HOW TO KEEP YOUR HEALING

Untold thousands of people around the world can attest to the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the vast majority, they have experienced lasting deliverance. Sadly, some of the people, who were healed, had somehow lost their healing. However, we must understand that there are reasons why it is so.

The purpose of this message is to help you retain and maintain your healing. Let’s begin with the four key points regarding divine healing. It is vital that you understand them. That will give you a firm foundation to keep your healing.

1. Understand God’s Intention

Does God want you to be well, strong and healthy? If you are sick, is it His intention to heal you? Since God’s will is revealed in His Word, let us examine what the Bible says about the subject.

Exodus 23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

In the Old Testament time, even before our Savior and Healer, Jesus Christ, was manifested in human flesh to accomplish His healing mission, God had already promised healing for His people.

They were passing through the wilderness with all the accompanying hazards and hardship; and that’s when the Lord declared to them, “I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”

It was a very difficult promise for God to make to some two million people who were camping in the desert. There was no basic provision of any kind along the endless stretch of barren land. How could such a large multitude survive under such harsh conditions? Yet they thrived with God’s help.

Psalm 105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

When the Israelites complied with both the spiritual and health principles of God, they were not only strong in spirit and body but also well provided for. The Egyptians, whom they had served as slaves, sent them off with gold and silver, more out of fear than appreciation.

When the Israelites were right with God, there was not even one feeble person among them. That’s the clear intention of God for those who serve Him faithfully. If for whatever reason they are sick, God’s will is to teach and heal them.

Luke 5:12&13 12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Any leper in Israel 2,000 years ago would be regarded as a social outcast. He was worse than an animal. If he was spotted on sight, people would stone him. Nobody dared go near to him, let alone touch him. Yet Jesus not only touched this leper, He also healed and cleansed him totally.

This man came to Christ with a heart-rending petition. His one-sentence cry spoke volumes, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean!” He had faith in the Lord’s power to heal him, but he wasn’t sure whether it was His will to do so.

It is amazing that this line of reasoning is still prevalent today. Christians and pre-believers alike are saying, “I know God can do anything, and He can heal anyone of any kind of sickness, but it may not be His will to heal me.”

The Lord Jesus had to set the record straight. In response to the bewildered leper (as well as to you), Jesus declared, “Be clean!” Immediately, the leprosy departed from him.

The positive signal that Jesus sent is very plain, loud and clear. It is God’s perfect will to make us well.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. God wants to see you well in your entire being. He wants you to be well in your finance, in your mind, in your emotion and in every department of your life. More than healing, He wants you to have good health. That is God’s intention for your life.

2. Understand Man’s Make-up

1Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice the two key words in this verse: preserve and holy. God wants to preserve you in your total man – your whole spirit, your whole soul and your whole body.

The spirit is the essence of a person. It is being clothed in a body. Therefore, it is not visible to the naked eye. But it is the real you. The spirit survives physical death. Therefore, it lives on even beyond the grave.

The soul consists of your thinking faculty, will and emotion. When physical death occurs, the spirit and soul leave the body. The spirit and the soul of any person assume a certain materiality that is contactable in the spiritual realm but not in this physical world. The human spirit lives on forever.

The holistic approach to healing and health is to make sure that the spirit, soul and body are in sync with each other and with God. If a person is spiritually sick, he is susceptible to the many negatives in this fallen world which could adversely affect his health and well-being in the long run. If that spiritual condition is left unattended, sooner or later, the mind and body will degenerate prematurely. Similarly, if a person is emotionally sick for a prolonged period of time, his body will also go downhill. So, understanding man’s make-up and keeping every department of his life in order will ensure enduring good health.

3. Understand Satan’s Intention

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus refers to the devil as the thief. Satan steals. What does he steal?

The following are just some of the things he strategizes to steal from you: – your relationship with God, your Creator and Source. He will put doubts in your mind to falsely accuse God. – your relationship with your loved ones. He will try to create misunderstanding and division among you. – your peace of mind. He will use fear and anxieties to weigh your heart down. – your joy. He will instigate you to be discontented even though you have so much. – your health. He will attempt to make your heart churn with so much dissatisfaction and unhappiness that you will fall sick. – your finance. He will think of ways and means to drain you mentally, emotionally, physically and, of course, financially.

When you are totally helpless and hopeless, you will get mad at everyone except the devil. God will be your first target. That’s when the devil would begin to destroy you, body, soul and spirit. That’s Satan’s intention for your life, but you don’t have to let him win.

The only way to stop him is to turn your focus on the One Who has come to die for you in order that you may have life, and have it more abundantly. His name is Jesus Christ, your Savior, Healer and Deliverer. Believe in Him, turn to Him and call upon Him; and He will turn your unrest into peace, your sorrow into joy, your sickness into health, and your poverty into riches. 4. Understand Our Situation

Whatever situation you are facing now, God has put a choice before you. The question is always the same: who do you want to follow – God or the devil?

Numbers 21:5-9 5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

What was the cause of the Israelites’ plight when they were being inflicted by fiery serpents? It was their sinful attitude toward Moses, their God-chosen leader.

When they were murmuring against God’s anointed, they were, in actuality, complaining against Him. Just like the people of today, they were quick to blame God and those in authority as soon as they hit a rough patch in their journey. Many of them died of poisonous bites from the serpents.

Fortunately, those who were still unharmed came to their senses. They approached Moses and confessed, “We have sinned for we have spoken against the Lord and you. Please pray to the Lord for us.”

So Moses prayed for the people, and the Lord, seeing their repentance, provided a solution. He told Moses to make a brazen serpent, set it on a pole and lift it up for all to see. Everyone, who looked at it, would live and not die. Somehow the poison in them would be neutralized by the power of God.

Immediately, Moses followed God’s instruction and had a brazen serpent erected on a pole. The people were told to obey God by looking at the brazen serpent which was a foreshadow of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

I believe that those who were still angry with God and Moses simply refused to follow God’s simple instruction and they all perished. However, those who repented and beheld that brazen serpent on the pole were all healed.

Let me explain the strange symbol of a brazen serpent. Brass denotes God’s judgment. Therefore, a brazen serpent on a pole represents sin being judged by God. So when anyone, who was dying of serpent bites, chose to look at that symbol and received God’s forgiveness and healing, a miracle would take place. And that was precisely what happened that day.

Interestingly, when Jesus came to earth as Savior, Healer and Deliverer, He spoke about that incident in the wilderness. Now He had come to take upon Himself the sins of the world, it was imperative that He explain the meaning of the brazen serpent.

John 3:14&15 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Paul elaborated the Divine Exchange that Christ, in His great love for us, was willing to make. He took our sins and our sicknesses upon Himself, and became like that brazen serpent on the pole upon which the judgment of God was poured upon.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When we choose to believe Christ and receive His forgiveness and healing, it simply means that we accept His punishment on our behalf. He had actually taken upon Himself our sins. To go one step further, when we do the same with our sickness, it would be reckoned that our sickness has been taken by Him. That is how we receive His healing and health.

Matthew 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

In all of these scriptural passages, we learn three things. There is a cause for sickness to take root in our bodies, but there is also a cure through the sacrifice of Christ’s death on the Cross. Finally, there is a choice we have to make. Do we accept the forgiveness and healing from Jesus Christ?

In every situation we face in life, the same choice is before us: to believe and obey God or to doubt and do what the flesh dictates. Everyday, we are confronted with this choice.

In the last chapter, a solid foundation was laid so that you can remain unshakeable whenever the devil attempts to steal your healing. You were given a spiritual understanding regarding the provision of divine healing and the demonic hindrance to wholeness. Now we are ready to deal with the core subject of maintaining your healing.

10 STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR HEALING

1. Keep yourself in the atmosphere of faith.

Many Christians, even pastors and preachers, believe that Jesus healed everyone every time everywhere He went. But the Bible is clear that they were healed by expressing faith. It wasn’t uncommon for Jesus to affirm that by saying, “Your faith has made you whole” or “According to your faith, so shall it be done unto you.”

Let us, therefore, settle this issue once and for all. Allow me to highlight to you four separate incidents in the healing ministry of Christ in which four different results occurred. Mark 6:1-5 1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

The people in the Lord’s hometown could not deny the unusual wisdom in His words. They had also heard of the mighty miracles He had performed elsewhere. So they wondered and asked in unbelief, “How could this be? He is only the son of a carpenter. We know His parents, brothers and sisters so well, they are very ordinary folks. Jesus didn’t even go for any theological training, so where did He learn all these things?”

Not only they did not believe Him, they were also offended with Him. Obviously, they didn’t have faith in Him. What was the result of their unbelief? He could not do mighty works there. The plain conclusion is: Christ could not perform a single great miracle in Nazareth. It wasn’t that He didn’t want to but He simply couldn’t because of their doubt and unbelief.

John 5:2-9 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

There were many sick people at the pool of Bethesda. All of them were waiting for the troubling of the water because they were told that the first one who stepped into the water, after it was being stirred up by an angel, would be healed of whatever sickness he had.

Of the many hopefuls there, Christ only approached one – a paralytic of 38 years. Why didn’t He approach the others at all? Perhaps Jesus could tell that He could instill faith in this one individual, and not the rest.

As soon as faith was ignited in that man’s heart, Christ commanded him to rise, take up his pallet and walk. As soon as that man rose, immediately, he was made whole, enabling him to take up his pallet and walk.

On this occasion, among the numerous sick folks, only one was healed. In the previous incident, there was not even one mighty miracle. But this time, there was only one great miracle. By now, I am sure you are convinced that Christ did not heal everyone every time everywhere He went, although He would love to.

Mark 1:32-34 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

On this occasion, many were healed of all kinds of sicknesses, although not everyone had received their healing. The faith level there was rather vibrant. Many believed, therefore, many were healed.

Luke 6:17-19 17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

By now, the fame of Christ had spread like wildfire. People from other towns were seeking for Him. They came to touch His anointed garment. Verse 19 says that virtue went out of Him, and all of them were healed.

Although Jesus did not heal everyone everywhere He went every time, this time everyone was healed. How come? Everyone believed.

If you were at Nazareth when Christ visited it, very likely you would not be healed because there was so much unbelief in that atmosphere. However, if you were in the atmosphere of great faith where everybody was healed by Christ, it’s a guarantee that your healing would take place.

Here’s the crunch: it is extremely important that you attend the right church where no unbelief is preached and where the atmosphere of faith is vibrant. But if you are being injected by a spirit of doubt week in and week out because you are in a wrong spiritual atmosphere, you are giving room for the devil to steal your healing

Jesus says, “Take heed what you hear, and how you hear what has been said.”

We must understand when we open ourselves to hear something long enough, whether truth or falsehood, it will be filed into our belief system. In other words, we tend to believe what we open our ears and hearts to hear repeatedly. It will become a part of us.

If you are a preacher or a pastor, let me elaborate on what Jesus had said, “Take heed what you preach and how you preach it!” Does your preaching inspire faith and bring life? Or does it bring doubt, destroy faith and bring death?

In our three decades of healing ministry, we have heard of many cases in which people, who were wonderfully healed by God, had lost their healing because they chose to be in the wrong atmosphere. Some of these folks are so discouraged that they no longer believe in divine healing.

If you are in the same predicament of being in a negative atmosphere, common sense dictates that there are three things you should do immediately. One, depart from that negative atmosphere. Two, relocate to an atmosphere of faith where the full Gospel is being preached. Three, confess God’s healing Word as a way of life.

Happily, we also have countless testimonies of people with numerous sicknesses, who keep soaking in the healing atmosphere of our Miracle Service, have now received both instant and progressive healing. Many of them have been attending our healing service for several years, and are getting stronger and better. 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Why does God come so strongly against a powerless religion that observes pomp and ceremony, but is devoid of life? The Word says, “Turn away from such a group with only a form or ritual.” The Lord issues such a strong warning because such a group does more harm than good. It is deadly to your faith and well-being.

2. Keep praising God for your healing.

Praise and worship usher in the power of God. Paul and Silas experienced the earthshaking power of God as they worshiped the Lord in their darkest hour. When they were supernaturally freed from their chains, the jailer himself, who was responsible for inflicting pain on their bodies, came and washed and dressed their wounds.

But greater than this miracle is the fact that the jailer and his whole household received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Instead of the word “inhabit”, the New King James uses the word “enthroned”. This means that God not only inhabits the praises of His people, He is being enthroned there as well. Hence, we can come to this conclusion: where God’s people praise Him, there He establishes His presence, power and authority.

We can establish His presence, power and authority in our churches as well as in our homes and workplaces. What must we do? We simply praise and worship Him in that particular place.

Learn to praise and worship God wherever you are, and not just in the church. Let there be a spirit of prayer, praise and worship flowing from your heart whenever you are alone with God. No matter where you are, let the spirit of praise rise up.

When all the members of a church do that, you can imagine the kind of atmosphere they are building. As they come together corporately, flowing in the river of praise and worship, God will feel so at home there.

If so, is there anything impossible for Him to do? How could you ever have a relapse of your sickness if your heart is full of praise and worship? In fact, how could bitterness and unforgiveness take root in your heart if it is always flowing with adoration to Jesus?

As your heart habitually flows in worship, you will get stronger, not only spiritually but also physically. That is how you maintain your healing.

3. Keep testifying about God’s goodness.

Your testimony about God’s goodness not only brings hope and joy to others but also to yourselves. As you keep testifying, you are building strength and fortitude into your life.

Medical science is discovering the healing effects of the attitude of thankfulness and gratitude. Psychologists are saying that thankfulness and gratitude are positive emotional responses that strengthen our immune system.

Luke 17:12-19 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Obviously, among the lepers who were healed were some who were Jews, God’s chosen people. But none of them came back to thank the Lord, except a Samaritan, one who did not belong to the commonwealth of faith. And Jesus commended him for his gratitude.

Gratitude will strengthen your faith and make your healing secure. Each time you testify about God’s goodness, you are showing thankfulness and gratitude to Him. At the same time, your faith is strengthened and your healing secured.

There was a lunatic living in a cemetery. He was as wild as a beast. Chains could not hold him. Jesus came and cast a legion of demons out of him.

When the lunatic was clothed in his right mind, he desired to follow Christ just like the other disciples. However, Jesus gave him a different calling.

Mark 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

This man’s ministry was to testify of God’s goodness to all of his relatives and friends. I am sure it did him good, and his deliverance was kept secured in so doing.

4. Keep building your faith.

Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing God’s Word.

What is the Word of God? It is both the Living and Written Word of God. The Living Word is Jesus, and the Written Word is the Bible.

We cannot see Jesus with our naked eyes, but we can read, meditate and partake of the Written Word. When our hearts are full of the Written Word, there will be a manifestation of the Living Word in and through us. We will reflect the life of Jesus Christ.

When we speak the Word of God against the devil, “Satan, by Jesus’ stripes, I am healed. You cannot steal my healing,” we are using the Sword of the Spirit; and the devil must flee.

He flees in panic because of two things. One, there is a manifestation of the presence of the Living Word each time we utter His Written Word. Two, there is the devastating power of the Sword of the Spirit which is the two-edged sword that Satan fears greatly.

So it is imperative that you partake of daily spiritual food as you would of physical food. Learn to enjoy reading, studying and meditating God’s Word. Then use it as your two-edged sword against the devil.

When you feel the old symptoms of your sickness in your body, reject them immediately. Take the Word of God and defeat the devil. Your healing can be permanent.

5. Keep being filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:27 says, “Don’t give place to the devil.”

Don’t give him any room. Be so occupied and filled up to the fullest with God’s Word and Spirit that there is no more room for the devil.

Matthew 12:43-45 43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Let me first clarify that not every case of sickness has the presence of an actual demon, although in some cases there are. Even if there are demons oppressing a sick body, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is demon possessed. Only when a person’s heart is given to and taken over by the devil, can we classify him as being demon possessed. In many cases, although a sickness has been caused directly or indirectly by a demon, there is, however, no demonic presence.

Whatever the case may be, Christ has given us the necessary weapons to deal with it. Whether the cause is demonic, biological or a combination of both, it doesn’t matter because the Lord heals and delivers.

When an unclean spirit has been cast out of a man, he would walk through dry places and could not find rest. Dry places are those without moisture and life.

To the demon, it is like a desert, barren and without life. He needs to inhabit a human life in order to operate in evil. His craving for a body with life drives him to return to the person from whom he was being cast out of. He is checking out whether or not he has a chance to re-enter him.

When the demon finds that soul empty (there is no occupant), swept (he is cleansed of the former evil), and garnished (he is now better dressed and having a new vocabulary), he mobilizes seven other demons more wicked than himself to take possession of that soul. Hence, the last state of that man is worse than the first.

I am sure that man, who had been healed and delivered, was thankful for a while. Soon his gratitude wore thin. Gradually, he lost all interest in the Word and things of the Spirit.

The man’s failure to fill up his being with the Word and Spirit of God is fatal. This time, instead of having one evil spirit in him, there are eight altogether. They are taking all precautions to make their possession secure.

So a clean but empty Christian can be attacked and taken possession by the devil. In that light, it is necessary to fully fill our hearts and minds with the Word and Spirit of God.

We have covered the first five strategies to help you keep your healing. There are five more to make the lessons complete. When you adopt these strategies into your daily life, the devil will be hopelessly frustrated.

6. Keep confessing God’s Word.

The Bible says that God’s Word is spirit and life, meaning: it is so impregnated with divine life that it releases tremendous power when we confess it in faith. It has God’s life force in it.

How did God create the universe? By His own words. How did Jesus heal the sick and cast out demons? Again, by His words. How did Jesus calm the storm? He merely spoke, “Peace, be still.” And the storm subsided.

It is no secret that God’s Word is extremely powerful when it is believed, received and released. And we unleash God’s Spirit and Life by confessing His Word by faith.

The centurion, who came to Jesus with a need, knew the secret power of God’s Word. His servant was very ill at home. So enlightened was he that all he asked of Jesus was for Him to speak healing words for his servant.

The centurion somehow knew that it was not necessary for Christ to visit his servant. He was telling the Lord, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Indeed, his servant was gloriously healed!

God’s Word penetrates time and space. Everywhere Jesus went, people could tell that He was unique, particularly with His words. Even His enemies who had a chance to hear Him could not deny that. They were astonished at the power of His words.

Mark 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Jesus has commissioned us to be witnesses for Him, and He has given us His weapon, the Sword of the Spirit. The same power, which is derived from God’s Word, is also available to us. Now is our turn to act like the Living Word (Jesus Christ) by taking the Written Word (the Bible) and turning it into the spoken word (confessing God’s Word aloud), and witnessing God’s power healing lives.

Romans 10:8-10 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. How do we receive salvation? This passage makes it very clear that we have to speak God’s Word which we believe in our hearts, namely that Jesus had died for us and that He had risen from the dead to save us. Such a confession leads to our salvation.

The original Greek word for salvation is “sozo” which means salvation for the total man – spirit, soul and body. Hence, when we confess God’s Word regarding total healing for the whole man, we will see results.

Hebrews 13:5&6 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

In order to confess God’s Word effectively, you have to agree with it, believe it and receive it through meditation (digesting God’s Word into your heart), and then speak it out in faith. Believing and confessing the Word not only heals you, but it will also empower you to keep your healing.

If your heart is wavering and you are beginning to feel sick again, confess the following out of your heart, “By the stripes of Jesus Christ, I am healed. My healing has already been settled in Heaven. Therefore, the devil cannot steal it from me. I rebuke the spirit of sickness and disease out of my life in Jesus’ name!”

7. Keep watch over your heart.

Proverbs 4:20-23 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Why should you watch over your own heart? It is because springing out of your heart are the issues or forces of life. Good and pure forces will keep you healthy, but evil and unholy forces will weaken your body.

The best way to have a healthy spiritual heart is to fill it with God’s Word. That’s also the best way to keep your healing.

In our book, Health and Longevity, this scriptural passage in Proverbs chapter 4 has been expounded at great length.

As you regularly partake of God’s Word and take it to heart, its spirit and life will quicken your mind and body. This exercise will certainly help you to keep your healing. Conversely, an ill-disciplined heart will eventually lead to an ill-disciplined mouth, full of negatives, unbelief and evil. That’s a quick way to lose your healing.

You probably will notice by now that all the key points in this message are interrelated. They affect each other, and God’s Word is indispensable.

Psalm 34:11-14 11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

What is the fear of the Lord? It is deep reverence and honor for the Lord.

The first sign of a person who has the fear of the Lord is that he keeps his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile. According to verse 12, such a person will live long and well.

Therefore, don’t let your heart stray from God. Cultivate a pure heart, godly thoughts and positive words. It’s an excellent way to keep healthy.

What must you do if you are beginning to feel some familiar symptoms of your sickness coming back? Rise up and confess in line with God’s Word, “My heart believes God’s Word. Out of my heart I confess that Jesus is living in my heart. I have the mind of Christ and my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I have no room for doubts and negatives. Spirit of doubt, I rebuke you in Jesus’ name! My body belongs to Jesus! By His stripes, I am healed; and I will remain healed for the glory of God!”

8. Keep obeying God.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. The one whose heart is yielded and obedient to God is able to pray with confidence and wage spiritual warfare against Satan with boldness. Daily, keep obeying God in big and small decisions. Be continuously filled with the Spirit and the Word of God so that sin cannot dominate you.

After the healing of a paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus’ main concern was that the healed man would continue in health. Knowing that willful sin and disobedience could bring about a relapse, Jesus warned him in John 5:14, “Behold, you are made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come to you.”

It is imperative that a person, who has been healed, practices obedience in daily practical matters. He should be observing both spiritual and health laws in all of his personal, domestic, career and social activities.

Healthy diet and regular exercise should have their proper places as well. It’s all about a disciplined life (a life of temperance) and the ability to control one’s appetite for food and affection.

1 Corinthians 6:16-20 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

There is something about sexual impurity that is insidiously destructive to the body. It is the only sin that directly works against one’s own body.

Since your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you should refrain from immorality and fornication. And since we have been purchased with an awesome price, we should glorify God in holiness and purity.

Many find it difficult to see a connection between honoring our parents and longevity, but the Word of God states the connection very plainly.

Ephesians 6:2&3 (NIV) 2 "Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NIV) "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

If you have been healed by the Lord, keep obeying Him in all daily matters, big or small. It’s a sure way of maintaining your healing.

9. Keep resisting the devil’s advances.

The two main sins in the world are pride and unbelief. These are root sins which give birth to all other sins such as fear, jealousy, lust, hatred, violence, vices, etc.

The first person in the universe to have pride is Satan. Pride, coupled with unbelief, is deadly; and he has both.

Satan planned a coup against God. Of course, he lost and had to pay dearly for it. In fact, he is still paying the price and will continue to pay an ever-increasing price.

Pride is an overestimation of oneself, while unbelief is an underestimation of God.

The combination of pride and unbelief is deceptively blinding. It has caused Satan and all his demons their downfall. It is Satan’s strategy to get every human being to become like him, full of pride and unbelief.

Within the three decades of our healing ministry, I had witnessed good people backslide and lose their healing because of the failure to resist the devil’s advances. After they had been touched by God, what seemed to be a promising future had turned out to be a tragedy; and their loved ones were confused.

At the Miracle Service, I have often stressed the need for faith and forgiveness. Unforgiveness and bitterness can often enter into a believer’s heart subtly. If the root of bitterness is left unchallenged, over time, the victim can be so bound by the spirit of unrighteous anger to a point whereby the devil gains the legal rights to reinstate himself, together with the sicknesses, into that person’s body.

I remember a case to illustrate my point. Many years ago, a man was gloriously healed of stomach cancer. His doctor had given up hope on him. He visited our church and began to pour out his heart to me. From that first conversation with him, I gathered that he had backslidden since he was a young man.

It was the usual story. There was some misunderstanding in church, so he left. He became so busy in his career that he had no time for God at all. Then the deadly cancer struck, and he came to our church. We shared a prayer together and he was reconciled to the Lord again.

I encouraged him to close the bad chapter of his life permanently. He became more cheerful. With passing weeks, he actually looked healthier. To the doctor’s amazement, all traces of cancer had disappeared from his stomach. He was so thrilled and joyous that he brought his wife, children, mother and a few other relatives to church with him. My heart rejoiced every time I saw his whole clan in church.

Then one day, he fell deadly sick again. Upon further examination, not only did his cancer come back, it came back with a vengeance. I was both saddened and baffled. After his demise, I had a crisis of faith. Why did God allow that after He had gloriously healed him?

Not only had I grown to love him as a faithful member of the congregation, but I was also mourning in confusion with his family. How could a person, who had been so wonderfully healed, have his healing taken away? My heart cried for understanding.

After the funeral, the deceased’s brother, seeing that I was so distraught, disclosed the cause of the relapse to me.

The night before the relapse, the deceased was still fine until a relative came by to invite him to a wedding dinner. It was a surprise visit because an awful misunderstanding between two families had kept them apart for decades.

Like a volcanic explosion, the man, who had been healed, recalled all the ugly past hurts and went into a rage. Even after the visitor had left, his fury did not subside. The very next day, he was taken ill. From then on, he went downhill. The precious brother had fallen into the trap of the devil.

You may ask, “What should that brother do?” Everyone has struggled with unforgiveness and bitterness. I have had my fair share also, so I know it isn’t easy; but we have to fight for survival.

That brother should have recognized that it was a ploy of the enemy. His relative wasn’t his real enemy. He should silently thank God for his healing. He did not have to attend the wedding if it was too much for him. But he should resist the hateful thoughts from the devil and let his mind dwell upon the goodness of Jesus Christ.

Hatred and anger can destroy your health. You don’t have to be a theologian to know that these feelings are not from God; and you have the authority in Jesus’ name to reject them.

10. Keep believing and trusting Jesus.

Here is a simple exercise that all of us should do every day. As you go about your daily duties, simply whisper to Jesus short but powerful prayers such as: – “Lord, I trust You to help me in my job.” – “Lord, I believe You and all Your promises.” – “Lord, I put my faith in You as I go to this meeting. Thank You for Your presence. Your wisdom is in me.” – “Lord, I have Your strength, power and authority. I am more than a conqueror in Jesus’ name.” As you continue to whisper scriptural words, you are building your faith.

Let all your thoughts and words be Word-based. Let them agree and tally with each other. Let them be filled with God’s Word and Spirit.

When you are facing adverse circumstances or recurring symptoms of an old sickness, you have a choice of thoughts and words.

You can either say, “Oh dear, I think my sickness is coming back. Perhaps I wasn’t healed.” Or you can say with confidence and authority, “By the stripes of Jesus, I am still healed! Sickness, you are bound in Jesus’ name! I reject your symptoms! Devil, you are a liar! According to God’s Word, I am healed because I believe!”

Train yourself to react to the devil at the least provocation. That habit will win you every battle with the enemy.

The Lord Jesus once said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.” You cannot help but to say positive things when your heart is full of God’s Word. Conversely, you cannot help but to mouth negative words whenever you don’t feel good if your heart is filled with negatives.

The Bible says that life and death are in the power of your tongue.

1 Peter 3:10 (AMP) For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good – whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit).

What must we do if we want to see good days and enjoy life? Keep our tongues from evil.

When the spies came back from the Promised Land, 10 of them told Moses that it was impossible to take the land which God had promised them. The Bible called it an evil report. It was evil because the report was filled with unbelief and doubt.

Only Joshua and Caleb brought back a good report as they declared to the people, “We are well able to possess the land according to God’s Word!”

That day, the majority made a grave mistake and they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Finally, it was Joshua and Caleb who possessed the Promised Land with a new generation.

If you want to maintain your healing, keep watch over your heart and keep watch over your words. Let your heart and words be in synchronization with God’s Word. Keep believing and trusting Jesus, and you will stay healthy and strong for the rest of your life!