Why Healing? By Pastor Tim “He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”  Luke 9:2 “And heal the sick there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.'” Luke 10:9 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’” Mark 16:15-18 For many years much of the church in America has believed that the days of healing ended with the first apostles. Yet Jesus said that healing is a sign of and a characteristic of the kingdom of God. The naturalistic or materialistic mind set has ruled in America for many years but it is not the biblical understanding of man and God’s working with man. God created the world and man and He still intervenes in our lives when we ask for His help. As a young child God used prayer and medicine to save my life. Since that time I have had a passion for God’s healing ministry, whether in scriptures or through anointed servants of God. I saw my own son healed of juvenile diabetes when he was two years old (today he serves in the Air Force). Over the years we have seen God intervene in aneurisms, cancers, many back problems, arthritis, vision problems, digestive problems, meningitis, and a multitude of other illnesses. God gets all the glory for healing! It is His work but we are privileged to be co-laborers with Him. Healing reveals God’s true nature, love. The church has wrongly taught for many years that God is behind sickness but that is not true. Jesus came to, “destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth like it is in heaven.” There is an important truth contained in a sermon preached by the apostle Peter in Acts chapter 10:38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” We believe sickness comes from Satan not from God. It is our joy and commission from Jesus to preach the gospel of the kingdom and heal the sick.