Midterm for Advanced Understanding of the Spirit, sickness and demons: Seek the Healer and not the healing

Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Dr. Z.
10/25/2010

Midterm paper: Seek the Healer and not the healing (at least 3 examples)
I am going to discuss a number of healing stories regarding Jesus.

I will focus on stories where persons were not afraid to go after Jesus and his attentions.

First, I will begin with the story of the blind man (or men) near Jericho. This story is recounted for the most part word for word in the 3 synoptic gospels (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43). Only in Mark is he named as “Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus”. Matthew describes two blind men calling out (v. 30). One thing common to all the accounts is the faith exhibited in calling Jesus “Son of David” implying Messiah or “anointed one” (Isaiah 11:1, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Romans 1:3, Revelation 22:16). The important thing in this story is that the blind man (or men) did not give up on calling out to Jesus and “cried out all the more” when rebuked by others. I like the Mark account about him “throwing off his mantle…”, springing up, and coming to Jesus. He wanted a healing, but his focus was on Jesus and faith in Jesus first. Jesus asked him what he wanted—“let me receive my sight”. Jesus commended his faith in the healing of his sight. All 3 accounts speak of him or them following Jesus, but I like the ending in Luke about him “…glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” (v. 43) (Note: There is a similar account in Matthew 9:27-31 about two blind men healed)

Second, I would like to look at the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:1-42. Jesus breaks a couple of taboo’s here both by speaking with a woman and with a Samaritan woman at the well in asking her for a drink. He offers “living water” (v. 10, 13-14) and describing it as a “…well of water springing up unto everlasting life”. She is still focused on literal water until Jesus proceeds to give her a prophetic “word of knowledge” regarding her having had five husbands and living with another man now. She calls Him a “prophet”. Jesus proceeds to reveal His identity as Messiah and teaches about true worship that supersedes the Jews (worship in Jerusalem) and the Samaritans (worship on the mountain)—“…true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth….God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (v. 23-24) The disciples return and marvel at Him speaking with a Samaritan woman. The woman leaves her pot and goes into the city telling about her encounter with the “Christ”—“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (v. 29) It is now the disciples’ turn to be too literal when Jesus speaks of His “meat is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work”. (v. 34). Many Samaritans of the city proceeded to entreat him to stay so He and His disciples tarried there for two days. This woman went from going to the well by herself (possibly ostracized from the other women of the city) to becoming an “evangelist” for Jesus Christ for the city. Even though they speak about believing in Him (“…indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world”—v.42) from their own experiences and encounters with the living water of Jesus, it was still the word of the Samaritan woman that drew the “harvest” (John 4:35) for Jesus. This woman found emotional and social healing and restoration by pointing others to Jesus and becoming His messenger for her city and its inhabitants. The Healer provides “living water” and “meat” (doing Will of Father), teaches about “true worship” and about fields “white already to harvest” (v. 35)—essence of discipleship and seeking the Healer. Jesus in ministry has the same focus (“do the will of him that sent me…”—John 4:34) as He did when He was twelve years old (“…I must be about my Father’s business”—Luke 2:49)

Third, I would like to look at the story of the man born blind in John 9:1-41. He has two brief encounters with Jesus at the beginning and end of the chapter. Most of the chapter is devoted to the discussion between this healed man and the Pharisees. The disciples had questioned Jesus on whether this man or his parents had sinned (a common belief was that calamities, disease, or disability resulted from sin). Jesus answered that it was not a result of sin but “that the works of God should be made manifest…” (v. 3) On the Sabbath, Jesus anointed the man with “clay and spittle” and directed him to the pool of Siloam to wash it off then he received his sight. The man had to first answer to the people then to the Pharisees who questioned him, questioned his parents and then questioned him once again. There was division between the Pharisees over his “work” on the Sabbath vs. the evidence of healing. His parents confirmed that he was born blind and could now see. The man had been questioned thoroughly the first time. When he was brought back and told Jesus was a “sinner” (v. 24) according to the Pharisees and was questioned repeatedly regarding his healing, then the man responded with “Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners…If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.” (v. 30-33). They reviled the man and threw him out (a threat with which his parents had been afraid of the Pharisees). After this, Jesus found him and revealed His identity as “Son of God” as He asked him about his faith. The man then confessed his faith in Jesus and worshipped Him. Jesus then makes a statement about coming into the world so the blind will see and so the seeing will be blind (refusal to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ). The man born blind not only received a physical healing but also spiritual sight and revelation of Jesus Christ as Son of God. The man born blind, like the Samaritan woman, first thought of Him as a “prophet” (v. 17) but quickly understood Him as so much more—Son of David, living water, Son of God, THE HEALER.

Final for Advanced Understanding the Spirit, Sickness, & Demonic Power: Steps to be filled with the Holy Spirit

Randall Q. Lawrence
Faith Bible College
Understanding the Spirit,
Sickness & Demonic Power
Dr. Z.
12/13/2010

Final: Steps to be filled with the Holy Spirit

I wanted to take this topic because of my experience this year on Palm Sunday, March 28 in Excelsior Springs. As an RN (Registered Nurse), I noticed Elder Larry (Quinter) having problems following the church service. His color was rather pasty, had weakness, and was complaining of his chest and heart. Ellie, his wife, was very concerned. Dr. Nick was there along with Dr. Esperanza, and I believe Dr. Eva. I remember Dr. Nick instructing everyone to begin to pray in their prayer language. I did not have one, and so I prayed in English. This spirit of MI (myocardial infarction-heart attack) or another heart issue was not breaking off so Dr. Nick instructed Larry to begin to pray in his prayer tongue. It (the demonic spirit) then broke off as his normal color and breathing returned. I was amazed and realized these persons will “fight for you” when the devil and demons try to get you. After I left from Larry, I saw my friend, Peggy, being prayed over by Missionary Julie Nash and Dr. Esperanza (?) for her prayer language. I went back to be with them, and Julie looked at me looking at Peggy and realized that I desired my prayer language also. It opened up to me and Peggy both that day. I had felt impotent (in not having a prayer language) with prayer over Larry. I had discussions with Ben, my instructor in Bible Prophecy II, over prayer language—“It’s there….” was prophetic word of knowledge that he had given me. Since Palm Sunday, Peggy and I have both deepened the use of prayer language/tongues in our lives and have used it over and over.

I bring up this experience because I think it helps to have a personal experience to look at as far as guidelines for being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Book of Acts gives some guidelines, but all the experiences of a mighty move of the Holy Ghost are not all the same, but there are certain parallels to these Spirit-filled experiences. Jesus Christ had instructed the disciples to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall opened to you:” (Matthew 7:7)

Let us use this scripture to come up with guidelines or conditions in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The “asking” would be the prayer and waiting on the Lord—well-illustrated in Pentecost with the disciples waiting on the promise of the Father and prophecy and instruction of Jesus (Acts 2). The “seeking” would be in seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit and in seeking persons (ones filled with Holy Spirit, speak in tongues or prayer language, anointed of God)—Peter and John with Samaritans (Acts 8:17) and Paul with the Ephesians (Acts 19:6). The “knocking” would be conditions like inspired, Spirit-filled preaching (the Word of the Lord), laying on of hands by anointed and Spirit-filled ministers—Ananias with Paul (Acts 9:17), Paul in Ephesus. Another condition necessary for the filling of the Holy Spirit would also include deliverance (p. 42, #27 text).

I may by wrong, but I do not see a clear pattern of “1, 2, 3” or “A, B, C” steps for the “filling of the Holy Spirit”. I do see a number of conditions necessary for a move of the Holy Spirit—deliverance, unity, focus on prayer, seeking no matter what it takes. The Holy Spirit, God and Christ are very creative with their bestowal of Gifts of the Spirit. In the Book of Acts, this “filling of the Holy Spirit” came both prior and after water baptism (see Acts 10:44-48). It came with tongues and prayer language. These conditions were met with Peggy and me receiving our prayer tongues in March earlier this year.

Note: These conditions were also met with Charles Parham and Agnes Ozman for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement in 1900. The only condition that was not met was to have tongue-speaking believers praying over Ms. Ozman. She, her fellow students, and Charles Parham were all asking and praying, seeking an answer to tongues as a manifestation of baptism of the Holy Spirit, and knocking on Heaven to get an answer with prayer and not giving up. This later would lead to the Azusa Street revival through Parham and William Seymour, student under Parham in Houston, TX.