Holistic Healing? (Exodus 15:26)? ? Today I'd like to share God's grace under the title of "Holistic Healing." Human beings are naturally created to live in eternity without getting sick. Then why are we suffering from diseases and death? Since our ancestors Adam and Eve committed sin against God, however, we have been punished and are destined to become sick and eventually die and return to the dust. That is why we suffer from all kinds of diseases, both physical and mental, and spare no efforts in healing our diseases. At a military medical school in Yusung, Daejon City, there is a huge stone monument that attracts attention with the inscription, "Save All." Military doctors engraved it with their dutiful hearts to restore injured soldiers. I was greatly impressed by it there. As this military medical school has inscribed its slogan to heal injured soldiers, churches should have greater commitment to divine healing. Since the fall of Adam, we have been under various diseases, mental and physical, and have tried our best to fix them. We must heal and restore those who are with various ailments and disabilities. I am sure that it is the churches' must do for all of them. 1. Healing of sick personality First, we should heal their sick personality which is due to their moral iniquities. You know, there is no one perfect in this world. No matter how bright, pure, and clear we may be outwardly, we all have weaknesses and defects inwardly. We try to hide them, but God already recognizes all our sins and iniquities. To fix all of these is impossible by our own ability. Living in this world is sin itself. Our daily life itself is curse. In the midst of this flood of sin a pure life without sin is beyond human power. Therefore, our eternal Lord gave a sacrifice once for all on the cross to give us the eternal forgiveness because if he had given forgiveness only for one day, what about tomorrow? If he gave forgiveness for yesterday only, what shall we do for today? Since we are a mortal being, all of our works are temporary, but the sacrifice of Jesus our eternal God has an eternal effect. It doesn't need to be repeated. By only one sacrifice the Lord paid off our sins and iniquities. Isaiah 53: 5 says, "But he was pierced for our transgressions." Romans 3:24 says, "--and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." God's grace is an eternal grace so having been justified by his grace we might stand before God with boldness. Therefore as we believe in Jesus, we don't need to offer any sacrifice. The sacrifice of human effort and endeavor is to no avail. Only by faith in the precious blood of Jesus we can receive forgiveness and righteousness forever. We suffer from a sick personality such as alcoholism, gambling, lying, obscenity, theft, hatred, grudge which are the part of humanity we cannot get away from by ourselves. Rebuke, condemnation, and judgment are unable to change people with those diseases. Thus look at those inmates who commit serious crimes such as theft, fraud, debauchery, and sexual offense again as soon as they are released from prison. Since the sinful seed is already planted within us, we are unable to become sanctified on our own unless it is replaced by the seed of life. How can our moral character be healed? As we are cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus, we tend to fall into temptation and commit sin repeatedly. The only way to pull out its sinful root is that the Holy Spirit of God must stay within us to remove the sinful root and plant the seed of holiness. The difference between unbelievers and believers is that the devil stays in the former but the Holy Spirit in the latter replacing the spirit of the world. The Bible says that the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. John 7:37-39 says, "On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." Only when the Holy Spirit comes, the sinful nature and iniquities within us will be rooted out. This will not be done with our might or by our power. Only the Holy Spirit can do this. By the grace of the Holy Spirit our thinking will be different. By the power of the Holy Spirit our dreams, faith, words, and acts will be changed. Therefore, when we receive the Holy Spirit, we are forgiven, and have a changed personality and divine healing by the faith in Jesus. That's why God pours down his Spirit on us. Jesus came to the earth to forgive the sinners and they need Jesus so badly. Without Jesus there will be no forgiveness and holiness toward us. Exodus 15:26 says, "He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you." God said that if we had gotten out of sins and iniquities he would heal our physical sickness at the same time. How could we get rid of them? It is not by my human might but by the Holy Spirit. Actually it is not difficult to remove sins and iniquities. The Bible says in Psalm 91, "I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." How can we acknowledge his name? Those who recognize his name will not serve other gods or bow down to them nor misuse the name of the Lord, but keep the Sabbath holy and acknowledge his name. The Lord will lift high and draw near and heal those who know his name. The Bible says, "Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house." All of these are easy to keep because as we determine to stick to these, the Spirit of God is willing to help us. When we have a right relationship with God and other people, God will not bring on us any of the diseases he brought on the Egyptians, but heal all of diseases. Therefore, churches must be naturally a healing place. In church, anyone who believes in Jesus will be forgiven and healing will follow. The Lord promised it himself that if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, he would heal all of your diseases. When we repent of our sin spiritually and receive the Holy Spirit, the Lord heals us accordingly. So when we come before the Lord, our sins and iniquities are forgiven and even the diseases that follow after them will be healed by his grace. Church is the healing center and we should set up a big signboard on its roof saying, "A Healing Center." You can be healed today. By the precious blood of Jesus your sins and iniquities are forgiven. If you repent of your sin following the commandments and law of God, the Lord who heals will appear in your life. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will be healed from your head to the bottom of your feet. 2. Healing of mental health Secondly, we should heal their mental health. Abnormal mental status is caused by mental diseases. There are not only physical diseases but also mental illness in human beings. These mental diseases are invisible, but more painful and excruciating. Pathologically negative minds relate to mental illness such as incompetence, lethargy, defeatism, chronic anxieties and worries, concerns, nervousness, and depression which require medical treatment. People with these diseases should not be rebuked because they are powerless and sluggish. “You are nobody and a loser being possessed by worries, anxiety, nervousness, and concerns. You are under the pain of hatred and grudges." They must not to be criticized or denunciated, but to be treated well. A careful treatment is required. Proverb 17:22 says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." A cheerful heart produces endorphins abundantly for us to be healed. However, a crushed heart dries up the bones. You know, dried bones also melt flesh. Various diseases come from a state of mind. Worries, anxiety, concerns, irritation, despair and depression will appear as a physical illness. Thus mental illness should be treated, too. Acts 10:38 says, "--how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." The devil oppresses people. He comes to disturb our words, thinking, and acts. Furthermore, he lets us fall and make a mistake repeatedly and then crushes us. First, he suppresses our hearts and minds and takes away our freedom. When we are depressed and anxious we become sick and lose our mental health. As Jesus went around healing all who were crushed, those who are depressed are healed right now! It is the Lord's will that everyone should be set free. Everybody can enjoy liberation because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. What he wants is in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." He really wants us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. He never wants us to live under the heavy burden of sorrow, worries, concerns, complaints, laments, hatred, and grudges. One little boy with shabby clothes entered a Sunday school in Chicago USA. Nobody paid attention to him. That boy came in with a tense face and hatred in his heart, but a Sunday school teacher welcomed him and hugged him by rubbing his cheeks. Then the boy waited for Sundays and always sought that teacher first whenever he came to church. The teacher used to take his hands and rub his cheeks and hug and encourage this poor boy. This boy was sick in his heart. At home his father was an alcoholic who destroyed everything in house and bit his wife and kicked his son. Thus this boy could not go to school and wandered in the streets committing every crime. There was no one but this Sunday school teacher whom he could turn to. Through this teacher the boy was changed in his heart. Whenever he entered church from the cold world, his heart became warm. As time went by, his frozen heart began to be melted gradually. Later he became a world renowned evangelist. He was D.L. Moody who led tens of thousands of people to the Lord. You know, only people can heal others' hearts. John Templeton, a famous preacher, said, "We must remember that the biggest gift we can give to others is pure interest from heart." When we care for our neighbors, it will be a tremendous grace. What is love? It cares. Dr. Leonard Cammer treated those who seriously suffered mental illness for 30 years. He was a prominent figure in psychiatry. Through his experience he found that care and love would be more effective than psychiatric treatment to heal mental illness. To receive love and care from church and home is a shortcut to mental health rather than seek medical help from a psychiatrist because the cause of mental illness comes from isolation and loneliness in their hearts. When people become isolated and forsaken from others and nobody cares for them, it turns into mental disease. Dr. Cammer emphasized the importance of human relationship and mutual love for mental health. He said, "No man can live alone. We should be related and have fellowship with each other. Most of mental disease comes from the lone feeling that people feel. One call or a word from a stranger can heal mental patients and their life can be changed by this accidental contact. My treatment and medical care can be acquired by money, but you are unable to buy the care and love that they receive." Those who have serious and chronic mental diseases can receive comfort by one call. They can be greatly impressed and changed by one touch from a warm heart. Since abnormal mental status is mental disease, it should not be the object of criticism and rebuke. It needs medical treatment, but above all if we comfort and encourage them with sincere concern and love, there will be no mental illness or if it exists, it will soon be healed. 3. Healing of the body Thirdly, we also need physical healing. There are too many physical diseases to count that we cannot even memorize their names except for the doctors. These physical diseases should not be a subject of criticism or contempt but that of treatment. How many diseases exist today? We don't know the names of countless diseases. Even doctors are ignorant beyond their specialty. Thus there is no ending in disease. However, church is also a healing center. God knows every disease and the cause of it without exception. So he can heal the disease that even specialist cannot cure. Listen to what James 5:14-15 says, "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven." Since disease and sin are connected each other, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. When we anoint the sick with oil and pray for them, the power of the Spirit of God comes to heal them. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of healing. The work of the Holy Spirit lets us repent of our sins and also heals our diseases to make us healthy. Where there is the Holy Spirit, there will be divine healing. To heal is the work of God. He said that he would be our healer. By Jesus' stripes we are healed. The Holy Spirit will be our anointing to heal our sickness. The Trinity is the God of healing and his church should be a healing center. 4. Jesus’ healing ministry Fourth, Jesus spent two thirds of his public ministry on the earth in healing people. Let's look into the ministry of Jesus. Matthew 4:23-24 says, "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them." The Lord healed every disease and sickness among people and all who were ill came to him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus said, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."(Mt. 18:20) If you believe that Jesus is here, say amen. You said, "Amen." Then Jesus is here with us to heal every disease and sickness. You should believe that. Those who are sick should pray to God for healing and believe it in their hearts. The Lord performs miracles. Jesus also commanded his disciples to heal the sick whenever they would preach the gospel. Matthew 10:7-8 says, "As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." He ordered that they should heal the sick proclaiming the message, "The kingdom of heaven has come near." When the Lord healed alone, too many sick people gathered to be healed. He imparted his healing power to his 12 disciples and then to 70 disciples and finally said as his last will at his Ascension in Mark 16, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." If you believe in Jesus, say amen. I did not say, "If you believe." The Lord said that they would place their hands on sick people, and they would get well. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will not place your hands only on your disease, but also place your hands on others' diseases to heal . Christianity is the healing religion. The Lord said, "You should heal this way and that way, when you sit at home and when you get up, when you come to church and when you visit other people, and wherever you are. Furthermore, we must heal sin, the spiritual disease, mental illness and physical sickness. The Lord heals our diseases through his cross. 1 Peter 2:24 says, "He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Forgiveness of sins and healing go side by side. Where there is forgiveness, healing is there. When the gospel is preached, "Repent," there ought to be the healing work of God. Don't forget that forgiveness always accompanies healing. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Not only our spirit requires salvation but our soul and body also need healing and holistic salvation so we may prosper in spirit, circumstances and body until we meet the Lord. As the Bible says, "For we live by faith, not by sight," when you move forward with faith, you will realize that the inconceivable power of God is within you. You ought to cast out the devil in the name of Jesus. Place your hands on the sick and heal them in the name of Jesus. Comfort and encourage others in the name of Jesus. Deliver the message of forgiveness and hope in the name of Jesus. Jesus commanded his disciples to heal everyone when they would preach the gospel. In faith we can cast out all the mental and personal defects and also physical diseases. In his last will, Jesus said that signs of healing will accompany you when preaching the Gospel around the world, "Drive out demons in my name. They will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." What happens if we disobey? To place hands on somebody means to care for him. We must pray with love. Not to do half in fun but to place your hands on them with love and pray for them then God will heal them. Therefore, we ought to speak about the grace of healing and put it into practice while preaching the gospel. When we proclaim Jesus, we must say that the Lord not only forgives and saves but also casts out the devil and heals the sickness. It is our duty and responsibility. Nowadays many pastors do not come forward to heal the sick out of their shameful doubt about divine healing. They fear saying, "It is up to the physicians. If we try to heal the sick but fail, what shall we do? Shame on us!" So they resist obeying God. Nonetheless, Jesus clearly commanded divine healing to his 12 disciples and then to 70 disciples and finally to every believer. We should live with forgiveness, peace of mind and physical health and then go to his heaven. Until the Lord comes again we must continue the work of healing. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you should be the instrument of God to practice the work of healing. Heavenly Father, we thank you that Jesus is here with us. We also thank you that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus has forgiven our sins and iniquities, healed our souls, given life, removed mental illness, sent peace of mind, and allowed physical health. To us God will not change and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Holy Spirit is within us. Therefore, we should be healed. We give thanks for your healing power within us. Today as we participate in the Holy Communion, let your healing power overflow like a river and all be healed. In Jesus' name, amen.