There’s nothing more satisfying than having something that needs to be packed and it fitting neatly and securely into a box that you have in storage. Boxes are great for packing presents. They’re great for moving. They’re great for shipping a product. Although we, as humans, like boxes, I think God does not. We want everything to fit into a box, even when it wasn’t designed to be put in a box. Have you ever tried to put something in a box that just wouldn’t fit, and no matter what direction you turned it, it still wouldn’t fit without smashing it to pieces? There is little, in my opinion, that is more frustrating than that.
Yet when it comes to receiving from God, believers are looking for formulas that will fit into the nice little boxes they have in storage. Maybe they’ve even used those boxes for a similar situation in the past, but when they try to put the same formula into the same box, for some odd reason it doesn’t fit this time around.
What? It fit last time! It worked for my friend! She used the same formula and the same box and it fit right in making a perfect package! Why doesn’t it fit for me?
We want the only possible way to receive to fit into our self-constructed boxes for each situation, and we want those boxes to look the same for every person every time. We want to do this, this, and this and get that. Perfect fit. No questions asked and no thinking required. Receive every time. But suddenly, our boxes have become are worst enemies because nothing seems to fit in them. Let’s give those nice little boxes another name. Let’s call them your “preconceived notions.” In this case, we’re talking specifically about your preconceived notions regarding how you receive from God.
The totality of God’s methods will never fit into nice little boxes,
which means the ways you can receive won’t fit either.
The way will be different for every person based on where they are spiritually and the situation they’re facing. And believe it or not, that’s a good thing! It means that God knows what you need and how to get it to you, and that His methods aren’t restricted to A + B + C = receiving. What if you miss A, but get B and C? What if you miss A and C but get B? What if you miss A, B, and C? If you’re limiting God’s power to work only according to that formula, if you miss even one of the components, the result won’t equal “receiving” and you’ll never get what you’re believing for until you get it exactly right. That’s a lot of pressure on you to be perfect, and that’s not how God works. He is all about you winning, which is why His methods are unlimited and there is no box that can contain them.
Let me prove it to you. We’ll use healing as our example by looking at all the different ways people were healed in the Bible. We’ll focus on the New Testament, but you’ll also find diverse methods God used to heal in the Old Testament as well. (Here’s just a few examples from the OT: Naaman, commander of the King’s army, was healed after dipping in the Jordan River seven times – 2 Kings 5:14. Elisha raised a boy from the dead by laying on him – 2 Kings 4:34. A dead man is brought back to life after being thrown on the bones of Elisha – 2 Kings 13:21.)
Those methods wouldn’t fit in any common-sized box!
We’ll look first at the ways Jesus healed, then the ways the early Church healed, and end with instructions on healing for the Church. Take time to think about the examples. Think about the people that was healed, but most importantly, think about the various methods God used to heal them. Remember that God is the same today as He was yesterday, and He’ll be the same tomorrow as He is today. The God who healed then is the God that heals now and will continue to heal tomorrow.
As you read one example after another, start throwing out your boxes, your preconceived notions, about how things are or should be regarding healing. As you do, your ability to receive is going to exponentially expand, and healing will no longer be a pipe dream, but an expectation as you realize that receiving isn’t limited to what you can fit in a box!
(Disclaimer: The following is a sampling of the healings in the Bible only, not an exhaustive list!)
Ways Jesus Healed
- Laying on of hands – the most prevalent way Jesus healed
- Luke 22:51 – Jesus simply touches the ear of the soldier that was cut off by Peter and he is healed.
- Healing by the faith of the receiver
- Luke 8:43-48 – Who can forget the woman with the issue of blood. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.” Jesus didn’t do anything. It was her faith that drew the power out of Him to be healed.
- Healing by the faith of another – This method is not talked about much these days, but nevertheless, it is undeniably in the Word. For that reason, I will include several examples.
- Matt. 15:22-28 – The account of the Gentile woman crying after Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. How much faith do you think the daughter had? My guess? None since she was demon-possessed. Jesus told the woman that her faith saved her daughter.
- Mark 5:22-24,35-43 – The account of Jairus, whose daughter was at the point of death and actually died while Jesus was en route to heal her. How much faith did the dead girl have? It’s not a trick question. None. Zero. Zilch. It was the faith of her father that saved her.
- Mark 2:3-12 – The account of the paralytic and his four determined friends. Jesus saw “their” faith, and the subject of that sentence is the friends. Healing was obtained for the man by the faith of his friends.
- Speaking the Word over the person
- John 11:43,44 – Jesus simply spoke to Lazarus, death departed, and his cold, decaying body was made whole and came to life.
- Rebuking the sickness
- Luke 4:38,39 – Jesus rebuked the fever in Peter’s mother-in-law and it left her.
- Casting out of devils
- Luke 11:14 – Jesus casts a dumb spirit out of a man and he spoke.
- Commanding the person to act
- Mark 3:1-5 – Jesus commands the man with the withered hand to stretch it out.
- Mark 3:1-5 – Jesus commands the man with the withered hand to stretch it out.
So, you’re saying, Well, that was Jesus. Okay, then. How about the body of Christ?
Ways the Church Healed
- Using the name of Jesus
- Acts 3:6 – Peter told the man at the gate Beautiful to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And he did.
- Commanding the person to act
- Acts 9:40 – Peter told Tabitha, who was dead, to get up. And she did. (Also by prayer.)
- Acts 9:10 – Paul told the cripple to stand up. And he did.
- Speaking the Word over them
- Acts 9:34 – Peter spoke the truth over the man with the palsy that Jesus had made him well. And he was healed.
- By the faith of the receiver
- Acts 9:9-10 – Paul saw that the cripple had faith to receive.
- By the anointing
- Acts 19:11,12 – God did special miracles through Paul.
- Acts 5:15 – God healed through Peter’s shadow.
- By laying on of hands
- Acts 28:8 – Paul laid hands on the father of Publius who was sick. (Also by prayer.)
- By prayer
- Acts 9:40 – Peter prayed for the deceased Tabitha before commanding her to get up.
- Acts 28:8 – Paul prayed for the father of Publius before he laid hands on him.
Methods Under the New Covenant
- By the name of Jesus
- Mark 16:17-18 – The Church is instructed to cast out devils and lay hands on the sick using the power of His name.
- Gift of faith
- 1 Cor. 12:9 – The supernatural ability to confidently believe God for the impossible.
- Gift of healing
- 1 Cor. 12:9,28 – The supernatural enablement to minister healing and restoration through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Examples: cancer gone, a wound closed, an organ restored to its intended function
- Gift of miracles
- 1 Cor. 10, 28 – The work of the Holy Spirit to effect a change that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws.
- Examples: a metal disc is turned to bone, an organ that wasn’t there is suddenly there, a severed nerve is reconnected and functioning
- Prayer of faith
- James 5:15 and Mark 11:24
- Prayer of the elders and anointing with oil
- James 5:14
- Confession of faults and prayer
- James 5:16
- It must be noted that this confession is not to gain favor or right-standing with God. As a born-again believer, you are holy and unblameable in His sight, and nothing will ever change that (Col. 3:22). He’s not withholding healing from you because of sin, but it can keep you from receiving. Confession is a powerful tool that can pull you out of the clutches of the enemy, out of darkness, and place you into His beautiful light where healing can shine on you.
- Speaking in faith/setting your faith
- Mark 11:23
- The centurion set his faith on Jesus’ word alone when he said, “If you will but speak the word only, my servant will be healed” (Matt. 8:8).
- The woman with the issue of blood set her faith when she said, “If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I’ll be made whole” (Mark 5:28).
- Laying on of hands
- Mark 16:18
- Prayer of agreement
- Matt. 18:19-20
- A prayer where two or more people come together in unity at the same time and for the same thing.
- Powerful things happen when the body of Christ comes together in harmonious prayer. Here are a few examples: Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 4:24,31.
In addition to all those methods, let us not forget there were also God-prescribed natural remedies. Paul instructed Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach. Apparently, Timothy had tummy trouble and wine was the solution (1 Tim. 5:23). In 2 Kings 10, Isaiah the prophet prescribed a cake of figs to be placed on the boil of King Hezekiah in order that he should live and not die. We should not be surprised that there are healing properties in food and the world around us. After all, God created the earth and everything in it to be good. Certain foods/herbs are proven to reduce blood pressure and blood sugar and to decrease inflammation in the body. God used natural means in the Bible, so why is there such a passionate resistance to those same means today?
How about God on deliverance?
- He sent confusion into the camp of the enemy and they destroyed themselves – 2 Chron. 20:22-24
- God Himself destroyed the enemy – 2 Kings 19:35
- He delivers through your own hand, such as David’s few mighty men taking down the multitudes – 2 Sam. 23
- He had David feign madness – 1 Sam. 21:13
- Jesus simply walked through the crowd that wanted to kill him – Luke 4:30
- Peter’s chains fell off and the prison doors were opened – Acts 12:3-19
As you can see, God very seldom did the work the same way every time, no matter what the individual was in need of, whether it was healing or deliverance or provision.
How about God on provision?
When provision was needed, He sent manna and quail from heaven and water from a rock (Ex. 16:4, Num. 11:31, Ex. 17:6 and Num. 20:8). He brought a great fish as transportation (Jonah 1:17). He put a coin in a fish’s mouth to pay taxes (Matt. 17:27).
The unquestionable variableness of God’s workings is frustrating for some that want it “this way or the highway,” but I don’t think His infinite means and ways were meant to generate such a negative reaction. I think His flexibility was intended to elicit a response in you quite the opposite of that. God is showcasing His ability to get His promises to you in any way possible. His means of delivery are unlimited if you’ll stop trying to put receiving in your box labeled A + B + C = receiving.
Without a doubt, I know some of you have already gone through the examples given and put check marks by the ones you’ve tried that didn’t work. In love, I say you have missed the point by a mile. The point is that what you’re believing for can come from anywhere at any moment. As you’re listening to a song, something clicks and you receive. As you’re blow drying your hair, a verse suddenly comes alive in you and you receive. As you’re changing the oil in your car, you get a picture of the old draining out and the new flowing in and you receive.
You can receive anywhere at any time under any situation because His power is present anywhere at any time under any situation.
But far too often, the eyes are focused inward. They’re watching what your hands and feet are doing as they’re trying to stuff the formula of your works into what you think is the right box, hoping that it fits.
When you’re looking to yourself, you aren’t looking to Him. When you’re looking to yourself, there is a lurking feeling of imminent disappointment and failure. When you’re looking to yourself, you limit receiving to what you can do for yourself. You’re looking to what your human mind and ability can imagine and accomplish. And that’s a very small box.
But when you’re looking to Him, there is no box. When you’re looking to Him, all that remains is a positive expectation lingering in the air and in your heart. When you’re looking to Him, you stop looking at the list of ways you know to receive, and instead allow Him to show you the way that you will receive. And that way may be different than any way anyone has ever seen before.
So burn your boxes.
Look to Him.
And when you do receive, be sure to add it to the list of “Oh, look and see what the Lord has done!”