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The Healing of the Soul
(Mark 2:1-12)
I. It is doubtful that God will heal you on the outside without changing you on the inside
A. The forgiveness of sin is the greatest need of the soul's health (Psalms 41:4; 103:3).
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
B. The sin problem is at the heart of most problems we face and God is greatly hindered in healing until we acknowledge and turn away from our sin. (Gen. 4:6-7; Hosea 5:13-15)
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.
C. There are three areas of healing within the soul.
1. Our mind. (Isaiah 26:3; Romans 12:1-2; 8:6)
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
2. Our emotions. (Isaiah 57:20-21)
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:2)
3. Our will, volition, choices (Isaiah 59:8).
The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
II. There are three major elements God uses in healing the soul.
A. The word of God. (Mark 2:2; Psalms 107:20 and Luke 7:7)
He sent His word and healed them. (Psalms 107:20)
Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. (Luke 7:7)
B. The prayer of faith (James 5:15-16).
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:15-16)
C. The personal faith of the one who needs healing (Matthew 9:29 and Acts 14:9).
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
III. The one great key is the personal response to God's personal invitation.
A. What God is searching for and longing to see in our lives is the response of faith.
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
B. God does not respond to our need, but to our faith and obedience. (John 5:1-9)
Will you be made whole? Rise, take up thy bed and walk. (John 5:7-8)