H2 -A Clash of Kingdoms
Handout #2 A Clash of Kingdoms
Healing and deliverance ministry provide believers opportunity for a direct assault on
strongholds of the kingdom of darkness in order to set people free through Jesus’ love and power. It is the power of Satan against the power of God—the consequences of the fall against God’s grace—and God is infinitely stronger. If it helps you in this spiritual conflict with the flesh, the world, and the devil, remember that the enemy does not put into practice what Jesus has spoken (Matthew 7:26). So no matter how long the stronghold has been standing, it has a foundation of sand. If you bring the wind of the Spirit and the waves from the river of life that is flowing in you against it, the stronghold will come down (John 7:38).
Many ask, “What if healing does not come right away or at all when we pray or command healing with authority?” This dilemma seems to stop many disciples from starting to minister healing and deliverance in obedience of faith. They apparently want full assurance of success each time or they hold back. This is more than doctors and medicine can promise based on scientific observation of the natural world, but most western culture Christians are still more comfortable with that—with trying things in the physical realm in order to get well or freed. Surgeries and medicines abound, at some cost of time, pain, and money. (And yet “physical realm” efforts leave 70 to 80 diseases incurable.) We thank God for doctors, nurses, hospitals, and medicine, and for the money to purchase them. These are blessings, and since Jesus is Lord of the visible and invisible realms, we really don’t have to pick one approach or the other. God uses both to bless people. Enjoy the “genius of the and.”
When we speak of divine healing like we see through Jesus, the first disciples, and the early church all through Acts, we must be willing to learn and develop in this ministry just as any other. We can’t just jump from the first time praying for others (kindergarten) to veteran healing ministry where hundreds of healings and deliverances occur in and through a believer each month (grad school). The disciples grew through Jesus’ show- how method of training, from watching in faith to helping or doing smaller missions in pairs, to solo miracles, to huge healing ministries. Early on, they did not always succeed. But they learned each time they did put the Master’s commands into practice (Matthew 10:7-8).
Eventually, we see times where the early church leaders healed all who came to them,
just like Jesus (Acts 5:16, 28:9). I will be making the point that for healing to manifest in someone’s life, the healing equation needs more than A (God’s will to heal) and B (our faith). The equation is not A + B = healing here on earth. That puts weird pressure on already sick people to somehow measure their faith, and that gets their eyes off Jesus even more and makes it harder to receive. The contrary error is to shrink the will of God based on our experience and say obviously God does not want to heal all, some, any. But Jesus reveals the Father best.
So by considering C (the clash of kingdoms, I call it) in the equation, truth and grace can grow together: A + B + C = healing here and now.
- A: The revealed will of God in healing—the Father wants people well, because Jesus reveals the will of the Father perfectly (John 14:6-14; Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15, 19, and dozens of other verses showing the perfect obedience of Jesus to the Father, and the healing of all who came to him).
- B: Our faith—even a mustard seed of faith (trusting relationship between persons) in the Father who wants people well can produce plenty of healings in us and others. This is not just an individual sport; a team is often involved (two by two; faith is not just exhibited in the one receiving the healing). We have enough faith to start and we can grow it by seeing God’s heart and actions and promises in Scripture again and again. God is a steady, reliable person for our hearts to trust.
- C: The clash of kingdoms now—I’m trying to identify a few categories of reality that describe why healing can sometimes be delayed or not realized on earth. This is the fruitful area to mine if healing does not come the first time we pray for someone with faith in the Lord’s revealed will. The clash is between the kingdom of heaven (already here but not fully realized on earth) and the kingdom of darkness. The whole counsel of God would seem to speak to these kinds of issues hindering the manifestation of healing in lives now on earth. And this is not unlike our struggle with sin or addictions at times, or how salvation is delayed for years for those we are praying for and witnessing to, even though God’s will is plain concerning sin and the Father’s desire to save.
Corporate Unbelief
People just don’t want to “go there” since it seems so unfamiliar. Skepticism reigns over the relationship to Jesus instead of seeing him resurrected in glory at the right hand of the Father, full of grace and truth, the same yesterday, today, and forever in his character and ministry, still bringing the supreme will of the Father to earth in saving ways through ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven.
Doubt
Doubt is similar to corporate unbelief but the “sphere” or view of reality is different. Unbelief traffics and trusts in the lower, temporary realm only (1 Corinthians 4:18). But doubt is able to affect the relationship with God in the heavenly or supernatural realm. Doubting people are interacting with the real Jesus, walking somewhat by faith and not just sight, and engaging the true promises and provision of God, yet they have trouble continuing to receive from God what is promised. (See James 1:5-8 for the willingness of God to give wisdom to all people and how doubt can block people from receiving that wisdom. They are unstable, not settled.)
Doubt is a corrosive enemy of faith, getting our eyes off Christ and the Word of God and on other circumstances. Peter walking on the water with Jesus on a stormy night illustrates this well (Matthew 14:22-33). Peter and Jesus manifest a superior reality for a time as they defy the natural world’s law of gravity. Then Peter gets his eyes off Jesus and on the wind and waves, and he immediately begins to sink as the law of gravity prevails. Jesus says in verse 31, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Doubt is the enemy of people with little faith, who otherwise can and still do receive from the Lord in many other areas of life. The text also mentions fear, which often plays a handmaiden role in bringing doubt.
False Evidence
Appearing Real is one way to explain fear. This is a tug-a-war between the truth of heaven and the facts of earth. We need spiritual illumination of realities beyond our five senses; Scripture can help slay these doubts when used like a double-edged sword dividing “soul from spirit” or our mind’s way of thinking and feeling versus the realities of a new creation and citizens of heaven (Hebrews 4:12, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16).
God rebukes corporate unbelief for clear lack of trust in God and for fixating on the temporary things of this world, but doubt is treatable if we stay in a humble and teachable relationship with Jesus. For example, Peter cries out when doubt intercepts his faith: “Lord, save me!” And Jesus does, immediately catching him from falling. That is a good prayer for us when we sense doubt trying to creep in to keep us from receiving supernaturally from the Lord. It gets our eyes back on the Lord. Another example is the man with a tormented son (Mark 9:14-29, Matthew 17:14-20, Luke 9:37-42), who receives deliverance for his son from Jesus when he cries out: “I believe; help my unbelief!” This is another great prayer that shows how to receive even when fighting doubts and other feelings/memories, such as, “I’ve been prayed for before; how will this time be any different?”
The disciple Thomas also wrestled with doubts after he heard about the resurrection of Jesus, and that is “natural” in the sense that he had little experience with this kind of thing—resurrection—and knew it had to be supernatural. But there, too, Jesus came to Thomas and graciously helped him along by letting Thomas touch the supernatural, glorified body still bearing nail prints and wounds. Thomas is healed of doubt by staying present to Jesus in a humble and teachable way. Yet Jesus does commend those who believe without “seeing” with their five senses first. Cleansing our lives of doubt in order to receive healing can take some time in different cultures and personalities. The handout “A Dirty Dozen Doubts” gives Scripture to meditate on and use as the sword of the Spirit against this enemy hiding in our thoughts and feelings.
The Will of a Human Being
Scripture shows that Jesus did not heal all who were sick or demonized in Israel, but rather all of those who came to him, who sought him out, who listened to his teachings, who let him minister to them (Luke 4:40, 13:34, 17:12; Mark 1:40-41, 6:56; Matthew 4:23-24, 8:7, 8:16, 9:35, 10:1, 14:14, 15:30, 20:30-34). This pattern is also true of Jesus’ kingdom followers: Luke 9:1-2 for the first 12, then Luke 10:9, 17 for the 72, then Acts 5:12-16 for the early church, and Acts 6:8 for Stephen, Acts 8:6-8 for Phillip, Acts 28:9 for Paul, etc.) Those who choose not to come, like the Pharisees or Sadducees and others, will not receive. The human choice would block the will of the Father being supremely manifested in that person or need, even though the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So while salvation (sozo) is perfectly provided in Jesus 2000 years ago on the cross, it is sought and received voluntarily, a response of faith and a choice of will. The Father is active in drawing people and arranging providential “divine appointments,” but this is also why it seems at times Jesus asks key questions: “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6) or “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41).
Pit of Passivity
Passivity is related to “the human will” issue but functions much like doubt does in how this works among people who know God personally. Due to feelings or thoughts (rationality, emphasizing only one part of revelation to the exclusion of other revelation), a person will so focus on the sovereignty of God in general that they will fail to align themselves actively with that will revealed in their lives. That is a lordship issue, but it may be hard for them to connect the doctrine to their lives. So while claiming a great preference for God’s will in general and usually from a distance (transcendent, not very intimate or immanently loving), the person remains passive and does not actually seek healing from Jesus, the Healer, who is true to God’s nature when he heals (Jehovah Rapha). This religion “of the head” afflicted the Pharisees and Sadducees, too, and the Gentiles (Matthew 23:1-4; John 5:39-40; James 2:19; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 4:20). Hyper-Calvinistic teaching can produce this overbalance in believers and make them passive, waiting for God’s specific or special will to be revealed in their individual cases. They don’t want to be presumptuous, but a false humility masks the fears that make them passive. They “stand back” to see what comes. They are often unclear on what is actually a good and perfect gift from the Father and what is bad, from a fallen earthly realm.
But God still works in us and around us for good anyway (Romans 8:28). God can’t love us any more and won’t love us any less. But sickness is not a good and perfect gift! (Luke 6:9, 13:10-17). Demons aren’t either (Luke 10:17-19, 11:20). God is not a child abuser.
Read Matthew 7:7-11 and note Jesus’ comparison between our earthly parents and the heavenly Father. You know the Father wants you well, so keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Faith is an expression of our will, even in the face of condemning thoughts or negative feelings, so our choices matter in terms of who we trust in action! Let’s be fully persuaded and act by faith in God’s promises as Abraham did (Romans 4:20-21).
Lack of Persistence
In the parable of the sower, seeds are sown on four types of soil. The first three soils—a pathway, rocky soil, and weedy soil—don’t bear an exponential yield in response to the revealed Word of God. In each case the seed of the message (of God’s willingness and power to save, heal, and deliver) gets snatched away by the devil, scorched by outside heat or threats, or choked by the preference for this world’s pleasures and securities. An example of good, fruitful soil is illustrated by another parable of the kingdom, the one regarding the persistent widow coming to the unjust judge to gain what is rightfully hers (Luke 18:1-8). Persistence can be the key when nothing else will work. In verse seven, at says, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” God will rule righteously for his children, because of what Jesus did on the cross two thousand years ago. As James 2:22 says, our faith is demonstrated by actions, made complete by what we do. While you are waiting, remember “expression deepens impression,” so speak the truth out loud (Matthew 11:22-24).
Another example, the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30, shows that persistence wins the heart of Jesus even for those outside the covenant of healing with God. She is commended for having “great faith.”
Here’s another reason to be persistent: the spiritual battle in the heavenly realm can be a reason for delay on God’s provision and answers to prayer (for 21 days in Daniel 10:12-13). Many healing testimonies reveal the need for persistence, because more is going on than meets the eye. For example, blindness left a woman on the seventh night in a row of receiving powerful prayer in a healing conference. No changes were apparent for the first six days. Why not healing on the first night? The healing minister was given a vision of the spiritual battle being won each day in seven parts until finally on the seventh prayer session, wow, manifestation of healing occurred. Others receive healings in stages, or one part of the body affected before others. Healing in this way is often progressive over time, gradual for a variety of reasons it seems. And sometimes God is using “means” in both the natural and supernatural realms as a witness to others (it’s not all about us). Get on the right road and you will reach the right destination if you don’t give up. By faith and patience we inherit the promises! (Hebrews 6:12, 10:35-39).
Sense of Personal Shame and Guilt, Unforgiveness toward Others
The devil is a liar, murderer, and accuser (John 8:44, Revelation 12:10) and he will gladly try to keep the saints in condemnation if they allow it. Romans 8:1-2 declares our freedom in Christ with no condemnation, but if believers are caught in real or perceived guilt and shame it is difficult for them to receive grace and mercy from the Lord for healing. The enemy will play this card until defeated by the truths of Scripture regarding the double cure: all our sins are washed away in the blood of Jesus’ atoning death on the cross, and Jesus gives us the gift of perfect and justifying righteousness that is “from above.” Our sin is wiped out and our righteousness is filled up! (Romans 10:3-4). We are a new creation in Christ, clothed in righteousness as a gift. In the same way, holding ours or someone else’s guilt or shame in our hearts can make a barrier, a “stone in the bucket” taking up space meant for grace and holding back the flow of life in that area (John 7:38)
In Matthew 18:35, Jesus warns of dire consequences on earth for those who refuse to forgive others when they have been forgiven much more. Mark 11:25 speaks of the need to forgive others in the context of believing, mountain-moving prayer being effective.
James 5:16 and 1 John 1:7-8 show how cleansing and healing occur with confession and prayer. The paralyzed man let down through the roof had his sins forgiven and then received healing in his body. In John 5:14, Jesus heals a man and then tells him to stop sinning so that “nothing worse happens to you.”
Get squared away with your sin and the sins of others against you by the provision of Jesus in salvation (sozo) and that often leads to healings of the whole person (spirit, soul, and body). Spiritual roots to disease can be found here too, as pastor Henry Wright points out in
You can always, always forgive others by trusting in the justice of God to deal ultimately and decisively with sin, either on the cross two thousand years ago or in the coming age in hell. Don’t run hopelessly behind Jesus or run ahead of him by holding on to others’ sins against you. Let them go on ahead to judgment day, so you can forgive others as you have been forgiven.
Larger Kingdom of God
Sometimes healing doesn’t come right away because God is accomplishing a larger kingdom purpose. (This is not the same as the third doubt on the Dirty Dozen Doubts list, which focuses on some unknown personal purpose for why God supposedly gave this sickness or injury to his child.) For example, Lazarus in John 11 could certainly have been healed by Jesus, and they were asking! Jesus loved Lazarus and certainly knew the way to the house. But he delayed, and Lazarus died. Two things become evident in the Scripture here: Jesus was preparing many for a far greater revelation of his glory—they already knew he was the healer, now they would know he is the resurrection and the life. And second, many would put their faith in Jesus for eternal life through this delayed healing. Lazarus wasn’t sick anymore when he was raised to life, and so the healing came. God didn’t give less, he gave more, but the understanding of his close friends was severely tested by this experience. It didn’t line up with what they knew before.
I have seen this in a dramatic case in California where God was bringing a son home to heaven (2 Corinthians 5) and many dozens of youth would put their faith in Jesus for salvation through the death of a young man. Evan was healed in heaven—his real home—and God did more that we could ask or think at the time. He is king of his kingdom after all! I just follow Jesus. Probably this principle is at work in the timing of healing for the lame man outside the temple in Acts 3:1-6. He is over 40 years old, crippled from birth, and verse two tells us he was put there every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. Surely Jesus passed by this man before and neither had spoken. But now, in God’s timing and provision, the man is healed by Peter and John and the impact is huge, with many coming to Christ in
It is worth noting in Scripture how Jesus heals people differently in so many cases. Sometimes a process is involved; they are not just immediately “well.” The man in John has to go to a particular pool to wash off the mud Jesus had put on his eyes, and then his sight is restored. As another man is being healed from blindness, Jesus asks him what he can see. It is a two-stage healing. The ten lepers have to go show themselves to the priests, and they are healed on the way. So not all healing is immediate; it is not all “right now” or nothing. In the old covenant, Naaman has to go wash seven times in the
The Development Process of Disciples
The Bible also shows that the disciples developed a healing ministry as they trained ]under Jesus. The first followers had healed no one before joining their hearts and lives with Jesus. They move through a predictable “show-how” apprenticing pattern with Jesus:
- I do it, and you watch (Matthew 4:22-25).
- I do it, and you help (John 6:1-13).
- You do it with my help (Matthew 10:1-8).
- You do it, and I watch (Acts 5:12-16).
- You do it, and someone else watches (Acts 6:8, 8:6 and 2 Timothy 2:2).
This pattern fulfills John 14:12: “Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing…even greater things.” The disciples had to grow into this experientially, watching and learning, often step by step. They got better at healing as they went, as evidenced by the man with a tormented son (Matthew 9:24) where they couldn’t get the deliverance and healing done, Jesus says, due to little faith and lack of prayer. Their faith needed to grow by steadily watching the rest of Jesus’ life and ministry, just as we have opportunity to do by revelation in Scripture. By Acts 5:16, we see that
Prepared by Tim Vink, RCA coordinator for multiplication, (616) 499-5125.