2014.02.02_Move God to Work

The Help of God, the Physician

God is the Physician. God sent His precious Servant, Jesus Christ. As the image of God, Jesus manifested God’s true image to us. The God that Jesus manifested is full of compassion and love. Not only was Jesus Christ crucified to save our souls, but also He personally took our pain on His body and enabled us to overcome the weaknesses and diseases of our flesh. And for the believers whom He has entrusted with healing, the Lord leads them to a forever kingdom where joy and health are no longer threatened. But God cannot help those who do not desire the benefit of the Physician.

We cannot take another step without God’s help because there are numerous evil spirits surrounding us. Revelation 12:12 says, “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” The Devil is continuing his works in furious rage. On top of that, life is not easy for man in the flesh.

This tough life for man was the same in the Old Testament times. Yet, even in the midst of their sufferings, encouraging news was heard. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes” (Hos. 13:14). This prophecy gave abundant hope to Israel. They knew well that they could not escape death and the grave with their own strength. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). The Church is the principal agent that overcomes the dominance of Hades.

The Lord Jesus commissioned the Church as he said, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). We must overcome all attacks of the Devil and guard our spiritual lives and the hope for the Kingdom. We must also preserve our physical health, for our flesh is a precious asset for spiritual living. While we are on earth, we must fulfill the work entrusted to us by the Lord. As we counter-attack all of the Devil’s tricks, the Kingdom of God will surely flourish.

The Way to Receive God’s Help

God gave us a way to receive His help because we cannot accomplish work with our own power. This way to God’s help is prayer. “I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? 2My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber” (Psalm 121:1-3). Israel gratefully received such promises but could not personally experience their complete fulfillment. Rather, the fulfillment of such promises is for us today. Though the Israelites cried out to God on top
of their lungs, they never received the promise of God’s answers. However, we have acquired the right through Jesus Christ to communicate with God at anytime.

The name of Jesus is the key for us to receive God’s help. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). In the past, the privilege to ask God and receive answers from Him was limited to the few such as high priests and prophets. But after Jesus became the eternal High Priest, His name was applied to us by the Holy Spirit. We became the high priests, able to make requests to God and directly receive answers from Him. The era of the saints has opened.

Jesus is the clear passage between God and us. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you” (John 16:23). This is a promise that when the Helper, the Holy Spirit, has come, God the Father would personally hear His children’s prayers and answer them. While Jesus was on earth, He expounded to the disciples the necessity and importance of prayer. The Church started from the beginning when the disciples came together to pray. Even after 2,000 years, the Church is still continually in prayer.

The Prayer that the Lord Recommended

Not only did Jesus open the channel of prayer, but He also said, “Pray in this way,” and gave us specific themes of prayer (Matt. 6:9). The most important out of those is, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matt. 6:10). We all must pray in this way as the body of the Lord to bring progress in the church. All those who eat and drink of the Lord’s body must come together as His members and cooperate to fulfill the mission to save souls. Then, as the fullness of Him who fills all in all and the institution that the gates of Hades cannot prevail, the church will be able to diminish the authority of the Devil and extend the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Another theme in the Lord’s Prayer is, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). The Church is full of Christ’s work of forgiveness of sins. Even the greatest of sinners can come to the Church, receive forgiveness and be accepted before God. Following the examples of the Lord, the saints must forgive, receive, encourage and cooperate with one another. Not only that, but the Church must be able to resolve sicknesses that are by nature closely related with sin. Healing in Jesus’ name must never cease in the Church.

Another important theme in the Lord’s Prayer is, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:13). It is a prayer for protection so that we do not fall into the danger of misunderstanding God. Once we develop a negative thought about God, we lose the purity in our hearts and are in danger of falling. Thus, we must refrain from developing negative thoughts about God and people; we must refrain from criticizing others in the church. We must come together in agreement so that there be no danger to our spiritual lives, negative influence to others, danger to the oneness of the Church or damage to the peace with one another. We must pray so that we do not fall because of such issues.

The Church Must Pray Together

It is important that the Church prays together as people gather. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:19-20). According to the Lord’s command, the disciples gave much effort in praying together. When Paul and Silas were in prison, they prayed together. Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the prison, all the doors opened and the shackles that bound them were loosened (Acts 16:16-34). Even when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, they were continually praying together in the upper room (Acts 1:14).

Even after Peter and John were questioned by the public, they returned and prayed together. “29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30). Then, the place where they met was shaken and the people were filled with the Holy Spirit. They spoke the word of God with boldness and serve the Church with greater devotion. The Church must pray together as believers gather.

Demons That Interfere with Progress

Jesus also taught, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11). We are not merely asking for simple daily meals; we are asking for God’s leading in our lives. People from all ages and walks of life give pour out their efforts to carry out tasks. However, the sad reality is that their efforts do not come to full fruition. One of the things that the Devil and his kingdom do is this type of disruption so that people’s efforts do not come into fruition.

“5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psalm 121:5-8). To the past Israelites, these promises were nothing but dreams. Yet, for today’s saints, these are being fulfilled personally in their lives. The Lord gives us the strength to overcome interferences of the enemy so that our lives would become prosperous.

A family that obeys God’s words and serves in the Church can experience true prosperity. The children would become more intelligent, attentive and passionate for studies; even friends who interfered with their studies would be no more. Employees are filled with wisdom, enabled to finish tasks and given unexpected opportunities for promotion. Business pioneers are able to meet trustworthy partners and make suitable decisions according to the situations. However, there are times when situations are not so prosperous though we honor God and serve in the Church. These interferences are caused by demons. Therefore, we must subdue the demons that attempt to stunt our prosperity with the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Nowadays, not only do Christians keep themselves from casting out demons, but they also disparage others who do. This is actually a direct denial of one of the works of Jesus Christ. Those who deny the casting out of demons actually do not acknowledge the existence of demons. Though the Bible records about demons, they endeavor to explain demons as man’s evil personality or even schizophrenia.

Do Demons Actually Exist?

When Jesus came to the Gadarenes, a demoniac came before Him. He lived naked among the tombs. He knelt before Jesus and cried out, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time” (Matt. 8:29). Demons remain in people’s bodies for a certain amount of time and afterward sent into the abyss. The fact that the demons pleaded with the Lord not to send them into the abyss shows that they even knew about a designated time to remain on earth.

When Jesus asked for his name, he said, “Legion.” There were many in one person. They pleaded that Jesus would send them into the herd of swine. When Jesus said, “Go!” they supposed that the Lord was permitting them to enter into the swine and entered them. Then, the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea and perished in the water. And the whole city came out to meet Jesus. The people saw the one who lived near the tombs sitting in his right mind fully clothed.

This incident expounds an important fact. If Jesus had commanded them to go into the abyss, then the demoniac would have been completely well, but the whereabouts of the demons would have been vague. Then, this incident would have lost its credibility to explain the existence of demons and people would have explained the demoniac’s condition that Jesus healed as a mental illness. The fact that the swine violently ran into the sea at the same time the demoniac was healed shows that the demons really did exist.

For whatever the reason, demons that leave one body seek another to possess. In the natural, it would only appear as one person getting well, while another manifests with the same abnormal symptoms. If demons were actually pathogens as people assume, then they would not be able to explain this incident. If a person contracts a contagion from another, they both would still be sick. One would not get sick as the other heals instantaneously. Demons are actual beings with personalities.

The Necessity of Demon Expulsion and the Power of Prayer

When demons enter a person’s body, they can trigger a disease. So a person who thinks lightly of demon possession can experience great agony. Demons can also destroy a family or business, torment a person’s heart, corrupt thoughts or even change a personality. But some might say, “Do we have to cast out demons? Many churches do not cast out demons.” However, we must be involved in demon expulsion.

First, the Lord has commanded to cast out demons. Whoever opposes demon expulsion must think of how they would explain themselves before the Lord. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). The Lord’s commands cannot be neglected.

Second, Demons are agents of the Devil. Jesus Christ condemned and cast out demons from the first day of His public ministry to the end. We as the redeemed of the Lord should not obstinately oppose His works. Anyone who is eternally saved by His blood and word should actively cooperate in His works.

Third, anyone who opposes demon expulsion has not completely understood God’s work. Without acknowledging the actual existence of demons, it is impossible to wholly understand the will of God and the meaning of the Gospel. This is the reason why many experience confusion and are unable to discover clear goals and direction in their spiritual lives. Thus, those who stubbornly deny the existence of demons would be helpless as they see the destruction the family’s faith, health and relationships.

As the Lord cast out demons, we must also cast them out with the authority He has invested in us. However, there are times when demons do not swiftly leave. Even the disciples ask the Lord why they could not cast the deaf and mute spirit. He said, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29). Demon expulsion and prayer have a definitely relationship. Prayer gives power to the one casting out demons and strength in the spirit of the one who desires deliverance. Therefore, prayer is an absolute necessity in a Christian’s life.

The Lord’s Example of Prayer and His Promises

Jesus diligently prayed while He was in the world. One can imagine how much He
prayed when considering that He never stopped casting out demons. To the disciples who could not stay awake and pray, He said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt.
26:41). He never said, “I am the Son of God; I do not need prayer.” He prayed early in the morning (Mark 1:35). He prayed habitually (Luke 22:39-40). Jesus revealed that He always prayed as He said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me” (Luke 22:44). He even prayed, “with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death” (Heb. 5:7). He is now on the throne interceding for us night and day (Rom. 8:34).

The Church’s strength comes from praying with the Lord. The prayers that started 2,000 years ago have continued and are still reviving the Church. Though answers do not come immediately, we must continue to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). The Lord said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Mark 14:38). “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). The Devil tries to hinder our prayers. However, he cannot directly confront the authority and power of prayer warriors for God’s strength supports them.

When the Lord Jesus emphasized prayer, He did not merely say, “Pray passionately! Rather, He promised to answers their prayers with His honor and God’s glory. John 14:13 says, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” From the Lord’s position, answering prayers is associated with His honor and God’s glory.

Prayers that Change the Impossible to the Possible

Prayer is not seeking what we can already do. We should give all of our efforts to accomplish what we can do. We pray for the impossible, what we cannot do with our powers. So we should not pray, “O God, don’t worry about this request. It is too difficult. Just help me with an easier task.” God can do what man cannot do (Romans 8:3). We seek God’s strength because we cannot accomplish with our own.

It is not necessary to pray, “God, since we cannot do anything about serious illnesses, please heal this minor one.” Better yet, even for those abandoned by modern medicine, we should pray, “God, he has been abandoned by the hospital. Please heal him!” We do not have to give up our prayers though the hopeless situations are before us. The power of prayer can even call out a corpse from the grave, though it is tightly shut with a boulder. Whatever the physical sickness or mental scars may be, prayers are able to place them in God’s hand.

The Attitude of Prayer Warriors

Isaiah 62:7 says, “And give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” And give Him no rest means to move God to accomplish. Prayers can be offered at anytime from morning till night. They can be offered while walking, working or in any situation.

Nevertheless, prayer should not be treated like a switch that turns on and off. Those who pray must have true sincerity toward God. Since God has come to us in all sincerity, we must show Him the same. Though prayers are not immediately answered, our reliance on Him must not change. Until God accomplishes His work, we must be patient to the end. God hears our prayers because of our reliance on Him. God helps us because we honor Him.

In the past, only a minority received answers to prayers, but even then, there were no distinct promises for answers. But God is fully prepared to answer our requests through the One who came into the world to serve. What we must do is to openly acknowledge our limitations and humble seek His help so that God would not rest but fulfill all.

Prayer Among Saints

Among saints, prayers must be made for one another (Eph. 6:18). “13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in
the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:13-16). The Church must overcome sickness, help one another to defeat the enemy, encourage one another and pray without ceasing. God works through such churches.