Discerning the Lord's Body

After Adam and Eve sinned, the curse came upon the human race. A description of the curse can be found in the book of Deuteronomy, and it includes every sickness and disease. But thank God, according to Galatians chapter three, Christ has redeemed us from the curse by being made a curse for us.

Believers in Jesus are called the seed of Abraham. Because Jesus took the curse, the blessing of Abraham has come upon us. The blessing includes healing from every sickness and every disease.

Now, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you have noticed that plenty of Christians suffer with sickness and disease. So is Galatians 3:13 a contradiction? Absolutely not! If a born again believer is suffering with sickness and disease, it is definitely not the will of God, and the answer has decisively been given through the shed blood of Jesus.

You may be asking, “So why then, are believers suffering with sickness and disease?” It is not for the same reasons as those who do not belong to Jesus. Those who are unsaved have not been redeemed from the curse of the law. But if a believer has sickness and disease in their body, there is a cause other than the curse.

Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

Ephesians 4:27 AMPC

We are commanded to give no place or opportunity to the devil. How can we as believers give the devil a place in us? Here’s a good starting place for us today:

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NKJV

The word “sleep” in this passage is the same Greek word that Jesus used when saying Lazarus is sleeping. It actually means “decease” or “be dead.”  So we see that believers can be weak, sick, or die prematurely by not discerning the Lord’s body. So how do we discern the Lord’s body?

If You Aren't Receiving Your Healing THIS Could Be Why

Discerning the Lord’s body has a two-fold application.

1.     Discerning Jesus’ physical body 

According to 1 Peter 2:24, Jesus took a beating so that we could receive healing: “by whose stripes you were healed.”

We must always remember that healing has been provided for us, as we discussed in previous blogs. If we don’t remember His benefits, we will not enjoy His benefits. (Psalm 103: “forget not all His benefits.”)

2.     Discerning Jesus’ spiritual body

Jesus is the Head and the church is His body. Christians must discern how their actions will affect others in the body, or it could lead to weakness, sickness, and premature death. Ephesians chapter four, verse 16 describes how the body is supposed to function:

For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.

There is a supply for every member to bring to the body. We must discern how our supply is affecting the body. Are we helping it to increase, or are we causing it to decrease? Many believers have never given much thought to the truth that we must be right about how we treat other believers. If we are not bringing our supply to the body, it will hurt the other believers in some measure.

One of the most important places to discern and consider is the local church. God is the One who instituted local churches and put pastors over them to protect, guide, and correct the sheep. The way we treat our place in the local church will have a definite effect on our health. Having been pastors for over forty years, we have observed that believers who do not have a local church, or who do not treat the members properly suffer needlessly.

Here are four steps to properly discern the local church:

1.     Attend services

First of all, we must discern that we need a local church and should find the one God is calling us to and attend it regularly.

2.     Pray for the pastor and the church

Your pastor and fellow church members are all facing the same demonic opposition as you, and they need your prayers.

3.     Give financially to your local church

Those who withhold finances to help the local church operate are hurting the supply that others could receive from the ministry.

4.     Serve in the ministry of helps

It is important that you not only attend services but get involved in helping so that others can receive.

We realize that there are exceptions where a believer cannot be a part of a local church. But for the vast majority, the plan of God is always that sheep be part of a group and not loners that are in danger of wolves.

Remember, the apostle Paul said, “For this reason, MANY are weak, sick, and die prematurely, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD’S BODY. This is a good starting point for examining our lives. If we will discern our proper supply in the local church, we should never be weak, sick, or die prematurely.

If you're in the Aurora/Naperville area and are looking for a church that teaches the uncompromising Word of God, we invite you to visit Abundant Life Family Church. As a Word and Spirit church, we are committed to helping believers grow in faith, experience the power of God, and walk in His promises. Our services are filled with dynamic worship, Bible-based teaching, and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit moves. Whether you’re searching for a church home or seeking a deeper relationship with God, we welcome you to join us and be part of a thriving community of faith!