, there are more commercials promoting the use of pharmaceuticals than just about any other product or industry. Why? We are urged to treat the symptoms and not the underlying problem. We are consistently exposed to alternatives to FATHER’S Divine Intent in the area of healing and restoration.
Were there any exceptions found in the above passage? No, “all” means all. Are there demon-possessed people in our midst today? No doubt. Believers cannot be demon-possessed but their physical bodies can be oppressed and affected by spiritual forces. In Luke chapter 4, Jesus proclaimed:
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Who was doing the “oppressing”? The enemy. We are to be the ones to set at liberty those who are oppressed. The word oppressed means: the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, or anxiety. Doesn’t this definition describe the chronic conditions associated with sickness and infirmities?
If you discount or disregard this aspect of ministry, then you will be hindered in your walk with FATHER. No, there is not a devil behind every tree… but there are demons to deal with in the spiritual realm and we need to operate in the gift of the Holy Spirit- discerning of spirits. Jesus operated in this manner as He healed all who were sick.
Are you being plagued by an unexpected infirmity? We must consider the possibility of being spiritually attacked in order to direct our focus away from our calling. This may require much prayer and fasting as we deal with such spiritual matters. Let us be persistent in addressing any obstruction that would prevent us from being fully led by THE SPIRIT and ministering to those brought before us. Jesus declared that we would do greater things and He did not omit healing those oppressed by the spirits. Let us also expect to heal them all.