Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene
Jesus does the healing we need in our lives but He asks a very important question first: Do you want to be healed? Thanks so much for diving into the word with us today!
We acknowledge, our wounds can come from a lot of places:
• Wounds from past sin or from current sin (destructive behaviors)
• Wounds from failure – you have disappointed yourself and others
• Wounds by other people – abused, disrespected, mistreated, abandoned
• Wounds from incredible loss in your life
Statement #1
(In the midst of your pain) He loves you.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
• Our emotions in the midst of our circumstances can sometimes make us feel like God is distant
• But the truth is that Jesus weeps with us in our pain (John 11:35)
• Jesus showed us a God who associates with the broken and the destitute
• Jesus is able to bring us the most comfort when we are hurting (Matthew 5:4)
Statement #2
(In the midst of your pain) He can heal you.
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
• It’s not just that God is close, but He desires to save, to minister, to heal
• “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
-The wounds represented here were from years of being in exile
-God was healing deep emotional and psychological pain from all that was lost
John 5:1-9 NIV
The Question:
Do you want to be healed?
• The man’s response with reasonable excuses...”I have no help” and “Someone gets ahead of me”
• Often we can identify all the reasons why experiencing healing is hard, without clearly answering the question
• “God healed me, but I had to choose that healing. To be made whole, first I had to admit that I wasn’t.” Christine Caine
• Your past has no more power over you than what you give it.
Sometimes we want to be accepted, rather than healed.
We want to be comforted, rather than healed.
We want to be enabled, rather than healed.
If we aren’t careful, our identity is totally caught up in our pain, our hurt, our wounds.
"His healing follows you trust"
Philippians 3:13-14 NIV
“Straining toward what is ahead” is not easy. It sounds messy, even painful. There will be moments filled with uncertainty. But ultimately it comes down to trust. Trusting God means we are “straining toward what is ahead” and “pressing on."
How can God heal us if we will not trust Him with our wounds?
Other Texts for Further Reflection:
Isaiah 53:3-5 NIV
Psalms 73:26 NIV
Matthew 11:27-30 MSG