God's Word: The Ultimate Healing Medicine
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound concept of "God's Medicine," which is essentially the Word of God. Proverbs 4:20-22 emphasizes that God's words are life and health to our flesh, likening them to medicine. The sermon began with a personal testimony of enduring a prolonged illness and discovering that true healing could only be found in the Bible. This journey led to a deeper understanding of the importance of diligently studying and meditating on God's Word.
We discussed the necessity of following God's directions for taking His "medicine." Just as a doctor's prescription must be taken as directed to be effective, so must God's Word be internalized and acted upon. This involves not just reading or memorizing scripture but meditating on it until it becomes a part of our inner being. The sermon highlighted the importance of giving God's Word our undivided attention, inclining our ears to His sayings, and keeping His words before our eyes.
The sermon also addressed the common obstacles to faith, such as doubt and misinformation, and emphasized the need to unlearn false teachings. Faith, we learned, comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The examples of Jesus' healings in the New Testament were cited to illustrate that faith is the key to divine healing. Jesus often said, "Your faith has made you whole," underscoring that faith is activated by the Word of God.
Finally, the sermon encouraged us to see ourselves as God sees us—healed and whole. This involves a mental shift from seeing ourselves as sick to seeing ourselves as recipients of God's promises. The importance of keeping God's Word in our hearts was stressed, as it is the source of life and health. The sermon concluded with practical advice on how to meditate on God's Word and build it into our spirits, ensuring that our faith remains strong and effective.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Word as Medicine: Just as physical medicine must be taken as prescribed to be effective, God's Word must be internalized and acted upon to bring healing and health. This involves diligent, reverent, and prayerful study of the scriptures, allowing them to become a part of our inner being. [03:40]
2. Faith Comes by Hearing: Faith is not something we can manufacture on our own; it comes by hearing the Word of God. As we continually feed on God's Word, faith will naturally grow within us, enabling us to receive the healing and promises God has for us. [10:03]
3. Seeing Ourselves as Healed: To experience God's healing, we must shift our perspective from seeing ourselves as sick to seeing ourselves as healed. This mental shift is crucial and is achieved by keeping God's promises before our eyes and meditating on them until they become our reality. [15:37]
4. Unlearning False Teachings: Sometimes, we need to unlearn false teachings and misconceptions that cloud our understanding of God's promises. This requires a humble and open heart, willing to be corrected and guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth. [02:44]
5. Practical Meditation: Meditating on God's Word involves more than just reading; it requires muttering, pondering, and internalizing the scriptures. This practice builds the Word into our spirits, making our faith strong and effective, ready to face any challenge. [24:05]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:42] - Personal Testimony of Healing
[02:44] - Unlearning False Teachings
[03:40] - God's Word as Medicine
[04:26] - Importance of Internalizing Scripture
[05:11] - Directions for Taking God's Medicine
[06:07] - Spiritual Growth and Responsibility
[07:33] - Putting God's Word First
[08:16] - Inclining Your Ear to God's Sayings
[10:03] - Faith Comes by Hearing
[11:07] - Examples of Jesus' Healings
[12:35] - The Role of Faith in Healing
[13:37] - Listening to God's Word
[15:07] - Keeping God's Word Before Your Eyes
[19:33] - Seeing Yourself as Healed
[24:05] - Practical Meditation on Scripture
[29:35] - Healing in the Atonement
[35:56] - Faith for Healing
[36:51] - A Sinner's Prayer for Healing
[38:27] - About the Author
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Proverbs 4:20-22: "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh."
2. Romans 10:17: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
3. Mark 5:34: "And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Proverbs 4:20-22 say about the importance of God's words? How are they described in relation to our health?
2. According to Romans 10:17, how does faith come to us? What is the role of hearing in this process?
3. In Mark 5:34, what does Jesus attribute the woman's healing to? How does this relate to the concept of faith discussed in the sermon? [10:39]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How can we practically "attend to" and "incline our ear" to God's words as instructed in Proverbs 4:20-22? What might this look like in our daily lives?
2. The sermon mentioned that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). How does this process work, and why is it essential for receiving God's promises, including healing? [10:03]
3. Jesus often said, "Your faith has made you whole" (Mark 5:34). What does this statement imply about the relationship between faith and healing? How can we apply this understanding to our own lives? [10:39]
### Application Questions
1. The sermon emphasized the importance of meditating on God's Word until it becomes part of our inner being. What specific steps can you take this week to meditate more deeply on scripture? [05:11]
2. Reflect on a time when you faced doubt or misinformation about God's promises. How did you overcome these obstacles, and what role did God's Word play in that process? [02:44]
3. The sermon encouraged us to see ourselves as healed and whole. How can you shift your perspective from seeing yourself as sick to seeing yourself as a recipient of God's promises? What practical steps can you take to reinforce this new perspective? [15:07]
4. Sometimes, we need to unlearn false teachings to fully embrace God's truth. Can you identify any misconceptions you might have about God's promises? How can you seek correction and guidance from the Holy Spirit? [02:44]
5. The sermon highlighted the importance of keeping God's Word in our hearts. What are some practical ways you can ensure that God's Word remains central in your life, especially during challenging times? [19:03]
6. How can you make a habit of "taking God's medicine" by regularly studying and internalizing scripture? What changes might you need to make in your daily routine to prioritize this practice? [03:40]
7. Think of a specific area in your life where you need healing or breakthrough. How can you apply the principles from the sermon to build your faith and receive God's promises in that area? [10:03]
Devotional
### Day 1: God's Word as Medicine
Theme: God's Word is a healing prescription.
Description: Just as physical medicine must be taken as prescribed to be effective, God's Word must be internalized and acted upon to bring healing and health. This involves diligent, reverent, and prayerful study of the scriptures, allowing them to become a part of our inner being. The Bible likens God's words to medicine, emphasizing that they are life and health to our flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22). To experience this divine healing, we must give God's Word our undivided attention, incline our ears to His sayings, and keep His words before our eyes. This process is not passive but requires active engagement and commitment. By doing so, we allow the transformative power of God's Word to work within us, bringing about physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. [03:40]
Bible Passage: "My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22, ESV)
Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to give God's Word your undivided attention and allow it to bring healing to your life?
### Day 2: Faith Comes by Hearing
Theme: Faith grows by hearing God's Word.
Description: Faith is not something we can manufacture on our own; it comes by hearing the Word of God. As we continually feed on God's Word, faith will naturally grow within us, enabling us to receive the healing and promises God has for us. Romans 10:17 states, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." This means that our faith is directly linked to our exposure to and understanding of God's Word. By immersing ourselves in scripture, we allow the Holy Spirit to build our faith, making us more receptive to God's promises and more resilient in the face of challenges. This process requires consistency and dedication, as faith is built over time through regular engagement with the Bible. [10:03]
Bible Passage: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate more time for hearing and studying God's Word in your daily routine to strengthen your faith?
### Day 3: Seeing Ourselves as Healed
Theme: Shift your perspective to see yourself as healed.
Description: To experience God's healing, we must shift our perspective from seeing ourselves as sick to seeing ourselves as healed. This mental shift is crucial and is achieved by keeping God's promises before our eyes and meditating on them until they become our reality. The Bible teaches that we are healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5), and this truth must be internalized and believed. By focusing on God's promises and visualizing ourselves as recipients of His healing, we align our thoughts with His Word. This shift in perspective is not merely positive thinking but a faith-filled response to God's promises. It requires us to reject the lies of the enemy and embrace the truth of God's Word, allowing it to transform our minds and bodies. [15:37]
Bible Passage: "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, ESV)
Reflection: What are some specific promises of God regarding healing that you can meditate on today to shift your perspective from sickness to health?
### Day 4: Unlearning False Teachings
Theme: Unlearn false teachings to embrace God's truth.
Description: Sometimes, we need to unlearn false teachings and misconceptions that cloud our understanding of God's promises. This requires a humble and open heart, willing to be corrected and guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth. Many of us have been exposed to teachings that contradict the Word of God, leading to doubt and confusion. By diligently studying the Bible and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can discern truth from error and align our beliefs with God's Word. This process involves a willingness to let go of long-held misconceptions and embrace the truth of scripture, even when it challenges our previous understanding. By doing so, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's promises and experience the freedom and healing that come from His truth. [02:44]
Bible Passage: "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32, ESV)
Reflection: Are there any teachings or beliefs you hold that may not align with God's Word? How can you seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to unlearn these and embrace God's truth?
### Day 5: Practical Meditation
Theme: Meditate on God's Word for strong faith.
Description: Meditating on God's Word involves more than just reading; it requires muttering, pondering, and internalizing the scriptures. This practice builds the Word into our spirits, making our faith strong and effective, ready to face any challenge. Joshua 1:8 instructs us to meditate on the Word day and night, ensuring that it becomes a part of our daily lives. By doing so, we allow the Word to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions, aligning them with God's will. Practical meditation involves setting aside dedicated time to reflect on scripture, speak it aloud, and apply it to our lives. This disciplined practice strengthens our faith, making us more resilient and confident in God's promises. [24:05]
Bible Passage: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate the practice of meditating on God's Word into your daily routine to strengthen your faith and align your life with His will?
Quotes
1. "For medical science had turned its face away and said nothing could be done. I had to come down to the brink of the grave before I'd do what I was urging you to do. Come to God. I had to listen to God's word in a constant, careful, diligent, reverent, prayerful manner and find out what God's word had to say on this subject. I almost waited too late. If I had something quickly acute, I guess I would have been carried out into eternity." [01:42] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God's word won't work just because you have a Bible lying on the chest of drawers. It won't even work just because you read it. It won't work just because you memorize a few scriptures. It won't work just because you say, I believe the Bible so. It won't work just because you say, I believe it in the verbal inspiration of the word of God. But it will work if you'll get it down on the inside of you. Into your heart." [04:26] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I believe that God wants, each of his children to grow spiritually, to develop a prayer life, to develop a faith life until he can stand on his own two feet until he is no longer a spiritual babe who has to depend on somebody else to do his praying for him. Somebody else to exercise faith for him, somebody else to get his healing for him." [06:52] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We can learn how to pray until our prayers can be more effective this year than they were last year. Our faith can be greater this year than it was last year. And God can be more real to us today than he was last year. He will be if we do what he said, my son attend to my words. Man shall not live by bread alone. Jesus said, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God." [07:33] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Faith is what makes divine healing work. And God has told us exactly how faith comes. In Romans 10 verse 17 he says, So then faith cometh. We know it comes. How does it come? Faith cometh by hearing. It doesn't come by seeing. It doesn't come by feeling. It comes by hearing. Hearing what? And hearing by the word of God. It comes by hearing the word of God." [12:07] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "I never could figure out why Christians, especially spirit-filled Christians, if they do get sick, and they do, wouldn't take time to find out what God has to say about it. Or wouldn't listen to what God says. Instead of opening their ears to what God has to say, they'll listen to what everybody else has to say. People can be right in their hearts and wrong in their heads." [13:06] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "I began to see myself well. When some of those heart attacks would come then and I'd seem to get worse, I'd laugh, just laugh, right in the face of them, I'd see myself well. I asked myself the question, what would I be doing if I were up? I answered, I'd be preaching. So I said, give me a pencil and paper. And I started working on some sermons. I only preached one of them. preachable, but eventually I had a whole box of them. I saw myself well." [19:03] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Get the word of God, God's medicine built into your spirit. A wife may know about cooking she may be able to sit down to a table with nothing on it and explain to her husband all about a delicious recipe every ingredient in it and just how to prepare it but just because she knows all that won't put anything in it she won't be able to put anything into his stomach just knowing that won't put anything into her stomach you have to cook up the dish you know how to fix and then you have to eat it." [27:01] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Continual feeding and exercise of the body keeps it strong continually feeding the spirit keeps it strong I took a break from eating and I'm going to eat another one I'm going to eat another one now every day I can't move because my stomach is simply not working I can't eat it every single day and as I run and if you would always insist on it then let me say it several times I took a break every month with a small meal and about two cups and a half of owed I end up a few times I'll skip it half the time intoman arrested one night later it's healthy day and say I'm gonna keep trying and it said oh why is he not going to take some of this blood one day at a time I was going to drive there's no stop to it so they didn't call me I took a break ride from that day early on that's why they called me a zephyrd man's estruturaltalker that i found so little in my irgendian right that they didn't want a thing same thing I did, it won't work for them because their faith is not being fed." [28:27] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Jesus said, according to your faith, be it unto you. Like dad Nelson said, this time will come that you will need faith either for yourself or for some member of your family. And if you haven't kept your faith strong, you'll be at a disadvantage. Get the word of God, God's medicine built into your spirit." [28:27] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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