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It is simply believing the Word of God over your circumstances.
For example if your circumstances were that you were sick, a Word of faith person would read the Bible and find out it said "By His stripes you were healed."
When a doubting Christian would say: the Bible doesn't mean that because I can't see it, a Word of Faith Christian says: the Bible does mean that and I will see it.
Oh, I see. Yes, I can understand how "healed" can be interpreted many ways. There's so much in the New Testament that would direct one to believe "healed" actually means delivered from the bonds of sin, which is death.
How would you explain something that happened in my life. There was a time when i felt a great urgency to pray for one of our pastors for healing from a stage-nine terminal cancer, one that two different doctors confirmed, one of the doctors being his own family member. Twice in six months I was compelled to pray for him (with another friend who also had the same strong desire to pray for him.) His cancer was healed, and his doctors claimed there could be no other answer than this was a miracle from God.
But then, in another situation, I just didn't have the same faith. In the first situation, it was as if the faith was planted inside me, and I was compelled to pray in so powerful a way that I could only attribute the urging as coming from God.
In the other case, there was nothing. To me, this indicated God's will was not for the second person to physically survive the illness. She had great faith that she would leave this life and go straight to the Father's arms, and so she had great faith in this. But, none of us had faith for her healing.
How can you explain the different faith experiences in these two cases? Would you say the woman who was not healed was not taking the Word as the truth?
What would you have said to her?
Thank you, Heatherfb. Maybe another situation I experienced might provide a more poignant example.
In the church I left, there was a young boy who was stricken with an aggressive cancer. He was only nine, and we prayed so much over him. Twice, we fasted and held all-night vigils in our church. His parents' entire lives turned upside down with his care. When he did finally die, the pastor told the congregation he was in so much pain he asked the pastor to touch only his fingertip instead of laying hands on him one final time in prayer.
What followed is in part what caused me to leave the church. Some began to look for fault in the parents, as so many prayed with what they believed was great faith. Whispers of rumors began to spread, that a poster he had in his room might have indicated his parents were allowing demonic forces in his life. Others questioned the faith of the parents, or the validity of their Christianity.
I was devastated for the parents. Not only did they lose their son, they were left terribly bewildered as to why their prayers were not answered, and then on top of everything else, they finally left the church under a cloud of judgment and suspicion.
It was horrible. But, how would someone in the WOF movement have handled this family? How would they have comforted them when "lack of faith" could be the only answer?
We walk by faith not sight.The same applies here? We couldn't have spent more time in the Word, fasting, praying, prayer vigils, on and on. How would you explain this?
We walk by faith not sight.
The Word of God is above mans explanations.
The Word of God says the effectual fervant prayers of a righteous man avaieth much.
The Word of God says The prayer of faith, shall save the sick. James 5:15
The Word of God says Mark 16:18 Those that believe, in the Name of Jesus shall lay hands on the sick, and the sick shall recover.
The circumstances you have described, (if true), are not greater than God and His Word, you do not display a faith icon, take your words of doubt to some other thread, as for me I serve the Lord. period
The same applies here? We couldn't have spent more time in the Word, fasting, praying, prayer vigils, on and on. How would you explain this?
Why did this boy die: because the parents didn't believe it and receive it. Should they take the blame? No - they are free from condemnation in Christ. Should we lie to them and tell them God wants another flower in his flower garden, or should we tell them the truth and make sure they don't lose another child?
Blessings,
Ben
You know Ben? As a loving parent, I can't imagine we could say anything that would not make them feel condemnation and guilt. It is this part that I can't reconcile with Jesus' teachings on love.
The other thing that bothers me is how most of the apostles lives ended. They were killed. Why didn't they rely on physical healing, if physical healing is the assured end to all physical infirmity?
Why did Paul tell Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach ailment instead of telling him to believe for a complete healing?
Yes, I believe some people are healed. And for years our pastor taught a similar teaching you are teaching here. But when he was stricken with cancer, and after his initial healing it returned, he changed. I think it had something to do with the little boy's death too. He came to believe that physical healing, miracles, are God's way of planting faith among new believers. But as you mature, he said, God asks us to give thanks for everything that comes our way, because death is not something we always want to avoid.
But, for the parents, I will always stand firm that this particular doctrine ended up leaving them in despair. And I can not align with such. I would rather embrace death than risk being a part of hurting a family the way that family was hurt.
I am also a loving parent, having 4 children, and I don't find this difficult at all. The truth is what sets us free, not falsehoods. I would rather know my child died because I failed to receive healing than be deceived into thinking that there was something wrong with the transmission. Because then I would blame God, rather than take it on the chin and move on with life.
I am not clear on why you cannot reconcile this with Jesus' teaching on love. When the disciples came ot Jesus (in Matthew 17) and asked why they could not heal a young boy who was epiletic, Jesus didn't tell them "I love you all loads and these things just happen", he said "because of your unbelief".
This is a simple question with a simple answer. None of the apostles died of cancer - they were killed by other people. We are redeemed from sickness, we are not redeemed from persecution. We cannot apply the Scriptures that pertain to one topic to the other!
Timothy knew to believe for a complete healing and was presumably standing in faith. Paul did tell him to have a spirit of power, love and sound mind, and that he should stand and so on, but I guess this piece of personal advice was just to make it easier on him.
If someone is young in faith, like Timothy was, I would have no problems saying while you are standing in faith against the headache, take a panadol.
The Bible says resist the devil, not thank God for the works of the devil. Anything that steals, kills and destroys you is from the devil (John 10.10) and you should not accept it.
Gloria Copeland defines heresy as any doctrine that calls you to lay down at the feet of the devil.
You would rather leave them vulnerable to whatever attack the devil throws at them in the future.
If the parents had a 19 year old child die in a car crash who was a practising satanist, not a Christian, never been born again, died cursing and rejecting Jesus, would you tell them the truth about salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, or would you tell them something more palatable to help them through their despair?
Blessings,
Ben
Well, I would rather blame my own lack of faith. But, I wouldn't presume on the parents because of their pain.
Yes, he does say that, which is the part that makes me want to continue seeking him on that.
So, you're saying that only physical illness is from Satan. Aren't those who killed the apostles led by Satan as well? Isn't this like saying we stand firm against Satan for some things and not for others? And why wouldn't "belief" ward off persecutions as well?
But, doesn't this contradict what you are saying below:
When Paul was making it easier on Timothy, wasn't he doing what GC warns us against? And for the reason below:
I would say nothing and leave the final judgment of the 19-year-old to God. I would try to comfort the parents in their grief in any way I could. I really do believe it is okay to leave conviction at such times up to the Holy Spirit, as I have more faith in how the Spirit convicts a soul than in anything I might say.
People in pain are perfect? What a strange way of looking at it. Not saying that I wouldn't take responsibility - the entire church is responsible. Of course if the parents chose to go to a church where the Word is not preached clearly and without tradition, then there is a fault.
If a couple divorce is God guilty for that? Is that just one of those things? Or would you tell a couple in pain that they were at fault in that situation?
Suffering A Mixed Bag - Tree of Life Church, London. Let me refer you to this article on our church website explaining some of the different causes of suffering. You can stand against satan directly, but not against satan through another person because they have free will. I can provide a longer response to this, but not at the moment.
No, it makes perfect sense. What would make no sense is Paul telling Timothy to drink for his stomachs sake if the sickness or ailment was the will of God. Then he would be commanding Timothy to go against God!
Hello Ben,
I read the link, but the one question I still have is Job. How does one explain Job's suffering in terms of the different reasons for suffering the article points to. In a way, Job's friends all offered their reasons, many of which align with what is taught in this link, But God rebuked them (and Job as well!!).
How would you explain Job's suffering in terms of the linked article?
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