God, in Exodus 15:26, tells the Israelites, through Moses, He is their (and our) Healer; however, healing is not automatic, for they (and us) must be attentive to His voice, understand His instructions, obey all His commandments and laws; thus, when they did all God required; then what God used to discipline Egypt, would not happen to them—the ten plagues—death was number 10, so we (like them) should believe and obey God.
Again, in Deuteronomy 32:36-42, God promises to judge the Israelites for worshiping false gods (idols), so God tells them to get help from their idols (false gods), for they found safe refuge in their Idols, that “ate” their sacrifices, and “drank” their wine offerings, because He is the only God, with both judgment and mercy: He kills and resurrects, wounds and heals, and He alone decides which and to whom He does these things—He is Sovereign, the Supreme Owner.
When God says, in Isaiah 53:4-6, we are healed and brought back to Him by Jesus taking the stripes for our healing, and repeats it in 1 Peter 2:23-25, saying we were healed and brought back to Him by Jesus taking the stripes for our healing; yet both Scripture passages are not automatic, because we are required to not only believe God’s word mentally, but to know God’s word is unquestionable, undoubtable truth, we claim, receive, and hold to by faith—by believing it.
This faith to claim, receive, and hold to, may push our faith to the limit, by taking a short or lengthy time, but Galatians 6:9 promises us, in due season (at God’s timing), we WILL receive the expected harvest we planted by faith, so do not give up on God, in whom is our faith and whose word we believe, knowing by God’s promise and oath (two immutable, unchangeable things), it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:17-18), but God always has a predetermined time, which is why we are commanded NOT to lose heart (give up or doubt God and His word).
Abraham (Abram) was 75-years old (Genesis 12:4), when God promised him descendants and Canaan, but Abraham was 99 when God told Sarah she would bear Abraham a son (Genesis 17:21-27; 18:1-15); thus, Abraham was 100 (Genesis 21:1-7), when Isaac (laughter) was born.
If Abraham, our ancestor of faith in God, who promises and delivers, could trust God for 25 years, before God delivered on His promise; then surely we can trust Him, for we have the printed record of men and women who trusted God and His word from creation until the present, and those of us who are Christians, members of Christ’s body, the church worldwide, are Abraham’s legal heirs by faith in Jesus Christ, a spiritual Israelite descendent of Abraham, the father of all Israelites.
Believe God’s word and trust the God, whose word we believe, also use faith-praying (James 5:14-15; 2:14-17), until we experience the healing promises, for God’s glory and honor.
God prearranged everything we face to make us repent, pray, receive, and obey Him; thus, we either get His help (1 John 5:1-5; Hebrews 4:16), His way, or we reject God and become our own god-idol, worshiping and trusting self.
Jim Nabors
